KIDS FIRST! News

This sequel to  Zoolander brings back Ben Stiller as Derek joined by Owen Wilson as Hansel who take on the modeling industry again. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Lainey A. comments, “The sequel, Zoolander 2 a live action feature film, sadly does not live up to the standard of its predecessor.  The writing is not nearly as funny and the plot rambles.” See her full review.

Zoolander 2
Lainey A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

Zoolander , directed and co-written by Ben Stiller, was lauded for its clever writing and unthinkable poking fun at the modeling and entertainment industries.  The sequel, Zoolander 2 a live action feature film, sadly does not live up to the standard of its predecessor.  The writing is not nearly as funny and the plot rambles.  While the audience did laugh at times at the over-the-top acting, a lot of jokes just fall flat.

This movie is about Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) who is crazy famous for being the biggest model around.  His wife Matilda (played by Stiller’s real life wife Christine Taylor) dies in a construction accident leaving their son to be raised by Derek.  Sadly, his son is taken away because Derek can’t show that he is responsible enough to care for him. Derek and Hansel (Owen Wilson) reunite as friends and decide to participate in a fashion show to prove that Derek is responsible enough to win back his son.

Will Ferrell reprises his role as the antagonist Mugatu and is  really funny with his exaggerated appearance and acting. Unfortunately, the loose plot is hard to follow and even Will Ferrell can’t salvage this sequel.

This movie has many cameo appearances by Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Willie Nelson and the oneand only Justin Bieber.  I enjoyed being able to pick out so many of these celebrities but it sometimes is distracting with so many cameos.

My favorite character is Valentina (Penélope Cruz) because she is so self-confident and is part of many funny scenes.  Penélope is fun to watch and super entertaining.

My favorite scene is when Derek and Hansel attend their first fashion show of the movie.  They are made a laughing stock on stage while wearing shirts with the words “old” and “lame” which Derek pronounces Lame’ and have a huge bucket of prune juice thrown at them in front of many people.  The costumes are quite extravagant and interesting and visually entertaining. My favorite costumes are Derek’s because they really fit his personality and are over the top.

I give this film 3.5 out of 5 stars because, although it isn’t my type of humor, others might enjoy this.  It is entertaining despite the fact that many jokes are at the expense of others and some may find that offensive. Zoolander 2 definitely targets teen and older viewers.  I recommend this film for ages 10 to 18 because of its mild language, sexualreferences and crude humor.

If this sounds like the movie for you, definitely go check it out in theaters after it opens February 12, 2016.

National Parks Adventure

By Benjamin P, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10

National Parks Adventure is a new, eye-popping IMAX celebration of the most amazing places in the world. I found myself even tearing up at the astounding landscapes in our country.

Narrated by Robert Redford, National Parks Adventure follows climber Conrad Anker, his stepson Max and their friend Rachel as they explore our National Parks. The film also takes you back in time to witness the camping trip that President Theodore Roosevelt took to Yosemite to see how much it needed to be protected.

National Parks Adventure has magical cinematography and an emotional soundtrack that puts a new spin on American classics such as “This Land Is Your Land.” The film balances a lot of stories and still makes the 45-minute film not feel rushed. It will keep your eyes glued to the screen because you will be enthralled in the history of how the park system was born and you’ll see the amazing adventures people have exploring the national parks today. It is very cool to see the parks I haven’t visited and get a sense of what it’s like to be there in real, and even bigger than real, life. I also like seeing the parks that I have visited from the filmmakers’ point of view.

My favorite part of the movie is when Conrad, Max and Rachel visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. There are shots of them climbing up frozen waterfalls that made me feel like I was right behind them. Another scene I loved was of cute little prairie dogs that IMAX makes look like towering creatures bigger than me.

I really enjoyed the cinematography. Five film crews visited forty parks and took nine months to make this movie. They shot it on 65mm IMAX film. That is a big deal because this will probably be one of the last IMAX films to use large-format celluloid instead of going digital. This movie is also a big deal for the national parks because 2016 marks the centennial of the park system.

National Parks Adventure takes you on an exciting and educational journey. Younger kids may not be able to appreciate the history so the movie is probably best for ages 5 to 15. But all audiences will enjoy this beautiful movie. It is one of the best IMAX movies I have seen.