KIDS FIRST! News

We all love to root for the underdog, when he becomes top dog through a fluke rather than hard work, well, it’s not so satisfying. Brian Newall, who magically acquires the talent of his hoops hero Kevin Durant (who plays himself), eventually finds he’d rather get the talent back to its rightful owner. There are plenty of laughs along the way, from Brian’s klutzy ballplaying in the beginning to what KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Brianna Beaton, age 12, describes as her favorite scene, when Kevin’s agent “is trying to get Kevin his talent back. He is doing all kinds of things, going from holding the basketball together with saying a message to rubbing the carpet and then finally to a stun gun.” Brianna was there at the red carpet to interview cast members, including father and son actors James and Robert Belushi who share how they brought comedy from their own relationship to the script.

Thunderstruck
Reviewed by Brianna Beaton
(See her full review on video.)

Thunderstruck, starring NBA superstar Kevin Durant, is a funny and inspirational film that is definitely enjoyable to watch.

Brian Newall (Taylor Gray) is horrible at basketball. He loves the game, but he just cannot play. Brian is a very big fan of NBA superstar Kevin Durant. While at a basketball game, Brian gets a chance to meet the superstar and supposedly steals Kevin’s talent. Kevin Durant, playing himself, is suddenly horrible at basketball while Brian is the new superstar on his high school team. Kevin is worthless and is on the receiving end of all the bad publicity from fans and sports commentators. Kevin’s agent, Alan Garrett, (Brandon T. Jackson) goes to great lengths to try and get Kevin his talent back.

I really like this film because I just love basketball. It is my favorite sport and I really get into the game. There are a lot of funny moments when Brian is playing with his team and he is showing how really klutzy he is. Coach Amross (James Belushi) and his assistant coach Dan (Robert Belushi) are too funny and will definitely keep you laughing. My favorite scene is when Alan is trying to get Kevin his talent back. He is doing all kinds of things, going from holding the basketball together with saying a message to rubbing the carpet and then finally to a stun gun. This is really funny. I also like the scene with Kevin’s mom in a cheerleader’s outfit.

One great message in this film is that talent isn’t something you get; talent is something that you earn with hard work and dedication.

I recommend this film for ages 7 to 18 and anyone who loves the game of basketball. If you are a fan of Kevin Durant, then you will not want to miss this one.

I give Thunderstruck four out of five stars because it’s funny, has a good message and is great for the whole family to enjoy.

Thunderstruck bounces into theaters on August 24, so go and get your KD jersey and check it out.

Photo: Thunderstruck poster

Meet the film’s stars as Brianna interviews them for KIDS FIRST! at the red carpet event.

With this new release of Mia and the Migoo from Entertainment One, director Jacques-Remy Girerd reprises the 2008 film that won him the Grand Prix award for Best Feature Film from the China International Cartoon and Digital Arts Festival and the European Film Award for Best Animated Film from the European Film Awards – and the film is an astonishing achievement created from 500,000 hand-painted cels. KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Julianna Noone, age 12, says it took her a while to get into the movie but has found she loves its overall message: “… you should not be selfish and you should be kind to everyone because sometimes what goes around comes around.” Girerd also has some high-powered names attached to the new release: Whoopi Goldberg, Matthew Modine (in a dual voice role) and James Woods add their familiar voices to some of the actors who voiced the earlier version (Amanda Misquez, voicing the title role, and Jesse Corti, Vincent Agnello and John Di Maggio as the film’s major characters).

Mia and the Migoo
Reveiwed by Julianna Noone
(See her full review on video.)

Don’t be so quick to judge, because sometimes true beauty lies beneath the surface.

The film Mia and the Migoo is about a girl named Mia (voiced by Amanda Misques) who has a dream about her father, Pedro (voiced by Jesse Corti), who is away working. This dream is so realistic, she just has to go and see her father, and this sets her off on a grand adventure to find her father because he is the only family she has. However, there is a boy named Aldrin (voiced by Vincent Agnello) who is having troubles with his father, Jekhide (voiced by John Di Maggio). Follow Mia along on her journey and see how her adventure crosses paths with Aldrin and his father.

My favorite character is Mia. I like Mia because she is a very intelligent girl who is brave, strong and fierce. Mia knows what she has to do to find her father and she is determined to find him. She is a fearless young girl.

My favorite scene is the scene when Adrin’s father realizes he is not focusing on his son and he is completely ignoring him. He apologizes to Aldrin and he promises to change his ways, to lose his selfishness and to pay attention to his son more. It’s a touching moment in the movie and I love the overall message that this sends to everyone. I think the message is that you should not be selfish and you should be kind to everyone because sometimes what goes around comes around.

The animation is your basic 2-D animation, which makes the film look like it is hand-drawn or painted. As well, there is minimal CGI, through the snowfall or the rising smoke or the rainfall, to name a few examples. Though it is very minimal, I think this CGI is just enough to compliment the basic animation.

At first, I really did not get the movie, but as it went on, it was much more enjoyable. I also love the great message of the movie and I think a lot of people can learn from this movie.

I think that this movie is for ages 7 to 14 because there are a few scenes that may be a little inappropriate for some of the younger children.

And remember, fighting does not help. Work together and be stronger.

Photo: Mia and the Migoo poster

Jack planted magic beans and grew a giant beanstalk. What Cindy and Jim Green plant is something more ephemeral – heartfelt dreams and desires – and what grows from that is even more special. “Kids and parents can enjoy htis movie because it shows a lot of imagination and a lot of love,” says KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Anthony Aranda, age 10, recommending it for all ages because there’s nothing scary in  it, although the Motion Picture Association of America gives it the mildly cautionary PG rating. Audiences can expect to have their heartstrings tugged. Says KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Cheyenne Nguyen, age  8, “This movie emotion is like riding a roller coaster. I am laughing and crying during the same scene.” She give particular kudos to CJ Adams, who plays Timothy Green, calling him “a great actor.”

The Odd Life of Timothy Green
Reviewed by Cheyenne Nguyen
(See her full review on video.)

The main story of this movie, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, by Disney, is about “love” — and I love this movie and can’t wait to watch it again.

Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Garner play Mr. and Mrs. Green, who are trying to have a baby. However, their doctor tells them there is no hope. They are so sad and decide to move on with their lives. They name their little boy Timothy, then they list characters that Timothy would have on pieces of paper, then put it those into a box and bury it so they can go on with their lives.

A magical thing happens: Timothy comes from the garden where they buried the box. Timothy Green is played by CJ Adams, who is a great actor. His love for everyone is unconditional. I can see all his emotions through his eyes and his facial expressions. This movie emotion is like riding a roller coaster. I am laughing and crying during the same scene.

The cinematography and production design are awesome. The details of the town and the pencil factory are so real. The colors of the fall leaves are so vibrant. They really capture small-town America. Dianne West plays a grumpy old woman, who is so funny with her chin hair.

My favorite character is Timothy. He’s always positive and wants to give all his love to those around him.

The only part I did not like is the bullying part. I did not see the bullies being punished for their bad behavior.

The messages of this movie are to love as much as possible and never give up.

I rank this movie five out of five stars. 

I recommend this for ages 5 and up.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green
Reviewed by Anthony Aranda
(See his full review on video.)

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is really cool because it has a lot of imagination and is really cool.

This move is all about Mr. and Mrs. Green (Jim and Cindy) who really want to have a baby. They’ve tried for a long time but the doctor tells them that they could not have their own baby, which makes them really sad. So they go home and write some things down on a little notepad that they would want their child to be like. They put each little slip of paper in a box, and bury it outside in their garden. Later that night, there is a strange thunder storm and it starts to rain — only at their house — and all the things that they wanted in their child come true because a child pops out of the dirt and is named Timothy.

The main characters in this movie are Jim and Cindy Green, Timothy Green and Joni. My favorite character is Timothy because he is a really cool kid who is trustworthy and really funny. He has a really good heart and sees the best in people. He is also really good at art. He and Joni get along really well because they are both really different. Timothy has leaves growing out of his legs and Joni has a big birthmark that she tries to hide a lot. By the end of the movie, Timothy makes Joni feel comfortable enough to show off her birthmark.

My favorite part in the movie is when Timothy’s mom meets Joni. She tries to tell Joni to leave Timothy alone but then sees what Timothy and Joni have been doing. They’ve created a whole new world with lots of art made out of nature. It is really cool, and Timothy’s mom is not mad at Joni anymore and thinks that she is a good friend to Timothy.

I would recommend this movie for all ages because this movie is rated G and is not scary at all. Kids and parents can enjoy this movie because it shows a lot of imagination and a lot of love. Go out and see this movie in theaters on August 15th.

Photos: The Odd Life of Timothy Green poster (top), Cheyenne Nguyen (middle), Anthony Aranda (bottom)

Yes, old married couples can still be in love. It’s not the typical storyline for a Hollywood movie, but then there are not many mature actors of the caliber of Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones who can generate the kind of appeal to make the story work. It’s also an unusual turn of events for a movie built so much around sex to be given a simple PG-13 rating. But as 14-year-old KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Victoria Burns points out in her review, below, the main concept is the love the husband and wife have for each other, and sex is intrinsically part of that love. “This movie makes me see the power in love and determination to sustain it,” observes Victoria, also sharing what the movie experience was like as a mother-daughter outing.

Hope Springs
Reviewed by Victoria Burns

I just watched Hope Springs and all I can say is, “Wow.”

I went to see this movie with my mom, and she was freaking out and covering my eyes in some parts. I thought it was funny and that she was overreacting. After the movie, I had to remind her that I am 14.

This movie is about a married couple of 31 years, Kay (played by Meryl Streep) and Arnold (played by Tommy Lee Jones), who love each other so much but have not been affectionate or intimate with each other in many years. They even sleep in separate rooms, and on anniversaries they get gifts not for each other but for the house.

Kay gets sad at the reality that she and her husband do not have a real relationship. So she gets a book about marriage and calls the couple’s counselor and schedules the intense therapy to fix her marriage. At first, Arnold refuses to go, but then reconsiders when Kate leaves without him, then reluctantly he goes with her because he does not want to lose her.

All throughout the movie, Arnold is uncomfortable with therapy, and especially the intimate tasks assigned by Dr. Fields (played by Steve Carell). While Kay really wants to have a “real” relationship, Arnold is tentative and they battle with this throughout the whole movie.

This movie is very sweet in a weird way because it is based around an older and very in love couple that struggles with intimacy, and I guess for a young audience that visual would gross them out.

The soundtrack in this movie reminded me of music in a silent film because music is included in most scenes, and it describes the scene even if the words are not there.

Tommy Lee Jones is very versatile as an actor. I have never seen him play a domestic character or anyone in a relationship; it is refreshing and he does a great job.

This movie makes me see the power in love and determination to sustain it. My mother was shocked by some scenes but then laughed, so this would be a great movie for couples who are in a long relationship.

This is a very intriguing movie. I have not seen many with this concept, so I give it five out of five stars. I recommend this movie for mature 13-year-olds and up. This is a good movie for a mature crowd.

Photos: Hope Springs poster (top), Victoria Burns (bottom)

Greg Heffley leaves the worries of school for the pressures of summer vacation in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, and gives our KIDS FIRST! youth film critics plenty of laughs. Julia Chestnut, age 12, says, “Greg is funny and always finding himself in embarrassing situations that are so hilarious …” Some favorite scenes: For Brianna Beaton, age 12, it’s the pot roast covered in dog slobber from Greg’s escapade rescuing his little brother’s blanket … “and his mom and two brothers don’t know and start eating the pot roast. It is so gross and funny.” Julianna Noone, age 12 – who also interviews stars Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron – singles out when Rodrick tries to get the attention of a girl life guard but gets mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from the other life guard – an older man. “Rodrick’s facial expression is pricelss, and this scene is just so funny I could not stop laughing.” Anthony Aranda, age 10, likes the doubles tennis match Greg gets into: “He gets hit a lot of times with a tennis ball in different places, which is really funny.”  

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Reviewed by Brianna Beaton
(See her full review on video.)

The film Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is very entertaining and hilarious to watch. It’s really a good film with lots of funny scenes and great messages.

School is finally out, and the perfect summer to Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) is to stay inside and play video games all day. On the other hand, his dad, Frank Heffley (Steve Zahn), decides he’s had enough of his son’s laziness and takes away his video games for the rest of the summer. With Greg’s main plans for summer canceled, he has to figure out what to do with the rest of his summer break.

There are several reasons of why I love this film, one being that, in the beginning, it’s going from the book’s characters to real-life characters. Also, I am laughing at almost every scene. I really enjoy it and think the acting is good. My favorite part is when Sweetie, the family’s new dog, gets hold of Greg’s little brother’s blanket, Tingie. Greg happens to use his mom’s pot roast to get it back. Once he gets it back, he also gets the pot roast back — but it is full of dog slobber. Greg’s dad cleans up the pot roast to serve it for dinner but it still has some slobber on it, and his mom and his two brothers don’t know and start eating the pot roast. It is so gross and funny.

David Bowers does an amazing job on directing this hilarious film. Also doing a great job are the writers Gabe Sachs (screenplay) and Maya Forbes. The other actors are Robert Capron, playing Rowley Jefferson; Devon Bostick, playing Rodrick Heffley; and Peyton List, playing Holly Hills.

I found a couple of great messages in this film. One is to always tell the truth. Greg lies to his dad that he had a job, he lies to the different desk clerks at the country club about his name, and he lies to Holly that he is a member at the country club. It like a lying Macarena, but in the end it all catches up to him. Also, sometimes it’s OK to mess up. Just admit it, take responsibility and learn from it.

I recommend Diary of a Wimpy Kid for ages 5 to 15, but the whole family should enjoy it, too.

I give this film five out of five stars because it is very very funny, has a great message and is, basically, good for the whole family to enjoy. It will keep you laughing.

Make sure you go check out Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days when it comes out in theaters on Friday, the 3rd of August.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Reviewed by Julianna Noone
(See her full review on video.)

Looking to squeeze in some summer fun before heading back to school? Well then, head to your local movie theater and see Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days.

This film is the third in this popular series and is based on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, which are written by Jeff Kinney. These books are about the ups and downs of growing up and trying to deal with school, family and relationships. The stories are so well written and relatable that you can’t help but love the books and the movies.

This film stars Zachary Gordon, who does a great job once again as the main character, Greg Heffley, and Robert Capron as his lovable friend, Rowley Jefferson. This film starts out with Greg and Rowley finishing the school year and planning out their summer vacation. There’s only one problem, as usual for Greg: Nothing goes as planned. Follow along as Greg and Rowley try to make it through the dog days of summer.

My favorite character is Greg because he is funny and means well even when he makes mistakes. Deep down, he just wants everyone to like him. It is hard choosing one scene as my favorite, because most of the scenes at the country club are absolutely hysterical, but I was able to choose one. That’s when Greg’s older brother, Roderick, played brilliantly by Devon Bostick, tries to fake drowning so the pretty life guard will save him. The problem is, she doesn’t even notice him, so an older, hairy man dives into the pool, pulls him out and performs mouth to mouth on him. Roderick’s facial expression is priceless, and this scene is just so funny, I could not stop laughing. 

Not only is this movie well written and very funny, but it has a really strong cast that help bring to life the Heffley family and make this an enjoyable film that the entire family can relate to and enjoy. The movie also has a great message in it about growing up and learning from your mistakes. Overall, I love this fabulous film and urge you to take your family and go see this film today.

I rate this film five out of five stars, as I think this is a film your entire family will love as much as I do. Go see this film, opening in theaters on August 3rd. Trust me, you will love it!

And remember, a man who makes no mistakes is a man who hasn’t learned anything.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Reviewed by Anthony Aranda
(See his full review on video.)

This movie is awesome. It has so much funny parts in the movie. It was hilarious. This movie is based on the third and fourth book of the Wimpy Kid series, The Last Straw and Dog Days, which I thought were also really good.

This move is all about a person named Greg Heffley who is ready for summer. He has a lot of plans to have a lot of fun, but everything seems to go wrong. He is acting really lazy because all he is doing is playing video games and trying to impress a girl named Holly Hills. Rowley invites him to the country club where they can go swimming, play tennis and play golf.

The main characters in this movie are Greg, Greg’s family, Holly Hills and her family, and Rowley and his family. My favorite character in the movie is Greg because he is really funny and is kind of like me. He also does a lot of stuff to get out of spending time with his family. He will go do something else even if he doesn’t really want to so that he can get away from them.

My favorite part in the movie is when Rowley invites Greg to the country club and he meets Holly Hills. He has to play a tennis game with Rowley against Holly Hills and his mortal enemy, Patty Farrell. He gets hit a lot of times with a tennis ball in different places, which is really funny. Rowley gets hit a few times, too, but it is mostly Greg who keeps getting hit. It made me laugh a lot.

I would recommend this movie for ages 5 and up because this movie is rated PG and there is only one scary part in the movie that younger children might not like. I think everyone would really think this movie is really funny and a great movie to watch with the whole family. Go out and see this movie in theaters now!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Reviewed by Julia Chestnut

I LOVE this movie. It is full of comedy and it makes you laugh the entire movie.

School is out and summer is waiting, and Greg (played by Zachary Gordon) is ready for summer and can’t wait to just play video games. Slowly, everything starts to go wrong. He finds himself sneaking into a country club each day to try and hang out with Holly Hills (played by Peyton List).My favorite part is when Greg gets called into the pool by his little brother and Greg finds out that he is peeing and then all the other little kids are peeing and then his little brother splashes the water with pee in it on Greg. It is so funny!Zachary Gordon plays Greg Heffley. He and Robert Capron are the stars in this movie, and they play best friends. Greg is funny and always finding himself in embarrassing situations that are so hilarious to the viewers watching!