Octonauts: Season 1 – Selfless and Brave Human-Like Animals That Teach Cool Lessons
Friday, December 15th, 2017
Dive into adventure with your favorite underwater explorers, the Octonauts! Join brave Captain Barnacles, daredevil ex-pirate, Kwazii, medic Peso Penguin and the rest of the crew, as they explore the world s oceans, rescue the creatures who live there and protect their habitats above and below the waves! Based on the richly imaginative books by Meomi, this series combines immersive visuals and submersive humor to transport young children into a world that is both real and fantastic, full of mysteries to unravel and surprises around every corner. So come aboard the Octopod for 52 exciting missions! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “There are multiple different messages throughout this DVD. All are really important and sometimes are overlooked. I love that The Octonauts offer entertainment to young children while teaching them good lessons.” See her full review below.
The Octonauts Season 1
By Jolleen Mejia, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
The Octonauts have always been one of my favorite TV/DVD series. The Octonauts are selfless and brave, human-like animals and have great teamwork. Aside from the multiple wonderful messages that they teach in every episode, they also have detailed animation.
The Octonauts live in the ocean in their octopus-like structure called the Octopod. Whenever there is trouble in the ocean, the team of Octonauts does not hesitate to help anyone in need. The main characters include Captain Barnacles (the bear who leads the team), Kwazi (the pirate-like cat) and Peso (the timid penguin). At the end of the episode, there is always a Creature Report, a song giving facts about one of the creatures that they saw or helped during the mission.
Captain Barnacles (Ross Breen) sounds like a bear who has everything under control. He has a very deep, commanding and strong voice which implies that he is the boss, and he is. Peso (Paul Panting) has a very soft, sometimes shaky and uncertain voice. Peso is a happy, but conservative penguin, and you can hear that through his voice. You can also easily hear when he is scared.
The animation is detailed and shows the ocean as a beautiful place with the wide variety of colors. Another thing that I like about this series is that on the Octonauts team, there are different species of animals aboard the Octopod. They work together great as a team, even though they are all different. It shows that even though you don’t have many similarities, you can still work together successfully and be friends. This is just one of the great messages taught in this series.
My favorite episode is “Undersea Storm.” During this episode, a storm is heading near the reef where the Octonauts live. A strong current sweeps up a baby lobster, but Kwazi saves it and returns him to its family and they are very grateful. Later, Kwazi crashes and can’t get his submarine to work. The whole family of lobsters shows up to help him out. Everyone makes it safe inside before the storm hits. This is my favorite episode because it teaches the morals of The Golden Rule. It is very clever how they present this moral.
There are multiple different messages throughout this DVD. All are really important and sometimes are overlooked. I love that The Octonauts offer entertainment to young children while teaching them good lessons.
This is an awesome DVD to watch and I give it 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it for ages 3 to 11. Maybe it could even be for 12 and 13-year-olds, because I really enjoyed watching it myself. It is available now on DVD so, be sure to check it out.
Octonauts: Season 1
By Izzy Cruz, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9
Octonauts is one of my favorite TV shows. I’ve been watching it my whole life, since I was a baby! This Season 1 DVD is filled with 52 episodes, which is over eleven hours of the best Octonauts adventures. In Octonauts: Season 1, everything that happens takes place underneath the ocean! That is my favorite thing about this show. It takes me on an underwater adventure every time. I get to live my dream of being aquatic!
Captain Barnacles leads his team. Tweak Bunny, Pero Penguin, Kwazii Kitten, Shellington Sea Otter and Dashi Dog all appear in Season 1. Every character is a different type of animal. They are have unique personalities and special traits that make them interesting. All of these traits make the Octonauts team a good group of characters that can handle any kind of problem that comes their way.
This is a fun series! The stories always move forward without a dull moment! Each episode keeps my attention and I am totally entertained. Nothing scary ever happens and that makes me feel relaxed and interested while I’m watching. I can watch one episode after another.
All of the episodes on this DVD have positive messages fo
r kids about helping others or teamwork. I think kids can also learn a lot about the ocean and all of the sea creatures who live there. This is an educational show, but it doesn’t feel like it. Those kinds of shows are the best! I have two favorite things about these shows. The Octopod is really cool. It is the big underwater spaceship that they travel around in and it is also the headquarters for the crew. It looks like a big mechanical octopus.
My other favorite thing about the show are the Vegimals. They are so silly and interesting. Think of putting together a vegetable and an animal and you get a Vegimal! For example, if you take a half-salmon and a half-jalepeño, you have just made a Salapeño. The Vegimals are very cute and funny.
I give this DVD 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 10. It’s calm and colorful and it looks like little bath toys that a baby would like to play with. I think even the smallest child would be mesmerized watching these shows. This is available on DVD now, so go check it out!
Katharine Graham is the first female publisher of a major American newspaper — The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee, Graham races to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S. presidents. Together, they must overcome their differences as they risk their careers — and very freedom — to help bring long-buried truths to light. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O. comments, “The story comes to life under the masterful direction of Steven Spielberg. His most famous techniques are clear from the very first shot and continue throughout the film. In fact, the first scene, which takes place in the jungles of Vietnam, will remind you of Saving Private Ryan due to the heart-thumping sound design and chaotic cinematography that puts you right on the battlefield.” Clayton P. adds, “The Post is very timely and reflective of our own time. In this day of “fake news” and media bashing, this film is a refreshing story of the integrity of newspaper organizations. Spielberg tries to show the importance of a free press in combating government malfeasance.” See their full reviews below.
There are very few films every year that keep you excited and entertained while delivering impressive visual achievements. The Post does not belong in this category because it far surpasses any expectations and delivers on a much higher level. Every single aspect of this film -from acting to directing to editing – are all superb.
possible without the exciting and truly eye-opening story. It dives into a major leak of top-secret information, ranging multiple U.S. presidents, all relating to the Vietnam War. At first, the film seems to be about the two newspapers, The New York Times and the Washington Post, both attempting to get this story. Later, it turns into a fight between freedom of the press and censorship as the Nixon Administration attempts to block both newspapers from publishing any information about their secrets.
His most famous techniques are clear from the very first shot and continue throughout the film. In fact, the first scene, which takes place in the jungles of Vietnam, will remind you of Saving Private Ryan due to the heart-thumping sound design and chaotic cinematography that puts you right on the battlefield. The cast has their own achievements. Tom Hanks (Ben Bradlee) and Meryl Streep (Kay Graham) work perfectly together and truly become their characters. John Williams, the Composer for the film, manages to take the spotlight from the visual scenes and put them into the music. His original score sounds incredible and you’ll find yourself swallowed by the soothing and memorable tones. But what really looks impressive in The Post is the film grain. The quality looks like a modern film, yet the colors and the lighting make it feel like the 60s which adds to the realism of the story.
The cinematography defines my favorite scene, the climax of the film. Kay Graham, publisher of the Washington Post, has to make the final decision whether the paper should publish the leaked documents or not. She is on the phone with multiple business partners, her editor (Ben Bradlee), and many journalists of the paper as well as some of her board advisors. Easily, this makes for the most intense scene in the entire film and truly brings Meryl Streep’s character to life. Throughout the phone conversation, the camera angles make it feel like one long shot across multiple locations. Finally, at the moment she makes her decision, the camera slowly zooms into her eyes and mouth to show wonder, fear, curiosity and more – all at once. Fina
lly, as Kay makes her decision, the camera zooms out and the feeling of intensity immediately leaves the room. Despite being just a few minutes long, it feels like an eternity and you, as a viewer, can’t help but clench your fist in anticipation of what her decision will be.
Spielberg’s The Post is a paean to the American ideal of freedom of the press. This highly intense, suspenseful film tells the story of Katherine Graham, owner of The Washington Post and its historic role in the publishing of the Pentagon Papers in 1971. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the films stars Meryl Streep as Katherine Graham, Tom Hanks as the Post’s editor, Ben Bradlee and a top ensemble cast.
Set in the classic age of newspapers and network television, before the internet age, The Post is a coming-of-age story on two fronts. The Washington Post goes from being a regional media outlet to a national newspaper of note. In the process, Katherine Graham, goes from being a society hostess to a strong female corporate owner. A former government analyst finds proof of a government cover-up regarding American involvement in Vietnam and leaks the information to The New York Times and The Washington Post. Graham’s editorial team is in favor of publishing the material because it’ll put the newspaper on the map, so to speak. Her legal and financial team are against it and warn that she could go to jail for contempt and lose the newspaper. 
What follows is an intense examination of all the pros and cons of the issue.
ery timely and reflective of our own time. In this day of “fake news” and media bashing, this film is a refreshing story of the integrity of newspaper organizations. Spielberg tries to show the importance of a free press in combating government malfeasance. The Post is appropriate for ages 15 to 18. Younger teens may find the film boring if they are not interested in politics or media. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars for its exceptional use of real life suspense. It is available in theaters January 12, 2018 so check it out.
Welcome to Doozer Creek where the Doozers live! They’re green. They’re cute. They’re three inches tall and they’re full of energy, ideas, and enthusiasm! It’s family time at Doozer Creek! The Pod Squad want to build a Doozer-sized Gingerbread House! However, in order to achieve such a large size Gingerbread House it’s going to take some clever construction to create. Can the Pod Squad do it? Then, Daisy Wheel wants to ice skate with the others, but she doesn’t know how. Together, the Pod Squad build her a custom Doo-Step Skating Dress that lets her glide across the ice in no time. Weee! Enjoy these adventures and six more focusing on science, technology, engineering and math! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Morgan B. comments, “One thing I love about The Doozers is that they teach young children about STEAM which stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math. It is so important that kids learn these basic skills when they are young and The Pod Squad demonstrates this perfectly.” Izzy C. adds, “Doozers: Giant Gingerbread House takes us on a fun adventure with four little children and their mission to be helpful. This movie is also about spending time with your friends.” See their full reviews below. Happy Holidays!
wonderful Fraggle Rock Adventures are available on the new DVD, Doozers: Giant Gingerbread House. This is perfect for the holiday season because it is all about sweet treats, ice skating, presents and holiday joy that we know and love. If you aren’t in the holiday spirit yet, then this DVD will put you in it.
The voice-overs are great because they are so cute. They match the little green Doozers perfectly. They all have different personalities and qualities. Each character has a terrific personality and that makes me feel as if I have been friends with them forever. My favorite episode is Daisy Wheel on Ice. It is hilarious when Daisy Wheel tries to ice skate but can’t. She keeps falling until her friends invent something to help her skate while standing up. This invention could be very helpful for people who can’t skate, including me. I think someone should invest in this invention.
Tai and his friends are haunted by the infection that resulted in Meicoomon destroying Leomon. What could have caused it? When did it occur? Now, all of the Digimon are quarantined, in hopes that answers can be found and the infection can be stopped. Unfortunately, one of the quarantined Digimon is already showing symptoms. The adventure now evolves once again. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “All of these brave and courageous Digimon are so cute! This story is so powerful and made me bawl my eyes out.” Arjun N. adds, “Digimon Adventure Tri: Confession impressed me because of its wonderful style and action. The voice-acting is spectacular and the impressive animation allows for amazing visuals.” Talia J. wraps it up with, “Digimon Adventure Tri. 3: Confession is a beautifully made anime film that touched my heart and will touch the hearts of others.” See their full reviews below
haven’t watched Digimon part 1 or part 2 before, so it was a bit confusing for me in the beginning. But after the story got underway, I got the gist about what was happening. The storyline starts off with the characters trying to find a cure to an infection. The infection caused one of their Digimon, Meicoomon, to start causing trouble in the human world. They don’t know where Meicoomon has been or where she will go, so they have to keep all of the Digimon in Koushiro’s office to prevent them from getting infected. But one owner brings his Digimon home by accident. Later that day, the Digimon gets the virus but they don’t tell anyone. During the fight to keep Meicoomon in the digital dimension, the virus spreads to one of their Digimon friends who went to hold Meicoomon. The Digimon realize that they have no choice but to fight till the end to protect their owners and their human world. The Digimons say a sad goodbye to their owners and, even though their owners don’t want them to fight, they go anyway, ready to die.
ime style. The animation for the Digimon is very unique. Each of the Digimon are completely different from the others and they each have different personalities and physical characteristics. The human characters are animated so that their faces shows their emotions. My favorite part is when Patamon and T.K. have to say goodbye to each other. Even though this part made me sad, I feel like it is the best part of the film. I really feel the emotions from T.K. in this scene.
wonderful style and action. The voice-acting is spectacular and the impressive animation allows for amazing visuals. This is sure to be a hit with Digimon and anime fans.
Miho Arakawa, as Meiko, excellently presents her guilt and blame after Meicoomon turns to the dark side. Her sadness is well presented as she tries to abandon her team. Junya Enoki, as Takeru, is a highlight delivering a well-ranged performance full of charisma and urgency, as he tries to put his team back together to save Patamon. Also, the emotional drama between Takeru and Patomon is well done, and due to this he is my favorite character. Tom Fahn, as Agumon, is a well-presented team leader of the Digimon who will do anything to save his friends. Laura Summer, as Patamon, delivers and equally emotional performance to Takeru as she is facing a possible impending infection, which will turn her against her Digimon friends. Kate Higgons, as Meicoomon, is a well-developed antagonist who is a formidable foe for the Digimon to fight.
The direction by Keitaro Motonaro is wonderful due to a pace that feels as if it’s an interesting magna story. My favorite scene is the scene when Takeru tells Patamon that he is infected, because it is extremely emotional due to the incredible acting of the two characters. My only problem with this movie is the large amounts of expository flashbacks that further progress the story. It feels like a lazy way to tell a story.
ime film that touched my heart and will touch the hearts of others. The storyline picks up right after the events that took place in past movies. Tai and his friends are still trying to figure out what caused the infection that made Leomon go rogue. All the Digimon are quarantined in hopes to keep them safe from the infection and buy the friends some time to figure out ways to stop it from spreading. Sadly, one of the Digimon is showing some indications that they might have the infection.
m in the franchise Digimon Adventure Tri. I had absolutely no background knowledge of the first film Digimon Adventure Tri, nor did I know anything about the second film Digimon Adventure Tri.2: Decision. Consequently, it was a bit difficult for me to understand what was happening in the beginning of the film, since the characters referred to things that happened in the previous two films. For example, the character Leomon is discussed a lot in the beginning of the movie. I had no idea who or what that character was for the first twenty minutes. Eventually I picked up that Leoman is a Digimon. Then, I had to rewatch the scenes where they talked about that character. The one very helpful thing in this film are the flashback scenes. They really helped me understand the plot. I recommend that people watch the first and second films before watching this one as it will help them understand the plot of the film.
This is not my first anime film, but it is my first anime dealing with magical characters like Digimons. I was not a fan of Pokemon growing up so I never watched too many anime films. Occasionally I have watched a realistic fiction anime but never fantasy ones. After watching this film I’m definitely going to put more time in watching anime films. This film gives justice to the world of anime. The storyline is compelling and the whole concept of digital monsters is absolutely fascinating. I love the relationships between the people and their Digimons. My favorite duo has to be Patamon (Anna Garduno) and TK (Johnny Yong Bosch). I could feel the love they have for each other. I grew very fond of these characters over time. I emphasized with them when times were bad. These two characters make this film even better.
Embark on a series of adventures with the Super 4 as they travel throughout the wider Playmobil® universes. Whether it be a sci-fi futuristic world, a magical fairy world, a world of pirates, or a world of medieval knights, the adventures are never ending! Welcome to Enchanted Island, an island covered with a mysterious enchanted forest, which is home to every form of magical creature you could ever imagine fairies, mischievous boy sprites, unicorns, sirens, ancient tree spirits, and magic wishing wells. Visitors to Enchanted Isle must beware for nothing is ever quite what it seems, and dreams and reality quickly become one. At the center of the forest is the palace of the capricious Fairy Queen, who is in a constant temper due to being turned into a frog by a talented young fairy who overdid herself and, in an attempt to grant the ultimate favor to the queen by making her even more pretty , she cast a spell that in fact gave her the head of a frog! Unfortunately, that talented young fairy is our friend, Twinkle. Twinkle has great potential as a fairy but she must learn to master her wand and its magic. Join Twinkle along with her Super 4 friends as they band together to fight villains and save their worlds from chaos. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “Even though you may expect this DVD to be a cliché about a Prince saving a Princess, it is nothing like that. These episodes have so many adventures and each episode has something for everyone to enjoy.” Damon F. adds, “The message of this show is that if you work together, you can do anything.” See their full reviews below.
ough you may expect this DVD to be a cliché about a Prince saving a Princess, it is nothing like that. These episodes have so many adventures and each episode has something for everyone to enjoy.
make herself sound so innocent and very caring. Sarah Natochenny seems very enthusiastic and happy, which completely matches Twinkle’s personality. Baron, an evil majesty, voiced by Sébastien Desjours, sounds a lot like a person who is very nosy and would like to fiddle with your life. Sébastien Desjours’ voice reminds me of an evil wizard or some sort of evil rich person. Desjours can sound very menacing and mischievous.
the worlds of Playmobil. The worlds shown on this DVD are: Kingsland, which holds knights, barons, kings, princes, princesses and dragons; Fairy World, where fairies and little strange monsters live; and the Lost World, which includes dinosaurs. I must admit, I was disappointed that this DVD is very repetitive. The characters that aren’t Super 4 members do pretty much the same thing in every episode. For example, the knights just worship the king and don’t fight. And, the plot where the baron tries to marry the princess is used in two different episodes.
he members of the Super 4 are: Alex, (Damien Ferrette), the prince of Kingsland and the leader who started the Super 4; Twinkle, (Annouck Hautbois), a fairy from Fairy World, who doesn’t always get her spells right the first time; Ruby, (Laetitia Lefebvre), a pirate from the Pirate Lost Island, who sometimes gets in trouble for stealing treasure but always gives it back unless it is owned by the enemy; Gene, (Franck Lorrain), the team’s genius from the Agents’ world, who never gets things wrong. The Super 4 are a group of friends who embark on many adventures and missions to fight villains. This collection is about a few of their adventures saving Kingsland, Alex’s home world from chaos.
