Light & Magic * A Breathtaking, Behind‑The‑Scenes Portrait Of Special Effects’ Pioneers And A View Into The Everyday Life Of A Filmmaker
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025
Light & Magic is an American documentary television series directed by Lawrence Kasdan and produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Imagine Documentaries showcasing the people of Industrial Light and Magic, the special effects division of Lucasfilm, this series takes us back in time as they create the effects for some of the biggest and most successful films of the last 45 years.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jackson N. comments, “Light and Magic: Season 2 offers a breathtaking, behind‑the‑scenes portrait of filmmaking’s pioneers and a view into the everyday life of a filmmaker. Blending archival footage with candid interviews, the series lets you look inside the creative sparks that modernized movie magic.” Ari C. adds, “I love Light & Magic: Season 2. It is enticing, informative and offers great insights into the world of visual effects. It is very fun to see the various challenges the team at Industrial Light and Magic team faced over the years, while maintaining its light and welcoming community.” Isabella V. wraps it up with, “The presentation of the information in this series is incredible; it reveals the story in chronological order, leading to great pacing and immersion. I found myself getting invested at so many points thanks to not knowing what may happen next, even when I knew how the films turned out in the end.” See their full reviews below.
Light and Magic: Season 2
By Jackson N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
Light and Magic: Season 2 offers a breathtaking, behind‑the‑scenes portrait of filmmaking’s pioneers and a view into the everyday life of a filmmaker. Blending archival footage with candid interviews, the series lets you look inside the creative sparks that modernized movie magic. As a die‑hard Star Wars fan and someone curious about cinematic innovation, I found myself riveted by insider glimpses into the making of The Phantom Menace and other iconic blockbusters.
This three episode series shows what it was like to be one of the key innovators in the movie industry in the 1990s. This season delves into the pivotal work of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in the aftermath of the hit film Star Wars: A New Hope. Beyond the technical marvels, Light and Magic: Season 2 emphasizes the human spirit behind the art. Discussions range from how teams found new ways to make cinematic magic happen together to what happens when a director like Steven Spielberg calls with a big, seemingly impossible ask and a tight deadline.
Sketches from a scene of Lucasfilm’s LIGHT & MAGIC, Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. © 2025 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.
George Lucas, one of the most prolific moviemakers and the founder of Industrial Light & Magic, Joe Johnston, director of Captain America: The First Avenger, and their visionary colleagues recount the challenges of pushing technical boundaries—transforming months of effects work into seconds of onscreen wonder. From Yoda’s subtle puppet movements to the world’s love/hate relationship with Jar Jar Binks, every frame illustrates ILM’s commitment to joy, innovation, and persistence. For anyone who loves the magic of movies or aspires to work in the film business, this gives the inside scoop. The interviews with the animators reveal moments of doubt, breakthroughs, and camaraderie—reminding aspiring filmmakers that no dream is too ambitious. Whether you are a fan of The Mask, Twister, or Jurassic Park, this series will deepen your understanding of what the effects people went through to make the films that we know and love today.
The film’s message is that just because something hasn’t been done yet, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. This show includes themes of joy, innovation, and persistence. Parents should be aware that there is a candid discussion about mental health and a brief mention of suicidal thoughts.
Light and Magic: Season 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Season 2 debuts on Disney+ on April 18, 2025.
Light & Magic: Season 2
By Ari C., KIDS FIRST Film Critics, age 12
(L-R): George Lucas, Doug Chiang, and John Knoll in a scene from Lucasfilm’s LIGHT & MAGIC, Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. © 2025 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.
I love Light & Magic: Season 2. It is enticing, informative and offers great insights into the world of visual effects. It is very fun to see the various challenges the team at Industrial Light and Magic team faced over the years, while maintaining its light and welcoming community.
This three-episode season shows us the hard-working people behind the magic of George Lucas’ computer animation and stereo conversion digital studio, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), founded in 1975. We follow the artists as they implement new digital technology and the rise of computer graphics (CG) to create visual masterpieces for films such as the 1977 film Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. From there, the company expanded and produced special effects for over three hundred films, including the entire Star Wars saga, the Indiana Jones Series, and the Jurassic Park series. The many challenges ILM dealt with over the years included complicated problems like character backlash, complex new concepts, and rising competition all gave ILM a run for its money.
I am a massive fan of the Star Wars movies. Revenge of the Sith is one of my all-time favorites. Watching this team creating the prequel trilogy was beyond exciting. I’ve always had an idea of how difficult filmmaking was, but I never knew it could be this extensive. This season offers fantastic insight to the sheer persistence and the community of the visual effects’ world. As much as I already love these films, I feel that I can appreciate them a little bit more after watching this series. The community is so fun to watch – everyone at ILM works together so wonderfully. They consistently meet their deadline; no matter the challenge. You would think that the amount of work would result in a stressed and tense work environment. Think again!
This team keeps an enjoyable atmosphere that makes me wish I could be there with them. My favorite part is when we watch the ILM crew create the iconic Yoda versus Dooku fight entirely with CG. I especially like the way they kept it realistic and high quality. This part is truly a testament to why they have remained pioneers in the visual effects’ world for so long.
The series’ message is that, with great perseverance, patience, creativity, and teamwork, you can accomplish greatness. Be aware that there is some profanity and discussion of adult situations in this season.
Light & Magic Season 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me, and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It is available on Disney Plus beginning April 18, 2025.
Light & Magic: Season 2
By Isabella V., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
Light & Magic: Season 2 is such an informative and compelling series about the history and process of creating digital effects in films. It gave me a newfound appreciation for a part of filmmaking I previously did not know much about and I learned a lot about the struggles and thought process behind creating special effects..
This three-part series follows Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), owned by George Lucas, as they deal with and overcome the challenges faced by developing and using computer generated (CG) imagery. The series is told through archival footage and interviews as it follows the entire creative team and gives insight into how CG was developed for many classic films and the struggles that had to be overcome.
Donald Glover is Lando Calrissian and Phoebe Waller-Bridge is L3-37 in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.
The presentation of the information in this series is incredible; it reveals the story in chronological order, leading to great pacing and immersion. I found myself getting invested at so many points thanks to not knowing what may happen next, even when I knew how the films turned out in the end. The details are unbelievable; there are so many small things that go unnoticed in finished films that are explored here. I especially love the insight into how physics is used to make things appear more realistic. The interviews are extremely informative, with the actual employees at ILM speaking about their experiences. That makes the story feel more personal. The way people describe their situations and the various difficulties they faced made me want the best for them, even making me emotional at times.
(L-R): George Lucas, Doug Chiang, and Rick McCallum in a scene from Lucasfilm’s LIGHT & MAGIC, Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. © 2025 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.
The music selection is also perfect; it enhances the events and lends emotion to them. It’s exceptionally well used in dramatic or impactful scenes, such as when they are discovering a problem or a solution. I like that each section is told by someone who actually worked in it. For example, Doug Chiang, with over 25 years of experience working on Star Wars, talks about his experiences with the franchise. This series gave me so much appreciation for something I had really never given much thought to before, leaving me impressed with both the story, and the work by these special effects creators.
The show’s message is to work as hard as possible and not give up on what you want to achieve, because even when obstacles get in the way, you can overcome them. Be forewarned that some mild profanity is used.
I give Light & Magic 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It is available on Disney+ beginning April 18, 2025.
The mission-driven series for kids and families is inspired by the work of world-renowned ethologist and conservationist, Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a United Nations Messenger of Peace, who also makes a special appearance in the upcoming season. Ava Louise Murchison (“Reacher”) stars as Jane Garcia, a nine-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her powerful imagination, Jane takes her best friends David, played by Mason Blomberg, and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world because, according to her idol Dr. Jane Goodall: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.”
I love the creativity of the TV series, Jane. It teaches kids about the importance of protecting our environment and puts a new twist on answering the question, “How are we going to save them?” Each episode features an animal and explains why it is important to the Earth.
Jane loves that she shares the same name with Ms. Goodall, and she even names her stuffed chimpanzee, Greybeard, after one of the chimpanzees that Goodall observed in the wild. She works side-by-side with her best friend and neighbor, David (Mason Blomberg), to determine the best way to learn more about each episode’s featured creature. Jane believes that knowledge is important, because if you do not know about an animal, how can you help them? Each episode takes the viewer through a colorful and imaginative journey to save each animal and the planet.
Jane: Season 3 was so much fun to watch. The characters’ use of their imagination is impressive. I love how no place was off-limits for creativity. Jane and David use a shopping cart and a shopping basket during a grocery store visit to represent cages. In their minds, they are working together to tag a shark in the ocean for research. They even play pretend in the principal’s office, when they got into trouble for protecting a beehive. The principal leaves, and they immediately jump into their make-believe bee mobile to go “see” how they can solve the problem of the declining bee population.
The show’s message is that people must speak out for those that can’t speak for themselves. Animals are becoming endangered and / or extinct, because no one is taking care of them. It is important to learn about all of the Earth’s creatures, otherwise, the results will be devastating. This show is very kid friendly and parents can feel comfortable letting their children watch this show.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip follows 11-year-old Alexander and his family as they embark on a dream Spring Break vacation to Mexico City only to have all their plans go terribly wrong when they discover a cursed idol. The family is put to the test until they resolve to return the idol to its rightful home.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Simon Stålenhag, the story takes place in a re-imagined version of 1997. With humans isolated in their VR helmets and a continuing battle against a strange breed of monstruous drones in the wake of a technological meltdown, a teenage girl named Michelle and a robot travel the West Coast of the U.S in search of the girl’s missing brother.
Tom Hanks narrates this 10-part television event from the executive producers of Planet Earth, exploring the worlds and wildlife of North and South America. Scored by composer Hans Zimmer, it’s a journey across the super-continent, featuring never-before-seen moments, landscapes and creatures throughout varying climates, environments and habitats.
Wow! The Americas is an incredible docu-series about North and South America with breathtaking views of the land and the animals that live there. I really enjoyed Tom Hanks’ narration; his unique storytelling brings the beauty and struggles of nature to life. Every episode is filled with jaw-dropping shots that made me appreciate the wild world around us.
This series is visually amazing with its groundbreaking cinematography. The filmmakers use advanced drone technology to glide over vast landscapes, night-vision cameras to reveal the secret lives of nocturnal animals, and slow-motion footage to capture the precise moment a predator strikes. These techniques made me feel like I was right there in the wild. Tom Hanks’ narration adds warmth and curiosity to the show. Zimmer’s soundtrack builds tension during dramatic moments and enhances the wonder of peaceful scenes. My favorite part is when the mother snake goes above and beyond for her baby snakes, showing the incredible instinct and care animals have for their young. The filmmakers also capture a massive storm in stunning detail, showcasing the sheer power of nature in a way that feels both terrifying and beautiful.
The show’s message is about protecting nature. It shows the dangers of deforestation, pollution, and climate change and encourages people to take action. The series raises awareness and makes viewers think about how each one of us can help preserve the environment. Be forewarned that some scenes of predators hunting their prey are pretty graphic and unsuited for younger viewers.
I really like The Americas because the music evokes emotions and the videography is both beautiful and shot up close.
In the same episode, we see it rain in the Sonoran Desert for the first time in two months. The music put behind this scene creates a feeling of awe. Similarly, when a thunderstorm in The Great Plains approaches, the music that accompanies it evokes a feeling of fear. The music also matches the theme of the episode. For instance, in a western themed episode, there is western music that goes with it. The music draws people in.
We see close up shots of wild animals and their environments which makes the scenes seem as if they are happening right in front of you. In one episode, we see a close up of a coyote hunting a fish and in another scene, we see a prairie snake giving birth. We see shots of encounters between animals. For example, in one scene, we see a protective mother chasing off an intruding bear to keep her cubs safe. There is also incredible underwater footage that makes it feel as if you are really there. The transitions are also excellent. Incredible and beautiful landscape shots are often used as transitions. Overall, the music and videography make this series exciting and amazing to watch.
