Steal This Story, Please! * Thought-Provoking Documentary Centered On The Lengthy Career Of Acclaimed Journalist And Founder Of Democracy Now!
Sunday, April 12th, 2026
Undeterred by armed soldiers, evasive politicians, and riot police, journalist Amy Goodman has reported some of the most consequential stories of our time. Steal This Story, Please! is a gripping portrait of the trailblazer whose unwavering commitment to truth-telling spans three decades of turbulent history. From the frontlines of global conflicts to the organized chaos of her daily news show Democracy Now! Goodman broadcasts stories and voices routinely silenced by commercial media.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Ilana O. comments, “Steal This Story, Please! is a thought-provoking documentary centered on the lengthy career of acclaimed journalist and founder of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman. Directors Tia Lessen and Carl Deal masterfully capture the impact of Goodman’s career throughout the shifting political climates spanning multiple decades… The film urges viewers to understand the significance of independent journalism amidst the struggle to uphold integrity.” See her full review below.
Steal This Story, Please!
By Ilana O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 18
Steal This Story, Please! is a thought-provoking documentary centered on the lengthy career of acclaimed journalist and founder of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman. Directors Tia Lessen and Carl Deal masterfully capture the impact of Goodman’s career throughout the shifting political climates spanning multiple decades. The documentary is easy-to-follow, features high-quality visuals, interviews and clips from her work which embody the challenges of being an investigative journalist.
The documentary displays Amy Goodman’s fearless qualities, detailing earlier works, such as the freeing of former prisoner, Mooreese Bickham and her news coverage on Indonesia’s occupation in East Timor.
Having faced arrests at protests, dangerous situations in foreign countries and mixed public sentiments about her work, she remains unwavering. Ultimately, this shapes the momentum of her career, inspiring her to start Democracy Now! which is famed for giving a voice to the voiceless while combating under coverage bias in the media. The show features guests like activist Ken Sara Wewa and prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal. In recent years, she continues to make an unapologetic approach to journalism while remaining consistent with her mission of promoting freedom of the press.
The main guests in the documentary are Amy Goodman, joined by colleagues, Jeremy Scahill, Juan Gonzalez and Sharif Abdel Koudouss. Filmmakers Tia Lessen and Carl Deal, create a coherent documentary, setting the tone for the kind of journalism that Goodman engages in. From the get-go, they make it clear that Goodman is not afraid to ask the hard questions regarding pressing issues, by showing clips of her confronting politicians, soldiers and police. This creates a raw tension, allowing the audience to feel immersed in these high-stakes situations.
The use of high-quality archival footage and interview clips are seamlessly woven into the film, adding to its intensity. For example, her heated phone call with former president Bill Clinton, criticism of Shell Oil’s exploitation of Oogoni land and inclusion of prison commentaries on her show portray her as one who is not afraid to push the envelope.
Photo: Wolfgang Schmidt Germany Goodman, Amy, USA
In addition, the film explores her Jewish roots and Goodman’s father who impressed upon her the significance of social justice. However, this could be expanded upon in more detail. The pacing is moderate, and is easier to digest as it moves from one major event to the other. More so, the commentary of her and her colleagues feels balanced, although it falls short of other outside perspectives.
The film urges viewers to understand the significance of independent journalism amidst the struggle to uphold integrity.
I give Steal This Story, Please! 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Steal This Story, Please! Opens exclusively at Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles on April 17, 2026 with a national rollout to follow.
Sometimes the wrong place is right where you need to be. Anna impulsively jets off to Tuscany, Italy, to stay at a stranger’s villa without permission. Caught inside the house by the man’s mother, she convinces the woman that she’s his fiancée. That little lie soon becomes a big problem when Anna develops a growing attraction to the stranger’s handsome cousin.
Mario and Luigi, the twin plumbers, apply their “let’s-a-go” attitude to solve everyday problems all over their new home of the Mushroom Kingdom. As they support Princess Peach, and work to reform a miniaturized imprisoned Bowser, they meet a new companion – Yoshi. Princess Peach’s birthday party sparks a galactic adventure, sending the brothers into space to stop Bowser Jr.’s wicked ambitions and save Rosalina. The addition of the beloved characters Rosalina and Bowser Jr. adds extra spice of big action, comedy, and some shocking revelations to the adventure!
Welcome back to the Mushroom Kingdom! The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is one of the few cases where I feel the sequel stacks up to the original. The animation is better than ever, using saturated, vibrant colors to bring gaming vibes to the big screen in a way that makes it fun for all ages.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has some of the funniest references in the saga. In the Gateway Galaxy, for example, in the opening scene, you see basically every side character in Mario history, the Piantas from the Super Mario Sunshine game, and so many more. Then, when they get to the space port, Nintendo does the unthinkable: they include characters from their other games. Overall, as someone who played a lot of the old games, every little detail is really fun to see incorporated into the movie. Another funny Easter egg is towards the end of the film – Mario uses the Red Star, which gives him the ability to fly around, this is a particularly good detail because this was a special power-up in both Mario Galaxy games and is a great nod for fans. Each galaxy is beautifully designed by Illumination, the studio behind both Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets. The movie includes tons of nods to the games, like the Honeyhive Galaxy, featured in the original Mario Galaxy game, where they meet the Queen Bee (Issa Rae) and Bowser (Jack Black) makes the ultimate sacrifice.
The film’s main message is that with friends you can do anything. It includes themes of teamwork, play fighting, and family bonds. While the movie is suited for children, parents should be aware that the film includes some violence, like when Bowser falls into the lava, but the film makes it fun and suitable for everyone.
I love The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The film’s writing, animation and comedy is really out of this world! (Pun intended.)
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is made for kids, but it is also entertaining for adults. I love the story the most. Its fast-paced, engaging plot twists kept me wondering what could possibly happen next. While trying to save Rosalina, Peach keeps wondering where she came from. Along the way, we get clues and hints about her origins. It’s like a scavenger hunt inside a movie. If you want to find out more, you’ll just have to watch the film! The film also uses the many possibilities of being in space to its advantage by taking the brothers and princess on side missions that make the story more chaotic, thrilling and, don’t forget, fun. A good story is nice, but creativity in animation is what makes a good film even greater, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie does not disappoint! For the most part, the animation style doesn’t change from its clean 3D look. What catches my eye is that there are times where we go into whole other mediums: puppet shows, storybooks that look like something you could find in an actual library, comic books, and even a callback to the original pixelated Super Mario games! All this mixing and matching really gives the film a special charm of playing a game for the first time. The jokes don’t always land and the film’s pacing doesn’t leave enough time for the characters to really interact with the worlds, but those things didn’t ruin the film for me. It’s a great watch!
The film’s message is that kindness in helping other people will always prevail over the power of destroying them. Be aware that there are mentions of murder, destruction and gambling.
There’s nothing quite like the Super Mario Galaxy Movie. From wildly popular video game characters making surprise appearances to clever throwbacks interspersed, this film delivers on all its promises, and still left me wanting more.
As any Nintendo fan knows, the Super Mario franchise is chock-full of characters that seem larger than life. In this film, a large number of stars show up! Yoshi is my absolute favorite character, and Donald Glover excels in bringing Yoshi’s emotions and dialogue to the fore. Wart (Luis Guzmán), from the Super Mario Bros. 2 video game, makes an appearance, along with Fox McCloud (Glen Powell), from the Star Fox saga. Besides these, there are plenty of past video game references, hidden Easter eggs, and more which any long-time Nintendo fan will appreciate. The detail put into the film’s animation is extremely high which allows for deeper connection with the film, without being distracted by subpar graphics. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie differs from its predecessor in how the directors expanded on the world they first created. In the first film, The Super Mario Bros Movie, the plot focuses on the journey that first brought Mario and Luigi to the Mushroom Kingdom. Now that the brothers have gotten to know their new home, the stage is set for a huge expansion. With new faces and new places, plus a numerous score of new Power-Ups, this spectacular adventure is one that truly honors and celebrates the expansive, vast universe of Super Mario.
This film’s message is to not give up, no matter how daunting the situation might be. These Brooklyn born plumbers had their hands full when battling Bowser the first time, so a second bout, this time with Bowser’s own son by his side, seems impossible to prevail against. Yet, through every foe they encounter, every planet they land on, and every rescue they make, this team finds a way to beat the odds and save the galaxy.
