KIDS FIRST! News

To save her ailing father from serving in the Imperial Army, a fearless young woman disguises herself as a man to battle northern invaders in China. Mulan 2020 is a live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1998 animated film of the same name, based on the Chinese folklore “The Ballad of Mulan.” Directed by Niki Caro. With Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Li Gong, Jet Li. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Dominic D. comments, “This action-packed, family film will keep viewers in suspense while tugging at their hearts along the way. Mulan offers us much to appreciate …culture, a love for family, honesty, peace and so much more.” See his full review below.

Mulan (2020)
By Dominic D., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10

Loyal, brave, true, honorable, and devoted, all describe aspects of Disney’s new remake of the animated movie, Mulan (1998). Niki Caro, the director of this year’s live-action version, took on the huge challenge of giving new life to the legendary tale of China’s fearless girl warrior after 22 years. This action-packed, family film will keep viewers in suspense while tugging at their hearts along the way. Mulan offers us much to appreciate …culture, a love for family, honesty, peace and so much more. We couldn’t have asked for a better release date for Mulan, as itsmany messages are powerful and uplifting which are needed during these unsettling times in many communities.

The film follows a fearless young woman named Hua Mulan who is the daughter of Zhou, a warrior veteran. Mulan is not like other traditional women of her age. She is a uniquely gifted woman driven by the power of the chi, destined not to conform and marry the match of her parent’s choice; rather she prefers to use her skills to fight as a warrior and to defend her country, town and family. Her father, who is traditional in his beliefs, warns Mulan to hide her gifts. Upon learning of a possible empire takeover by Bori Khan and his power hungry rebel group, one male from every household is ordered to enlist in the Imperial Army to defend their land. Mulan’s father, the dad of two daughters, is not in good physical condition to take on this feat yet steps up to the challenge. Knowing that her father is in no shape to battle the enemy, Mulan sacrifices everything and faces death to disguise herself as the man of the household and train with the Imperial Army. 

Yifei Liu, who plays Mulan, possesses great star power. She is fierce yet sensitive and shows viewers a wide variety of her emotions throughout the film. A huge shout out to the cinematography, art, set, costume, and make up crews for bringing such light, excitement, and brilliance to the legendary Chinese Empire.  Every scene is colorful, bright, and full of  life. China and New Zealand are perfect landscapes for the film sets and are perfect for captivating the viewers. And despite the adventure and suspense, the film entertains us with several scenes containing humor.

Mulan is a film with many messages of loyalty, bravery, honor, devotion to family, and more. The strongest message  is about empowerment. Mulan, born into a culture where there is a clear division between the roles for men and women, chooses not to conform to tradition and claims her rights to be who she wants to be. Mulan is faced with many heartfelt decisions that, above all, could cause her death, yet she stays true to herself.

I give Mulan 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to ages 8 to 18. Mulan is the perfect family film and adults will love it as much as kids. Mulan will begin streaming on September 4^th 2020 on Disney+. This is a film that you do not want to miss!

Enjoy Nathalia J.’s interview with Erik Davis, Managing Editor, Fandango. Erik is one of the nation’s leading movie commentators, with over a decade of experience writing about movies for Fandango, Movies.com, AOL Moviefone, Cinematical and others, as well as talking about movies on TV, YouTube and radio.

Erik has appeared on The TODAY Show, CBS This Morning, CNN, MSNBC, New York Live, Good Day NY, Bloomberg TV, Fox Business, CNBC, PBS and more, and he has sat on the “Masters of the Web” panel at San Diego Comic-Con three times, as well as hosted panels at SXSW and inside Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. Erik is also a proud voting member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

Erik has worked with and edited over 100 different writers, many of whom are now at places like the New York Times, The Daily Beast, MTV News, LA Weekly, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Indiewire, the LA Times, Business Insider, and a bunch of other sites you read daily. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikdavis.

Interviewed by KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Nathalia Maria J., age 12. Nathalia lives in southern California and has a younger brother. As an actress, she is known for her roles in South Central Love, Blue Laces (2018) and Burt and the Wall Children (2018). She is an excellent student and plans to attend UCLA majoring in cinematic arts. She also has an interest in fashion and has already launched a clothing line called Naji.

Based on historical events, three young shepherds in Fátima, Portugal, report visions of the Virgin Mary, inspiring believers and angering officials of the Church and the government, who try to force them to recant their story. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Heather S. comments, “The true standouts of Fatimaare its young actors. Stephanie, Jorge and Alejandra show the struggle of being called “liars” when telling the truth. The kids are called out by their parents and are given the cold shoulder by many in the village. This never stops them—they stand by the truth with faith in their hearts.” See her full review below.

Fatima
By Heather S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

Fatima is a definite must-see film for those of the Catholic faith. A phenomenal period masterpiece that pulls at your heartstrings. A film that should not be missed. Fatima brings light to a true story that many do not know.

Fatima tells the true story of three young children who met the Virgin Mary and were witnesses of “The Miracle of the Sun.” The movie opens up with Professor Nichols (Harvey Keitel) as he visits Sister Lucia (Sonia Braga) in a nunnery in 1989. They talk about the happenings from Lucia’s past in 1917 Fatima, Portugal.

The film goes back and forth between both years. We see a young Lucia (Stephanie Gil) with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto (Jorge Lamelas and Alejandra Howard) meet the Virgin Mary (Joana Ribeiro). After that fateful day, the story breaks out and the children are faced with a harsh reality.

The true standouts of Fatimaare its young actors. Stephanie, Jorge and Alejandra show the struggle of being called “liars” when telling the truth. The kids are called out by their parents and are given the cold shoulder by many in the village. This never stops them—they stand by the truth with faith in their hearts.

The movie concludes with The Miracle of the Sun which happened on October 13, 1917, followed by actual photos of that day. The makeshift monument that was built in the movie is an exact replica of the monument in the photograph. It is appealing to see how much filmmakers worked on small yet important details such as this one.

The lesson to be learned from the film is to always have faith and believe in your truth. Time and time again, Lucia faces anger from her mother, who believes her daughter is lying about meeting Mary. Not once does Lucia give up, however; and she always prays, standing by her word. The topic of the Catholic faith may disinterest some audiences who do not share the same views. Considering that Fatimafeatures the Virgin Mary, Catholicism is front and center in the movie.

I give Fatima 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 14 to 18 plus adults. It is available in theaters August 28, 2020.

Check out more of Heather’s interviews with talent from the film below.

Enjoy Eshaan M. and Jude A.’s interview with Michael E. Uslan, The Batman Everything Guy. Uslan, a well-known figure in the entertainment industry, is the producer and brand-builder behind every Batman movie since 1989.

Uslan, who famously led a decade-long effort to bring Tim Burton’s Batman to theaters in 1989 will now oversee the development of the Stan Lee Universe across film and TV development for Genius Brands. In 1979, with production partner Ben Melniker, Uslan purchased film rights for the fictional superhero. Tim Burton’s “Batman” made it to theaters a decade later, launching a Caped Crusader empire of 16 feature films generating $7.1 billion in worldwide ticket sales.

For more than 30 years, Uslan has produced every Batman film, including Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Dark Knight Trilogy, Todd Phillips’ Joker, and Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman. He has written for comics and was a close friend of Stan Lee. His son, David Uslan will work on the project with him. Stan Lee Universe is a joint venture between Genius Brands and Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment, managed by Genius.

Interviewed by Jude A.(left) and Eshaan M.(right), KIDS FIRST! Film Critics

A gorilla named Ivan tries to piece together his past with the help of an elephant named Stella as they hatch a plan to escape from captivity. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Eshaan M. comments, “With realistic computer-generated imagery and a profound message, The One and Only Ivan captures its viewers’ hearts and minds. Throughout the ninety-four-minute feature, just about anyone will grow rather fond of Ivan and his pals. The film comprises a mix of human characters, settings and assets created with computer graphics that is both believable and intricate. The One and Only Ivan flows magically, and its power-packed message has been perfectly preserved and magnified from its literary inspiration.” See his full review below.

The One and Only Ivan
By Eshaan Mani, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

With realistic computer-generated imagery and a profound message, The One and Only Ivan captures its viewers’ hearts and minds. Throughout the ninety-four-minute feature, just about anyone will grow rather fond of Ivan and his pals. The film comprises a mix of human characters, settings and assets created with computer graphics that is both believable and intricate. The One and Only Ivan flows magically, and its power-packed message has been perfectly preserved and magnified from its literary inspiration.

The comedic feature film directed by Thea Sharrock is an adaptation of author K.A. Applegate’s Newbery Medal-winning book by the same title. The title character, a silverback gorilla, headlines at the Big Top Mall Circus in Atlanta, GA. Ivan enjoys notoriety and popularity far and wide for his façade of ferocity. He lives quite happily with his multi-species troupe of friends, including Mack, the ringleader, Stella and Ruby, the elephants, Henrietta the chicken and Bob, the dog. After experiencing a loss and then a new arrival, things at the Big Top take a turn. Ivan devotes himself to piecing together his past and, in the process, works together with his buddies to hatch a plan to escape from the circus.

Produced by Allison Shearmur, Angelina Jolie and Brigham Taylor, The One and Only Ivan does not disappoint when it comes to star power. Sam Rockwell voice-acts the part of Ivan, Bryan Cranston portrays Mack, and Bob is voiced by Danny DeVito. Sam Rockwell puts forth a compelling performance; his honest and emotional voicing of Ivan made me sympathize with the gorilla and hear his voice on a deeper level. Bryan Cranston puts on an inspiring and enthralling performance as Mack, the slightly hammy ringleader who isn’t afraid to take risks. His delivery was on point, as well. And lastly, a veteran in the Hollywood film industry, Danny DeVito – his comic timing, as in his other eighty-nine performances, is impeccable. Bob adds a lighter air to the film, especially at some sad moments. The hilarious script by Mike White, expert cinematography and graceful, powerful music also work together to make the viewing experience even more enjoyable. My favorite part of this film is the final circus performance – you’ll have to watch it to see why!

This Disney+ film gives us hope that we can all change the world and make a difference just like Ivan does – not only does he make a difference in his life but also in the life of his young responsibility. The One and Only Ivan is also a great film to show children as it teaches them empathy and promotes kindness and altruism. There is mention of death in The One and Only Ivan, and gunshots are heard.

I  rate The One and Only Ivan 4.5 stars out of 5 and recommend the film to children ages 8 to 18. The One and Only Ivan is coming to Disney Plus on August 21, 2020!