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McFarland, USA – Inspiring and Dramatic Story About Unlikely Champions

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015

MCFarlandUSA.jpg

A cross country coach in a small California town transforms a team of athletes into championship contenders. More than just physical prowess drives the teens to succeed; their strong family ties, incredible work ethic and commitment to their team all play a factor in forging these novice runners into champions. KIDS FIRST! Critic Gerry Orz comments, “This movie is truly an inspirational story for anyone who watches. McFarland USA will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.” Kayla P. adds, “The message of this film is to not judge a book by its cover.” See their full reviews below.

McFarland, USA
Reviewed by Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Critic, age 12

This movie is truly an inspirational story for anyone who watches. McFarland USA will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

McFarland USA will make you cry, laugh and more. It is a compelling film based on a true story that is full of drama and a solid feeling of inspiration. However, there is a hint of comedy to brighten things up and a spice of thrill that will keep you engaged throughout the movie.

The story starts when a family moves to a very poor town in central California called McFarland. Track coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) is a newcomer to a predominately Latino high school in California’s Central Valley. He quickly notices that the kids there are faster than he has ever seen and turns the fastest boys into a cross country track team. The movie covers the relationship between the coach and the boys, his relationship with his family and the adventure the boys and the coach go through as they try to win the state cross country championship.

This movie is truly compelling and inspiring. After seeing it I had an urge to do more. It has a fantastic mix between concentrating on the coach’s story but also looks at each person on the team, which I think was a fantastic decision. The acting is impressive especially since some of the actors had never even acted before and some of them actually grew up in McFarland.

My favorite scene is when they have a one on one race with another school. Once the two teams start running, the opposing coach starts teasing Coach White. However, after the team’s fastest player, Thomas (Carlos Pratts) finishes first, he brings back all that teasing but in a very classy way. I love this scene because it shows that the team was looked down on but they rose above the torment and tease and truly believed in themselves and a better future for themselves.

This film has a lot of mature moments that may be a bit too much for younger kids, so I give it an age rating of 10 to18. I also give it 5 out of 5 stars for a truly inspiring and fantastic film.

McFarland, USA
by Kayla Powell, KIDS FIRST! Critic, Age: 13

McFarland, USA is a wonderful family drama based on a true story from 1987.

McFarland, USA is about a coach who gets fired from his job due to inappropriate and harsh behaviors towards his colleagues and students. Coach White (Kevin Costner) and his family have to relocate to McFarland, a town populated by farm growers.  McFarland is the only place Coach White is able to find a job as a PE teacher and assistant football coach. He notices that a few of the kids are  very fast runners. Coach White learns that there is a state wide cross country tournament. When coaching football fails, he decides to form a cross country team. He trains the kids to compete at different tournaments with hopes of taking them to the state championship to win money for the school.  During the journey of preparing the team, Coach White, his family and the teammates learn an important lesson of dedication and commitment.

My favorite character is Danny Diaz, (Ramiro Rodriguez). He is focused and a determined member on the cross country team. Although he is not one of the fastest runners, he learns to never quit no matter how far behind he is and to keep pushing.

The message of this film is to not judge a book by its cover. When the McFarland team travels to different tournaments, some of the competitors pick on them because they are different and do not have the newest clothes or shoes like everyone else. Most of the other racers, as well as the other coaches, make fun of the McFarland team. They all learn not to underestimate anyone by merely judging them by their outward appearance.

My favorite part is when Jim White, Kevin Costner, tries to plan a Quinceaňera  for his daughter. He sends his wife and daughters away to the salon and goes outside to plan the party with Senor Diaz (Omar Leyva).  As Coach White tells Senor Diaz how to prepare for the party, Senor Diaz tells Coach White to sit down and says,  “we are the Indians, not the chiefs.” Once Coach White sits down, a group of women come in and tell the men what they need to do.

McFarland, USA is a wonderful movie great for the entire family.  I recommend this movie for kids and teens ages 8 – 18 years old. I give this movie 5 out of 5 golden stars. McFarland will be in theaters February 20, 2015.

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Humpback Whales – Protecting These Ancient Kings of the Ocean

Monday, February 16th, 2015

From MacGillivray Freeman Films and director Greg MacGillivray comes this fantastic new documentary narrated by Ewan McGregor about the lives at humpback whales and the challenges they face to avoid extinction. KIDS FIRST! Critic Adam C., age 9 comments, “If you enjoy seeing a documentary movie that will educate, inspire and amaze you than you will love MacGillivray Freeman’s Humpback Whales. I learned more about the humpback whale than if I had studied this unit in school for a month!” See his full review below.

Humpback Whales
Reviewed by Adam C., KIDS FIRST! Critic, age 9

If you enjoy seeing a documentary movie that will educate, inspire and amaze you than you will love MacGillivray Freeman’s Humpback Whales. I learned more about the humpback whale than if I had studied this unit in school for a month!

This forty minute, large format documentary on humpback whales tags along with leading whale researchers using new methods to see what the humpback whales do when no one’s watching them.

The documentary follows the whales to the tropical kingdom of Tonga, to summertime in Alaska and then to the warm waters of Hawaii.  The audience has a chance to follow the humpback whales migration, while experiencing their incredible songs and underwater acrobatics.

One unique thing among humpback males is the singing that they engage in. In fact, the recordings of whale songs are what helped save the humpback whales from extinction as people became interested in the animals who could make these beautiful and unique sounds.

The humpback whales do cooperative food gathering. It is known as “bubble net fishing” in which they work together to release bubbles and loud “feeding calls” to herd and trap herring.  This makes it easier for them to gulp the herring or krill in large quantities because they can eat up to two tons of food a day.

My favorite part of the movie was seeing and learning about the different researchers who have spent their lives studying the humpback whales. One scene showing the males circling a female whale in an effort to mate is usually seen once every ten years.  Nobody has ever seen the humpback whale actually mate so there are many unanswered questions surrounding this aspect of the humpback whales.

Ewan McGregor narrates with a sense of wonder that inspires us to want to know as much as possible about the humpback whales.  The upbeat music throughout the movie peaks our interest and curiosity about these extraordinary creatures.

The film teaches us to admire and appreciate the complexities and sheer beauty of the humpback whales.  We also see how a whale is rescued when it becomes entangled in life-threatening fishing gear.  This rescue requires a lot of skill and understanding of how to free the whale while the rescuers stay safe.  We learn the important things we must ensure so that they do not become extinct.  We must never again have a whaling industry, have safer fishing gear, less trash in the ocean and take precautions not to have collisions between ships and whales.

I give this movie 5 out of  5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18. Adam Chernick, 9, KIDS FIRST! Critic.


Strange Magic is an animated film about two worlds. One where there is happiness, singing and love in the air. In the second world, everything is evil, with mystery around every corner and its leader – a dark, heartless king called “the bog king” (voice by Alex Cumming) that bans all love in his dark world. These two worlds have always been separated until one fairy princess named Marianne, (voice by Evan Rachel Wood) crosses the barrier and changes everything.

I have to admit, this movie is different from anything I have ever seen before, but I’m not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing. It is a musical and most of the songs are songs that have been on the radio by popular artists. For example, Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You Stronger” and that is something I liked. But, something I am not a fan of are things that happen in the movie and how the movie is directed at children, but has some very mature things in it.

This movie is unpredictable which isn’t a good thing all the time. This movie takes a turn that I had no idea how it even happened, to be honest. I don’t even know how it got to where it ended. It all went so fast that I didn’t get time to understand what was happening at the moment. Other times, it is kind of cool seeing what is happening next. But overall, I didn’t exactly like how things move so fast and I never really got the concept of what was going on.

One thing that I love about the movie is that the characters are different. There are fairies, goblins and imps. I really liked that mythical feel of the movie.

This movie may look like it’s for kids but trust me, it’s not. There are things that I didn’t even understand so I doubt that kids and younger than me will understand what is happening at all. There are also some mature scenes in the movie that made me unsure if it is kid-friendly or not. For example, the husband cheats on his wife on their wedding day. That happened within the first 20 minutes of the movie.

I am recommending this movie for ages 10 to 13 because it still has a kid-friendly touch that would draw little kids in. But, like I said, it does have some mature scenes. I am giving this movie 3 out of 5 stars because it isn’t something I liked but I know that some kids would. Gary Rydstrom, the director and George Lucas, the writer do a good job on this film but it is just not something I personally enjoyed.

 

 

 

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Paddington – A great Adventure! Lots of Twists and Turns and an Adorable Character

Tuesday, January 20th, 2015

Paddington.jpgFrom the producers of Harry Potter comes this 21st Century version of Paddington with all the charm that this classic character deserves. The storyline follows a young Peruvian bear who travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven. KIDS FIRST! Critics Gerry O. comments, “This movie has a nice core of humor with an intriguing story that is intense, but lighthearted too. Breathtaking special effects, animation and a strong feel of adventure round out the show.” Brianna Hope B adds, “Paddington is so outgoing and adorable. You can’t help but love this bear. He has an innocent way about him, but still is a little mischievous and gets into trouble.” See their full reviews below.

Paddington
Reviewed by Brianna Hope B. KIDS FIRST! Critic, age 15

Paddington is a great adventure, with lots of twists and turns. This film is playful, comedic, enjoyable and definitely a great film for friends and family.

Paddington (Ben Whishaw, voice) is a rare breed of bear that travels all alone to London.  He wants to find a home after his is destroyed. While there, he discovers that it’s not what he expects, but finds a family that’s willing to take him in and look after him for just a little while. This is when everyone’s adventure begins.

Paddington is so outgoing and adorable. You can’t help but love this bear. He has an innocent way about him, but still is a little mischievous and gets into trouble. His visual effects and fur looks very real and life-like. Nicole Kidman’s character (Millicent) is very determined to add Paddington to her collection of stuffed animals.  She will stop at nothing to get him. She’s fierce, frightening and intimidating. I love the story line, humor, and definitely the action. I liked that the climax of this film is very unpredictable and shocks the audience. My favorite character would have to be Paddington. He truly thinks of the wellbeing of others and his curiosity is adorable. He reminds you of a child learning new things. A scene that I would call my favorite is when Paddington tries to return a wallet to a man that dropped out of his packet while walking out of an antique shop. Paddington chases him, trying to get the wallet to him. Finally he catches up with the man by falling on him from the air. When he falls on the man they both tumble down and about 30 wallets fall out of the man’s coat. Paddington catches a pickpocket and ends up in the paper on his first day in London. It’s a very comical scene that makes the audience crack up.

One of the messages of this film is that families are not just made up by the people who are related to us, but friends and even animals can be a part of our family.

I recommend Paddington for ages 8 to 16. However it’s great for the whole family and anyone who loves Bears. It’s rated PG and there’s nothing really you would need to look out for.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.  It’s a great film that makes you feel good. Paddington arrives in theaters on January 16th, so please check it out.

Paddington
By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Critic, age 12

From the producers of the Harry Potter franchise comes another children’s film that many families will love for its humor, storyline, special effects and of course – the Bear! Paddington will be loved by families everywhere.

This movie has a nice core of humor with an intriguing story that is intense, but lighthearted too. Breathtaking special effects, animation and a strong feel of adventure round out the show.

The story starts when a very intelligent family of bears is sadly separated. An earthquake happens and the aunt must send her young nephew to London for a better home. After arriving in London, this young bear is taken in by a family but immediately starts running into challenges of fitting in to the human world.

This film is wonderful. I love the cast – lots of talented and wonderful people. Ben Wishaw plays the voice of Paddington and is excellent at making his character seem adorable and innocent, yet smart and caring at the same time. The humor is off-the-charts amazing and the camera angles and shots are one-of-a-kind. Some shots I could not get over and had to watch again and again.

My favorite scene is when Paddington tries to say his name to Mr. Brown, who is kind of the father of the family. But, Paddington says it in bear language. When Mr. Brown tries to repeat it, Paddington looks horrified and says, “How Rude!” It is a funny and lighthearted scene and kind of sets the right mood for this funny film.

This film is diffidently meant for kids but adults will enjoy it as well. I recommend it for ages 8 to 18 and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

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