KIDS FIRST! News

Growing Up with Hello Kitty comes to the United States courtesy of entertainment company AnimEigo after a chance discovery during a business trip to Japan. “My wife [Natsumi Ueki] was in Japan in a business meeting, and this title caught her eye,” says AnimEigo CEO Robert Woodhead. A fan of Hello Kitty, she brought the videos home to consider what the company might do with them.

Not only were the Hello Kitty videos different for AnimEigo in the fact that they were teaching videos, but, Woodhead says, “We had never done children’s video before.”

Each story is short, focused on something a small child needs to learn or is having difficulty with – like proper table manners, being patient, or “Don’t touch Daddy’s computer,” explains Woodhead. “They’re getting these messages from their parents all the time. This is a way to reinforce those lessons through characters they know and identify with. It’s a useful thing — it’s why they were made, in Japan.”

Preparing the videos for a U.S. market involved not just translating the words but adjusting the messages. “We had to make adjustments to deal with differences in culture between Japan and the U.S.” He points to having an omelet for dinner — which ended up staying in the new videos — as one such cultural difference.

This would be a very specialized project for the Wilmington, N.C.-based entertainment company, but resources were in their very backyard. “In Wilmington is one of the best voice directors in animation in the world,” Woodhead says. “We were confident we could hand the project to him, with the translated script and cultural notes.” Scott Houle’s final version is so well-dubbed, Woodhead says, that viewers can’t tell it was dubbed.

Growing Up with Hello Kitty is a series of two DVDs, each with six videos. “We picked the 12 most appropriate to the U.S.,” says Woodhead. All but two episodes made the cut; the two unused ones depicted too Japanese-culturally specific situations, such as how to bow properly. Both discs are being released on March 26.

The videos’ core audience is 2- to 9-year-olds. Woodhead expects the kids to be drawn to the Hello Kitty character, and anticipates parents being attracted to the educational quality. “It’s not just entertainment,” he notes. “It has positive messages.”

“One of the fun things about this business is, every so often we run into the opportunity to do a really interesting project. This is the most special one we’ve done,” Woodhead shares. “We thought it would be an interesting challenge, and expected it to be just a niche title. We had no idea it would hit the way it has.”

Photo: Robert Woodhead, getting the creative juices flowing (top), Growing Up with Hello Kitty 1 and 2 DVD box art (bottom)

If an Earthling goes to Mars, who’s the alien? Civil War veteran John Carter has amazing powers in an environment inhabited by creatures twice his size when he’s transported to that distant planet. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures’ theatrical release brings to the screen another epic adventure from the same creative imagination that gave us the well-beloved Tarzan series, Edgar Rice Burroughs. John Carter is based on Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars, which predated Tarzan in publication by mere months but has taken much longer to make it to the screen. KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Gabriella Chu, age 15, shares insights on both the story and the film adaptation.

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

From Disney’s latest $250-million-film comes the exhilarating 3-D adventure of John Carter. This movie is based on the first of 11 novels of the series series A Princess of Mars, written about a century ago by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In this film, John Carter is a Civil War veteran who finds a medallion that teleports him to Mars. There, he makes allies and foes with the aliens he encounters and falls in love with the princess of Helium. At the same time, massive war is occurring between the aliens, so Mars is in a chaotic state, and there is also an antagonist who tries to use schemes to put Carter back on Earth. Can John Carter manage to stay with his princess despite these obstacles?

Writer and director Andrew Stanton wrote the magnificent screenplays for Toy Story 1, 2 and 3; Wall-E; and Finding Nemo; but John Carter is not one of his best works. Some parts are not well rendered and a bit corny, but I did enjoy the ending of the film because it is interesting and unpredictable, and I am sure this movie will become very popular. I also liked the main theme of the movie regarding to cultural differences. The movie shows how different the norms and appearances are for aliens on Mars compared to people on Earth, yet it is universal for both life forms to have good intentions.

The CGI animation is also impressive, for it details even on the smallest of aspects. Its vividness combined with the 3-D makes the movie pop to life, particularly during the action scenes. The CGI animation is very compatible with movies such as Avatar and Planet of the Apes. The cinematography is also beautiful since the landscape of the film is set in the desert, which makes the movie more interesting to me since I rarely see action scenes occur in such an isolated, dry and hot place.

As for the actors, all of them performed their roles well, but I think Taylor Kitsch was especially well suited to his heroic character John Carter.

I recommend this movie to teens 13 and older because there are a few violent scenes. The movie is a great family film, especially for tweens and some teens. Overall, the movie is an entertaining cinematic experience. There is a myriad of action scenes and the entire film is in 3-D, which adds a lot of depth and makes the movie seem realistic. You will definitely be thrilled if you’re into science fiction movies and video games. Watch John Carter, as it is out in theaters now!

Paramount Pictures now offers you on DVD and Blu-ray last year’s theatrical hit The Adventures of Tintin. Racking up an impressive list of award nominations, including an Oscar for the music, the film took home the International Animated Film Association’s Annie Award for Animated Effects in an Animated Production. The characters, although animation, look mroe like real people than cartoon. In fact, 12-year-old KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Brianna Beaton says, “I almost forget that I am watching an animated film, and several times I get lost in the moment and think it’s real life.” It’s an appreciation fellow KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Blake Hawes (age 15) shares in his review, too (which can also be seen on video).

The Adventures of Tintin
Reviewed by Brianna Beaton
(See her full review on video.)

This is a great animated film! I absolutely love it. The Adventures of Tintin has lots of action and mystery, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I almost forget that I am watching an animated film, and several times I get lost in the moment and think it’s real life. I like Snowy, Tintin’s dog, because he is very loyal and will go anywhere with Master.
 
The fearless reporter, Tintin (voiced by Jamie Bell), and Captain Haddock (voiced by Andy Serkis) set off on an adventure, hunting for a sunken ship, the Unicorn, which had been commanded by Haddock’s ancestor. Trying to find three scrolls, which contain clues to where the treasure is hidden, Tintin and his new friend, the Captain, become closer and closer friends as they get deeper and deeper into their adventure.

Steven Spielberg (War Horse) directs this outstanding film and reminds me there is a little kid in all of us. This film sends a great message that sometimes you just need someone to rely on when going through your own adventure.

I recommend this film for ages 8 to 13. And because of all the suspense and tons of action it has, I give this film 5 out of 5 stars.

The Adventures of Tintin is truly a great treasure and a must-see, so get your copy on DVD or Blu-ray and enjoy the adventure!

Photos: The Adventures of Tintin DVD box art (top), Brianna Beaton (bottom)

Full of optimism and cheerful color, the animated adventures of the My Little Ponies in their land of Equestria have delighting kids on their TV show for several years. Now released on DVD by Shout! Factory, the episode “The Friendship Express” is 20 minutes of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series. Sweet entertainment comes with a moral and the series’ signature valuable educational benefit; as 8-year-old KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Cheyenne Nguyen explains in her review of the movie, it “is about friendship and how evil could be disguised.”

My Little Pony: The Friendship Express
Reviewed by Cheyenne Nguyen
(See her full review on video.)

I totally love this movie. It has great music and adventures. This movie is about friendship and how evil could be disguised. Twilight Sparkle is on a mission to find all six gems of the magic spell to make the darkness pony vanish so the night will NOT last forever. There were other ponies that joined Twilight Sparkle to search for these gems. These other ponies have special gifts and this makes everything entertaining. They have to go to the Evergreen Forest and face many dangers and challenges.

This movie is good for 4-8 years old. I recommend this age group because the story line is easy to follow and the music is upbeat. I give this movie 5 stars.

Photos: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic box art for the episode “The Friendship Express” (top), Cheyenne Nguyen (bottom)

This week’s DVD and Blu-ray release by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment of Tooth Fairy 2 gives some great opportunities to let loose and laugh a lot. As KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Jennifer Huntoon says of her experience screening the film, “There wasn’t a … moment when I did not laugh.” One of this year’s KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search winners, 13-year-old Jennifer offers an entertaining view of the movie and invites kids and parents to enjoy it together.

Tooth Fairy 2
Reviewed by Jennifer Huntoon
(See her full review on video.)

Today, I watched Tooth Fairy 2. Ten teeth in 10 days sounds impossible for a brand-new tooth fairy helper, right? Well, Larry Guthrie, played by Larry the Cable Guy, makes it possible. He is on a mission, but not just any mission – a mission to restore faith in the tooth fairy and to keep his best memory. This was an enjoyable movie. There wasn’t a dull moment or a moment when I did not laugh.
 
The main characters in this film include Larry Guthrie (Larry the Cable Guy; Cars 1 and Cars 2). Other main characters are Beauregard “Bo” Billings (David Mackey); Brook (Erin Beute), the adorable tooth fairy; and Nyx (Brady Reiter). All of the tooth fairy costumes are out of this world. When I saw Larry Guthrie in a pink tutu and tights for the first time, I started to laugh my head off! That has to be one of my favorite costumes and scenes.
 
I would recommend this movie for ages 5-12. If parents watch this movie with their kids, they would find it to be funny and a good story. These ages would like this film because of the jokes and comedy. Tooth Fairy 2 ranges from physical and exaggerated comedy to romance and love. There are things like “fart” jokes and funny dancing that even made my mom and me laugh. I knew from the moment I saw Larry the Cable Guy that this movie would be hilarious and I was right.

Even though some of the silly jokes did not fully grab my attention and make me laugh, I would still give Tooth Fairy 2 four stars. This film comes out on March 6, 2012. So if you are in the mood for some comedy or if you are a fan of Larry the Cable Guy, mark your calendar for the release of Tooth Fairy 2 on DVD.

Photos: Tooth Fairy 2 DVD box art (top), Jennifer Huntoon (bottom)