{"id":1204,"date":"2021-06-18T14:32:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-18T21:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/?p=1204"},"modified":"2021-08-07T14:39:43","modified_gmt":"2021-08-07T21:39:43","slug":"wish-dragon-heart-warming-action-packed-and-magical-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/2021\/wish-dragon-heart-warming-action-packed-and-magical-film\/","title":{"rendered":"Wish Dragon * Heart-Warming, Action-Packed And Magical Film"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/wishdragon.poster.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1206\" width=\"147\" height=\"217\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Determined teen Din is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend when he meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Kyla C. comments, \u201cThe film has some of the best animation I\u2019ve ever seen. Characters, objects, settings and beings are flawless, aside from when they need to be flawed. Colorful, detailed animation creates a vivid world that\u2019s full of life. Everything seems to pop off the screen and I feel as though I\u2019ve been transported into this world. Tiana S. adds, \u201c<em>Wish Dragon <\/em>is a very heart-warming, action-packed and magical film. It is a combination of a love story between best friends, an adventure of trying to keep a childhood promise and a father who wants to give his daughter everything in the world.\u201d See their full reviews below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wish Dragon<br>By Kyla C, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Wish Dragon<\/em> is an animated film sure to entertain family audiences. This new movie, similar to <em>Soul<\/em>, has a unique plot with plenty of fantastical ideas. A combination of wonderful acting, animation and plot makes for a delightful movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Enjoy Kyla C.&#039;s review of Wish Dragon\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tKYFqep7wiI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/wishdragon.a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1210\" width=\"225\" height=\"126\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Wish Dragon <\/em>follows Din (Jimmy Wong) as he struggles to find his long-lost childhood best friend, Li Na (Natasha Liu Bordizzo). A green teapot then shows itself, and Din soon realizes that it\u2019s not your average teapot &#8211; there\u2019s a dragon inside. The dragon, Long (John Chu), informs Din that he can make three wishes. With the challenge of finding his friend, avoiding the goons that are trying to steal the teapot and keeping the secret of the wish dragon from the rest of his friends and family, Din\u2019s quiet life soon becomes a flurry of activity and excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The film has some of the best animation I\u2019ve ever seen. Characters, objects, settings and beings are flawless, aside from when they need to be flawed. Colorful, detailed animation creates a vivid world that\u2019s full of life. Everything seems to pop off the screen and I feel as though I\u2019ve been transported into this world. Along with the animation, the stunning performances by the actors add so much to the film. The voiceovers match the characters and the animated expressions change with the actors\u2019 tones. John Cho, voicing Long (the wish dragon), is one of the performances that seems effortless. The dragon\u2019s superb appearance mixes nicely with the deeper voice of the actor. Natasha Liu Bordizzo, as Li Na, and Jimmy Wong, as Din, also deliver excellent performances &#8211; the voice acting is true to the animation. These two high points are enhanced by its strong plot. In fact, the storyline of <em>Wish Dragon <\/em>is detailed, relatable and perfect for a family movie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/wishdragon.b-300x162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1209\" width=\"225\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/wishdragon.b-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/wishdragon.b.jpg 306w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Unique ideas, as well as thoughtful messages and themes, are all here. The characters are strong, enhanced with interesting backstories about their noteworthy pasts. Events throughout the film are well-timed and make sense. There aren\u2019t any scenes that seem forced in order to keep the plot going. It all flows well. The only shortcoming that I found is that it is a bit predictable at times. Some of the primary plot points, such as the three wishes and epic battles against the bad guys, are a bit repetitive and predictable. However, it\u2019s nothing a little popcorn can\u2019t help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The message of <em>Wish Dragon <\/em>is to understand the importance of relationships and don\u2019t be greedy. The film does a noteworthy job of making the messages noticeable without being completely obvious. There are some action scenes, but they are definitely appropriate for kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>Wish Dragon <\/em>5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18 plus adults. <em>Wish Dragon <\/em>is currently available for streaming on Netflix starting June 11, 2021. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wish Dragon<br>By Tiana S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wish Dragon | Official Trailer | Netflix\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uWIRyU5fuzU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Wish Dragon <\/em>is a very heart-warming, action-packed and magical film. It is a combination of a love story between best friends, an adventure of trying to keep a childhood promise and a father who wants to give his daughter everything in the world. The story is very relatable and humorous.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/wishdragon.d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1207\" width=\"225\" height=\"126\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Wish Dragon <\/em>is about Din (Jimmy Wong), a determined teen who wants to reconnect with his childhood best friend, Li Na Wong (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), who moved away when they were kids. Din never forgot about her and always feels like something is missing from his life. During one of his food deliveries, he receives a magical tea pot that houses a wish-granting dragon, Long (John Cho). Long offers Din three wishes which sets in motion an adventure to get his friend back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The lead characters in this film are Din, Li Na, Long and Li Na\u2019s dad, Mr. Wong (Will Yun Lee). My favorite character is Long, because not only is he hilarious, but I enjoyed watching his character\u2019s journey to find out what life is really about. The animation of the busy city, houses, billboards and people are vibrant, accurate and makes you feel like you are on an adventure in China with Din, Li Na and Long. There are plenty of comedic parts in this film, such as when everyone is watching television and Long is eating his newly discovered shrimp chips and, because he is invisible to everyone except Din, you only see the shrimp chip in the air being eaten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/wishdragon.c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1208\" width=\"225\" height=\"126\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The message of this film is that there is more to life than just fame and fortune. Friends and family and having people that genuinely care about you are what is most important. The main reason Mr. Wong moves away with Li Na is because he wants her to be able to have everything in the world, but he didn\u2019t realize that by doing that she will never make any real friends and never experience the true meaning of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Wish Dragon <\/em>is a very meaningful, entertaining family film.I rate it5 out of 5 stars and I recommend it for ages 10 to 18, plus adults. You can find <em>Wish Dragon <\/em>streaming on Netflix now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Determined teen Din is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend when he meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Kyla C. comments, \u201cThe film has some of the best animation I\u2019ve ever seen. Characters, objects, settings and beings are flawless, aside from when they need to be flawed. Colorful, detailed animation creates a vivid world that\u2019s full of life. Everything seems to pop off the screen and I feel as though I\u2019ve been transported into this world. Tiana S. adds, \u201cWish Dragon is a very heart-warming, action-packed and magical film. It is a combination of a love story between best friends, an adventure of trying to keep a childhood promise and a father who wants to give his daughter everything in the world.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[795,372,805,802,305,798,794,788,789,373,790,804,803,801,796,797,792,799,793,800,791],"class_list":["post-1204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-jury-updates","tag-aaron-yoo","tag-adventure","tag-alexandre-chen","tag-alyssa-abiera","tag-animation","tag-aron-warner","tag-bobby-lee","tag-chris-appelhans","tag-chris-brenble","tag-comedy","tag-constance-wu","tag-gabriel-lee","tag-ian-chen","tag-jackie-chan","tag-jimmy-o-yang","tag-jimmy-wong","tag-john-cho","tag-max-charles","tag-natasha-liu-bordizzo","tag-ronny-chieng","tag-will-yun-lee"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1204"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1212,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1204\/revisions\/1212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}