KIDS FIRST! News

It’s a swashbuckling adventure on par with any of the live-acted extravaganzas it’s sharing theater time with this season. Puss in Boots combines a clever script, sharp animation, fun special effects and the voice talent of A-list actors … But to really get the picture, read KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Gabriella Chu’s full-on review (and for a chance for you to walk in her KF Youth Film Critic footsteps for a year, visit the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search page on our website to learn about entering the 2012 KDIS FIRST! Film Critics Search).

Puss in Boots
Reviewed by Gabriella Chu (age 14)
(See her full review on video.)

If you’ve enjoyed the movie Shrek, you will definitely like Puss in Boots. I’m glad I saw this movie. It is about an outlaw cat that has been searching for the magic beans all his life with his partner and “brother” Humpty Dumpty. However, tension forms between Puss and Humpty Dumpty over jealousy, so they plan revenge against one another. Who will find the magic beans? Discover the legend of Puss in Boots!

The voiceovers of the characters in the movie are excellent. Antonio Banderas’s accent matches Puss’s sly and adventurous character perfectly. Salma Hayek’s voice fits the tough and flirty character of Kitty Softpaws.

Aside from the voiceover, I was even more impressed with the adventure in the movie. It seemed magical and thrilling. Scene after scene, Puss is on an exciting escapade. The animation of the movie adds to the excitement because it details even on subtleties, making the characters seem more realistic. The facial expressions and close-ups on the characters are adorable. I love the close-ups of baby Puss and huge-eyed Puss because they are undeniably cute.

I recommend this movie to kids 10 and up. Anyone can enjoy the enthusiasm and exhilaration in the movie, but younger kids will probably have a hard time following the intricate plot. There are some twists and turns as Puss’s allies and enemies keep changing. Puss in Boots is an adventurous family film that will keep the entire family entertained.

Photos: Puss in Boots poster (top), Gabriella Chu (bottom)

One of last year’s Film Critic Search winners, KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Anthony Aranda (age 9) continues a very full schedule of film reviews with the review, below, of The Big Year (“It is a really funny movie,” he says). Aranda often joins Raven Devanney (age 13) – a fellow KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Search winner and host of “KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions” – on the weekly radio show of KIDS FIRST! interviews and reviews on Voice America Kids.

“KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions,” which launched a few short weeks ago, is already one of the chart leaders on Voice America Kids, reaching the number 2 spot in September. “Life at Eleven” was on top, and “Voyage Earth” was the third-most tuned-in show. The ratings are based on unique hits, not drive-bys, and we thank our wide KIDS FIRST! family for this support. “These are listeners who stick around and actually listen to content, whether it’s in the archives or on the date of new show releases,” explains Perry Damone, program director of Voice America Kids Channel. And he adds, “The kids are amazing.”

The Big Year
Reviewed by Anthony Aranda
(See his full review on video.)

This is a great movie because it has a lot of interesting facts about a lot of different birds. It is a really funny movie.

The movie is about three men who are trying to win a contest called “The Big Year.” They have to find the most different kinds of birds in one year. Kenny Bostick (played by Owen Wilson) is one of the characters in the movie and he won the contest last year. He really wants to win again and beat his own record. Brad Harris (Jack Black) and Stu Preissler (Steve Martin) really want to beat Bostick, so they team up to help each other so one of them could win.

The main characters in the movie are Bostick, Harris and Preissler. My favorite character in the movie is Harris. I like Harris because he tries really hard to beat Bostick and he doesn’t give up. He is also a really funny character and made me laugh a lot. For example, when a girl he likes ends up breaking up with her boyfriend, he does a victory dance on his front porch. Then he says that he feels really bad for her (even though he doesn’t). It is pretty funny.

I would recommend this movie for ages six and up because it has some mild language that is not appropriate for younger children. A lot of people would like this movie, though, because there are a lot of funny parts. Go out and see it in theaters!

Photos: The Big Year poster (top), Anthony Aranda (bottom)

Love boxing and rooting for the underdog? Even those squeamish about seeing real people get bloodied can pretty much relax about the violence in this robot-boxing movie released by Walt Disney Studios Pictures. Add an engaging kid for extra depth to the storyline, and here’s a movie that’s proving its mettle at the box office. Thirteen-year-old KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Jonah Menegaz calls it “magic.”

Real Steel
Reviewed by Jonah Menegaz

Real steel. What do you think of when you hear those two words? For some, it’s just “steal”; for others, it’s a competition to see which robot is left standing. Real Steel is a movie starring Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a broke, unlucky dad trying to bond with his son again. Oh, and yes, there are robots beating the metal off each other, too. At first, Charlie keeps losing robot battles and has no money to pay his debts. Then he has to spend the summer with his son and is not a very loving father. But when his son goes with him to find parts for a new robot and finds a Level 2 sparring robot with a shadow function, the magic begins.

Shawn Levy is the director of this movie, and he works great with kids and just about everyone else, too. The movie was wonderfully acted and scripted. Not to mention that the concept of boxing robots is pretty cool. I also thought the special effects were unbelievable — the robots looked completely real. But I’d have to say one thing they could have improved on was what a robot looked like after being hit. The robots could have been dented and scratched a little more and not so good-looking after a couple blows to the head. The music set the mood and carried the emotion in the movie. (What would a movie be without a good soundtrack?)

Overall, this movie is about 4 out of 5 stars, but I would only recommend this movie for around 11-12 and up because of the bad example the characters set. A kid would have to be able to know that he/she can’t go home and start punching things.

Go out and see Real Steel!

And check out the KIDS FIRST! website for the review by Jonah’s brother and fellow KF youth film critic Daniel Menegaz.

Photos: Real Steel poster (top), Jonah Menegaz (bottom)

With Lionsgate release Abduction making its way through theaters across the country, KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Gabriella Chu (age 14) shares a thoughtful view from the age group the film seems to be intended for.

Abduction
Reviewed by Gabriella Chu
(See her full review on video.)

If you like to watch action movies or are a fan of Taylor Lautner, then Abduction is the fast-paced one for you. It’s about a teen boy named Nathan, played by Taylor Lautner, who finds a baby pciture of him on a missing persons website. As he investigates, he finds out his parents aren’t his biological parents. They get killed, and the CIA starts chasing after him.

If you want to unlock the mystery to why all these astonishing events are happening to Nathan in just one day, watch the movie.

In the beginning, the director films Nathan’s normal life, and then quickly transitions to a suspenseful action movie.

It’s exciting because Nathan constantly finds himself in the midst of an obstacle. On the other hand, the storyline and plot didn’t exactly work out for me. Although the movie shows that you shouldn’t trust anyone but yourself and close friends, some parts of the movie didn’t quite make sense to me.

I recommend this movie to teen 13 and up. There are intense fighting scenes, brief language and other teen behaviors not appropriate for children.

Photo: Abduction poster (top), Gabriella Chu (bottom)

With Columbia Pictures’ Moneyball opening in theaters today, KIDS FIRST! film critic Jonah Menegaz (age 13) scoops a preview for our KIDS FIRST! community. Yes, the movie’s got Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman onscreen, but Menegaz point to the cinematography as also worth paying attention to. Fellow KIDS FIRST! film critics Daniel Menegaz (age 13) and Gabriella Chu (age 14) make it unanimous: Moneyball scores a hit on all counts.

Moneyball
Reviewed by Jonah Menegaz

Moneyball is a great movie, starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane and Jonah Hill as Peter Brand. Together, the two completely recreate how baseball is looked at and how it changed [as to] how the players are picked.

Since I am not a sporty person, I don’t like baseball very much and it kind of bores me, but this movie was fantastic and very interesting. I thought the acting was great and the actors got into their characters, and it kept me wondering what will happen next. I also thought the DP (director of photography) was awesome and how [the movie] displayed shots that set the mood for the scene. I also thought it was really cool how they used real footage from when the game was actually being played.

This movie was rightfully rated PG-13 because of the language — there was often cussing — and I think this movie is great for kids 11 and up. Overall, this is an excellent movie and you should go see it!

Moneyball
Reviewed by Daniel Menegaz

Moneyball is the invigorating true story about the rise of the Oakland A’s — a baseball team with a tiny budget. Starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane and Jonah Hill as Peter Brand, the duo try to re-invent the game of baseball by using a new way of recruiting players. 

The movie was serious at times, but the comic relief is very funny. I thought it was really clever when they used real footage of baseball games in the film, as well as recreating games. The acting was also spot on. Considering I’m not the biggest baseball fan, this movie was actually really good.

I think the age group is about ten and up because, aside from two or three curse words, all of the subject matter was appropriate. Over all, I would give Moneyball 4 out of 5 stars.

Moneyball
Reviewed by Gabriella Chu

If you are a baseball fan, then Moneyball is an inspirational movie for you. It’s about a baseball team manager, Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, who tries his best to repair the Oakland A’s baseball team with his constrained budget. He hires a Yale graduate, Peter Brand, played by Jonah Hill, who teaches him to use statistics to compare baseball players among each other, instead of the conventional method of following his instincts to decide which players to choose and keep. If you’re wondering whether Beane’s uncommon and distrusted method will help his baseball team win more games, watch the movie to find out!

I think this movie is inspirational because its messages are very straightforward. The movie shows that sticking to the status quo is not always the best decision you can make, and it’s not money that makes something worthwhile, but it’s the journey that counts. Brad Pitt’s acting is exceptional, and the strong personality and ambition his character possesses emphasizes these messages.

Besides a few well-timed flashbacks, the director made the movie seem more like a book told through visuals, and not so much as a film. In addition, if Peter Brand didn’t exist as a character in the movie, there would be no story to the film.

I recommend this movie to teens 13 and up because there is some cursing, but nothing too serious. Moneyball tells a splendid story, and will be sure to delight baseball fans.  

Photo, top to bottom: Moneyball poster, Jonah Menegaz, Daniel Menegaz, Gabriella Chu