Leap! – A Wonderful Film with a Big Meaning about Never Giving up on Your Dreams
August 25th, 2017
An orphan girl dreams of becoming a ballerina and flees her rural Brittany for Paris, where she passes for someone else and accedes to the position of pupil at the Grand Opera house. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “Leap! is a great film with a big meaning. This film teaches it all – honesty, perseverance and the importance of practice, family, believing in yourself, believing in your dreams and passion.” Sahiba K. adds, “A quick dive into the storyline and action captivated me from the beginning. The animation engrossed me with its beautiful and realistic settings of buildings, streets and skies. The designs of the characters’ outfits are unique and exquisite.” Dariana A. wraps it up with, “Leap! is a marvelous movie that is so inspirational. It has a classic plot of a dance movie, with amazing twists that keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more.” See their full reviews below.
Leap!
By Jolleen M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
Leap! is a great film with a big meaning. This film teaches it all – honesty, perseverance and the
importance of practice, family, believing in yourself, believing in your dreams and passion. Felicie makes a lot of mistakes during her journey, which set her back, but that doesn’t stop her from continuing to push through.
The story begins when Felicie and her best friend, Victor escape from an orphanage. They take a train to Paris so that Felicie can attend a dance school there and Victor can become an inventor. They arrive in Paris without any money. During their journey, they encounter many challenges. As Felicie meets new people, a love conflict arises as well as a conflict with a wealthy lady who is pure evil and wants to crush Felicie’s dream.
A wealthy woman Regine (Kate McKinnon) is cruel, rude and arrogant, but a boy with a crush on F
elicie protects her from Regine. McKinnon makes Regine sound totally wicked in a bad but great way. The boy, Victor (Natt Wolf) is portrayed as a timid, but an optimistic and caring friend.
The animation in this film is spectacular! It is very detailed and their mouths move with the words they are saying so well the animated characters seem real. The voice acting is
spot on. The voices are filled with emotion and an inspiration to the audience, including me.
My favorite part is when Felicie watches a ballerina at the French dance school. She takes just one look at the ballerina’s dance and knows she wants to dance and that she can dance. You can really see Felicie’s passion for dancing right there. The whole movie is all about passion and the movie will inspire viewers to follow their dreams.
The message of this film is to follow your dreams. It show how, in order to
succeed, you have to work very hard, believe in yourself and have passion. Felicie is an exemplary role model.
Leap! is a very inspirational film with a very important lesson and a pleasure to watch. I give it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 3 to 18. Adults will love this movie as well. I really enjoyed watching this film. Definitely check this awesome movie out when it opens nationwide in theaters August 30, 2017.
Leap!
By Sahiba Kaur, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 15
Leap!, directed by Eric Summer is a fun filled, adventurous experience! A quick dive into the storyline and action captivated me from the beginning. The animation engrossed me with its beautiful and realistic settings of buildings, streets and skies. The designs of the characters’ outfits are unique and exquisite.
The story follows two best friends, Felicie (Elle Fanning) and Victor (Dane DeHaan) who have tremendous dreams. Felicie yearns to be a ballerina and Victor, an inventor. Together they escape their home at an orphanage and arrive in Paris to pursue their ambitions.
Elle Fanning as Felicie’s voice communicate sadness when she sniffles, happiness as she squeals with joy and courage with a firm voice. Through Felicie’s voice, I connected to her. Dane Dehaan as Victor’s voice adds great joy and lightness to the film. The humor in his voice made me laugh out loud along with the audience.
The animation is the highlight of this film. The settings and surroundings are intricately detailed. When Felicie and Victor walk through the streets of Paris, the walls of the different buildings are covered with posters that have been ripped or worn down, the individual bricks or stones that make up the walls and street floors are covered with moss and miniscule cracks which adds to their realistic look. The architecture is angelic. The images of the Grand Opera house does true justice to the actual opera house. The ballet choreographer, Benjamin Millepied, wonderfully creates dance masterpieces. Although animated, I felt as if I was watching Felicie dance in real life. In one scene, two girls dance side by side and gracefully migrate from the stage to the chairs in the audience, to outside the stage. They use multiple areas as their stage and still look skillful and elegant.
My favorite part are the costumes. Designed to be sophisticated, from the ballerina’s tutus to the vest of the Director of Opera, they have beautiful flower prints with bright colors and are very visually appealing.
The messages of this film is “never give up on your dreams” and “persevere towards your goals.” I give 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18. It opens nationwide in theaters August 25, 2017 so, check it out.
Leap!
By Dariana Alvarez, KIDS FIRST Film Critics, age 11
Leap! is a marvelous movie that is so inspirational. It has a classic plot of a dance movie,
with amazing twists that keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more. Leap! has fantastic animation and shows some of the real struggles of being a ballerina. This film shows how hard work pays off and really motivates you to work as hard as the characters in the film. I love how it has cliches, but still kept me glued and wanting to know more.
The storyline is about an orphan girl, Felicie (Elle Fanning) and her best friend Victor (Dan
e DeHaan) who escape an orphanage to pursue their dreams. Felicie’s dream is to dance and she gets her own chance to pursue that. Along the way, she faces challenges and setbacks that help her learn about her longing to dance.
Something really amazing about this film is that during the group dance scenes, they only show the dancers feet, while they dance on pointe. I love it because of how in sync all the feet are and how realistic the animated ballet shoes are. The one thing I didn’t like about the movie is how old some the characters sound compared to their age. For example, Felicie is 11 years old and is voiced by Elle Fanning whose voice sounds much older. In some scenes, Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen) who is much older than Felicie sounds younger than her. But, the animation is so beautifully unique and unlike anything I’ve seen in any other movie. My favorite scene is when Victor (Dane DeHaan) and Rudy (Tamir Kapelian) fight over Felicie and it turns into a very funny slap fight. My favorite character is Odette because she is the one w
ho teaches Felicie how to dance and always believes in her no matter what happens.
I think there are two messages in this film. The first is to follow your dreams because, if you can dream it, you can do it (shout out to Walt on this one). The second message is that practice makes perfect. This is what Felicie has to do in order to achieve her dream. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars because it is such a marvelous movie that I loved watching. I recommend this film for ages 6 to 18 because even my 17-year-old brother enjoyed it! You can find this film in a theatre near you on August 25.
Join Molang, a round, fluffy, and happy rabbit, and his friend, Piu Piu, a poised, timid, and reserved yellow chick, as they explore everyday life. Molang savors every moment of his life, imbuing it with joy and wonder. He pays attention to the smallest details, giving meaning to even the tiniest things. Molang puts his heart into his actions, and he has a huge heart. Even when he does absolutely nothing, he does it well! Piu Piu, on the other hand, doesn’t t like calling attention to himself. He likes to do things carefully and well. When unexpected situations arise (and Molang’s unpredictable behavior often causes such situations to occur!), Piu Piu can become quickly unsettled, even panicked. Despite their many differences, Molang and Piu Piu enjoy a unique friendship. They have amazing times together ranging from the mundane to the extraordinary. From finding themselves in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean to riding camels in the desert, Molang and Piu Piu experience unexpected situations. Throughout it all though, every single moment with these two is filled with happiness. Embark on 52 unforgettable adventures with Molang and Piu Piu! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Sahiba K. comments, “Molang and Piu Piu’s innocent demeanor makes them lovable characters that I rooted for every step of the way. Their love for each other and their society made me fall in love with both of them.” Samantha M. adds, “This delightful series had me laughing the entire time. I enjoyed it tremendously, because there is no dialogue.” Rachael V., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror sums it up with, “. The animation in this program is amazing and fun. The fluffy thick lines make it very kid-friendly and hold the attention of the viewer.” See their full reviews below.
lovable characters that I rooted for every step of the way. Their love for each other and their society made me fall in love with both of them. Each episode is overrun with happiness which made me smile nonstop.
transforms to a slow rhythm. The music imbued the feelings of Molang and Piu Piu into me. It made me feel a part of their journey.
there is no dialogue. Each episode is filled with multiple adventures, so you will never be bored!

Molang Season One
am is amazing and fun. The fluffy thick lines make it very kid-friendly and hold the attention of the viewer. There are many episodes on this DVD and my favorite is called “The Underground Walk.” In this episode, the duo goes on an underground tour and, due to their mischievous behavior and lack of discipline, they get lost from the tour group and must work together to find their way out of the tunnels. I like this episode because you really get a good taste of why they work so well together and you get the feeling that maybe without each other they could not accomplish as much. I recommend this for ages 2 to 6 and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon embark on a six-part episodic road trip through Spain, sampling the restaurants, eateries, and sights along the way. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Tristan T. comments, “entertaining and light-hearted. The writer/director, Michael Winterbottom leaves the audience with an ending that encourages some interesting discussion as well as making me want to go grab a late night snack!” See his full review below.
writer/director, Michael Winterbottom leaves the audience with an ending that encourages some interesting discussion as well as making me want to go grab a late night snack!
writing about food while they take in culture and talk about life. This is the third in a series of “trip” films and aired at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. What I find interesting is Michael Winterbottom never actually wrote a script. It is more of an outline explaining where each scene takes place, who is in it and what subjects will be discussed. Most of the lines are improvised by the actors.
any impressions Steve and Rob do throughout the film are fun to watch. Obviously I cannot relate when they make references to their 50-year-old selves, but I often laughed at the situational humor.
Henry is a 4-year-old boy who always wants to learn and find out more. In each episode, Henry has a friendly chat with whatever he meets and discovers something new… “Hello, Whale. How do you stay under water for so long? Hello, Car. What makes you go so fast? Hello, Moon. Why do you only come out at night?” No matter what Henry meets, they’re always delighted to talk, laugh and share their amazing world with him. After finding out so many amazing things about his new friends, Henry lets his imagination run wild and imagines himself… As a knight rescuing the missing sword… As a singer performing in a band… As a deep sea diver swimming along sea creatures… As a fireman rescuing others… As an astronaut flying to the moon… And more! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Samantha M. comments, “I enjoyed watching Henry act as an inquisitive 4-year-old. I am a little jealous because he is so intelligent and I wish I was that intelligent when I was 4!” Jolleen M. adds, “This DVD is very educational and cute. It is simply amazing that a child can enjoy watching a film while learning so much at the same time.” Rachael V., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror wraps it up with, “I think this show really inspires adventure and curiosity. I love how it makes every small event seem so fun and worthwhile.” See their full reviews below.
tching Henry act as an inquisitive 4-year-old. I am a little jealous because he is so intelligent and I wish I was that intelligent when I was 4! Throughout the series, I couldn’t wait to see what Henry would encounter next.
aren’t picture-perfect. The animation looks pencil sketched, which makes the series more relatable, since nothing in life is perfect. Susan Broe, the series producer, incorporates a multitude of family-friendly themes to make this series fun for everyone to watch.
learning so much at the same time. A child can acquire so many positive traits and behaviors from watching this show. The animation is so cute. I have never seen this style of animation before.
he eyes are huge and wide, even on Henry. Another thing is that everything is always moving. For example, all the trees in the background sway in the wind. There are tiny details like that which make everything seem a bit more life like.
The Day Henry Met: Season 1
Welcome to Lily’s Driftwood Bay! Lily is six years old and lives with her dad and her best friend, who is a seagull named Gull, in a little hut on the beach. Across the way is Driftwood Bay, a special island that exists in Lily’s imagination. Every day the sea washes up a new treasure which sparks Lily’s imagination about what might be happening on Driftwood Bay. Join Lily and her friends, Salty Dog, Bull, Nonna, Hatsie, Wee Rabbit and Lord Stag as they sail to Driftwood Bay where wonderful adventures await! Along with each adventure is a valuable lesson learned in each story from learning to tell the truth to saying sorry to asking for help. Embark on new adventures with Lily and friends as they travel to Driftwood Bay! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Samantha M. comments, “This creative animated series made me feel like a little kid again. Lily’s imagination is so big, and she is so creative, which is exactly how I felt when I was younger.” Jolleen M. adds, “This hilarious animated series is very educational and cute. Lily has a great heart and sets a good example for children who watch this.” KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror Rachael V. sums it up with, “One the best parts of this series is that Lily resides in a single parent home. Her father is a wonderful character and they have such a great relationship. There aren’t enough programs out there that show this type of relationship and I am very pleased to have found one.” See their full reviews below.
The animation in the series is adorable! The characters look so friendly and look as if they are drawn by little kids! Because of this, the series is more relatable and entertaining. The characters aren’t perfect and that is exactly how every person is. But, that is the beauty of life, and it is evident through Lily’s big imagination.
These shows teach really important morals about positivity, telling the truth and making sure you stay safe.
and being fair.
l and is so creative. A good chunk of this program follows Lily finding “treasures” that have washed up on the shore and being inspired to go on adventures that are based on those items. One the best parts of this series is that Lily resides in a single parent home. Her father is a wonderful character and they have such a great relation