Granny Ranny’s Coming Attractions

The acclaimed War Horse play and children’s book is now on the big screen! War Horse is a heartwarming tale about a father who buys a horse for his son on a whim. His son, Albert played by Jeremy Irvine, develops an unbreakable bond his horse, Joey. However, World War I approaches, and Joey is drafted into the military. Will the two ever reunite?

The movie has a charming story. When I interviewed the author of the children’s book War Horse, Michael Morpurgo, he told me that his book shows how war does not only produce a severe effect on people, but with animals too, specifically horses. It is interesting watching director Steven Spielberg’s translation of that theme onto film. One notable scene shows the horse, Joey, galloping fiercely through no man’s land, but is forced to slow down after he is tangled in a bunch of wires. After intense war, both opposing sides come together to untangle the horse! I found it touching because it shows that it takes both sides to solve a problem, and when the movie shows both soldiers cutting the wires from the horse, I thought of it as a symbol like they were ending their conflicts between each other. The cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski, filmed the scene beautifully, which helped produce such an emotional effect on the audience.

The cinematography in general is wonderful, especially when Kaminski zooms in the feet of the horses and the faces of the horses as they gallop across the vast fields. Most of the beauty of the movie comes from the horses, and I think the horse trainers did an impeccable job, particularly ZelieBullen since she trained the main horse, Joey. I recommend this movie to teens ages 13 and up. It is a pleasant family film because it is not too brutal, yet it still packs in all of the action and intensity of war. The movie is a bit slow in the beginning, so younger teens may get bored, but it quickly picks up the pace as the war begins. This is a moving tale to watch and will bring the entire family together for the holidays.

Reviewed by Gabriella Chu, age 15, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Video Review available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWkcjuxuJRw

9-year-old Anthony Aranda reviewed We Bought a Zoo for us and here’s what he had to say about it: I really like this movie; it was kind of funny, a little sad, but really cool.

This movie is all about Benjamin Mee, played by Matt Damon, who is living with his family in the city trying to deal with the death of his wife and raise his two kids. His son Dylan is not doing so well and keeps getting into trouble. He finally gets expelled and so they have to find him a new school. Benjamin decides that it’s time for them to move and start a new life and they find a really cool house out of the city and want to buy it. But they soon realize that this house comes with a zoo. His daughter Rosie loves the house though so they decide to give it a try.

Some of the main characters in the movie are Benjamin Mee, Kelly Foster, Duncan, Dylan, and Rosie. My favorite character is Benjamin because he is a really funny character. When he gets mad he does some really funny stuff like throwing a tantrum all by himself, which kept me laughing. He is also a really good dad even though he doesn’t exactly know what he’s doing.
My favorite part in the movie is when Benjamin Mee is inside the porcupine pit and he thinks they are nice at first but then the porcupine started running after him and he jumped over the fence and landed on pointy stuff. So when they tried to take them off he kept screaming! That was really funny.

I would recommend this movie for ages 10 and up because there are some scary parts in this movie that younger kids might not like. The movie is sad because the mom dies and the family is still trying to deal with that. The pictures that Dylan draws are kind of violent and scary and there is also some kissing in the movie that is not appropriate for younger viewers.  Go out and see this movie in theaters or buy it when it comes out on DVD

Credit: Anthony Aranda, age 9, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

9-year-old Anthony Aranda reviewed this for us last weekend and he loved it. Here’s what he has to say:

This movie is awesome because there is a lot of action and everything the chipmunks and Chipettes do is so funny. The movie is all about Dave, the chipmunks and the Chipettes who go on vacation and have a really big adventure. They go on a cruise ship and Alvin keeps causing lots of trouble on the ship (like always). Alvin comes up with a really great idea to fly on top of a kite. All of the chipmunks and Chipettes are holding the kite while Alvin is flying but the wind picks up too hard. They start to fly away and Simon tries to help by tying the kite to Dave’s chair (while he is sleeping). This still doesn’t work and the chair and the chipmunks start to move down the deck of the ship. Eventually, the kite slips off the chair and the chair flips over. Dave wakes up to see the chipmunks and the Chipettes fly away on the kite.

Some of the main characters in the movie are Dave, the chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore), the Chipettes (Eleanor, Jeanette, and Brittany), Zoe, and Ian. My favorite character is Alvin because he is always having fun and causing lots of trouble. I also like him because in the end he learns that he can still have fun while being responsible.

My favorite part in the movie is when the chipmunks and Chipettes meet Zoe on the stranded island. She invites them to meet her friends and when they get there they see that her friends are a bunch of sports balls. It’s really funny because it seems like she is a little crazy since she has been on the island for so long. We figure out later that there are spiders on the island that change a person’s personality and make them act differently. Later in the movie Simon gets bit by one of the spiders and then he starts acting like someone else. It is really funny.

I recommend this movie for all ages because it is super funny and there was no violence or parts that would scare anyone. It also shows how much family means and that most families would do anything for each other. Go out and see this movie in theaters on December 16th.

Reviewed by Anthony Aranda, age 9, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, reviewed by our 13-year-old critic, Daniel Menegaz is the first half of the final installment of the Twilight saga movies based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer that has gripped the nation since Twilight first came out on print. Here are Daniel’s comments: It is about the tortured love story between Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) the vampire. In this first part, Bella gets married, and then gets pregnant on her honeymoon. The movie ends with her opening her bright red eyes as a vampire. Having read Breaking Dawn, I thought it was fairly accurate to the story. Although, the book doesn’t have quite enough information to stretch into two movies, I found the movie a little boring. The movie has some heavy drama; in fact, that is something I didn’t like. All the characters seemed to be depressed at what should have been a happy moment. Other than that, the movie was fairly good. I really enjoyed the soundtrack and particularly the scenes. The movie has some very stunning nature shots. I think this movie is for ages 13 and up because of very inappropriate subject matter regarding the sex and Bella’s pregnancy. Overall, I would give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a movie filled with drama, vampires, and werewolves, this is your movie.

I love this movie. It’s about Mumble (Elijah Wood) and Gloria’s (Pink) baby penguin named Erik (Ava Acres) who wanders off from all the other penguins. His father, Mumble tries to find him and while he is gone a big iceberg blocks the penguins from going anywhere.

Watch Anthony’s review here.
My favorite characters are Mumble, Erik and two krill named Will and Bill (Brad Pitt & Matt Damon). I like Mumble because he is really funny and he sometimes gets mad at Erik. I like Erik because he tries to get his father to take more chances and he is almost always happy. I like the two krill because they show how friendships take work. They split up in the movie, get lost and then find each other again and make a stronger friendship.My favorite part of this movie is when Will and Bill start tapping on the ice from underneath - kind of like how Mumble taps on the ice from above. Then, a whole bunch of other krill join in and they light up the ice with all of their tapping. I think this is really cool because it is neat to see all the lights and how they actually do that.

The animation and special effects in this movie are really cool. When the krill light up the sea, that is really cool. When some of the ice goes tumbling down the effects of that are really neat. The animation in this movie is awesome. The penguins look very real and they do a good job at making them talk.

I recommend this movie for ages two and up. This movie does have a few scary parts that might be frightening for kids younger than two. For example, when one of the elephant seals falls into a big hole his kids get really scared because they think he might get stuck down there forever. That part made me a little nervous. This is a great family movie that shows happiness and friendship. Go out and see this movie when it comes out in theaters on November 18th.

Reviewed by Anthony Aranda, age 9, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

“Real Steel” is the action packed, intense movie about Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) a robot boxer that could use some money at the current moment, who spends the summer with his 11-year-old kid Max Kenton (Dakota Doyo). When the two have no luck with a fantastic robot, they go to the junkyard looking for parts, and Max finds an old sparring bot that turns out to be a force to be reckoned with. I though the movie was very entertaining. The CGI really made the robots and the sets come to life. I also thought that the acting was good. The disbanded relationship between Charlie and Max was not only well acted, but provides some well-placed comic relief from the fight sequences. Although a great movie, it does have some violence. Even though the robot fights aren’t gory, the fighting is some replicable behavior that little kids could bring home. I recommend “Real Steel” for kids 13 and up, and it deserves a 4 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed by Daniel Menengaz age 13, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Anthony Aranda, our 9-year-old youth film critic viewed Dolphin Tale recently and couldn’t say enough positive things about it. Here are his comments:

This is a great movie based on a true story. This movie is great because the story is really encouraging and shows me that anything is possible.

The movie is about a dolphin named Winter who gets caught in a crab trap and her tail is badly injured. She gets taken back to the Clearwater Marine Hospital where everyone there tries to help her. Her tail is too badly injured to save so they try to make a new tail for her to help her swim. The movie takes us on Winter’s journey to swim again.

Some of the main characters in the movie are Winter the dolphin, Sawyer, Hazel and Dr. Clay Haskett. My favorite characters in the movie are Sawyer and Winter. I like them because they are really good characters in the movie and it is really cool to see them form such a special friendship. Sawyer is the only one that Winter trusts and he wants to do everything he can to help her.

I recommend this movie for all kids ages 5 to 18 because it’s such a good movie. A lot of people would like this movie because there are a lot of funny parts. It’s really cool to see Winter get better throughout the movie. Go out and see it in theaters when it premieres on September 23rd!

Review by Anthony Aranda, age 9, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

If you are into suspenseful films that ring remarkably true, then you will enjoy Contagion. Dr. Lipkin from Columbia University’s School of Public Health, who consulted on the film, based the virus on one which spread from pigs to farmers in the late 1990s. 14-year-old Gabriella Chu shares her comments on the film:

My eyes were glued to the screen from beginning to end. It documents the rapid spread of an unknown deadly virus around the world. Doctors and health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) race to find a vaccine to prevent more people from dying, while the government tries to keep society under control.

The fact that this movie is shot internationally made it more exciting to me. The background music of the movie adds a great deal to the serious and suspenseful mood. Contagion delivers a vital universal message to be very careful in dealing with germs. The movie shows several close-ups ofpeople coughing, bus poles and other places that are susceptible to germs. The makeup of the affected people is very impressive and life like. After watching this movie, I did not want to touch anything. The movie also shows that fear can be contagious and deadly like a virus. Since the movie is so realistic, it gives me a new perspective on epidemics affecting the world today. I am surprised by some things that I never knew about until I watched this movie. For example, the average person touches their face about 3,000 times a day! And I love the ending because that is when the movie reveals one of the biggest mysteries the doctors are searching for. If you want to find out what the mystery is, watch Contagion!

I recommend this movie to teens 13 and up. There are some disturbing images that may frighten younger children and they might not follow the storyline since it is fast-paced.

Raved reviews from two of our teen film critics. Here’s what they have to say:

I have to be honest, I was not looking forward to seeing this movie because I have never been interested in boxing or arena fighting of any kind, but this move is so much more than a cage fight. Right away you can see the tone of this movie from the steel yards of Pittsburgh and the grayness of Pennsylvania in the first scene.
The cinematography is great because there is s much symbolism and depth to the visuals. My favorite scene is the final fight because it is so emotional and I cried so much. The music in that scene is also amazing because it really adds a deeper quality of emotion.
When the movie first started, I thought I would give it 2 stars because I was expecting a typical boxing movie, but now I give Warrior 4 ½ stars because it is so amazing. This movie is for 13 and up because although it’s just a movie, the fighting is so realistic and graphic that it does a little disturbing. This movie is definitely not for everyone, but if you’re looking for a deep emotional movie, or if you’re in to MMA fighting, Warrior is perfect for you!

Reviewed by Raven Devanney, age 14, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Lionsgate’s new movie ‘Warrior’ is about two brothers—Tommy Conlon, (Tom Hardy) a navy officer who went AWOL from his unit after being the only survivor of friendly fire and Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton), a former UFC fighter and a physics teacher who is upside-down on his mortgage and suspended from his job for fighting for cash near a strip club. The idea that both are accepted into ‘SPARTA’ (the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) competition of all MMA competitions) —is phenomenal. It was engaging in every way—even when it gets a little slow. The acting is fabulous. Tom Hardy does an especially excellent job playing the angry, pained character of Tommy and Nick Nolte is really moving as the recovering alcoholic father/coach. Not only is the acting great, but the score is great and the fight choreography is very real as well. I seriously recommend this movie for kids 12 and up. It has suggestive themes, very intense fight scenes and subject matter that would go way over the heads of kids under the age of 12.

Reviewed by Daniel Menengaz age 13, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Jessica Alba makes a quite an impression as spy Marissa Wilson, calmly defending herself from the evil Timekeeper even though she is over the top pregnant and checks into the hospital immediately afterwards to give birth. The theme for this movie offers a pretty traditional fare, enough to put my boy friend to sleep in the first 10 minutes. But, all the kids in the audience clearly enjoyed it - laughing at all the jokes and many spoke about how much they loved it as they exited. This is, if nothing else - a kids’ movie. The 4D “aroma-scope” aspect didn’t work at all, at least not for anyone in my theater. Those scratch and sniff cards were a bust, sorry Robert, nice try. They all smelled the same - like pink bubblegum. My advice, put those things away and just enjoy the movie. Our favorite character was the talking robot dog with the Australian accent (Ricky Gervais) and one-liners that steal the show. The storyline is about a retired spy, Marissa, who is called back into action when the Timekeeper threatens to destroy the world. Her two step children (Rowan Blanchard and Mason Cook) make the pivotal turn from disliking her to loving her once they are brought into her secret spy world. I loved seeing Carmen and Judi (Alexa Vea and Daryl Sabara), stars of the original Spy Kids, return for a cameo appearance. It’s not the best movie of the summer but you could do worse if you are looking for a film for your young children. Recommended for ages 5-8.