Watch Kids' Reviews of
ROCK OUT

Rock Out is an extremely entertaining and visually appealing film that had me hooked from the very start. From the cinematography, acting, music and story, every part of the film is well executed. This short film made by a high school student follows Kate (Ana Ramos) and her punk rock band, Chaz (Eli Zimmerman), Parker (Peter Hassell), and Robbie (Caden Harvey) as they prepare to compete in the local talent show. However, things get more complicated when Kate's arch nemesis, Lewis (Bek Barthelman), a self-proclaimed opera singer, vows to embarrass her by exposing a horrible photo of her to the whole school if she loses. With the help of her band Kate works her hardest to be perfect for their act.

The story is very relatable, helped by the realistic characters. All of them are believably written, especially Kate and Lewis's rivalry. The story is also easy to follow, with every motive being clear and Kate's want to do good being understandable. The camera work hooked me from the very start, the way it shows the lights slowly turning on and the stage being set is breathtaking and very high quality. Throughout the film there are many other examples, such as when Lewis first walks on stage for his performance. Every actor does really well, but especially Ana Ramos as Kate. She is so good at showing Kate's emotions. The costumes are great and help emphasize the contrast between Kate's rock band and Lewis's classical singing style. While Kate and her band's clothes are more rough and less formal, Lewis wears a nice suit, emphasizing their differences. The film is set at a school in the present day, mainly on stage and in a rehearsal room. The auditorium they film in is beautiful, and also helps set up important plot points for the ending. Music is very important in this film as both leads' passion is in music and again, we see the different styles of music between Lewis and Kate. Lewis's song is gorgeous and his vocals are unbelievable, while Kate's song is incredibly catchy and shows off her character wonderfully. The cinematography stands out from the performance shots to the stage in general. My favorite part is Kate and her band's performance, as not only is their song catchy but it also helps complete her story arc in a wonderful way.

The film's message is to not let others destroy your confidence, and being yourself will bring others to you.

I give Rock Out 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18. By Isabella V., KIDS FIRST!

Rock Out is an extremely entertaining and visually appealing film that had me hooked from the very start. From the cinematography, acting, music and story, every part of the film is well executed. This short film made by a high school student follows Kate (Ana Ramos) and her punk rock band, Chaz (Eli Zimmerman), Parker (Peter Hassell), and Robbie (Caden Harvey) as they prepare to compete in the local talent show. However, things get more complicated when Kate's arch nemesis, Lewis (Bek Barthelman), a self-proclaimed opera singer, vows to embarrass her by exposing a horrible photo of her to the whole school if she loses. With the help of her band Kate works her hardest to be perfect for their act.

The story is very relatable, helped by the realistic characters. All of them are believably written, especially Kate and Lewis's rivalry. The story is also easy to follow, with every motive being clear and Kate's want to do good being understandable. The camera work hooked me from the very start, the way it shows the lights slowly turning on and the stage being set is breathtaking and very high quality. Throughout the film there are many other examples, such as when Lewis first walks on stage for his performance. Every actor does really well, but especially Ana Ramos as Kate. She is so good at showing Kate's emotions. The costumes are great and help emphasize the contrast between Kate's rock band and Lewis's classical singing style. While Kate and her band's clothes are more rough and less formal, Lewis wears a nice suit, emphasizing their differences. The film is set at a school in the present day, mainly on stage and in a rehearsal room. The auditorium they film in is beautiful, and also helps set up important plot points for the ending. Music is very important in this film as both leads' passion is in music and again, we see the different styles of music between Lewis and Kate. Lewis's song is gorgeous and his vocals are unbelievable, while Kate's song is incredibly catchy and shows off her character wonderfully. The cinematography stands out from the performance shots to the stage in general. My favorite part is Kate and her band's performance, as not only is their song catchy but it also helps complete her story arc in a wonderful way.

The film's message is to not let others destroy your confidence, and being yourself will bring others to you.

I give Rock Out 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18. By Isabella V., KIDS FIRST!

High school punk rocker Kate and her ragtag group of friends, whom she calls a band, are competing in their local talent show. But Lewis, the self-proclaimed "semi-professional concerto opera singer" and Kate's arch nemesis, will stop at nothing to embarrass her and ruin their performance.