Author: Francine Brokaw

‘The Great’ returns to explore how an idealistic dreamer survives a deadly environment, let alone thrive

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

 

What would you do if you’re trapped in a bad marriage and do not see a way out? Tony McNamara of The Favourite fame thinks this is a contemporary conundrum that needs to be studied in a young woman’s journey to power in the 18th century Russia.

Adapted from his own 2008 stage play, Hulu’s The Great* – *an occasionally true story  takes a farcical and contemporary approach to the life of the famed Russian Empress, Catherine The Great. McNamara’s signature biting and absurdist vision of history is apparent in this young, ambitious woman’s dreadful and continuing conundrum of leading Russia into a greater future while surviving the ‘kill or be killed’ deadly environment. It’s not a run-of-the-mill restrained period piece for sure. McNamara always strives to create an exciting show about a great character with a contemporary twist so that his 21-year-old daughter would watch.

The Great‘s initial season chronicles the coming-of-age adventures of the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed German princess in the 18th century Russia. The young and ‘fierce’ (interpretation: educated and sharp, hence threatening and annoying to men) Catherine (Elle Fanning) arrives with hopes and dreams for a fairy-tale romance and a happily-ever-after ending. Peter III (Nicholas Hoult), however, turns out to be a narcissistic, undisciplined, cruel, and mercurially violent Emperor. A chauvinistic pig? That’s a given, right? Once Catherine realizes she’s trapped in the gilded cage to be a voiceless, invisible, and subservient baby machine, the suffocating reality informs her to switch her focus on overthrowing this greatest menace to Russia. The first season ended with Peter discovering Catherine’s plot to have him killed, but he spares the pregnant Empress in the name of their unborn child, Paul.

Season 2 picks up moments after Catherine’s coup and explores the aftermath of her coming into power while pregnant with his child. Idealistic and disciplined to a fault, the expectant mother is gung ho about bringing the backward country with horrific and bizarre customs (to her, mind you) into an enlightened one. Underestimated and dismissed by almost everyone around her — court, her strategic and military advisors, Peter’s loyalists, nobles, and the peanut gallery — Catherine desperately wants to be taken seriously and gain some RESPECT. She just wants to become a mother to Russia as well as to Paul.

Can her self-appointed title, Catherine The Great, and her pie-in-the-sky ideas born out of bright-eyed optimism put her feminist and enlightened stamp on a country that refuses to step out of the dark ages? It’s easier said than done, especially when the unhinged and hungry Peter is placed under house arrest and his loyalists are doing everything they can to sabotage Catherine’s disciplined efforts for a greater Russia. But first she needs to survive the imminent ‘kill or be killed’ danger coming from every which way you can imagine.

Season 2 digs deeper into the whys and wherefores of the royal couples’ dysfunction. Catherine’s unwavering needs to be perfect is tested when her mother, Joanna (Gillian Anderson), shows up with an agenda and treats her like a delusional and clueless idiot. Catherine realizes that she, too, was raised by a toxic mother who has gained power by manipulating men.

Confronting your toxic parents (whether mummified, imaginary or alive & kicking) is not for the faint of heart, but it must be done in order to grow up and feel comfortable in your own skin. Peter seems to have come around; he claims he’s ready to give up his God-given throne and all he wants is to be a good father to Paul. Has he really changed? Can he be trusted? This is the guy who killed your lover, Catherine!

When Catherine’s arrogance is chipped away and people see the chinks in her armor, she will realize that she’s not perfect after all. She has to learn the power play strategies for women; taking risk, making mistakes, and asking for help. Then, and only then, she will appreciate my favorite Rumi quote: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” But wait! Who am I kidding? Even though The Great is a character study of a fictionalized Catherine, the real Catherine The Great learned her lessons, changed, and became the longest-ruling Empress of Russian history.

All ten episodes of The Great Season 2 are streaming on Hulu.

About the Author

Meg Mimura is a TV critic who actually watches shows zealously in search of thought-provoking and paradigm shifting human drama worth our precious time. She is a member of Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter.

‘The Madame Blanc Mysteries’ is a fun and intriguing series on AcornTV

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

The new original series for the streaming channel AcornTV, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, is an inventive and intriguing show. Sally Lindsay stars as Jean White, a courageous woman who finds herself in the middle of a mystery – or two or more. She is a brilliant antiques dealer who can assess the authenticity of any item and can also put together clues with her intelligent mind and zest for the truth.

When her husband dies in a car crash, Jean leaves England to go to Sainte Victoire, France, a hub for antiques and apparently an area filled with riddles. She meets Dom, a taxi driver who winds up being her right hand man when it comes to her endeavors. In the beginning, Jean sets out to prove her husband was murdered and, while adding up the clues, she manages to get involved in other mysteries. But she is up to the challenges.

This woman turns into a detective to solve one mystery after another, all the while trying to figure out what happened to her husband. She uncovers plenty of strange facts about his past as well as the others in the town.

Lindsay developed the series and said, “Jean’s not a flamboyant, Sherlock-type character, but she’s a down to earth woman who is just as clever! She is exceedingly confident in her knowledge of antiques and she sees things other people don’t see.”

The first episodes of this witty and absorbing series are now streaming on AcornTV with more coming in the next two weeks. There are six episodes in the season and they are delightful with hopefully another season coming down the line. Check out The Madame Blanc Mysteries on AcornTV.

About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

 

‘A Piece of Cake’ now available for viewing

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

 

A Piece of Cake is a sweet (pun intended) animated story of family, acceptance, and love. Elfkins, little gnome-like individuals have been living underground away from the human world for over 200 years. They believe the humans are bad and must stay away from them. But Elfy, a bumbling, klutzy little Elfkin thinks otherwise. She decides to leave the security of the Elfkin world and venture up to the human world so she can learn a trade. After all, Elfkins must excel at something and so far Elfy has yet to find what her talent is.Elfy’s friends Butz and Kipp end up accompanying her into the human world where they are amazed at everything the humans have built. They meet Chef Theo, a grouchy baker whose bakery is going bankrupt. His brother Bruno owns the competing bakery. If Theo doesn’t get enough money by the end of the week, Bruno will take the little bakery for himself. He has ulterior motives.

Elfy and her two companions are fun loving and always upbeat. They coax the story out of Theo about the family feud that separated the two brothers. So the little trio decides to help Theo bake enough pastries to sell to earn the money he owes his brother. A long time ago, more than 200 years ago, Elfkins helped humans. Now Elfy decides it’s time to help the humans once again.

The pastries will undoubtedly have viewers yearning for a cupcake or two while watching this story. The movie was produced in 2019 and might be the catalyst for future films with the little Elfkins. They’re kind of like Snap, Crackle, and Pop as well as the Keebler Elves. They are handy, when it comes down to it. And even though she has had a tough time finding her place in the world, Elfy is an adorable character.

A Piece of Cake is rated PG for some rude humor. It is available on demand.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Fun with ‘Harriet the Spy’ on Apple TV+

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Set in 1960s New York when the original book was published, Harriet the Spy follows the outspoken and perpetually curious 11-year-old Harriet M. Welsch. More than anything, Harriet wants to be a writer, and in order to be a good writer, she’ll need to know everything. And to know everything means she’ll need to spy… on everyone!

The series premieres November 19, 2021 on Apple TV+.

Looking forward to 2023 for the new animated series ‘Hailey’s On It!’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

HAILEY’S ON IT! (Disney)

Hailey’s On It! follows Hailey Banks, a risk-averse but resourceful teenager on a mission to complete every item on her long list of challenging (and sometimes impractical) tasks in order to save the world. Hailey will be pushed outside her comfort zone to discover the greatness within as she systematically conquers her fears, whether she is winning a sand-building competition, wrestling a honey badger, eating a raw onion, or facing her ever-growing and complicated feelings toward her best friend, Scott.

This sounds cute however viewers will have to wait for 2023, when it is scheduled to premiere.

Bring home Warren Beatty in ‘Heaven Can Wait’ on Blu-ray

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

 

The 1978 movie Heaven Can Wait is a remake of the 1941 film Here Comes Mr. Jordan. This remake stars Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Charles Grodin, Dyan Cannon, Buck Henry, and Jack Warden in a bumbling tale of a man whose soul was taken from his body prematurely.

Beatty is Los Angeles Rams Quarterback Joe Pendleton, an athlete who takes good care of his body. When an emissary of heaven (Buck Henry) thinks Pendleton is about to be killed in a bicycle/car crash, he decides to take his soul before the accident to save him the pain. What he doesn’t realize is that Joe is an athlete and has great reflexes so he would have avoided the oncoming car. Well, when Joe’s soul gets to a “way station” he insists he is not supposed to be there. Upon review, Mr. Jordan (Mason), the boss, realizes the mistake and insists the soul be returned to the body.

After everyone discovers the body has been cremated, things get tricky. Jordan agrees to put Joe’s soul into another body however there isn’t an athletic body available and since Joe lived for his sport, he insists he be installed into an athlete.

Finally they agree on the body of an aging millionaire, Mr. Farnsworth who is unaware that his wife (Cannon) and secretary (Grodin) are intent on killing him for his money. Once Joe sees Betty Logan (Christie), a visitor to the Farnsworth estate, he decides to take on the challenge of getting the old man’s body into shape so he can return to the Los Angeles Rams. Logan intrigues him.

While the viewers see Beatty as Farnsworth, the characters in the story only see the old man. It’s a farce in that this young soul is putting the old body through the paces and insisting he get a tryout with the Rams. When that doesn’t happen he buys the team!

The cutest character in the film is Max Corkle (Warden) who is the only person privy to what is going on. Joe confides in the Rams’ trainer, a man who has been his friend for a long time. With the help of Corkle, Joe believes he can live out his dream of taking the Rams to the Super Bowl.

While Joe is getting this old body into shape, he and Logan form a special relationship. They fall in love. But how long can Joe’s soul remain in the old man’s body?

This is a fun story that begs the question, “What happens to our souls when we die?” It also shows how much we can achieve if we wholeheartedly believe in our dreams.

Heaven Can Wait is rated PG. This newly restored Blu-ray includes the feature film as well as a digital copy. There are no bonus features on the disc.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Trailer for Disney and Pixar’s ‘Turning Red’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


According to Turning Red director Domee Shi, if you set a 13-year-old girl’s coming-of-age story in the early 2000s, it’s pretty much mandatory to include a boy band. “We needed our character Mei to be obsessed with something that her mom would not approve of,” said Shi. “Boy bands were the first step into the world of boys for a lot of girls that age. The guys were all super pretty, polished, soft and loving, and they had of way of bringing girls and their besties together. Plus, I thought it’d be really cool to create an animated boy band.”

Turning Red is set to open in theaters March 11, 2022.

Disneyland’s Toontown is getting an update

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Walt Disney said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” And the folks at Disneyland are overflowing with imagination.

Mickey’s Toontown is one of the eight themed lands of the park. Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, New Orleans Square, Frontierland, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and Main Street USA make up the remainder of Disneyland.

Mickey’s Toontown opened in 1993 and is the home to the “toons.” The buildings are right out of a cartoon with attractions meant for smaller children. There has never been any “thrill” rides in Toontown, yet it has a following for families and the very young who want to experience the joys of the classic cartoons.

Currently the Disneyland Railroad that goes through the area, Gadget’s Go Coaster (a small coaster for kiddies), Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, and areas to meet Mickey, Minnie, and Donald Duck.

Mickey’s Toontown is getting a complete overhaul, which is set to open in 2023. Families will have a new location to rest and enjoy the sights and sounds while being away from the hubbub of the often-frenetic high-thrill areas.

CenTOONial Park will be a natural space with a fountain for play in the daytime. At night the fountain will come to life through the magic of Disney. There will also be rolling hills and a laid-back feeling while still keeping the fun of Disneyland. After all, Toontown is home to Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and more.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad will make its debut in Disneyland when the new and improved Toontown reopens.

The new, spacious, laid-back land will be a nice respite for families with young kids.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

‘Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock’ premieres on Apple TV+ in January 2022

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Debuting on Apple TV+ on Friday January 21, 2022, the new 13-episode Apple Original series from The Jim Henson Company in association with New Regency follows last year’s celebrated Apple original shorts Fraggle Rock: Rock On!

Jim Henson’s fun-loving, musical Fraggles are back! Join Gobo, Red, Wembley, Mokey, Boober, and new Fraggle friends on hilarious, epic adventures about the magic that happens when we celebrate and care for our interconnected world.

They’re back!!