Go behind-the-scenes of the filming of the Disney+ series “Obi-Wan Kenobi” with “Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return” airing on Disney+ Day, September 8, 2022. About the Show This insightful documentary from Lucasfilm and Supper Club explores the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to… Read More »‘Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return’ To Air on Disney+ Sept 8
This summer, National Geographic’s “SHARKFEST” makes a splash to celebrate a decade of the only shark event that proves truth is stranger than fiction starting July 10. What to Expect This year’s lineup offers a treasure trove of new original content that dives into details… Read More »National Geographic Celebrates 10 Years of ‘SHARKFEST’ Beginning July 10
Starting today, National Geographic is making its Oscar-shortlisted documentary “The First Wave” available to watch for free for 48 hours. The documentary follows doctors in a Queens hospital as New York City endured the initial explosion of COVID. Director Matthew Heineman and his filmmaking team… Read More »National Geographic Makes Oscar-Shortlisted Covid Doc ‘The First Wave’ Free To Watch For Limited Time
Editor’s Note: I have not been presented the opportunity to view Blackfish and urge you to consider both sides of the argument before drawing any conclusions. A good place to start is this NY Times article on SeaWorld Park’s and Entertainment‘s response to the movie and what it sees as distortions of the facts and message. I want to thank Mike Bastoli for continuing to post here on the blog; even when I’m not 100% comfortable with his topics, I’m glad I can provide a forum for his ideas.
First of all, I’d like to thank John for giving me the opportunity to comment on Blackfish here. Even though we are of different opinions on whether orcas—killer whales—should continue to be kept in captivity at SeaWorld and places like it, we both agree that everyone should have an opportunity to evaluate the facts and make up their own mind on the issue. Really, we are the jury.
Blackfish begins with a black screen and a terrifying 911 call: “A whale has eaten one of the trainers,” the voice on the phone tells the dispatcher. That call was made on February 24, 2010, moments after SeaWorld Orlando trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by Tilikum, a 12,000-pound male orca who had taken human life twice before.
Read More »‘Blackfish’ an Eye-Opening Look at Orca Captivity
Three new Disney-themed documentaries arrive on DVD tomorrow (with bonus features and collectible keepsakes), each exploring a unique facet of the company’s history. Many Disney fans have been waiting for months to see some or all of these films as they were given very limited theatrical runs.… Read More »The Boys, Walt & El Grupo, & Waking Sleeping Beauty on DVD
LaughingPlace.com has posted two reports from the Newport Beach Film Festival, and one of them is my column. Two screenings were of special interest to Disney fans. “the boys” (lack of capitalization intended) is a new documentary about the Sherman Brothers. It is fascinating and… Read More »Shameless Plug: My Thoughts on Disney at a Film Festival