The 1951 musical Show Boat is actually the third version of this intriguing story of life on the river. Previous versions were produced in 1929 and 1936. They are all based on the popular novel by Edna Ferber, and each version adds more and more to the entertainment value of the story.

Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ava Gardner, Joe E. Brown, Agnes Moorehead, and Marge and Gower Champion are front and center in this classic musical. The story centers on the lives and loves of performers on a Show Boat as it travels down the Mississippi. The social mores of the day intrude on the happiness of the characters, as the divisions and racism of the time are predominant themes.

Memorable songs (“Ol’ Man River,” “Make Believe,” “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man,” and more) make up this wonderful score, which was nominated for an Academy Award.

Captain Andy Hawks (Brown) runs the Show Boat with his wife Parthy (Moorehead). Their daughter Magnolia (Grayson) dreams of joining the cast however her mother has kept her in the background until now. Magnolia meets a suave traveling gambler named Gaylord Ravenal (Keel) who sweeps her off her feet.

In the meantime, the main star of the show, Julie (Gardner), finds herself in a difficult situation. She has been living as a white woman however has black blood running through her veins, and in this era, if there is one drop of black blood in a person, he or she is considered black. This causes upheaval on the boat when Julie’s secret is discovered.

As the story unravels the lives of the characters, the musical acts are woven through the film. Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein have created a memorable and delightful film.

Show Boat is part of the Warner Archive Collection. It is available from their website and online where Blu-rays are sold. This film is not rated however it is suitable for all ages.

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, 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. She is a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

The 1984 film Hard to Hold features Rick Springfield in his first feature film. Prior to this he had several roles in different television series’ including the hit daytime drama General Hospital where he played Dr. Noah Drake from 1981-2014. In this movie Springfield plays James Roberts, a rock musician/writer/singer who is at a junction in his career. The movie was written specifically for Springfield and highlights his songs and singing, along with his acting skills.

James Roberts is at the end of one of his tours in San Francisco and he bumps into Diana Lawson (Janet Eilber), literally. Lawson is a child psychologist and has no idea who this man is. And, to add insult to injury, she prefers the classics to rock music.

But that doesn’t deter Roberts. He pursues this woman and soon the two are falling in love. He wears his heart on his sleeve but she is too afraid of a commitment. In the meantime, James meets her father (Albert Salmi) and they become great friends. Diana sees a side of James his fans do not. He lets his hair down with her, and although he still has his career, he feels his life is lacking something.

During all this James’ band mate and songwriting partner Nicky (Patti Hansen) tries to rekindle their romance but James’ mind is on another woman. And, their collaboration is suffering. He is in love and wants upbeat and hopeful songs but she only comes up with dark ones.

While dating, James and Diana come up against the feverous rock fans that scream and grab at him when they see him. James Roberts is a rock superstar and his fans are out of control.

This new Blu-ray includes an interesting interview with director Larry Peerce who discusses the genesis of the story and how it was made. He says it was a fun experience filming a lot of the film on location in San Francisco but the dock scenes were filmed in San Pedro, outside of Los Angeles. Unfortunately for the filmmakers and actors, the building used for the movie was next to a cat food company and everyone had to put up with the horrible smell.

Hard to Hold is rated PG.  (content and bare butts) It is a must-see for Springfield fans.  The soundtrack is amazing however it is out of print but the songs are available on MP3.

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, 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. She is a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

The amazing cast makes Love, Weddings & Other Disasters enjoyable. While the story is a bit far fetched, the cast is wonderful. With stars like Diane Keaton and Jeremy Irons, how could it not be?

The opening scene is a great way to start this story. Jessie (Maggie Grace) is a free spirit and takes her boyfriend skydiving, but he chickens out. Well, it just gets funnier after that. Coincidentally, Grace also went skydiving in another film, The Jane Austen Book Club, in 2007.

Back on the ground, Jessie becomes a professional wedding planner and is hired by a couple to plan their perfect day  – in one week. She has to take over from Lawrence Philips (Irons), the most prestigious planner in the city. Meanwhile, Lawrence is set up on a blind date with Sara (Keaton), and it is literally a blind date. She manages to impress him even though he has a complete OCD personality. Everything for him must be perfect. And Sara’s home is definitely not perfect, but she does not care because she cannot see and is used to it just the way it is.

Jessie hires Mack (Diego Boneta) and a handful of street musicians to play at the wedding. Did I forget to mention that the wedding is for the probable next mayor of the city? Jessie feels the pressure but manages to get things done.

During all this time, a duck boat captain (Andrew Bachelor) is searching the city for a woman who was on one of his tours. He has fallen in love with her even though he does not know her name or anything about her.

Now, add to the mix a couple from a local game show. This show chains two strangers together and the last couple to keep the chains and win the affection of the viewers wins one million dollars. Talk about whacky.

This group of zany characters manages to tie together all of their stories in this madcap look at love and marriage. Also, disasters!

The bonus feature is a look at how the movie came to be and the making of this screwball rom-com.

Love, Weddings & Other Disasters is rated PG-13 for crude sexual material and some strong language.

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, 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. She is a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

An all-star cast provides the voices for this reimagined animated version of the classic story The Little Prince. The book was originally published in 1943 and has been a source of charm and inspiration for several generations.

This is an enchanting story about a little girl who is being groomed by her over-achieving mother who wants her daughter to follow in her footsteps and climb up the corporate ladder. But this little girl is just that – a little girl. She has no toys or friends. She has books and a chart designed by her mother of all the subjects she has to study even though it’s summer vacation.

They move to a house so the little girl can attend an elite academy. Their next-door neighbor (known as “The Aviator”) is an odd old man. He’s a hoarder. His house is filled with all kinds of things and his back yard is where he parks his airplane. One thing leads to another and soon the old man is relating his story of The Little Prince to the little girl. He has drawn all the characters in the story and the girl becomes entranced by them and the story itself.

While her mother thinks her daughter is studying all day when she is at work, the girl is secretly enjoying her time with the old man. He gave her a stuffed fox from the story and she adores it. After all, it’s her only toy.

The heart of the story is the charm of this relationship and the need for human relations. This little girl has been her only company her whole life. She desperately desires companionship, which is what we all need.

Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, James Franco, Benicio Del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Albert Brooks, Paul Rudd, Mackenzie Foy, and Paul Giamatti lend their voices to this enchanting story of humanity.

The bonus features include a music video and a fun 25-minute “making of” featurette. The viewers learn how the original story had to be reimagined in order to make it into a film. The filmmakers did not want to lose any of the charm of the story and found a great way to redesign the story for viewers.

The Little Prince is rated PG for mild thematic elements. This is a movie that will be enjoyed over and over again. It’s delightful.

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, 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. She is a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

It’s hard for many of us to believe that the classic movie Love Story is now 50 years old. This is the film that catapulted Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw into superstardom at the time. They were each nominated for Academy Awards for their rolls and Francis Lai won an Oscar for “Best Music, Original Score.” The theme song has been covered by the best singers in the world and is still a favorite among music lovers.

This is the story of Oliver (O’Neal), a rich prep-school graduate at Harvard. He meets Jenny (MacGraw), a girl from a poor family attending Radcliffe. They come from opposite backgrounds but manage to forge a relationship based on true love. Their love is stronger than his parents’ disapproval. But Jenny’s father is happy that his daughter has found her true love.

Their love leads to marriage and because of his disapproval, Oliver’s father disinherits his son. So it is up to Jenny and Oliver to make it on their own, which they are happy to do. As long as they are together they will be all right. With Oliver’s studies at Law School and his jobs and Jenny’s jobs, they eke out their survival but they are happy. Even though it means they must survive on peanut butter, they are ecstatic. They are in love.

They endure the tough years and make it through, only to face a heartbreaking crisis. They face it together.

Do not forget to have some tissues handy when you watch this movie. It is filled with love, hope, enjoyment, music, and heartbreak.

Although the movie was only awarded the one Oscar, it won many Golden Globes, including the award for “Best Motion Picture – Drama.” Erich Segal wrote a lasting love story that is still enjoyed after 50 years. It stands the test of time. The movie is both enchanting and tragic. Like Romeo and Juliet, Oliver and Jenny face tragedy but their love endures. The phrase “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” was common after the film was seen by millions of viewers. Yes, it is corny, but it was at the heart of the story.

There is a new bonus feature on this Paramount Presents Blu-ray with film critic Leonard Maltin discussing the movie. This newly restored version is a limited edition and a stunning and memorable addition to movie collectors. Love Story is rated PG for language and a love scene. It’s not for kids, but teens and older will thoroughly enjoy viewing the story of the love of Jenny and Oliver.

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, 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. She is a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

An all-star cast joins together for this memorable 2005 film. Elizabethtown is the latest release on Blu-ray from the Paramount Presents line of classic films. Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Judy Greer, Jessica Biel, Alec Baldwin, Paula Deen and more bring this story to the viewers.

Drew Baylor (Bloom) is supposed to be a rising star in the corporate world but his new shoe is not the hit it should have been. It is more than a failure. It is a fiasco and going to cost the company almost one billion dollars, as his boss (Baldwin) keeps telling him. He is fired and loses his girlfriend (Biel) on the same day. Also on that day he gets a phone call from his sister (Greer) informing him their father died and their mother Hollie (Sarandon) is not coping well.

So Drew is sent to pick up his father’s body in Elizabethtown, Kentucky where he was visiting. The Baylors are a big family and all live in the town, with the exception of Drew’s family. On the plane a sullen Drew meets the flight attendant Claire (Dunst) who is an optimistic, glass half full, easy-going spirit.

Drew is united with his family in Kentucky and must deal with the funeral arrangements as well as his impending career blow-up (as soon as the story is released to the press), while coming to terms with the fact he and his father were not as close as they should have been. Then Claire comes into the picture again. A lonely Drew has contacted her and she decides to meet him and their relationship takes off.

Meanwhile, back home, Hollie is spiraling out of control. How will she cope without her husband?

Drew is neck-high in family and arrangements with only Claire to keep him grounded. The memorial service for his father is a highlight with Hollie telling stories about her life with her husband and finally coming to terms with her situation. Then a life-altering trip home is the icing on the cake as Drew finally comes to terms with his own situation.

This is a sentimental drama speckled with plenty of comedy. This new limited edition Blu-ray includes a special feature with writer/director Cameron Crowe who talks about how the story came to him and how it is an homage to his own family.

By the time the movie was made Orlando Bloom was already a star, having been in The Lord of the Rings films and the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Kirsten Dunst grew up in front of the camera having begun her acting career at the age of 3. Her performance in this movie is a highlight and viewers will enjoy her infectious optimism.

Elizabethtown is rated PG for language and some sexual references. This is not for kids. The subject matter is definitely for adults.

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, 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. She is a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club and the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.