KIDS FIRST! News

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Barry Sandrew, a member of the Board of Advisors at Immersive Hollywood, which is a section of Digital Hollywood, and a Harvard/MGH neuroscientist. Dr. Sandrew is an internationally recognized expert in digital imaging and visual effects pioneer.

He has over 33 patents and decades of feature film & TV accomplishments including productions for all the major Hollywood studios, TV networks and several cable networks. In 2000 Dr. Sandrew established the first and longest operating VFX studio in India. He produced all color compositing & VFX for Spielberg’s first digital animated feature, We’re Back, A Dinosaur Story, VFX for Scorsese’s The Aviator, HBO’s Entourage, oversaw creative and technical teams in the 3D conversion of Alice in Wonderland, the Shrek trilogy and oh so much more!!!

Interview by Katherine S., and Sahiba K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critics

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Blake J. Harris, the two-time bestselling author of Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo and the Battle that Defined a Generation (2014) and The History Of The Future: Oculus, Facebook and the Revolution that Swept Virtual Reality (2019).

His first book, Console Wars, is currently being adapted for television by Legendary Entertainment with producers Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Scott Rudin. In addition to serving as an executive producer on that adaptation, Harris also directed the upcoming Console Wars documentary, which will be released in 2020 on CBS All Access.

Harris has written for ESPN, IGN, Fast Company, /Film, Complex and The AV Club; and he appears twice per month on Paul Scheer’s award-winning How Did This Get Made? podcast.   

Based on more than 200 interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the tale of how Tom Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punch line into a market leader. Blake J. Harris brings into focus the warriors, the strategies, and the battles and explores how they transformed popular culture forever. Ultimately, Console Wars is the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, give birth to a $60 billion industry.

By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17
Author’s Page – Amazon
World According to G

Join us as we interview a woman who has been changing the way kids watch TV for over 20 years. Angela C. Santomero is the Emmy Award-winning creator and Chief Creative Officer at 9 Story Media Group. She is the Angela C. Creator & Executive Producer of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Blue’s Clues, Wishenpoof, Creative Galaxy & Super Why and has created award-winning kids and family content for PBS, Nickelodeon, Amazon Studios and more!

With a Masters in Child Developmental Psychology from Columbia University-Teacher’s College, Angela’s vision for integrating educational curriculum into entertaining content for kids led her to co-create, executive produce and head write Nick Jr. ‘s landmark series, Blue’s Clues. Malcolm Gladwell referred to Blue’s Clues as “One of the stickiest TV shows EVER made,” in The Tipping Point.

Angela is the recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award for Outstanding Childrenʹs Programming. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Preschool Children’s Animated Series at the 2019 Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Additionally, Ms. Santomero’s book PRESCHOOL CLUES: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World (Touchstone) was released April 2018. Her second book RADICAL KINDNESS: The Life Changing Power of Giving and Receiving was released in 2019.

Interview by KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Ryan R., age 17

Social Media:

Twitter – @AngelasClues

Instagram – @AngelasClues

Website: www.angelasclues.com

We recently had privilege of talking with Lirit Rosenzweig Topaz who has 20 years experience as a producer of animation, TV shows, film, music videos and live events.  Ms. Rosenzweig Topaz is the founder and executive producer at Neko Productions, an animation studio based in Burbank, CA, and the founder and owner of FBF Animation, an online animation school that trains animators and concept artists all over the world. As executive producer of Neko, Lirit has worked on a large variety of projects for big brands such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Marvel Avengers, Harry Potter, Barbie and produced the animation in the feature film Ask Dr Ruth, which premiered at Sundance and Tribeca 2019.  The film has been distributed in theaters by Magnolia pictures and is currently streaming on Hulu. Come join us to discover what makes Lirit Rosenzweig Topaz tick and how she bacame such a powerhouse in the world of animation.

Interviewed by Calista B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

Jibanyan, Whisper, and Nate travel back in time where they team up with a heroic Yo-kai named Hovernyan and Nate’s adolescent grandfather to stop an evil Yo-kai from taking over the world! Together, they fight Dame Dedtime and her evil Wicked Yo-kai minions to save the world from her evil plans. Can they discover the secret origin of the Yo-kai Watch and save humanity before time runs out!? KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ethan P. comments, “This show’s animation is Japanese anime and is very neat and colorful.  The graphics are amazing and the voice-overs fit each character.  The graphics are similar to the TV show.  My favorite scene is when Hovernyan saves Nate and his grandfather from Dame Dedtime who is trying to kill them for rescuing Jibanyan. It is cool to see someone fight a mob of bad Yo-kai and then save people after surviving a huge attack like that.”  Ginebra Q. adds, “ Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie is such an entertaining film. I really like it. First off, the animation is out of this world. The animation has an intriguing aspect to it. Moreover, there is a large amount of imagination in this film. One can only wish that creatures like the ones in this movie really existed. Also, meaningful stories are always good to see and this one is definitely that.”  Justin Y. wraps it up with, “The script creates a story full of events and exciting fight scenes, which are the main focus of the film. By creating bizarre scenes of enlarging things at the beginning, the screenwriter catches the viewers’ eyes early on. Subsequent events are fast-paced, so presumably, young viewers will not get bored. Nevertheless, the story with “good fighting evil” brings little innovation to the table and renders predictable results. Moreover, a few minor details are not carefully planned for consistency.  For example, Nathaniel hesitates helping his friends in the factory, but at the beginning of the movie he saves Nate without hesitation.” See their full reviews below.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie
Ethan P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

I like Yo-Kai Watch: the Movie because it is very funny. The story line of this movie is quite unique.  I like that this film is not a sequence of the Yo-Kai Watch TV show.

Yo-Kai Watch: the Movie captures the fun of one of the hottest Japanese video game and collectible toy brands in the world.  This famous video game was created in 2013 and the show Yo-Kai Watch first aired in 2014.  The show has three seasons and a total of 214 episodes.
Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie is about a boy named Nate and his grandfather who can see the Yo-kai.  Yo-kai are mischievous creatures that become friends with Nate. Nate and Yo-kais Jibanyan and Whisper go back in time where they meet a heroic Yo-kai by the name of Hoveryan and Nate’s grandfather when he was a kid.  Together they take on evil Dame Dedtime, an old and ugly, evil lady and her evil Yo-kai minions.  This DVD is approximately one hour and thirty-five minutes.

This show’s animation is Japanese anime and is very neat and colorful.  The graphics are amazing and the voice-overs fit each character.  The graphics are similar to the TV show.  My favorite scene is when Hovernyan saves Nate and his grandfather from Dame Dedtime who is trying to kill them for rescuing Jibanyan. It is cool to see someone fight a mob of bad Yo-kai and then save people after surviving a huge attack like that.  

The moral of this movie is that having friends is a positive thing; everybody needs a friend.  Nate’s grandfather said he didn’t need friends and yet, all the Yo-kai want to be his friend.  When he needs help the most, the Yo-kai are there to catch him when he falls to help him.

I give Yo-Kai Watch: the Movie 5 out 5 stars and recommend it ages 6 to 18, plus adults. This movies is available on DVD now, so look for it.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie
By Ginebra Q., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie is such an entertaining film. I really like it. First off, the animation is out of this world. The animation has an intriguing aspect to it. Moreover, there is a large amount of imagination in this film. One can only wish that creatures like the ones in this movie really existed. Also, meaningful stories are always good to see and this one is definitely that.

Nate Adams (Johnny Yong Bosch) is “the chosen one” in this film. There are magical creatures called Yo-Kai and only Nate can see them. In this story the bad Yo-Kai are up to no good, so Nate and his friends team up against them. This is a good plot, although a bit typical. However, this story has some unique and interesting twists to it, with some humor mixed in as well.

As Nate and his friends unite, they make some puns that will surely get a smile from the audience. The effects in this film are so colorful and they really stick out. Furthermore, I love how each Yo-Kai is unique. Humans can relate in a way, since no two humans are exactly the same. In addition, plot twists really develop the storyline and make it even more interesting. One of my favorite characters is Whisper, one of the Yo-Kai. He is silly, but very friendly and loves helping. The best part of this film is the battle between Nate and his friends and the bad Yo-Kai. There is so much action that, if you blink, you might miss something of importance. Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie does not fail to keep your attention. 

This film has many messages about friendship, teamwork and perseverance. We see the characters learn about teamwork and how essential friendship and determination are. The mood if this movie is hopeful.

I give Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 11. It is available on DVD now, so look for it.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie
By Justin Yu, KIDS FIRST! Reviewer, Age 14

Although I’m not an anime fan, Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie definitely held my interest. The cute Yo-kai and Nate keep me engaged and curious to know what their next actions would be. 

The film is centered around Nate Adams, his grandfather and their Yo-Kai. The movie begins in Nate’s home town, Springdale, where suddenly things become enlarged. Megnnyan is enlarging everything and tells Nate that the world is in trouble.  Confused, Nate goes to his Grandma’s house where a Yo-kai leads him to Hovernyan who tells Nate that they must go back in time to find his Grandpa and his Yo-kai Watch, so they can fight the Wicked who are trying to destroy everything. 

The script creates a story full of events and exciting fight scenes, which are the main focus of the film. By creating bizarre scenes of enlarging things at the beginning, the screenwriter catches the viewers’ eyes early on. Subsequent events are fast-paced, so presumably, young viewers will not get bored. Nevertheless, the story with “good fighting evil” brings little innovation to the table and renders predictable results. Moreover, a few minor details are not carefully planned for consistency.  For example, Nathaniel hesitates helping his friends in the factory, but at the beginning of the movie he saves Nate without hesitation. 

My favorite part is the ending when all of the Yo-kai combine their powers to fight the Wicked. Whisper is my favorite character; the actions and his dialogue are hilarious. In one scene, Whisper is flying around trying to find Master Yada who is standing right in front of him.  One thing that stands out is the animation, which is some of the best anime that I have seen. The scenery and characters are very detailed and colorful and the action scenes are high-octane, with well matched background music.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie definitely meets the KIDS FIRST! criteria. I give it 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 11. Since fighting scenes in films were my favorites as a young boy, I think boys would prefer this over girls. The primary message is that when people work together as a team, they can overcome many obstacles and achieve almost anything. This is a very positive and powerful message for the film’s target audience.