KIDS FIRST! News

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Morgan Bertsch, age 8, attended an exciting preview of three DreamWorks films scheduled to come out in 2013. All in 3D, Turbo, The Croods and Mr. Peabody and Sherman, are all sure to be box office hits. Morgan got to meet a lot of famous folks who were pleased to have such a lovely young interviewer.

Preview Event for Turbo, Mr. Peabody and Sherman and The Croods. All coming to the theaters 2013.
Review by Morgan Bertsch, age 8, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

I had an amazing time. I got to see the previews of three of the movies coming out in 2013 brought to you by DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox all in 3D.

Turbo is the story about a snail that is tired of being slow and longs to be a racer. Turbo has a brother who of course doubts Turbo will do much of anything in the way of excitement. He gets the power of lightning fast speed after an accident. The Indianapolis 500 is in his future. The graphics are amazing. There are tons of new characters to meet. I think everyone will love this movie coming out July 19, 2013.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman is about the smartest dog in the world who adopts a little boy. He takes him on many adventures in his time machine to teach him about the world. He gets to experience the past in real life. We learn that Sherman loves cake, like all kids, but this turns out to be a bad thing. This story is based on a series produced by Jay Ward, who did The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle. I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter Tiffany Ward who is one of the Executive Producers on this animated feature film. She is very pretty and wonderful to talk to. I think that carrying on her father’s legacy is very cool. I can’t wait until November 1, 2013 when we all get to see this movie and on go on the many adventures. The preview leaves us wondering what will become of Sherman since he stole the time machine, has taken a classmate with him and lost her.

The Croods was very funny. It is a little strange because it is about some wild cavemen and women. They are afraid of everything outdoors. All the neighbors seem to disappear. The teenage daughter tries to date a stranger and the whole family flips out. When their cave is destroyed they must rely on him and their family to find a new home. In true DreamWorks style, the scenes were original, colorful and different from anything you have seen before. I got to talk to Chris Sanders, who is also the voice of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. He is one of the writers of The Croods. He really loves to draw and told me that they took different parts of various animals and mixed them together to come up with the crazy creatures you see in this movie. I have met and chatted with Cloris Leachman, who once again did an incredible job. She is the voice of Gran the Grandmother. Gran is very cute and very hungry. Let’s just say they all need to learn some table manners or well, learn what a table is first. They are cavemen after all. We will be able to see this March 22, 2013 in theaters.

When we left the filming we got to eat at three different stations. Turbo’s station was all decked out with checkered racing stripes and Tacos were being served. Mr. Peabody and Sherman’s station had crepes to die for and The Croods had burlap table clothes and scrumptious omelets.

DreamWorks always manages to make our dreams appear on the big screen and it looks like 2013 will be an amazing, fun time at the movies. I am so looking forward to seeing all of them.

The fact that Quill had been a big hit in Japan when it was released in 2005 was not the main reason Ed Arentz, managing director of Music Box Films, was attracted to the opportunity for his company to distribute the film in the United States. Part of the company’s programming strategy to obtain “art-house” films for kids, Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog was released to theaters and VOD platforms this past May and streets July 10 on DVD.

Although it had been a top 10 release in 2005 in Japan and had done well in other markets, its screenings in the U.S. were mostly at festivals, which is where Arentz “happened to see it,” he says. “It spoke to me on a personal level,” he shares. The story follows the life of one remarkable dog from his puppy days through his time as a service animal to a disabled man and into his old age. For Arentz, the connection was immediate. “[I saw it] during a period of time when my daughter, wife and I were foster parents to seeing-eye puppies.”

He felt the movie was a great tribute to dogs in general, and “especially to these breeds, the enormously helpful service dogs. They are remarkable partners in so many different activities, able to do things we can’t do for ourselves.”

Believing Quill to be a moving film that would speak to others as it had to his family, Arentz says, “The biggest challenges were convincing colleagues and partners that this was a film we should get involved with.”

He gave it an extended title, adding to the simple name of the dog it biographies (“Quill”) the more informational “The Life of a Guide Dog.” And the company added subtitles. Not that there is much dialog, anyway, Arentz points out. “Quill is not a fantasy animal; he doesn’t speak. We intuit what Quill is thinking from the actions.

“The story, we felt, was affecting and direct enough, it didn’t need to be guided that much by subtitles.” Comparing the film to a picture book, Arentz says even a 5- or 6-year-old could follow the story. “A child will easily understand the emotional aspect of the story” – with maybe just a little input from his or her parent, filling in any additional details the subtitles provide.

This final paragraph comes to readers with a “spoiler alert” warning, so you may wish to read no further.

“Like the best dog films, from Old Yeller to Marly, this film ends in a bittersweet way,” says Arentz. But based on his own experience as a foster parent to three potential seeing-eye dogs (two of whom graduated to become seeing-eye companions and one of whom remains with his family as a pet), he feels the film is a very honest portrayal of dogs he calls “remarkable.”

Ed Arentz shares more about Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog as a guest on this week’s episode of KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions, which streams on Voice America Kids.

Photos: Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog DVD box art (top), Ed Arentz (bottom)

A horse with a big heart, wide-open-space scenery and great country music, all packaged in a heartwarming tale of good overcoming adversity - this is a movie that has it all. Released May 1 from 20th Century Fox in a Walmart and Sam’s Club exclusive (and also in a Flicka collection available on amazon.com), it has our KIDS FIRST! youth critics Brianna Beaton (age 12) and Julianna Noone (age 12) also singing its praises. The bond between horse and rider is one of the special aspects that touches Brianna most, and she shares the insight that the bond is what “allows them to trust each other to ride and compete.” “… Flicka plays an important role in helping people overcome obstacles in their lives,” observes Julianna, sharing the movie’s important message that “if you always give your best effort, the outcome doesn’t really matter because you gave it your all.”

Clint Black, country music superstar and Grammy Award winner, stars alongside wife Lisa Hartman. The Blu-ray and DVD includes a never-before-seen music video as well as  two behind-the-scenes featurettes on the making of the film that give more insight on the singer’s involvement with the Flicka franchise. 

Flicka: Country Pride
Reviewed by Brianna Beaton
(See her full review on video.)

This is a very moving and touching film with great country music.

I truly like this film because of all the bonding it has between a horse and her rider. They bond quickly, which allows them to trust each other to ride and compete. The acting by everyone is really good; however Stephanie Meyers (Siobhan Williams) acts extremely well and she stands out from the rest. It really makes me not like Stephanie because of how well she is portraying this mean character. The cinematography gives you great pictures of Flicka with her amazing jumping capabilities and allows you to appreciate this beautiful horse. I love the countryside — it is soooo pretty and you can see why someone would just absolutely love being in the country with nature. It’s a very relaxing atmosphere.

Flicka: Country Pride is a sequel to Flicka 2. It tells the story of Kelly (Kacey Rohl) and a wild mustang whose name is Flicka. They quickly bond and Kelly hopes to get Flicka into an upcoming competition. But the competition is fast approaching, and Kelly faces the additional stress of a rival trainer who plays dirty along with a growing fear of having to sell the stable. Then Toby (country singer Clint Black) gets involved to save the day. Good

Directed by Michael Damian (Flicka 2, Marley & Me), Flicka: Country Pride also has great country music by Clint Black that will definitely satisfy your craving for great country music. Even though I’m not a big country music fan, the music is still pleasant to listen to. My favorite part of the film is when Flicka first appears — she is so pretty.

In watching this film, I feel a great message would be to never lose hope. Always keep in sight your dreams and what you believe in. Be determined and focused!

Although this is mainly a family film, it is rated G and I recommend it to ages 5 to 12. This will definitely appeal to all horse lovers at heart.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars because, while it certainly has a good plot, it is just a tad drawn out and I kind of knew what to expect.

Flicka: Country Pride is absolutely a good film and I can almost promise that you will enjoy it as much as I do. It gallops onto DVD the first of May. So go gather up everyone and enjoy this family film.

Flicka: Country Pride
Reviewed by Julianna Noone
(See her full review on video.)

Flicka: Country Pride is a great film for the entire family. This film stars Kacey Rohl (Red Riding Hood) as Kelly, Lisa Hartman (Back To You and Me) as Lindy, country music star Clint Black (Flicka 2) as Toby, Max Lloyd Jones (Girl Fight) as Briggs and Siobhan Williams (Radio Rebel) as Stephanie.

This is a wonderful and heartwarming story about a family struggling to overcome a tragedy and difficult times and how they work through this, with the help of some friends. This film is about a very special horse — Flicka, a beautiful black mustang — and the special bond the wild horse builds with Kelly. After Kelly’s father dies, she shuts everyone out of her life, but Flicka slowly breaks her down and gives her some hope.

Flicka comes into Kelly’s life along with her owner, Toby, who becomes the new stable manager after Kelly’s father dies. Just as Flicka does for Kelly, Toby is there for Lindy, Kelly’s mom, when she needs it the most.

One of my favorite scenes is when Kelly and Stephanie battle in a riding competition over a boy they are fighting over. In this scene, Stephanie repeatedly tries to kick Kelly and knock her off her horse and win no matter what. This backfires on her, though, as it is Stephanie who falls off her horse. My other favorite scene is when Toby is working in his new office and reads the writing on the wall: “If you give it your all you’ve already won.” This is a phrase that Kelly’s dad liked to use and follow, and it reminds Kelly of her father. It’s a touching point in the movie and is very moving. It’s a good message for everyone to try and follow, in that if you always give your best effort, the outcome doesn’t really matter because you gave it your all.

My favorite character is Flicka because, even though Flicka is a horse, in this film as well as the first two films Flicka plays an important role in helping people overcome obstacles in their lives.

The film is shot on location in British Columbia, Canada, and the countryside is beautiful and makes you want to go outside and go horseback riding. The stunt coordinator, Kirk Jarrett, did a great job in setting the action scenes on the horses. The riding scenes were well shot and fun to watch.

 I rate this film 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend this film as well as the first two Flicka films for ages 5 to 105. Kids of all ages, particularly horse lovers, will enjoy these wholesome family-friendly films. Look for this film on DVD and Blu-ray starting May 1st. I can’t wait to watch this film again!

Photos: Flicka: Country Pride poster (top), Brianna Beaton (middle, Julianna Noone (bottom)

A two-and-a-half-year labor of love, Return of the Horse gets its first screening May 17 at the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, ahead of an upcoming schedule of screenings at film festivals and museums. The painstakingly researched documentary chronicles the history of America’s wild horses, North America’s native horse, interrelated with the “lifes and times” of the people - heroes, villains and victims - whose lives shaped their destiny.

“Painstakingly” is an unusually apt description in this case. Co-filmmaker Leo Hubbard notes that there is a lot of pain in the history of the American peoples’ relationship with the horse. The mustangs, prized for their endurance (and preferred by cattlemen for those long cattle drives popularized by Western, until the proliferation of railroad spurs shortened the drives to where the European horses could be utilized), were also cruelly treated pawns in the United States’ attempts to subdue the Native Americans.

The movie, aimed for an adult audience – with the ability to be presented to advanced high school students – was a challenge to husband-wife filmmakers Hubbard and Sharon Eliashar, both of whom produced, wrote, directed, filmed, edited and animated the film. Says Eliashar, “The challenge was to take complex scientific things and make it easy to explain them – to take historical concepts and show how connected they are to our relationship with the horse.” And also, she adds, to not make the movie a marathon eight-hour piece – an especially difficult task given the number of “Aha” moments they experienced during their research.

In addition to their background as educators, Eliashar and Hubbard bring a unique combination of artistic talents to the project. While they stress that Return of the Horse is not an entertainment film but is as accurate an account as science and history will allow from our 21st-century vantage point – the script was verified by leading historians at such respected institutions as The Smithsonian – its artistic elements are undeniable.

Eliashar, a musician as well as photographer (she was the film’s cinematographer), focused on creating an experience of authentic music throughout the film. Explains Hubbard, “When trying to get the flavor of the relationship, [she asked], ‘What were the sounds they were listening to? What music was Thomas Jefferson playing?’” She worked with the Library of Congress, for instance, to learn the first cowboy songs, and traced family records to track down living relatives in order to get the rights to include the music in the film – with more “Aha” moments along the way, for instance finding out that Jess Morris got the lyrics to “Goodbye Old Paint” from one of the era’s tremendous population of black cattle drivers.

Hubbard, an architect, artist and printmaker, put his talents into the graphics. Including maps, which are necessary to explaining history but commonly look like power point presentations. Not so in Return of the Horse. The goal, he explains, was to create powerful and beautiful images. “Every graphic should look like art you’d put on your wall,” he says.

While creating a film for “people who really want to learn,” as Hubbard expresses it, he and Eliashar have also crafted a sensory experience.

Photo: film still from Return of the Horse

Is it fun to be on the Red Carpet to talk to the celebrities when a film studio celebrates a new release? KIDS FIRST! youth film critics Morgan Bertsch (age seven) and Cheyenne Nguyen (age eight) eagerly share their excitement at the Twentieth Century Fox Red Carpet event on March 27 for the DVD and Blu-ray release that same day of Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. Reporting live from the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, they capture interviews with producers Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman, Andy Buckley (who plays Captain Correlli), Jason Lee (who plays Dave), Matthew Gray Gubler (who voices Simon), and actress Ariana Grande (who doesn’t appear in Chipwrecked but does add her voice to the concert that was part of the Red Carpet festivities).

Clips from the concert and clips from the movie are interspersed with Morgan and Cheyenne’s reporting and their interviews. Watching the KIDS FIRST! video coverage of the Red Carpet event is almost as much fun as being there, so do click and enjoy the video of KIDS FIRST! youth film critics Morgan and Cheyenne with the Chipmunks and friends.

For Cheyenne, the Chipmunks Red Carpet rounded out a full week that also had her representing KIDS FIRST! at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards on March 31. The video is a high-energy few minutes of Cheyenne catching cast members of “Victorious!,” “A.N.T. Farm,” “America’s Got Talent,” “Big Time Rush” and the latest Wimpy Kid lead (Zachary Gordon) on the Red Carpet. Her charm gets them to open up and interact with her.

The video continues into the backstage after the Awards were presented, and some of the winners share with Cheyenne their excitement about the evening. Nickelodeon shares its coverage of the event, which was hosted by Will Smith, on its website.

Photo: KIDS FIRST! youth film critics Morgan Bertsch and Cheyenne Nguyen at the Red Carpet event for Twentieth Century Fox’s DVD and Blu-ray release of Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.

Growing Up with Hello Kitty comes to the United States courtesy of entertainment company AnimEigo after a chance discovery during a business trip to Japan. “My wife [Natsumi Ueki] was in Japan in a business meeting, and this title caught her eye,” says AnimEigo CEO Robert Woodhead. A fan of Hello Kitty, she brought the videos home to consider what the company might do with them.

Not only were the Hello Kitty videos different for AnimEigo in the fact that they were teaching videos, but, Woodhead says, “We had never done children’s video before.”

Each story is short, focused on something a small child needs to learn or is having difficulty with - like proper table manners, being patient, or “Don’t touch Daddy’s computer,” explains Woodhead. “They’re getting these messages from their parents all the time. This is a way to reinforce those lessons through characters they know and identify with. It’s a useful thing — it’s why they were made, in Japan.”

Preparing the videos for a U.S. market involved not just translating the words but adjusting the messages. “We had to make adjustments to deal with differences in culture between Japan and the U.S.” He points to having an omelet for dinner — which ended up staying in the new videos — as one such cultural difference.

This would be a very specialized project for the Wilmington, N.C.-based entertainment company, but resources were in their very backyard. “In Wilmington is one of the best voice directors in animation in the world,” Woodhead says. “We were confident we could hand the project to him, with the translated script and cultural notes.” Scott Houle’s final version is so well-dubbed, Woodhead says, that viewers can’t tell it was dubbed.

Growing Up with Hello Kitty is a series of two DVDs, each with six videos. “We picked the 12 most appropriate to the U.S.,” says Woodhead. All but two episodes made the cut; the two unused ones depicted too Japanese-culturally specific situations, such as how to bow properly. Both discs are being released on March 26.

The videos’ core audience is 2- to 9-year-olds. Woodhead expects the kids to be drawn to the Hello Kitty character, and anticipates parents being attracted to the educational quality. “It’s not just entertainment,” he notes. “It has positive messages.”

“One of the fun things about this business is, every so often we run into the opportunity to do a really interesting project. This is the most special one we’ve done,” Woodhead shares. “We thought it would be an interesting challenge, and expected it to be just a niche title. We had no idea it would hit the way it has.”

Photo: Robert Woodhead, getting the creative juices flowing (top), Growing Up with Hello Kitty 1 and 2 DVD box art (bottom)

The Not-So-Wimpy Wimpy Star Zachary Gordon
By Raven Devanney

I was given the chance to talk to 13-year-old actor Zachary Gordon, who plays Greg Heffley in both Diary of a Wimpy Kid one and two [2010’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid and 2011’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules].

Zachary said his passion for acting provides an escape from the real world and is a fun experience. I was able to relate to him because both of us love acting for the same reasons.

He is able to relate to Greg Heffley because both Zachary and Greg love video games and have older siblings. Zachary has two older brothers and is able to understand Greg’s pain.

Zachary said his favorite scene to work on is the one where he was running away from the coach after playing a prank on him, and he ran over a dumpster. In between takes, he said, he was able to relax in the dumpster of fake “trash.” 

He said he read the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book and told his mom he wanted to make a movie adaptation of the book before he had even heard about the Wimpy auditions. When he got the part, he was able to use some of his own ideas — which I think is very cool! 

The most difficult scene to prepare for was the talent show because he had to wear a tight body suit, which became very uncomfortable after a while.

Zachary said he has met so many amazing people and his cast has become a family away from home. The kid cast would play games like treasure hunts on set. He is happy say that he has kept in touch with his cast mates and is hoping that there will be more films in the Wimpy series.

This film has been great for Zachary’s career and he is looking forward to new doors opening up!

Photos: Zachary Gordon in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (top), Raven Devanney (bottom)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 21.

As a KIDS FIRST! film critic, 14-year-old Gabriella Chu had the enviable opportunity to meet in person with Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer star Jordana Beatty and with Judy Moody’s creator, author Megan McDonald, when they were recently in New York. “I like the character herself because she’s so independent and she’s a leader. She never cares what anyone else thinks,” Beatty told Chu. And that, McDonald told Chu a short time later, is a big part of what she wants Judy Moody’s fans to take away: “I think in real life we have a lot of moods and a lot of disappointments, but Judy always finds a creative way, and I think she always kind of meets those obstacles with a sense of humor. I would like kids to know [to] just keep a sense of humor about it. Everything doesn’t always go perfectly in life, but I think Judy is kind of an inspiration that way.”

Read both interviews in full below, and view them on YouTube.

Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer
Talent interviews by Gabriella Chu

I was so excited to interview Jordana Beatty and Ms. Megan McDonald on the upcoming film: Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer! I left school early on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, to make sure I would be at the press meeting and interview on time. At about 4:00, both stars came in. I was so elated to have the opportunity to chat with them for a bit.

INTERVIEW WITH JORDANA BEATTY
(Photo: Jordana Beatty, left, with Gabriella Chu)

Gabriella Chu: What do you do with other actors when you’re not working on set?
Jordana Beatty: I love to play games with them a lot, like Uno. We also just hang out and chat, and we still do school work together.

Chu: Do you still keep in touch with them?
Beatty: Yeah. I e-mail them because we are obviously in different countries and I can’t wait to see them!

Chu: What is something that you hope kids watching the movie will learn from you?
Beatty: I hope that it will teach them to go out and have the best summer ever. Don’t just stick around at home in front of the computer all day, but actually go out and do something.

Chu: So what does that mean to you? What is a fun summer to you?
Beatty: I think for me it’s doing the things I like best, so: going to the beach a lot, surfing, baking and reading.

Chu: Cool! I know you’re Australian. Have you ever been to New York before?
Beatty: I’ve been before but only for a very short time, so I’m excited to be back.

Chu: Do you like it?
Beatty: I love it!

Chu: Is it very different from Australia?
Beatty: Yes, definitely. The weather is a lot different and there are so many buildings and I definitely don’t know my way around.

Chu: What advice do you have for kids who want to be actors?
Beatty: I think if you don’t get something the first time, then keep trying — because that’s what I did and it worked.

Chu: Do you identify with your character in the movie?
Beatty: Yeah, in a couple of ways. We both have the same color hair, we both have a great imagination, and we both get in lots of moods.

Chu: What do you think is the most fun aspect of playing Judy Moody?
Beatty: That’s a hard one. I like everything. I like the character herself because she’s so independent and she’s a leader. She never cares what anyone else thinks. I like her qualities and her family and I love her bedroom.

Chu: Are you a lot like her in real life?
Beatty: I think so, but we are very different in a few ways as well.

Chu: How?
Beatty: We are both different because we come from very different families and we’re from different sides of the planet. She also has a little brother, of course, and I have no siblings. Just cousins. So that’s a big difference as well. And she has different friends, obviously, and we definitely don’t dress alike. She’s very mismatched.

Chu: If she was a real person, do you think you would be good friends with her?
Beatty: Yes, definitely. She is very fun-loving and she’s great at heart.

Chu: It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Jordana. I like the movie a lot.

This has been an interview by Gabriella Chu for KIDS FIRST! You should go out and see Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer coming out on June 10!

INTERVIEW WITH MEGAN MCDONALD
(Photo: Megan McDonald, left, with Gabriella Chu)

Chu: When I was a bit younger, I used to read the Judy Moody series. I’m a fan. What inspired you to write the books?
Megan McDonald: Well, originally, the books were based on my own life a little bit because I have four older sisters. So you can imagine that with lots of siblings a lot of funny things happen. I kind of make the same things happen to Judy and Stink in the books.

Chu: Yesterday, I just watched the movie. I like it a lot! Especially how Judy Moody and Aunt Opal are always coming up with such creative ways to have fun. Was it hard thinking of those ideas?
McDonald: We had tons of ideas and we didn’t get to use them all in the film. But it wasn’t really hard because I think that’s really a part of Judy’s character. She’s so creative, so even if hard or difficult things happen to her, she always finds a creative solution. I also wanted it to be like the simple things that we like to do when we were kids, like having a club with your friends or riding a rollercoaster.

Chu: How involved were you in the creation of the movie?
McDonald: I am so lucky, because a lot of writers don’t have anything to do with [it] when the book goes to film, but I got to co-write the screenplay so I got to dream up what the whole story of the movie would be and write it. The producer also asked me if I would come on set, so I got to go every day when they were filming and be kind of in a consulting role to make sure that everything was very authentic to Judy Moody’s world.

Chu: So do you think the movie is a good interpretation of your books?
McDonald: I think it is, because it really captures Judy Moody’s character. She is a big sister to her little brother Stink, but also her kind of kooky kind of fun-loving aunt comes to stay, and so she has this wonderful new relationship with her aunt, who’s kind of like a grown-up Judy Moody. That’s a little different from the books because she is a new character, but there is so much that’s part of Judy Moody’s world in the movie — like her mood ring, her cat named Mouse, her magic 8 ball, and all of the things that readers will know and love about Judy. The Toad Pee Club with her friends is also in the movie, so I think it sticks very closely to the spirit of Judy Moody and the books.

Chu: What message are you trying to get across in your books?
McDonald: In the books, I don’t really sit down and consciously think of the message. It’s more like I hope kids will be inspired by Judy’s character and the person she is. I think she’s very independent, knows her own mind, has strong opinions and [is] very outspoken. I also hope that from the film, [they get] she wants to have the best summer ever and a lot of things go wrong. I think in real life we have a lot of moods and a lot of disappointments, but Judy always finds a creative way, and I think she always kind of meets those obstacles with a sense of humor. I would like kids to know [to] just keep a sense of humor about it. Everything doesn’t always go perfectly in life, but I think Judy is kind of an inspiration in that way.

Chu: What particular age group do you think the movie is suited for, for most kids?
McDonald: If I had to pick an age group, the core age group is 7- to 10-year-olds. But when we did some preliminary screenings, my niece came, who is three years old, and sat through the whole 90-minute movie and was just wide-eyed on the edge of her seat. So even really little kids enjoy Judy Moody. I’ve also had 18-year-olds who read Judy Moody when they were that age. They take their friends and come, so I think even if you’ve known Judy Moody when you were a kid, you will still enjoy it. I think grown-ups enjoy it because it’s very funny and makes you laugh out loud.

Chu: Do you think we’ll be seeing more of Judy Moody in the future?
McDonald: I certainly hope so. I would love for there to be a sequel some day. I know Jordana would love to play Judy Moody again. We will keep our fingers crossed and hope that will happen someday!

Chu: I hope so too! These are all the questions I have today. Thank you so much for your time Ms. McDonald.

This has been an interview from Gabriella Chu for KIDS FIRST! You should go out and see Judy Moody. It’s coming out in theaters June 10!