fantasy

Bring home ‘Somewhere in Time’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

In 1980, the movie Somewhere in Time stole the hearts of viewers. Christopher Reeve stepped out of his Superman suit to take on the romantic role of Richard Collier. The film showed a different side of the actor, and fans were enthralled with his character and the story. It is now available in a 4K UD/Blu-ray combo pack from Kino Lorber.

Collier, a playwright, was stuck. He decided to get away to refresh his mind, and ended up at the Grand Hotel where his life changed. He saw the photo of Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour), an actress who had starred in a play at the resort. Collier was immediately entranced by the photo and fell in love with McKenna, even though she lived a lifetime ago. 

Thus began his research about the actress, which led him to understand something that occurred eight years earlier when an old woman approached him, gave him a pocket watch, and said, “Come back to me.” That old woman was Elise McKenna, and Collier was intent on finding her. Then he discovered she was dead.

Death did not stop him from pursuing this woman with whom he knew was his destiny. Having learned about the possibility of time travel from someone who discovered hypnotizing the mind could send someone back in time, Collier set out to do just that. And voila, he was transported back to the early 1900s.

The romance between the two began, and their connection was powerful, even though McKenna’s manager Robinson (Christopher Plummer) did everything to keep the two apart. Destiny had other ideas. 

Time travel is a tricky topic to tackle. The pocket watch was given to Collier in his time, but then once he traveled back, McKenna took it. Then she gave it back to him in his time. So just how did he get the watch in the first place? But even though there are things that baffle the mind, viewers are tasked with going along with the story, which isn’t hard to do.

The soundtrack is wonderful. And the new combo pack includes an interesting bonus documentary that looks at the making of the film, and has some fun interviews with the cast and crew.

The movie was filmed on location on Mackinac Island, which is where the Grand Hotel is. The story was originally designed to be set in the Del Coronado Hotel in California, however there were too many modern elements that would take away from the feeling of being back in the early 1900s. 

Fun anecdotes from the cast add to the documentary. For instance, Reeve had his personal plane nearby, and he and Seymour would take it on outings. Another fun story is told by Seymour who describes one of her scenes on stage as the actress.

And, while the cast and crew stayed together, they became a family, each looking out for the other. It was a good experience for them all. 

Beside the documentary, there are new audio commentaries, and a featurette about the movie’s fan club.

With the entertaining and informative bonus feature, this new Blu-ray release is a must-have for fans of the film.  It was nominated for an Academy Award for best costume design, and won the Saturn Awards for Best Fantasy Film, Best Music, and Best Costumes.

The movie is a romantic fantasy time travel story that touches the hearts of both men and women, and has stood the test of time (no pun intended) through the 46 years since it premiered.

Somewhere in Time is rated PG.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites and is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

 

‘The Sisters Grimm’ comes to Apple TV+

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

 

Combining family secrets, adventure, and fantasy, The Sisters Grimm is a fun animated series coming to Apple TV+.  Everyone knows the Brothers Grimm. Well, these are descendants of that famous family.

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm (voiced by Ariel Winter and Leah Newman) have been bouncing around from one foster care house to another since their parents have gone missing. When their grandmother learns about them she sends for them to live with her.

The girls are a bit apprehensive at first. Sabrina doesn’t believe this woman, Relda, is her grandmother. But little Daphne is excited to have a grandma.

 

The town of Ferryport Landing, New York is a bit odd and the girls don’t quite know what to make of it. What they learn is that it was founded by the Brothers Grimm as a sanctuary for magical beings who have been treated unkindly in the outside world. They are known as Everafters. These are the fairy-tale characters we have all known through our lives.

When Sabrina and Daphne learn about their heritage, they are confused. But when a giant kidnaps their grandmother they set out to save her and if they can do that they might be able to find and save their parents. After all, the magic mirror has shown them that their parents are still alive.


The two girls get the help of Puck (from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Not a Grimm character but he has been part of Ferryport for ages. He’s voiced by Billy Harris). This guy thinks highly of himself and inserts himself in the girls’ adventure.

When they need the assistance of another character, they set out to get Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk). But is Jack a good guy or a bad guy? And what about Charming (voiced by Abubaker Salim)? He could be a good guy. Then again he could be a not-so-good guy.

Fairies and magical items, not to mention fictional characters we have read about, all combine to create this fantasy show. 

The girls have been tasked to use their inner strength that all Grimm’s have. They have inherited cunning, knowledge, and all the skills necessary to help get grandma, make peace with the giants, and basically bring harmony to the town.

But even with these talents and ingenuity, not to mention the help of Puck, there are still things to accomplish that might be too difficult, even for a Grimm.

The first season drops on Apple TV+ October 3, 2025. And there is definitely a cliffhanger that should lead to a second season.

Those who have loved fairy tales and the Brothers Grimm stories will undoubtedly find enjoyment in this series. Who wouldn’t want a house that opens the front door when you say, “House, I’m home”?  Fee Fi Fo Fum. Or, Fee Fi Fo Fun.

Although it is rated TV-G, parents should know that there are scenes of danger and some scary scenes, so keep this in mind.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, and is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. Francine is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

All images are provided courtesy Apple TV+

‘The 10th Kingdom’ on Blu-ray

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



In 2000, The 10th Kingdom wowed television viewers. This 10-episode series was nominated and won several awards, including the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Design. It could be thought of as the precursor to the hit TV series Once Upon a Time, maybe just a little.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley stars as a Virginia, a young woman living in New York City. Her father (John Larroquette) is the janitor of a large apartment building.

There is another “kingdom.” In this fantasy kingdom Prince Wendell (Daniel Lapaine) has been turned into a dog by the Evil Queen (Dianne Wiest) who has been locked up in a maximum-security prison. Well, to make a long story short, Prince Wendell travels to the modern NYC via a magic mirror, with several trolls hunting him down, as well as a wolf in human form (Scott Cohen). They have all come from this fantasy kingdom, which is one of nine. The trolls declare New York as the 10th Kingdom.

There is a merging of fairy tales with the real world. When Virginia and her father travel through the magic mirror back to the other kingdom, they encounter characters from stories they had only read about. Jack’s beanstalk, Cinderella, Snow White, Red Riding Hood, elves, etc. – you get the idea. This series combines fantasy with reality, making it interesting for viewers of all ages. As mentioned earlier, it is like the precursor to Once Upon a Time. If you enjoy that show, you will enjoy this story. The characters are enjoyable to watch as they mingle from one realm into another.

Magic is abundant in the kingdoms. It’s a fun sci-fi/fantasy escape from the real world. While the characters are not exactly as we understood them to be, they are fun to see brought to life in this imaginative story.

This Mill Creek Entertainment Blu-ray + Digital edition includes a fun “making of” bonus feature. Giants, goblins, and trolls, oh my! With all the fun and adventure of fairy tales combined with the world of today, well, you have a 10-episode viewing extravaganza with notable actors. Ann-Margret is Cinderella, Rutger Hauer is the Huntsman, Ed O’Neill is the troll king, and Camryn Manheim is Snow White.

Elves, giants, trolls, goblins, princes, princesses, queens, villagers, enchanted objects, and more, not to mention Virginia and her father all combine in this fantasy. Will this fairy tale have a happy ending?

The 10th Kingdom is not rated however it is suitable for tweens and above.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 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.

Follow her on Twitter