KIDS FIRST! News

The title character in this Disney animated film is a small woodland pigeon who yearns to do noble duty in the war effort and join the Royal Homing Pigeon Service. KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Makai Weber Colvin (age 10) give the film five out of five stars “because it’s just so great for everyone,” and adds an enthusiastic “And I’ll bet you’ll love it, too.” Valiant is voiced by Ewan MacGregor, part of a stellar cast – it might be fun to try to match the voices of Ricky Gervais, Tim Curry, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Laurie and John Cleese to their avian characters. The 2005 film was nominated in 2006 for the Young Artist Award’s Best Family Feature Film – Animation. One of many classics brought to your home by HDnet Movies kidScene, a morning and Friday night programming block specifically for kids and families, Valiant screens on Fri., Jan. 20 and Sun., Jan. 29.

Valiant
Reviewed by Makai Weber Colvin
(See her full review on video.)

I’m reviewing the movie Valiant, a Disney film. This movie is about a small, little bird that lives in a small, little town. But he wants to become a messenger bird. A messenger bird is a bird that carries important messages to people across the country. So, if a person was in the army, a messenger bird would go send the letter to the army and then they would send the letter back to the army back at home.

But the evil hawks are trying to stop that, and they have to fix it. They need new messenger birds, so they decide to train them. Valiant wants to be a messenger bird so badly that he goes to try out to be one. Nobody thinks he can be a messenger bird, because he’s so little. But Valiant is much bigger than he appears to be.

This movie is a really good movie to watch with the whole family. The animation in this movie is very detailed. And I loved the picture of Valiant because he has colors right below his neck. They were pink and blue, and they were very cool to see.

I give this movie five out of five stars because it’s just so great for everyone. And I’ll bet you’ll love it, too.

Photos: Valiant poster (top), Makai Weber Colvin (bottom)

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, a 1999 film nominated in 2000 for the Young Artist Award’s Best Family Feature Film – Animation, is a Sesame Street mix of puppets and people. It would be fun viewing for toddlers and early elementary-school-aged kids, says 10-year-old KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Makai Weber Colvin. Another of the many classics brought to your home by HDNet Movies kidScene, a morning and Friday night programming block specifically for kids and families, it will run Jan. 23 through Feb. 27.

If you’re in the business of creating programming for kids, take note of the Kid, Youth and Parent Power conference presented by International Quality & Productivity Center in Orlando, Fla., March 26-28. The conference will focus on top business challenges and engaging the family with innovative, responsible marketing strategies. IQPC is offering a limited number of special package prices to KIDS FIRST! Contact [email protected].  

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Reviewed by Makai Weber Colvin
(See her full review on video.)

I’m reviewing the movie The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. This movie is about Elmo and all of his friends from Sesame Street. Elmo has a very beloved blanket that he loves so much, but when the blanket gets lost and goes down the portal to Grouchland in Oscar’s trashcan home, Elmo has to get it back.

Trying to get the blanket back, Elmo falls down the portal into Grouchland. And he can’t find his blanket in Grouchland. Everybody’s grouchy in Grouchland, as you can guess. But he doesn’t really know how to act grouchy because Elmo’s always happy.

Elmo has to get his blanket back, so he has to get to the evil master who stole his blanket. The evil master does not want to give the blanket back but Elmo thinks he can get it back. He goes through amazing adventures through the woods and finds giant chickens and even goes through the Garbage Queen’s kingdom.

This movie has so many amazing adventures in it, you’d like to watch it. The music is very upbeat and joyful. Almost every scene has a song in it, and Elmo or one of the characters sings it. It’s very joyful, but also kind of grouchy since they’re in Grouchland.

My favorite character in this movie would probably have to be Elmo’s friend from Sesame Street, most likely Big Bird, because Big Bird says that they have to go save Elmo when they can’t find him. They don’t really know he’s in Grouchland until Oscar tells them he’s in Grouchland. They all go off on a mission to go find Elmo.

This movie is not for older kids, and it might have been a little bit too young for me. I suggest this movie for two and up. Teens and ten-year-olds and nine-year-olds probably won’t be the most interested in it because it’s kind of a younger kid’s movie. But if you’re younger, I’ll bet you’ll love it. I give this movie three out of five stars.

Photos: The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland poster (top), Makai Weber Colvin (bottom)

KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Gabriella Chu (age 14) shares her insightful review of made-for-TV family film Game of Your Life, which NBC will air on Friday, Dec. 2. The film’s lead, Titus Makin Jr., came by to visit with KIDS FIRST! youth film critics for this week’s Coming Attractions radio show, and talks about himself and the movie. Check it out (here) as many times as you like, as the episode continues to stream on the VoiceAmerica Kids Channel.

Game of Your Life
Reviewed by Gabriella Chu
(See her full review on video.)

Game of Your Life is an inspiring movie about a bunch of teens who are accepted into a prestigious video game-designing school. The teens are divided into groups to compete among each other to design a video game. The movie focuses on one group in particular, made up of Zach Taylor, Sara Ramirez, Donald Wallace and Phillip Reese. The movie depicts the struggles and difficulties of teamwork, especially with Zach (Titus Makin Jr.), since he’s always preoccupied with helping his father keep their home because the bank is about to foreclose it, and designing another video game for the head of the school, Marcus Bentton. Will Zach stay committed to his team even though he is working on many other things as well?

I enjoyed watching the struggles of the team. The movie shows that in order for a group to be successful, all members have to be involved. As the movie progresses, Zach straightens out his priorities and learns that he shouldn’t be so focused on saving his home because the meaning of home is friends and family and not the physical house you live in. Moreover, the movie makes a comparison between games and life. In life, you always have to choose between options, just like the game Zach and his group designs.

I recommend this movie to kids 10 and up. The subject matter of the movie will most likely appeal to tweens and teens. Game of Your Life is an uplifting made for TV family film presented by Walmart and P&G. Watch it on Friday, Dec. 2 at 8/7 central on NBC!

To view the trailer, visit http://bcove.me/g6mnatlq           

Photos: Zach (Titus Makin Jr.) and Dr.  Lambert (Lea Thompson) in Game of Your Life (top); Gabriella Chu (bottom)

Settle in Saturday night for some heartwarming family fare as NBC screens the made-for-TV movie Game Time: Tackling the Past. The movie is part of Walmart’s Family Entertainment Initiative, and was featured in an episode of KIDS FIRST!’s Coming Attractions radio show. Check that out at your leisure, as the shows are streamed on the VoiceAmerica Kids Channel, and read on for a review of the movie from 14-year-old KF film critic Raven Devanney.

Game Time: Tackling the Past
Reviewed by Raven Devanney
(see her full review on video)

Game Time: Tackling the Past is a made-for-TV film by Walmart and P&G Family entertainment Initiative. This film is a touching story about a family with two brothers – one is a professional football player and the other is an assistant coach for his old high school football team. When a near-tragedy strikes the family, the two brothers have to come together to rebuild their family. 

I think this movie is very good. The cinematography is wonderful because it is done in a documentary style, which makes it seem more realistic.

My favorite character is Mica because he really pulls Jake to his senses and helps him along the way.

My favorite scene is when the football players do cheerleading warm-ups to help improve their grace and agility on the field, because it was really funny.

I give this movie 3 out of 5 stars because it was good, but I did lose interest a little.

I recommend this movie for 13 and up because younger children will get bored.

Be sure to catch Game Time on NBC on Sept 3.

Photos: Game Time (top), Raven Devanney (bottom)

When HDNet Movie’s kidScene plays the 1995 movie Babe (airing Aug. 19), it’s not only a chance to root for the most appealing piglet since A. A. Milne created Winnie the Pooh’s sidekick but a chance to be awed by the exceptional feat of Babe’s trainer, Karl Lewis Miller. As KF Film Critic Gabriella Chu (age 14) expresses in her review, it’s hard to tell where the animatronics leaves off and carefully orchestrated live action comes in. And Gabriella finds more great animal acting in Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (premieres Aug. 1).

Babe
Reviewed by Gabriella Chu
(and see her review on video)

Babe is a marvelous family classic! The movie tells the story of an innocent piglet who befriends animals on a farm and becomes especially close to a sheepdog named Fly. With Fly’s help and all of the animals on the farm, Babe enters a sheepherding competition. Will Babe win the competition even though he is just a piglet? Watch the movie for yourself!

I liked this movie a lot because all of the animals are great actors and have personalities similar to people. At times I wondered if the animals were just extremely well-trained or if the use of animatronics was this effective. The dubbing was also wonderful. The format the movie uses to tell the story is like a children’s storybook, with each chapter telling an interesting story with a moral. The movie is also well directed. I especially liked the scene where Babe is trying to steal the farmer’s alarm clock, because director Chris Noonan used suspenseful music to make the audience feel the anticipation more.

I recommend this movie to children ages 4 and up because very little kids will still be able to enjoy it. Babe delivers a positive message that you can do anything despite your appearance.

Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog
Reviewed by Gabriella Chu
(and see her review on video)

Are you a dog lover and into adventure? Then Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog is the movie for you! This movie tells the story of a young boy named Angus who adopts a stray dog and names him Yellow. Angus, his father, and Yellow set sail one day, but a huge storm causes their boat to topple. Rescue teams are only able to find Angus’ father. Stranded on an island far from civilization, Angus’s and Yellow’s survival skills are put to the test. Will they get rescued? Watch this movie to find out!

I liked this movie because it is a heartwarming tale. The movie builds anticipation in the rescue team’s pursuit to find Angus and Yellow. I was especially impressed with Yellow’s acting! His facial expressions and actions resemble that of a person’s.

I recommend this film for children ages 7 and up. Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog is an uplifting journey and is a splendid family film.

Both films are among the many classics brought to your home by HDnet Movies on kidScene, a morning and Friday night programming block specifically for kids and families.

Photos: Babe (top), Gabriella Chu (middle), Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (bottom)