A Great Awakening * An Extraordinary Movie That Takes You On An Unanticipated, Yet Entertaining Journey Through History
April 11th, 2026
A Great Awakening tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between the Reverend George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin that resulted in one of the most defining moments in American history. With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitefield ignites the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering and faithful sermons and proclamations of liberty. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield’s closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation’s freedom hanging in the balance, the founders discover true liberty cannot only be written into law – it must be awakened in the hearts of the people.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Adele B. comments, “A Great Awakening is an extraordinary movie that takes you on an unanticipated, yet entertaining journey through history. With incredible storytelling and well composed visuals, I was in awe as it unfolds… This film shines in its visual aspects and definitely kept my attention. The lighting is spectacular and made me feel like I was experiencing and seeing history with new eyes.” See her full review below.
A Great Awakening
By Adele B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12
A Great Awakening is an extraordinary movie that takes you on an unanticipated, yet entertaining journey through history. With incredible storytelling and well composed visuals, I was in awe as it unfolds.
This insightful film tells the story of Benjamin Franklin (John Paul Sneed) and George Whitefield’s (Jonathan Blair) unexpected 30-year-long friendship. It details the up’s and down’s of both of their lives, how they continuously were intertwined, and the important impact they left on each other. And most significantly, the lasting legacy their trail-blazing approach left on American history when they ignited an awakening of its people.
This film shines in its visual aspects and definitely kept my attention. The lighting is spectacular and made me feel like I was experiencing and seeing history with new eyes. The realistic costumes reflect the late 1700s style accurately. The transitions between scenes are very well put together and are satisfying to watch. The movie really comes to life as the sets look accurate to the time period. When I was watching it, I was completely invested! The cast’s performance is truly amazing and definitely makes this movie breathtaking. George Whitfield, played by Jonathan Blair, is one of the most enjoyable to watch. The way he expresses his character’s emotions is effortless and very believable. The relationship between Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield unfolds with care and attention. They go from not knowing each other and being wary of each other to becoming best friends for many years. I love the way we see how they influence each other to be better and make a lasting impact, and how Benjamin Franklin learned from Whitefield and contributed to history in his own way.
The film’s message is that if you persevere you can overcome anything life throws at you. Don’t let others decide your limits and do what you can to help others despite push back and negative feedback.
I give A Great Awakening 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters April 3, 2026.
Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy is reimagined in a bold, modern adaptation set within London’s elite South Asian community. When Hamlet (Riz Ahmed) returns for his father’s funeral, he is stunned to discover his uncle Claudius is marrying his newly widowed mother.
What if you could step inside William Shakespeare’s creative mind and feel every emotion that shaped Hamlet, his most iconic and famous tragedy? This film draws you into the story in a haunting and unforgettable way through its protagonist, Hamlet, while introducing this timeless story, originally performed in the 1600s, to a new generation.
I highly recommend this film! The classic story is reimagined within a South Asian family living in modern-day London, which makes it feel fresh and culturally resonant. Every scene feels alive, with engaging performances that make it impossible to look away for even a second. Riz Ahmed is the perfect actor to play Hamlet, as he has the ability to portray the character’s complexity. He shows both his grief after losing his father and his suspicion and growing revenge against Claudius in an impactful way through his subtle body language and chilling dialogue delivery. Additionally, Sheeba Chaddha’s gentle portrayal of Gertrude captures her vulnerability and weakness, so it contrasts nicely with Hamlet’s intensity. Art Malik is also well-suited for Claudius, as he brings an authoritative presence on the outside, but extremely tense on the inside, which makes his performance convincing and natural. I especially love how the film incorporates many lines from the original play, like the famous line “To be, or not to be, that is the question” – they are woven beautifully into the story.
Even though the film is set in modern times, these classic lines feel natural and meaningful without feeling out of place. The film also captures the business of London at night, using the loud sounds of traffic and the city, which creates a strong contrast with the timeless, poetic tone of Shakespeare’s language.
In London, two dads (Josh Duhamel & Michael Socha) set their sights on the last open spot at an ultra-posh preschool. What begins as a simple application snowballs into a wildly escalating rivalry packed with big-hearted laughs, outrageous one‐upmanship, and surprising consequences. As schemes spiral and families get pulled into the madness, both fathers discover what they’re really willing to do for their kids–and what it means to be a parent.
Preschool captures exactly how stressful the preschool application process can feel for parents. The plot is constantly amusing, with twists and turns at every moment, and as you start to understand more of the story, it just gets funnier. Josh Duhamel both directs and stars in the film, and somehow manages to pull off both roles without missing a beat.
The main message of Preschool is that both dads are so focused on winning the preschool spot that they completely lose sight of their actual kids. In one scene, Alan leaves his daughter inside an indoor skydiving machine — she is clearly calling for his help, but he is too distracted talking to Brian to notice. The physical comedy lands well throughout, especially in the final fight scene where a window gets broken and someone gets clotheslined. Michael Socha brings wild energy as Brian, and James Cosmo as Brian’s father adds grit and a grounded dose of reality that keeps things from feeling too over the top.
The film’s message is about not losing sight of your parenting goals by over-focusing on things like securing the coveted preschool slot. It is such a natural part of parenting to worry about your child’s future, but worrying about it as early as preschool creates unnecessary anxiety – the film definitely mines that anxiety for lots of laughs. Be aware that the film includes themes of anger and there are a few scenes where the dads come to blows, but the film consistently finds a way to keep even those moments funny.
A 19-year-old animal lover uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination.
Tiana S. reports from Netflix’s new show, Star Search at a live screening at the Tudum Theater inside Netflix House Philadelphia – the live series premiere screening of Star Search on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026!
For step-by-step instructions, visit Tudum’s Star Search How to Vote hub. 
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie is a holiday film on Disney+ where the Jonas Brothers must overcome sibling rivalry and a series of chaotic obstacles to make it from a concert in London to New York for Christmas. The plot features an unlikely Santa Claus (played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson) who complicates their journey, forcing the brothers to confront their issues and remember what’s important. The story includes new music, cameos from their partners and family, and humorous, self-referential moments about their career.
A Very Jonas Christmas is easily one of the cutest Christmas movies to come out in a while! This film delivers a heartfelt message of the importance of family and how one’s relationship with their loved ones impacts everything in life. Plus, it includes an amazing new lineup of Jonas Brother’s songs!
This is an inspiring film that families can enjoy with lots of great performances. One performance that stands out to me is from Jessie Tyler Ferguson, who plays Santa, the cause of the Jonas Brothers getting stuck in Europe. Ferguson uses his comedic timing to really nail the message of the movie in the most fun way. He balances quick comebacks with a sincere and warm memo to guide the brothers. Ferguson captures the magic that comes from Santa and adds a personal spin to the character. His performance not only draws attention to, but highlights the importance of family and brotherhood.
Martin mixes facial expressions with comedic timing to create the perfect character, who made me laugh out loud! Her joy and energy are infectious, and it is hard not to smile when she comes on screen. Martin easily becomes a fan favorite, adding the true Christmas spirit to the film.
Spanning three decades, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends — writer Mary and lyricist & playwright Charley. Originally produced on Broadway in 1981, and then becoming an inventive cult-classic ahead of its time, Merrily We Roll Along features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs.
The storyline follows three friends who meet in college and we follow their life from 1957 to 1976. Each friend is successful in their own way and each one makes decisions that affect their friendships differently.
I like how the sets are quickly changed with minimal distraction. I also really like how costumes are used to help tell each character’s story. For example, Charley, the character who remains true to himself the entire time has the same costume for every scene, except one. Frank switches from a t-shirt when he is younger to a long sleeved shirt when he is older, but it is the same color and style. I really enjoyed each of the songs because they help the story move along and are very catchy.
This film has several powerful messages about the importance of being a good friend, being true to oneself, and how our choices affect our future. Be aware that it does contain some references to drinking, smoking, drugs, and mild profanity.
I love the movie Merrily We Roll Along. It is packed with genuinely amazing scenes that left me wanting more. The movie has a huge theme of being a musical which kind of reminds me of Hamilton – a musical of immense importance and emotion.
The most striking thing about this filmed adaptation of the Broadway play is the acting. We really see that the actors have a great devotion to their roles. Daniel Radcliffe shows how his character is really interested in his character because he shows real humility and melancholy while talking to Mary about how he hasn’t seen Frank and he is just about to give up. Lindsay Mendez’s portrayal of Mary is immaculate. She gives believable performances and has a good singing voice. However, the most impressive commitment to his role is Jonathan Groff’s portrayal of Frank. He portrays a workaholic man who invests his time into being a producer and doesn’t spend any time with his friends.
In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with (Miles Teller) and her first love (Callum Turner), who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.
I thoroughly enjoyed Eternity. It’s the cleverest rom-com I’ve ever seen, with its one-of-a-kind plot, strong acting and vivid development of the setting.
There have been movies about the afterlife before, of course, but I’ve never seen a rom-com with this as its main focus, and I love how both of those aspects interact throughout the film. Along with the imaginative plot, the world building of the afterlife is hilariously creative. There are a lot of different choices for how to spend one’s eternity, like Paris Land, Capitalist World, Casino World, Beach World, Men Free World, and countless more. There is something for everyone, and it would be hard to choose where to go even if you didn’t have to pick between your two husbands.
The acting is phenomenal. Being reverted to the physical state during the happiest time of their life, even though they all look young, their souls remain the same age as when they died, and the actors speak and act exactly how an elderly person behaves. Seeing Joan interact differently with each of her past husbands is extremely entertaining. Her shyness with Luke feels like young love whereas her tender annoyance with Larry feels exactly how you behave when you know someone for a long time. I also adore the side plot exploring the relationship of Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and Ryan (John Early) – Larry and Joan’s ACs, respectively (you’ll figure out what AC means when you watch the movie).
There are many themes of uncertainty, regret, possibility, and hope in this film. I found it intriguing that the afterlife represents living life to the fullest and the importance of memory, but also displays messages of adaptability and acceptance in difficult situations. Be advised that there are some mature themes present, including profanity, drinking, and suggestive scenes.
The Four Horsemen return along with a new generation of illusionists performing mind-melding twists, turns, surprises, and magic unlike anything ever captured on film.
The film takes young audiences on an inspiring journey to discover their future career paths, offering a relevant and innovative way to engage and prepare youth for their future.
I like Imagine Becoming because of the acting of Jeanelle St. Fleur and Kennedy Swartz – their portrayal of emotions is spot on. Plus, I like that the film looks like one big livestream.
Kudos to Andre Butler Jr. and Ben Lee Foster as the music makers; the music is catchy and well done. Hats off to Nicole Butler for writing this lovely story, the character development makes the film even more understandable, and so do the backstories of the mannequins. It is easy to see that real work was put into the characters. I also congratulate Tanisha Butt for casting the actors and actresses. The cast really caught me off guard. When I started watching this film, I thought that there would just be a normal cast, but I was definitely wrong. This cast really stands out. My favorite part is when Chloe finds out what she wants to be because I am a sucker for happy endings, and the ending of this story is nothing but that, so it made me very happy.
Imagine Becoming is a charming film that illustrates the range of possibilities available to children. It aims to introduce young people to career exploration and help navigate the future they will soon step into. However, the film lacks clarity, which caused me to lose sight of its vision.
Imagine Becoming is crafted for what many perceive as today’s “typical tween”—social media-obsessed, dismissive of school, more interested in superficiality than substance. All this results in an overly shallow character and that lack of authenticity prevented me from fully resonating with Chloe. Additionally, the filmmaker is projecting two different messages and, while they are both valuable, trying to convey them in a short amount of time decreases the effectiveness of both. The first half of the film is spent discouraging cell phone usage. Chloe’s teacher (Grace Helmus) calls home concerned about her phone usage; the girls’ mother expresses her dissatisfaction, and even her BFF Maya implores her to look up from her screen, describing the harsh consequences of “addiction.” The second half is a pivot to an interactive tour of career possibilities for Chloe, which has no connection to her phone usage and leads to a contradiction in the story. Earlier in the film, Chloe’s aspirations of becoming an influencer are rejected by her friends and family, with Maya stating that “a hobby isn’t a career.” But the majority of the professions presented at the museum – actor, dancer, director, fashion designer – are all within the creative sphere, and it could be argued that they are less attainable than social media recognition. The film also takes a pretty critical stance on influencers and athletes for a piece meant to promote curiosity. The casting is pretty ethnically conscious, which I appreciate. Another positive aspect of Imagine Becoming is its success in inspiring youth. The depictions of the adults at the museum as children with big dreams prompt viewers to envision a future based on their current interests.
The indie short film, Imagine Becoming, has a lot going for it in terms of generating conversations among kids and parents about their career aspirations and getting kids to think about what they might like to pursue in their adult lives.
The film addresses a serious issue with youth today – obsession with their phones and parents not knowing what to do about it. I love seeing the moms talk with each other and offering solutions to the problem. Taking the girls to the museum for the career exhibit is a brilliant solution as it gets the girls to think about something other than their phones. The actors are well cast. Both Janelle St. Fleur and Kennedy Swartz are adorable; they speak well, play their parts well and I love their outfits. The moms also are well cast and perform their roles very believably. I think many moms will resonate with them. At the museum, I like seeing the different adult professionals interact with the girls and discuss their careers and how they got there. They talk with an actor, a singer, a director, a dancer, a journalist, a chef, a fashion designer, the latter of which Chloe resonates with most. She announces afterwards that she’s going to become a fashion designer.
