KIDS FIRST! News

A new holiday film, Pete’s Christmas will  premiere Friday, Nov. 8 on the Hallmark Channel. When an overlooked middle child finds himself in the unexpected spotlight, he realizes his family’s terrible Christmas day keeps repeating. He decides to use his unique gift to give the holidays a makeover and his family a Christmas they will never forget. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Keefer B says, “This is a uplifting, coming of age film” and gives it 5 out of 5 stars. Gerry O adds “This movie is definitely a great holiday movie and a very loving movie at that!” Their full reviews are below.

“Pete’s Christmas”
By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11
Video review available here.

This movie is definitely a great holiday movie and a very loving movie at that! It has so much comedy and a lot of other elements too. “Pete’s Christmas” is a movie the entire family just must see.

This movie has so much to love about it as well as many things to enjoy. It has comedy, romance, thrilling scenes, adventure, a heartwarming story and so much more.

The adventure begins when a young boy (Zachary Gordon) has a horrible, horrible Christmas. We are talking about no presents, no home cooked meal, getting beat up and a lot of other crazy stuff. His grandfather gives him a box and leaves. When he goes to bed, he wakes up on Christmas morning again.

The movie had very nice actors that play the emotions very well. You would never think they were acting. The directing is very smooth and clear. The camera work is also very nicely done. Overall, it is an amazing and very cool film.

My favorite scene has to be when the boy wakes up and thinks everyone is playing a big prank on him. It’s very funny and very, well, confusing too. It makes you want give him a hug.

I recommend it for kids ages 5 to 18 and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Pete’s Christmas
by Keefer B, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

This is a uplifting, coming of age film. The story is about Pete (Zachary Gordon) a middle child who has the worst Christmas ever. He wakes up the next day and realizes…it’s Christmas day again and again and again… Will Pete fix Christmas and have the best day of his life or will he be stuck in the same day forever?

What I love about this film is the cinematography. The Christmas decorations and snow look amazing. The sets create a great atmosphere for the film. I also like the story. At first it seems cliché – boy has a bad day and has a chance to fix it – standard issue. However, the pacing is different. Instead of it being just a few days of Pete reliving the same day, it feels like months before he realizes that he can affect the outcome of his Christmas. At first I didn’t like this, but once I thought out it as a coming of age film I accepted the change. One think that distracted me is the writing. Don’t get me wrong, the dialog is fine. I just felt the set-up for the story to be a bit rushed. The writers want the story to go a certain way and force it by placing the pieces together instead of allowing the characters to live through this situation.

My favorite character is Grandpa (Bruce Dern). He’s a grumpy man who doesn’t want to get the cold shoulder this Christmas. I love how Bruce plays this role, how he wants to spend time with family. Sadly he wants Christmas to be like his deceased wife’s Christmases. In his mind, the family doesn’t celebrate it right.

My favorite scene is when Pete tells his dad why Grandpa judges their Christmas. I pick this scene for one reason – the reaction on the father’s face. He takes his time to roll through all the emotions and it’s just perfect.

The moral here is, “It’s not what you put in the box that matters. It’s what you take out.” No matter how much Pete recreates Christmas and gets what he wants, he stills feels that something is missing, something that is important in Christmas. Giving!

I rate this 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to 6 to 15-year-olds. Younger kids can enjoy the funny moments and the merriness. When you get a little bit older, you know the story is predictable but it is still a movie to get you into the Christmas spirit.

“The Hunters” is a modern day fairy tale adventure, based on the magical mirror from “Snow White,” and follows the brothers Flynn as they embark on an international quest to find their parents and save the world from the clutches of evil.  KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O. says, “The Hunters” is a great and thrilling movie for everyone! There is comedy, romance, action, adventure, thrilling scenes, a great and engaging story line and, of course, a puzzle to solve!” “The Hunters” is the fifth world premier film in Hallmark Channel’s new Friday night movie series, “Walden Family Theatre,” airing this Friday, October 25th at 8/7c on Hallmark Channel. See Gerry’s full review below.

“The Hunters”
Reviewed by Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11
Video Review available here.

From the title, it’s really hard to predict what the movie will be about. Based on the title, I had an open mind. I only have one thing to say, I was pleasantly surprised! “The Hunters” is a great and thrilling movie for everyone!
I absolutely love how many things there is in this film! There is comedy, romance, action, adventure, thrilling scenes, a great and engaging story line and, of course, a puzzle to solve!

The adventure begins when three people are looking for some artifacts to build together a legendary item. When one turns on the others, everything goes wrong. The two kids of the couple who are searching for this item and their friend, go on a epic adventure to save the world and their parents!  If you want to find out if their parents are ok and if they were successful in this quest, you have to watch the film!

This film brings so many perks! It has especially great actors and the directing is also very good. The camerawork will impress you for sure – there are so many actions –  climbing and jumping and even some scary stuff. But, the picture if very clear and the storyline easy to follow!

I have to say that my favorite scene is when the older brother discovers his little brother has skipped school and he is very mad at him. I can greatly appreciate this scene. It has brotherly “love” or as I call it “bromance.” It’s extremely funny and will hit home with many viewers.

I recommend this movie to ages 8-18, because it is a very intense film. I also give it 5 out of 5 stars and wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually turn this movie into series. I know I will be watching out for that.

“Space Warriors” is a live-action film about kids who attend Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. Though it is a fictional story, it is based on a real place and according to KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O., age 11, it “feels very real and positive.” All of our film critics agree that this is a fun and exciting film that inspired them to want to visit the real Space Camp. Adam C., Age 7, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic tells us that they even fact-checked the story with NASA “and it was plausible that this could have happened in real life.” Proving that it has multi-age and gender appeal, 13-year-old KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Cassandra H. calls this “a fun and unexpectedly down-to-earth film for all ages.”

Airing on May 31, this Hallmark Channel Original Movie is perfect for the whole family. You can hear our discussion about this film on the KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions Radio Show. Check out Cassandra H.’s full review below and many of our Film Critic’s full video reviews as well.

“Space Warriors”

Reviewed by Cassandra H.

See Cassandra’s full video review by visiting www.kidsfirst.org

Space geeks will envy the rip-roaring adventures in the movie, “Space Warriors.” I was pleasantly surprised to see that the plot was simpler than I imagined. Before I watched the movie, the title made me cringe, suggesting that it was about teenagers battling aliens in a cheesy rampage through outer space. Clearly, I was wrong to judge a movie by its poster. “Space Warriors” is a fun and unexpectedly down-to-earth film for all ages.

Jimmy Hawkins (Thomas Horn, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”), the son of a retired NASA astronaut, is a complete astronomy geek. His dream is to go to space, and the opportunity arises in the form of Space Camp, where teams can compete for the chance to go to space. His parents, played by Dermot Mulroney and Mira Sorvino, forbid him to join Space Camp fearing for his safety, but Jimmy joins anyway. At Space Camp he meets the brightest, nerdiest group of astronomy-lovers, called Space Warriors. They have to learn to work together as a team not only to win the competition, but to save the lives of three astronauts along the way as well.

Colonel Manley (Josh Lucas), one of the commanders at Space Camp, is one of my favorite characters – he’s witty and smart with just a touch of dry humor and sarcasm. Sean McNamara (“Soul Surfer”) is the director of “Space Warriors.” Along the same lines of “Soul Surfer,” this movie has many great themes that include teamwork, leadership, overcoming fear, thinking outside the box, making wise choices and most importantly, it shines a positive light on youth. The Space Warriors don’t let anyone look down on them because of their age – they prove to the entire world that age doesn’t matter as long as you have passion, a love of discovering, and an open mind.

The movie incorporates footage from history in outer space and was shot on-location at the Space Camp in Alabama. For science-lovers, this movie is the ultimate “easter egg” hunt, where geeks will want to shout and announce to other viewers, “That’s the actual footage of landing on the moon!” or “I’ve been on a moon-gravity stimulator just like that!” I found myself thinking that if I could go to a Space Camp that looks even half as fun as the one in the movie, it’d be the best summer of my life.

I recommend this movie for all ages, especially for aspiring scientists. I give it four out of five stars. “Space Warriors” will inspire viewers to look up and rekindle an excitement for learning about the unknown universe of space. Learn more about a world outside our own that we’ve barely begun to discover and catch “Space Warriors” on the Hallmark Channel, airing May 31!

Check out our KIDS FIRST! Film Critics full video reviews of Space Warriors!

Adam C.

Keefer B.

Gerry O.

Stacy and Valdi B.

Return To Nim’s Island, a Hallmark Channel Original Movie, premieres on the Hallmark Channel on Friday, March 15, 2013. Following up on the success of Nim’s Island, this sequel  is a great platform for Bindi Irwin, through her portrayal of Nim, to introduce young people to the importance of protecting our earth and its fragile species.

According to Brianna Hope Beaton KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Nim teaches us “that you should do everything you can to help the marine and wildlife.” New KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Cassandra Hsiao, “Return to Nim’s Island will take families on a spectacular expedition underwater, into dark mysterious caves, and up awfully steep cliffs.” And new KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jailene Arias agrees with the others that the main message in the film is “don’t give up!”

Check out these great video reviews from two of our new KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, Cassandra Hsiao and Jailene Arias!

Return to Nim’s Island

Reviewed by Brianna Hope Beaton

Click here to see Brianna’s full video review!

This film has lots of action, very funny and is definitely great for the whole family to see.

Let’s return to Nim’s Island to see how things are going with Nim (Bindi Irwin) and her Father (Matthew Lillard). One day they get a message that some people will be buying the island to build an attraction there, but Nim will not stand for it and comes up with some things to do to save what she calls home. She will do almost anything to protect the island and the animals that she loves so well. Everything is going fine until Edmund, (Toby Wallace), comes along to help but brings trouble. Will Nim get to keep and stay living at her personal resort or will she have to pack up and leave?

I really love this film. It’s the sequel to Nim’s Island. I love the underwater shoots and the humor. The cast does an incredible job in interacting with the animals and making it all believable. My favorite character is Nim because she is not afraid to speak her mind, and will not let anyone push her around. My favorite scene is when Nim is going on the zip line. It looks really cool to ride and I would love to do it. I love the music as it fits in perfectly with the scenes.

Brendan Maher directs Nim’s Island. Author of the Nim’s Island series, Wendy Orr, is the inspiration behind this film. Everyone does an amazing job – from the animals to all the cast – it makes an impact with an environmental message. The big message is that you should do everything you can to help the marine and wildlife, if you cannot, please do not harm it. Additionally, it emphasizes the idea to “never give up on what you want to do.”

I recommend, Return to Nim’s Island for ages 7 to 14. Parents will enjoy it as much as their kids. If you love the wild you will love this film.

I give this film an overwhelming 5 out of 5 stars. I love the adventure, cinematography, action and, of course, the humor.

Tune in to see the Return to Nim’s Island on March 15 on the Hallmark Channel 8pm EST / 7PM CT.

Everyone loves a dog story, but Because of Winn-Dixie is no ordinary take on cute pets. Instead, it is a story of love, hope, friendship and community that takes us beyond appearances and digs deeply into the characters that make up this heart-warming film. Winn-Dixie isn’t just a dog, he is a symbol of hope, a reminder that we are all responsible for one another.

Originally released in 2005, this timeless family film is appearing throughout this month, February 2013, on HDNet Movies – kidScene.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Reviewed by Raven Devanney

Click here for Raven’s full video review!

Because of Winn-Dixie is a fantastic adaptation from the bestselling novel Winn-Dixie. I think this movie is absolutely adorable. The cinematography is so perfect because it’s exactly how I imagined it would be when I read the novel. The colors and feel of the story are captured beautifully.

My favorite character is Gloria because she doesn’t hold any harsh judgment over anyone and is a great friend to Opal. I also like Ana Sophia’s character, Opal, because she is very kind and strong even when she is sad. I like the scene when Opal first finds Winn-Dixie because it is a chaotic and funny scene. I also enjoy watching the relationship grow between Opal and the preacher (her father.)

This movie is for all ages because it’s a cute, funny family film that deserves 5 out of 5 stars. Because of Winn-Dixie is one of the many classic films brought to your home by HDNet Movies – kidScene.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Reviewed by Camille Bajema

Click here for Camille’s full video review!

I love this film because it has a great message: Friendship. This film is an adaptation of the book Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo and is about a girl named Opal (Anna-Sophia Robb) and her dad, the Preacher (Jeff Daniels), who just moved to a completely new town.

When Opal is sent to the Winn-Dixie grocery store to get macaroni and cheese, some white rice and two tomatoes, she finds a dog running wild through the store and names him Winn-Dixie, after the place she found him in. Opal befriends him and takes him home. Opal doesn’t have any friends yet and Winn-Dixie helps her fit into the new town, just like a true friend would.

My favorite scene in this film is when Opal makes friends with an old woman named Gloria (Cicely Tyson), and they have lunch together. I really like this scene because there’s a very nice bond between the two and this is when Opal meets her first human friend in Naomi. My favorite character is another one of Opal’s adult friends, Miss Franny, the town librarian. I like Miss Franny because she’s a kid at heart.

Because of Winn-Dixie is directed by Wayne Wang and produced by Kathleen Courtney.

I recommend this film to people of all ages because everyone can enjoy it, it has a great message, and in my opinion, this movie is just fantastic! I give this film five out of five stars because it’s an absolutely enthralling tale! Look for this classic family film on HDNet movies – kidScene this month!