Ages 5-8 Approved Movies Category from KIDS FIRST!

TINKER BELL AND THE GREAT FAIRY RESCUE

BARBIE: A FASHION FAIRYTALE

JUMPING FOR JOY

VELVETEEN RABBIT, THE (ANCHOR BAY)

This title is in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival - it may not be a regular, endorsed title

This title has online video!
ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT
Series: FEATURE FILM, AGES 5-8
Topic - Family
Description - Based on the best-selling classic book, Toby's father has packed away in ice his grief over the death of his wife. When Toby is sent to stay with his very proper and somewhat forbidding grandmother over the Christmas holidays, he does not know what to do with himself. Then he discovers an attic filled with toys from the past and an unopened present from his angel mother. Inside the box is a velveteen rabbit that opens up the world of imagination for Toby. Rabbit along with Swan and Horse fill Toby's world with exciting animated adventures. Their love and insights help Toby melt the heart of his grandmother, who calls his father home. Their world reaches a crisis when Toby contracts Scarlet Fever and his beloved rabbit must be burned. Through this loss Toby and the grownups in his life come to realize the importance of family and the power of love to make us real.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Wonderful film that appeals to the entire family. The relationships, the visuals and the classic, sweet story make this one film that appeals to adults as well as children. The filmmaker took a simple story and expanded it into a full length feature without making the story feel forced. The boy's loneliness that draws him to bond with the rabbit sets the stage for a relationship change between his father, grandmother and himself. The story is simple to follow and unfolds in a natural manner. Some kids might get frightened by the fires and destruction in the imaginary world toward the end. Most will identify with the boy and his relationship with his stuffed rabbit. They will most likely be happy that the boy becomes closer to his grandmother and isn't lonely anymore. Each character is true to his or her status including the strict grandma. When poor behaviors are shown, so is kindness. I.e.. when Toby is locked in his room on his grandma's order, she still tries to find his rabbit. Some kids might have a difficult time separating the imaginary scenes from the real ones at first but will soon understand that the animated scenes signify the imaginary scenes. The characters, especially the goose and the horse, explain difficult concepts in detail. Beautiful animation mixed with live action. The scene in which the boy turns from live to animated is incredible. The quality of the cinematography is very good. Love how it brings classic literature to life.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Loved it. "I loved this story." "It is good because the imaginary world is cool. I like how he played with the bear." "I liked how one minute it is animated and the next, it isn't." "The part where the velveteen rabbit sees the other rabbits is cool. You can't tell what's real and what's not." "I would definitely watch it again. In fact, I would watch it at every chance I could as if it was the only movie I had." "The grandma was kind of mean sometimes but then she was nice. The toys tried to save the boy at the end and they did." "The rabbit almost burned saving the boy." "It made the imaginary world seem more real." "It seems like this took place long long ago. The attic was full of toys. I think it took place in England. It looks like the olden days."
Runtime: 88 minutes
KIDS FIRST! Juror Recommended Age: 5-8
Suggested Retail Price: $ 24.97
Media: DVD
Buy Here (Amazon.com)

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TOM AND JERRY MEET SHERLOCK HOLMES

SECRET OF MOONACRE, THE

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: BERRYWOOD HERE WE COME

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: GLIMMERBERRY BALL

GOOSEBUMPS: THE BLOB THAT ATE EVERYONE

GOOSEBUMPS: GO EAT WORMS

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Series: FEATURE FILM, AGES 8-12
Topic - Family
Description - Based on the best-selling illustrated novel by Jeff Kinney, the film chronicles the adventures of wisecracking pre-teen Greg Heffley, who must somehow survive the scariest time of anyone's life... middle school. Convinced it's the "dumbest idea ever invented," Heffley considers junior high school a place rigged with hundreds of social landmines, not the least of which are wedgies, swirlies, bullies, lunchtime banishment of the cafeteria floor and a festering piece of cheese with nuclear cooties that he must overcome to become popular. His diary - or "journal" - chronicles his thoughts, tales of family trials and tribulations, and (would be) schoolyard triumphs.
From its origins as a series of online cartoons, Diary of a Wimpy Kid exploded onto the pop culture scene when Jeff Kinney's first novel was published in 2007. Selling over 30 million copies in print, Diary of a Wimpy Kid spent almost three years on The New York Times' children's best-seller list and has been translated into 33 languages.
From director Thor Freudenthal (Hotel for Dogs) and producer Nina Jacobson (The Game Plan), Diary of a Wimpy Kid features rising stars Zachary Gordon (National Treasure: Book of Secrets), Robert Capron (Bride Wars) and Rachael Harris (The Hangover), as well as Steve Zahn ("Treme").
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Here is a review from our partners at Moving Pictures Magazine: http://www.movingpicturesmagazine.com/Reviews/tabid/59/entryid/3300/Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid.aspx
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Diary of a Wimpy Kid shows us wimpy is cool and in style. You may say, "no it isn't" but you are wrong. It shows us the ups and downs of middle school and trust me, it is all in there. One thing I was disappointed about before I saw it was it wasn't animation. But now, I am standing corrected. Zachary Gordon is actually what I would imagine Greg Heffley would be in real life. This is a movie I definitely recommend and Thor Freundenthal (director), Jackie & Jeff Filgo (screenwriters), and last but not least, Jeff Kinney (the book's author and executive producer) all did a great job.
Runtime: 92 minutes
KIDS FIRST! Juror Recommended Age: 8-12
Suggested Retail Price: $ 29.95
Media: DVD

Buy Here (from TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT)

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PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Series: FEATURE FILM, AGES 8-18
Topic - Family
Description - Modern and mythical worlds collide in a heroic epic adventure in Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief . Based on the popular book series by Rick Riordan, the film follows trouble-prone Percy Jackson who finds himself having problems in high school� but that's the least of his challenges. It's the 21st century, but the gods of Mount Olympus have walked out of the pages of his Greek mythology texts and into his life, and they're not happy � Zeus' lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Learning he is the son of Poseidon, the young teen finds himself caught between angry and battling gods, and embarks on a cross-country adventure to catch the true lightning thief and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves. Directed by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter films), starring Logan Lerman ("Jack & Bobby"), Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds), Steve Coogan (Night At The Museum films), Uma Thurman (Kill Bill films), Pierce Brosnan (The Thomas Crown Affair, James Bond films), Catherine Keener (Where The Wild Things Are), and Kevin McKidd ("Grey's Anatomy").
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - The ancient gods meet the modern world as Zeus accuses a young demi -god of stealing his lightning bolt. Never knowing he was part god, Poseidon's son, Percy, is suddenly thrust into another world where he has exceptional powers, and must enter the depths of Hades to prevent a war among the gods. This film is particularly appealing because it clues a viewer in to the inner workings of Greek mythology, yet ties the mythology into the modern world. Not only is the story and imagery captivating, but it also promotes a strong sense of family bonds in a very realistic way. Percy feels like his father abandoned him, and we see the relationship develop between father and son as the plot-line develops and Percy discovers that his father never abandoned him. Although gods couldn't be with their children after birth, the father was always in Percy's mind, helping him when he needed help. There is a poignant scene near the end where father and son come face-to-face and have a realistic confrontation. The cinematography is so crisp, smooth and detailed that some of the evil characters were almost too scary for young viewers. Hades, in his god-form, is particularly scary, and the snakes that surrounded Medusa's head seem incredibly lifelike. While this might make the film inappropriate for younger viewers, these aspects are part of what made the film such a success with the teen and tween audience. The adventurous story shows how a common, somewhat dorky boy, can find something special within himself. It took his dyslexic and ADHD tendencies, and turned them into powerful weapons against the enemy. It's a good message for viewers, seeing how things that can be perceived as negative attributes can be really be used as strengths.
KIDS FIRST!® Kid Jurors say - Viewers who watch this film might become inspired to learn more about Greek mythology. Children who watched it were discussing stories they knew from childhood even as the credits rolled. They started discussing what it would be like, and how they would act, if they were the young heroes in the film. A 17-year-old girl viewing the film was excited about the reminder of the stories she loved in her youth. The 10- and 13-year-old boys loved the sword fighting and special effects. A 16-year-old boy summed it up: "The visuals were stunning, and the music was fit for the story. I loved the models and animation with the monsters like the Hydra. It actually looked realistic. The only thing I didn't like about this movie is that the story was extremely predictable (a point the younger children disagreed with). I was able to call out what was going to happen dozens of minutes before it happened, such as needing the 4th pearl to bring his mother and his friends back (the other kids did notice this, also, but it added to the drama for them and made them feel smart). I was also able to predict who would stay in Hades." This film is one our family unanimously voted to keep in our own personal DVD library. It was too good to watch just one time.
Runtime: 118 minutes
KIDS FIRST! Juror Recommended Age: 8-18
Suggested Retail Price: $ 29.98
Media: DVD

Buy Here (from TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT)

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NO LIMIT KIDS: MUCH ADO ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL

ELEVATING ENTERTAINMENT LLC
Series: INDEPENDENT FEATURE, AGES 8-12
Topic - Family
Description - A group of kids enter middle school with all their doubts and fears. Ashton, a semi-outcast routinely gets bullied by the star-football player Zach (Blake Michael). Ashton (Ashton Harrell), whose philosophy is to lay low and attract as little attention as possible. Celeste (Celeste Kellogg), a cheerleader who doesn't want to make herself popular at the expense of others. Danielle (Danielle Hill) believes that Celeste is trying to steal her boyfriend and takes revenge by casting her out of her clique. Celeste's friend Becca (Amanda Waters) stands up for her and the three band together to form a club in an abandoned theater on Main Street.
Inside the theater, they find a very interesting piece of their town's history and a seemingly homeless man, Charlie (Bill Cobbs). He connects with the kids because of his own "outcast" status and his shared love of musical theater. The kids learn that the old theater will soon be torn down and set out on a mission to save the town's landmark. They decide to do a modern day version of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." Through mistaken identities and false assumptions, the kids learn a valuable lesson that you can't always judge a book by it's cover. Starring Bill Cobbs, Lee Meriwether, Celeste Kellogg and Ashton Harrell.
KIDS FIRST!® Adult Jurors say - Good story, well made, great singing. There are some holes in the storyline but it's still an enjoyable film that kids will relate to. Ashton addresses the audience in the opening scene and speaks directly to them about the issues of middle school that will become rolled out in the storyline. The kids look like real kids, not like romanticized versions of them. The message that judging people frequently leads you to the wrong conclusion is an appropriate one. The singing and dancing are most enjoyable. Every scene contributes to the story.
Runtime: 90 minutes
KIDS FIRST! Juror Recommended Age: 8-12
Suggested Retail Price: $ 0
Media: DVD

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PAPERBOY