Author: Francine Brokaw

‘Ape Star’ is a sweet fantasy

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


The animated film Ape Star is about a unique family. It’s very unique.

Joanna is a sweet little girl who has spent her entire life in an orphanage. But when an evil politician threatens to tear down the orphanage to build an aqua park, her home and that of all the orphans is in jeopardy.

Then a car drives up and the occupant is there to adopt a child. Could this be her chance at a real family? Everyone is shocked when they discover the driver is a gorilla. Joanna is intrigued but like the others, a bit skeptical. She volunteers to be adopted in order to save the orphanage. But what happens to her is something she never expected. The ape is loving, caring, fun, and teaches her about life, books, and imagination. They bond almost instantly and become a family unto themselves.

Then the evil politician decides to change the location for his aqua park. Yep, you guessed it. He wants to build it in the junkyard, which is where Joanna and her new mom live. This sweet little girl just can’t get a break.

In order to secure the property, he threatens to take the girl away from the ape. Their love is too strong to let this happen.

Spoiler alert:

The cunning plan devised by the ape to keep them together is the salvation for Joanna. She loves her ape mom and her mom loves her.

There is one questionable aspect to the show that might be a bit worrisome to parents. The ape teaches this little eight-year-old girl to drive the car. And Joanna drives them around the town to the bookstore and all over. If this aspect is unnerving for parents, just remember this is a fantasy story. After all, a gorilla would never adopt a human child. Well, …

The love between the ape and the girl is strong. The gorilla teaches Joanna about the wonders of reading books and soon the girl is deeply entrenched in novels. They do, after all, run a kind of bookstore from their junkyard.

The story is about love and devotion. It is available on digital and VOD.

Ape Star is rated PG for mild thematic elements.

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

‘My Life is Murder’ returns for season 2

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Lucy Lawless is back as Alexa Crowe, a smart, sassy, and ingenious detective. She doesn’t do things by the book. She is a private detective not part of the police, which gives her freedom to detect in her own way. Ha! She had been a cop, but now she is out on her own and she regularly gets called in to help the department with crimes. My Life is Murder is entertaining due to the performance by Lawless and her sidekick Ebony Vagulans.

Lawless is fun to watch. Her character loves to bake, loves her solitude, and loves to solve crimes. Now, add in her roommate Madison (Vagulans), a perky, inquisitive, and resourceful woman, and this team really heats up.

Season two opens with a strange murder. While a woman was seen shooting a man in broad daylight, she insists she did not do it. She has no memory of the event. All the clues lead to her as the killer but Alexa feels this woman is innocent. So it is up to her and Madison to find out what really happened.

Another episode deals with a familial relationship between two sisters and the men in their lives. One sister is a famous and rich entrepreneur and the other is living on her coattails.

Between baking bread and solving crimes, Alexa is an interesting character with a past that often creeps up on her. It is Madison that adds the comic relief to this duo. Together they are fun to watch and the show is an interesting blend of characters, crime, and personalities. To this crime fighting duo, add in the local café owner Reuben, Joe Naufahu (Game of Thrones) and the police detective Harry (Rawiri Jobe) and you have a cast of characters that are likeable, entertaining, and interesting.

This season reunites Lawless with several former castmates from her most iconic series, including Anna Hutchison (Spartacus), Graham Vincent (Spartacus), Jay Ryan (Beauty and The Beast, It Chapter Two, Mary Kills People) and Bruce Hopkins (Lord of the Rings, Xenia: Warrior Princess), as well as an array of acclaimed actors in guest star roles including the beloved William Shatner (Star Trek, Haven), Martin Henderson (Grey’s Anatomy, The Gloaming), Michelle Ang (Fear The Walking Dead, Triple 9), Sara Wiseman (A Place to Call Home, Rake), Bill Bailey (Black Books, Ralph Spaced), Matt Whelan (Narcos: Mexico, The Sounds), popular drag performers Kita Mean and Amanduh La Hor, among several other guest stars.

The series moves to Auckland, New Zealand and the kiwi actor is excited to be home again. “I am in love with the city of my birth and I’m thrilled to be showing her off to the world as the stunning backdrop to our stories,” she said.

Season two of this entertaining crime drama premieres August 30, 2021 with two episodes, followed by new episodes on Mondays on Acorn TV.

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ is filled with music and mayhem

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

 

Julie Andrews stars as Millie Dillmount in the 1967 musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. This movie won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Score by Elmer Bernstein.

Millie lives in a hotel for women run by Mrs. Meers (Beatrice Lillie). Millie is a modern woman. She has cut her hair and wears the latest flapper clothes. She desperately wants to marry a rich man – or her boss Trevor Graydon (John Gavin).

Then Miss Dorothy Brown (Mary Tyler Moore) checks into the hotel. She is a little different than Millie. She is shy and a little afraid of living life to the fullest, ala Millie. Then they meet Jimmy Smith (James Fox) who falls for Millie, however Millie is still in love with her boss. Then Trevor meets Miss Dorothy and falls for her, to the dismay of Millie.

Now millionairess Muzzy Van Hossmere (Carol Channing) comes into the picture. Muzzy is full of life, which Millie greatly admires. Well, to sum things up, Millie loves Trevor who loves Dorothy. And Jimmy falls for Millie but how can he compete with her dashing boss? This is a madcap group of characters.

That is just a part of the story. There is a sinister underground white slavery group that lurks within their midst. This adds the danger and intrigue to the story.

The music is entertaining. Channing sings “Jazz Baby” and “Do it Again.” Andrews sings “Jimmy,” “Poor Butterfly,” “Baby Face,” and the title song. And they all get into the act with a new dance called “The Tapioca.”

If the white slavery aspect were not part of the story, this would be a film for everyone. It is rated G, however many parents might be a little put off by that one aspect. Otherwise, this is a fun, musical, and entertaining film that will have viewers humming along. It didn’t win an Academy Award for nothing!

The bonus features include the Roadshow Edition – Newly Restored in 4K by Universal Pictures.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Luke Wilson returns in ‘Stargirl’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

The CW’s Stargirl returns to the CW for a new season. Actor Luke Wilson and the cast met with the media to discuss the show.

“It is interesting to think that when I was a kid, it was just Superman and The Incredible Hulk and, like, the Hall of Justice on Saturday morning,” Wilson said about the influx of superheroes in TV and films. “But now it’s like, hey, every time you turn around, you’re meeting a new superhero, which is great.” For Luke this show is a new experience in his long career. “I’ve done westerns and romantic comedies and comedies and played a policeman. But I’d never gotten to do a superhero show.”

Luke’s brother Owen is on a Marvel show and Luke’s DC series brings both Wilsons into the superhero comic genre.

“It was funny for me to be working for DC and doing a superhero show and then Owen was playing this character, Mobius, on ‘Loki.’ I know that he really enjoyed working on that. And like me, he had not worked on a superhero project and had not worked on a show before.”

The brothers shared a house while they were filming their respective shows, which coincidentally happened to be on location in the same city. “It really was fun to live together. We hadn’t done that in a long time. I mean, we see each other all the time. But yeah. To be on location in the same town living in the same house was really fun.”

It is evident that this experience has been a great one for the actor in many ways. Besides being part of the comic/superhero world, Wilson has enjoyed the camaraderie with the cast and crew. He is proud that everything came together well and the cast has become a family unto itself. Even though he has been acting for over 25 years, being on Stargirl has impacted him more than he imagined. “It’s become probably my most favorite thing that I’ve ever been involved with.”

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Courtesy photo

‘What’s So Bad about Feeling Good?’ is eerily current

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


The 1968 film What’s So Bad about Feeling Good? stars George Peppard and Mary Tyler Moore in a story that is eerily close to the current state of the world. The show is about a virus that is infecting New York City and spreading rapidly.

Pete and Liz (Peppard and Moore) live a bohemian lifestyle. They sleep during the day and hang out with their friends at night. They all hate the state of the world and think it is going down the toilet. Just look at the newspapers or walk down the street. People are cruel and all the happiness and civility of life has disappeared. Then a Toucan from Cuba brings a strange virus that changes everything.

This is a good virus. It makes people happy and friendly. Once someone is infected, he/she is full of love and generosity. As the virus spreads the city is like a wonderland. People are enjoying life. But the powers that be do not want this virus to spread.

Masks are mandated (sound familiar?) and people are weary of each other. But those who have the virus want everyone to get it, especially Pete, Liz, and their friends. It brings sunshine into their lives and opens up a world and future of hope and kindness.

Besides the masks, there are several other references that are strangely related to what the current world is going through with COVID 19. They speculate the virus was brought in by communists, either Russia, Cuba, or China. After all, there had previously been a China Virus so that is not a far fetched idea.

As the city changes from gruff to glad, the government is quickly working on an antidote. But how will they deliver this to the population? Via vaccinations? Well, that is not the solution they arrive at. But they do find a way to stop the happiness, aka virus, and revert the city to the mean, selfish, cruel population it had prior to this little Toucan arriving on our shore. Bye, bye euphoria. Hello pessimism.

The title song is fun and catchy.

Dom DeLuise, Susan Saint James, and John McMartin costar in this 1968 comedy about life, happiness, and governmental interference.

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ is addicting for viewers

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


The new HULU limited series Nine Perfect Strangers is intriguing and really does not fit into any typical genre, actor and executive producer Nicole Kidman told the media. “I dare you to ask any of us what genre this is. We have no idea.” The cast gathered online to talk about this series and shed light about the production and story.

The story takes place at an unusual health resort/retreat and brings together nine people who are each there for a different reason. Kidman plays Russian-born Masha, the owner who oversees all the activities. The actor said she stayed in character during the production. “I only related to them [the cast] as Masha and stayed in the character. And the first scene we shot was the scene where I come in in the room and say, ‘I am Masha. Welcome to Tranquillum.’” Kidman added, “They would talk to me or use my name, Nicole, and I would completely ignore it. I’d only respond to Masha.”

This series was filmed on location in Australia although the resort is located in the United States. For Kidman it was going home to her country. The others in the cast found the birds and koalas a bit daunting at times.

“And it was kind of extraordinary to all be shooting there and the magical quality of the environment I think really helped us,” Kidman explained”. It was like one of those things where you walk in and you go, ‘Is this real?’ And then we existed in this dream state for almost six months and then we left, and it was really kind of weird and magical. I’m a huge believer in using what you have to penetrate the show and the performance, and we were just given that.” The atmosphere of the resort is definitely magical and mystical and viewers will undoubtedly relate to that feeling as they watch the story unfold.

But this is not like any other resort or retreat. There is an underlying secret that comes out about half way through the series. And even though this comes from Masha, others in the group are also revealing their inner secrets that brought them to this retreat. It is a unique blend of characters that have been chosen to come to the resort for their secrets and personal troubles.

When asked about the limited series format, Kidman stated, “It’s so difficult. You know, when you have 90 minutes or two hours to tell your story, that’s very different than trying to keep it compelling and intriguing and hypnotizing over the course of a much longer time span.” This eight episode series keeps viewers waiting to see what happens next and who will be affected by the roller coaster of emotions that come out during their stay at Tranquillum.

 

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Courtesy photo

‘Finding You’ is an emotional journey for the characters

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Based on the young-adult novel There You’ll Find Me, Finding You is a coming-of-age drama weaving together several journeys as the characters grow and evolve during several months. With the Irish landscape as a beautiful –and green – backdrop to the story, the film immerses viewers in the lives of two very different people.

Finley Sinclair (Rose Reid) is an accomplished violinist hoping to attend an elite New York conservatory. Unfortunately, her audition does not go as planned so Finley opts for a “Plan B.” Like her brother before her, Finley decides to take a semester abroad and study in Ireland hoping the change will help her concentrate on her music for one last audition. Her ultimate goal is to get into the music school, but what she discovers is much more during her time abroad.

Beckett Rush (Jedidiah Goodacre) is a movie star and heartthrob for young girls. His career has been based on a franchise of medieval fantasy films and his father (Tom Everett Scott) has been instrumental in his social media and public relations. Everything that is put out in the press is a lie, but it has been carefully constructed to raise Beckett’s profile and ultimately his career.

With both Beckett and Finley staying in the same B&B, a friendship begins to grow. But she is skeptical of him and doesn’t fall under his charming spell. That is intriguing to this guy who has young women falling head over heals to get a selfie with the heartthrob.

During this time one of Finley’s school assignments is to get to befriend an elderly – and crotchety – woman. At the end of the semester she is tasked with writing an essay about their relationship. But Finley doesn’t count on Cathleen (Vanessa Redgrave). This woman is not appreciative of having Finley in her room. But Finely perseveres and eventually the two become friends. The secret Cathleen is hiding will be the climax of their relationship.

So there is the budding relationship between Finley and Beckett, the up-and-down relationship between Finley and Cathleen, and Beckett’s growing frustration about having his life structured by his father and not being able to do what he really wants to do. Whew. There are plenty of journeys these three take during the months together.

In the end the lesson learned is to follow your heart and passions, whether others want you to or not. And along the way you just might find something special. After all, “Things are not always what they seem.”

The Irish countryside is beautiful as it unfolds during the film. It’s gorgeous and is itself a great part of the film along with several additional characters that add to the story.

The bonus looks at the story and how the music and the characters each awaken their true feelings. This is a sensitive, fun, musical, and inspirational story not only for young adults but also for viewers of all ages.

Finding You could also be titled “Finding Me.” It is rated PG for language and thematic elements and is now available on DVD and Blu-ray and digital.

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Educating AMY Quiet Books

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

How do you get your child away from an electronic device while still challenging their senses and their mind? Educating AMY has created some quiet books for kids. They are easy to carry, lightweight, and come in a variety of topics. They are also designed for different age groups: baby, 1-3, and 3-6.

According to the company, “Experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend refraining from screens until babies are 18 months old and limiting screen time to less than an hour until kids are at least five years old.” So how do parents engage their kids without the help of TV or tablets? First, they can read to them, which they should do as a daily routine. And now with these interactive quiet books, children have the additional challenge of doing something with items in the books and engaging many skills: motor skills, problem-solving skills, social skills, and more.

By unplugging, kids get a new experience that engages them in a positive way. These are wonderful to take in the car to keep kids occupied while on the road. Also, they are compact and quiet so taking them to the office or an appointment is a good way to keep your child occupied and engaged while not creating a lot of noise, except the “oohs” and “aahs” and chuckles coming from your child.

Kids learn that if they do not get the soft little pieces back in their correct place, they can try again until they learn where they go. Brain building is a benefit of these books, while also entertaining children at the same time.

They are hand-sewn, sturdy snaps and Velcro, practically indestructible, colorful, filled with plenty of items in each book, and provide great educational and entertaining time for children.

Think of these for birthday gifts (there are the age divisions), baby shower gifts, new baby gifts, and just additional fun for any little child from baby to six years old. The activities build skills and confidence in children so anyone who gives a book can be happy that they are helping a child gain abilities, dexterity, and enjoy learning while they are doing so.

By purchasing a book, you are doing more than simply helping one child gain skills.

From the company:

For every book that we sell we send a girl in rural India to school. We know we can’t end poverty by ourselves, but we know that the girls whom we enable through education can end the cycle for their families and their communities. As more and more girls are enabled, more and more communities will emerge out of poverty. When you buy a Book, we set a portion of the revenue aside to provide education to a girl for a month. However, to ensure a girl’s education is not uncertain each month, we work with our partner Organizations to open schools that house 30 girls for a full year. We will continue to support each school that we open for its life and we commit to opening more and more of such schools.

Current options for Babies:

Little Zebra Mini Quiet Book
The Original Indestructible Peekaboo Quiet Book
Sensory Baby Mini Quiet Book
The Diaper Bag Companion

Current options for Ages 1-3:

Dapper Puppy Mini Quiet Book
Little Mechanic Creative Play Quiet Book
The Superthings Cognitive Quiet Book
Little Medic Creative Play Quiet Book
The Buzzy Quiet Book
Little Safari Cognitive Skills Quiet Book
The Original Indestructible Peekaboo Quiet Book
Little Farm Numeracy Quiet Book
Little Bee Mini Quiet Book
Bestselling Creative Play Quiet Book
Creative Play Quiet Book – Mini
Toddler Numeracy Quiet Book
Toddler Colour Quiet Book
The Diaper Bag Companion

Current options for ages 3-6:

Little Farm Numeracy Quiet Book
Little Medic Creative Play Quiet Book
Little Mechanic Creative Play Quiet Book
Creative Play Quiet Book – Mini
Bestselling Creative Play Quiet Book
Dapper Puppy Mini Quiet Book
Little Bee Mini Quiet Book

For more information and to order, go to their website.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, books, travel, and entertainment. 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, from Sourced Media Books, 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. Follow her on Twitter.

Dick Van Dyke is ‘Fitzwilly’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Claud R. Fitzwilliam (Dick Van Dyke) is a butler to an old and lovely woman. His family had been butlers and he is continuing that tradition. Fitzwilly, as he is known, is kind and always looking out for his boss Miss Vicki (Edith Evans). She loves giving money away to almost any charity. But what she does not know is that she is broke. Well not in the traditional sense in that she does have the funds, but they have been obtained illegally by Fitzwilly and the staff in order to cover her donations.

Fitzwilly heads this group of con artists who plot and scheme to acquire the money to cover what Miss Vicki has given away. They are clever in their planning and do not go overboard. Their main reason for stealing is to keep Miss Vicki in the lifestyle she has always known, and that includes giving money away all the time.

When Miss Vicki hires a secretary to help her write a new kind of dictionary, things start to unravel. Juliet (Barbara Felton) is nosey and always asking questions. She and Fitzwilly form a friendship, and he hopes that is enough to keep Juliet out of his hair when it comes to their plots.

This is a whacky story but Van Dyke is adorable as the mastermind of the group trying to keep all the balls in the air. After all, his allegiance is to Miss Vicki and he would never do anything to hurt her.

Fitzwilly is now available on Blu-ray. This 1967 comedy is crazy and madcap. It’s not Van Dyke’s best film but he is his regular lovable self as Fitzwilly.

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Bring home ‘Luca’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


The latest Disney/Pixar film Luca is a fun story of friendship and family. Taking place on the Italian Riviera, the film incorporates plenty of the Italian lifestyle and architecture.

Luca is a sea monster. He and his family, along with the other sea monsters, live under the water and avoid the land people. But Luca is inquisitive and is intrigued by the human items that have found their way to the bottom of the sea. In this way he is very much like Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

When he meets Alberto, a sea monster roughly his own age, the two begin a friendship that will endure through their entire lives. Alberto has a secret he shares with Luca. When they are on land, they turn into humans, but when they get wet they return to being sea monsters. Alberto enjoys spending time on an island as a human. He has a photo of a Vespa and dreams of building his own, or meeting Mr. Vespa to build one for him.

The new friends undertake an adventure in the town, away from the island and the safety of the sea. They meet Guilia, a feisty young girl who is visiting her father in the town for the summer. The trio decides to enter the annual race to win the prize. This triathlon involves swimming, which neither Alberto nor Luca can do without revealing that they are sea monsters. Sea monsters are being hunted by the humans who think they are evil.

The friendship between the three grows during the summer. Luca’s parents decide to risk everything to come to the land people’s town to look for their runaway son. Confusion abounds as the parents do not know what Luca looks like as a human boy.

This film is fun and whimsical and is a great summer adventure. It shows that everyone can get along with a little understanding and a lot of love.

The bonus features on the Blu-ray include a look at how the Italian Riviera figured prominently in the making of the film. The writer/director, Enrico Casarosa) is from this area and wanted to portray it realistically for the viewers. From Vespas to architecture to gelato, the flavor (no pun intended) of Northern Italy comes to the screen.

Another bonus looks at how the characters transform from sea monsters to humans and back. This was a little tricky but a fun and necessary part of the story.

Being a story of friendship, the cast and crew discuss their childhood friends in yet another additional feature. It might bring back memories for some viewers. Deleted scenes round out the bonus features.

Luca is rated PG for rude humor, language, some thematic elements, and brief language. It is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K versions.

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 Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.