KIDS FIRST! News

A reclusive young woman who dreams of becoming a children’s author finds an unlikely mentor in the rich curmudgeon who lives next door. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ella L. comments, “This film has stunning visuals, character development and a spellbinding script that turns it into a cinematic masterpiece.” See her full review below.

This Beautiful Fantastic
By Ella L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

This Beautiful Fantastic is an incredible cinematic experience that I’ll never forget! It is a stunning movie that brings two lonely people together to enjoy the beauty of nature. I love seeing each character grow throughout the film.

This incredible film is about an aspiring author with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) named Bella (Jessica Brown Findlay). She befriends her next door neighbor, Alfred (Tom Wilkinson), when she is told she will be evicted from her house if she doesn’t tend to her garden. With the help from Alfred and Vernon (Andrew Scott), Bella’s personal chef, they try to find a way to tend to the garden and, in doing so, discover how a garden influences them.

This film has stunning visuals, character development and a spellbinding script that turns it into a cinematic masterpiece. The flowers in Alfred’s garden add to the visual appeal of the film because of its juxtaposition to Bella’s garden. The set design also creates visual appeal, with sets such as Bella’s canopy bed and the setup of the garden. The garden is what inspired the film’s title because Bella describes it as “beautiful, fantastic.” The cinematography is gorgeous as well. An example of this is when the downpour starts and a rainbow reflects over Bella’s face.

In this movie, the characters grow alongside each other. Alfred starts off as a grumpy and mean old man, but grows to be kind, gentle and treats Bella as though she is his daughter. Bella is introduced as timid and scared of nature, but she overcomes her fear when she befriends Alfred and learns to care for the garden. Throughout the movie, you also see Bella become less and less OCD. At the end, she leaves her door open versus, in the beginning she checks the door five times before leaving the house. There is also a change in Vernon. In the beginning, he is very nervous and acts as a “slave” towards Alfred. But by the end, he becomes less scared and more independent.

The music adds an ethereal effect to the movie, such as when Alfred watches Bella tend to the garden. Also, when Billy (Jeremy Irvine) shows Bella the mechanical bird, Luna, he is making. The music in this scene adds a very magical tone.

I love how eloquent the script is. An example of this is when Billy talks to Bella about a statue he is studying called The Ecstasy of Theresa. He describes it as “destroying logic with emotion.” His detail in explaining the statue shows how impactful art can be to a person.

This film demonstrates how much another person can help you thrive and adore the importance of nature. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for people ages 10 to 18 and adults will enjoy it as well. This movie comes out March 10, 2017 in theaters nation wide, so check it out.

French for Kids: Les Saisons covers the seasons from l’hiver (winter) to l’automne (autumn), in a year-round language-learning celebration. This lively French immersion video engages children with colorful backgrounds, animation, catchy songs, live-action footage and lots of fun! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Benjamin P. comments, “French for Kids: Les Saisons (The Seasons) is a fun, colorful DVD language course from Whistlefritz that is perfect for helping your kids learn French.” See his full review below.

French for Kids: Les Saisons
By Benjamin P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

French for Kids: Les Saisons (The Seasons) is a fun, colorful DVD language course from Whistlefritz that is perfect for helping your kids learn French.

Les Saisons follows Fritzi, a cute and cheery mouse who attends a birthday party and then wonders when his own birthday is. His friend Marie helps guide him through the year and tells him all the special traits of winter, spring, summer and fall so he can figure it out. I had fun joining Marie and Fritzi in a well-paced lesson and jovial sing-a-long about the seasons – all in French.

The entire program runs 35 minutes and, while it’s about the seasons, it also covers vocabulary on saying “hi,” saying your name and other basic phrases as well as special vocabulary about holidays. This program really helps children understand by repeating words over and over and singing about the words to make it fun. The teacher Marie pronounces everything very slowly and clearly. A group of kids also repeat key words and contribute to a better understanding of what is going on onscreen. This DVD mixes animation and live action together successfully to make sure kids can follow the pronunciation but also have fun with its cast of animated characters. The lesson also includes footage of kids doing several pastimes related to the season being discussed which keeps things interesting. For instance, when they talk about fall, they shows kids jumping into piles of leaves.

This DVD has a special features video that explains Whistlefritz’s inventive philosophy about immersion and what exactly learning by immersion means. I recommend you watch that before showing kids the DVD.

I give French for Kids: Les Saisons an age recommendation of 2 to 8. There is nothing objectionable about this DVD, but I think it is most comprehensible for children at least 2-years-old. French for Kids: Les Saisons 4 out of 5 stars. This is an excellent resource for your child to begin to learn some basic French. This DVD is available on Amazon and other places where DVDs are sold. Do check out some of the other titles from its producer, Whistlefritz while you’re at it.

A devoted dog discovers the meaning of its own existence through the lives of the humans it teaches to laugh and love. Reincarnated as multiple canines over the course of five decades, the lovable pooch develops an unbreakable bond with a kindred spirit named Ethan. As the boy grows older and comes to a crossroad, the dog once again comes back into his life to remind him of his true self. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O. comments, “Only a few movies truly make me cry and, within the first 15 minutes, this became one of them. This was done not by blasting sad emotions with sad music at the viewer, but by building a real connection with the characters.” Maria G. adds, “This charming, appealing film had me on a rollercoaster of emotions. It has many beloved scenes that captivates the audience’s heart such as when Ethan saves Bailey from a steaming heat car and adopts the dog as his new companion.” See their full reviews below.

A Dog’s Purpose
By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 14

There are many movies that focus on a dog’s world but not about what the dog is actually thinking. A Dog’s Purpose does the opposite, by focusing on the dog and a dog’s place in the world. This perfect story will make you laugh, cry and question the true purpose of life. The movie sets out to inspire the audience and does it by taking the main character through an emotional and long adventure filled with comedy, drama and even some romance.

The story begins with a happy puppy entering the world, ready to play and explore. Sadly for the puppy, his life doesn’t last long. After passing away, the puppy is surprised to come back as a puppy again. This time in a different body. Soon, he becomes a family pet named Bailey and specifically, is a best friend to the son of the family. As time passes, the boy grows up and heads to college. Bailey passes away once again, but this time he’s happy to have lived a long life with a human he loves. Bailey comes back again and again and again. Each time Bailey comes back as a different dog breed (or gender) with a different life purpose. Finally, after many lives, he realizes that his main purpose is to spend time with the people he loves and to help them in their lives as much as he can.

Only a few movies truly make me cry and, within the first 15 minutes, this became one of them. This was done not by blasting sad emotions with sad music at the viewer, but by building a real connection with the characters. The story doesn’t put a smile on everything. It is realistic and very sad and depressing at times. People who own dogs, like me, will never look at their dogs the same way. They will look at them as true companions and family members.

I really enjoyed the voice-over (Josh Gad) for Bailey and his other incarnations. His voice-over work is phenomenal and suits all the dogs in the story so well. The cinematography is also spot on. It often shows specific scenes from the dog’s perspective which is a genius idea and truly allows one to have a deeper connection with the character. The entire cast evokes emotion and  keep a complex story entertaining.

The scene where Bailey/Ellie swim in the water is my favorite because it is an action-packed scene that is exciting but also very sad. Another reason to bring up this scene is that it is the scene that has elicited accusations of animal abuse by some animal activists. In this scene, you can clearly see the dog is not in distress. The dog is happy and greatly enjoying the activity as is the case for almost every single scene in the film. Throughout, you see things happening to the main character which would make anyone want to adopt a dog. The message of dog adoption is so strong that it makes me wonder why animal rights activists are boycotting this film when it does nothing but hurts this wonderful and inspirational story to come out and support animal adoption. A Dog’s Purpose will inspire hundreds, if not thousands, to go out and adopt dogs to take care of and love.

A Dog’s Purpose has some brutally sad facts about the world around us which would be too much for younger kids. There is also mild violence in several scenes, so I recommend it for ages 9 to 18. I give it 5 out of 5 stars for its beautiful message about the purpose of life, its call to action for dog adoption, spectacular voice-over work, emotional acting and unique cinematography. It opens in theaters nationwide on January 27, 2017 so, go check it out.

A Dog’s Purpose
By Maria Guerrero, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

This charming, appealing film had me on a roller-coaster of emotions. It has many beloved scenes that captivates the audience’s heart such as when Ethan saves Bailey from a steaming heat car and adopts the dog as his new companion. Additionally, throughout multiple scenes you see the heartwarming relationship and bond between dogs and their owners. For example, Maya has such a strong bond with her dog that the dog can guess what she is thinking.

The storyline of this film is about a caring dog (Josh Gad) following him through several lifetimes with several different humans as he discovers the purpose and the reason for his journey. Throughout his several lifetimes, every time he is reincarnated he comes back as a different breed, in a different decade and with a new owner. Although he meetsseveral different owners and faces a different experience every time he is reincarnated, he is mostly impacted by Ethan (Bryce Gheisar) who is a young caring boy that rescues him. As Ethan matures and faces the challenges of life, their relationship will be lost but they are reunited in future years.

The idea and structure of this film is very creative and rare. Great attention is paid to all the details and ideas that make up this film. My favorite concept is how it’s told from the point of view and perspective of the dog. I love that you can hear the dog’s thoughts as he experiences several lives. I really like that every time he reincarnates he is a different breed of dog. For example, in one life he is a male German Shepherd who works with the Chicago Police Department and in another he is a college women’s companion. All these different point of views make this film great, although it might get a bit repetitious every time he is born.

The protagonist of the film, Ethan, is played by three characters as they portray his different ages. Young Ethan is played by Bryce Gheisar (Walk the Prank, The Bus Stop). Young high school football star Ethan is played by K.J Apa (Riverdale).  Adult Ethan is played by Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point, Frequency, The Day After Tomorrow).

Although this film is told by a dog and is about his experiences, there are several morals and messages that the viewer can take in.  As the dog experiences five different decades from the 60s to the 90s, it tries to find its calling in life. This can be reflected in society, in the sense that each and everyone of us has a mission here on earth. Just like the loveable dog trying to figure out its journey and purpose, people also can relate to the goal of discovering what their calling is. Teenagers can particularly relate to this as they are maturing and discovering who they are as a person. I personally can connect with this moral and my philosophy in life is in sync with it – we all have a special unique purpose in this world.

I give A Dog’s Purpose 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a great film to watch with your friends and family. Its perfect for ages 6 to 18. Young adults and adults will also enjoy watching this heartfelt film about man’s best friend. This film comes out January 27, 2017 so, go check it out.

Twenty six cuddly ABC Monsters live within the walls of Capital Castle. Each monster represents a letter of the alphabet. Should any of the monsters go missing for longer than a day, all the letters will be wiped clean from every book in Capital Town! In this DVD, embark on adventures with Alice, Brian and Cherry Berry to search high and low for the letters Q, R, S, T and U. It’s a rainy day at Capital Castle. The big Capital Castle raffle is supposed to happen today but it has been canceled! The raffle is to be held in Alphabet Garden but with all this rain there is no way the raffle can happen. Get set for a spellbinding series of magical adventures that engages preschool children’s imaginations, while making learning exciting and entertaining. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Morgan B comments, “I definitely want to recommend this colorful, quirky show that teaches your kids about letters and words. It will definitely have them singing and laughing while they learn.” Ella L. adds, “ABC Monsters: Starring QRSTU is very impressive with its colorful animation and learning style. I really like the nature backgrounds when the characters are outside.” Jennifer V. sums it up with, “I really enjoyed this DVD along with the 4 young children who watched with me… My kids danced, acted out the letter shapes, and sang for the rest of the night. This DVD will definitely be watched again as the sing-along and word puzzle sections are awesome.” See their full reviews below.

ABC Monsters: Starring QRSTU
By Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

I definitely want to recommend this colorful, quirky show that teaches your kids about letters and words. It will definitely have them singing and laughing while they learn. I found myself doing that.  I even found myself doing exercises and having a wonderful time with all the fun characters including Cherry Berry who’s a magical fairy. I love her because she is very inquisitive and she knows what to do. We also have the funny and adorable Alice who is a princess that lives at Capital Castle with her mother and father, the King and Queen. I love them. She also has her BFF with her named Brian who wants to help all the ABC Monsters, just like Alice and Cherry Berry. And, he wants to help his BFFs Alice and Cherry Berry. I love that about his character. He is very kind and sweet.

This is a perfect show for all little kids because it teaches phonics, writing and reading, how to recognize words and letters and so much more. It’s really important for kids to learn how to solve puzzles and how to solve problems. This DVD is great at teaching them how to do those things as well. This is a perfect series. It has a wonderful, fun way of teaching. It’s energetic and gets them up, dancing and laughing and, the next thing you know, they’re singing the alphabet just like Alice, Cherry Berry and Brian. You’ll be smiling and telling them what a great job they’re doing.

I definitely encourage you to share this with your preschoolers because it teaches things that most kids don’t want to learn, but makes it fun and energetic so they will want to watch this DVD over and over again. My favorites episode is Rain and Raffles. I love that one because there is the adorable R-Monster, who is my favorite monster or alphabet letter. One of my favorites I should say, because there are many. Other than that episode, I really like the way that they have so many fun and new characters such as the adorable rabbit who has a magnificent garden full of radishes, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, any kind of vegetable you can think of. They’ve probably got it. There is even a gigantic radish that you’ll learn more about when you watch the DVD. I love this DVD because it’s fun and exciting and I love how it teaches so many different letters and so many different words. I mean, they have one amazing episode about the letter R. That’s what I call terrific. All these letters are just magnificent because they all are so different from each other. None of them are the same color and they all have their own perspective and personality which I love.

I recommend this DVD for ages 2 to 5. Kids will learn and have a great time. They’ll have fun as they sing, dance and learn. It’s also great teaching kids how to solve problems. Have fun. I give this 4 out of 5 Alphabet Fantastic Stars. This is available on DVD January 24, 2017 so, go check it out.

ABC Monsters: Starring QRSTU
By Ella L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

ABC Monsters: Starring QRSTU is very impressive with its colorful animation and learning style. I really like the nature backgrounds when the characters are outside. I also like how, at the end of every episode, a song plays and the characters sing and dance. The color and life put into the animation accentuates the themes of happiness and playfulness that the show exudes.

In this DVD, there are five different stories – Queen Scribble’s Quiz, Rain and Raffles, Sandy Shores, Ticket to Ride and Unique Cycle. Each story follows Alice, Bryan and Cherry Berry in  finding missing the letters Q, R, S, T and U. They follow clues and have to find words starting with the featured letter. For example, in the Q section, one of the clues is “Q Monster was nervous for the Q – – Z.” You have to fill in the blank with the clues the show provides the audience with (such as Q Monster saying, “I’m nervous for the quiz”). The show is a great educational experience for young learners.

This DVD targets preschoolers who are learning how to spell and they deliver a great production. This is a wonderful show for teaching young learners alphabet letters and simple words. The producers have been careful to make sure that the spelling and reading comprehension skills are tattooed into the audience’s brains by including songs and cute little riddles I’m impressed with what the team at ABC Monsters has created.

This DVD is a colorful and energetic learning show suitable for ages 2 to 5 and I give it 3 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for a great learning show for your wee ones, be sure to check this out. It’s available on DVD January 24, 2017 wherever DVDs are sold.

ABC Monsters: Starring QRSTU
By Jennifer V., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror
https://youtu.be/Q81hFQ40yNw

I really enjoyed this DVD along with the 4 young children who watched with me. Cherry Berry is great guide throughout the episodes. The kids also enjoyed Una Underhill and her umbrella. The songs are fun and very catchy. The characters are colorful and helpful to one another and there is not any violence of any sort. The kids really enjoyed the music and they really liked that music is included within each episode, not just at the very end. The DVD has a sing-along portion as well as dancing and acting out letter shapes that are very kid friendly. My team clapped and laughed a lot while watching this. They shouted out answers to the word and alphabet questions.

One thing I really appreciate is how this DVD really gets kids involved. It is not just something that they sit back and watch. There is a lots of interaction and learning. In addition, each episode is short enough to hold the younger ones’ attention. Also, there is repetition of the letters within each episode which helps younger ones learn their letters. After watching this DVD, my kids were still singing the alphabet song and talking about the letters.

This DVD is perfect for preschoolers or young ones learning the alphabet (ages 2 to 5).  There is lots of interaction, helpful characters and a fun sing-along that will entertain your kids and have them dancing. The bright colors and calling out answers to the word puzzles make it even more exciting. My favorite part is the assortment of songs which really help kids to remember the letters they just learned, even after the episodes has ended. My kids danced, acted out the letter shapes, and sang for the rest of the night. This DVD will definitely be watched again as the sing-along and word puzzle sections are awesome. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Long Way North is set in late 19th Century Saint Petersburg. Sacha, a young girl from the Russian aristocracy, has always been fascinated by the exciting life of her grandfather, Oloukine, a renowned scientist and Arctic explorer who has yet to return from his latest expedition to conquer the North Pole. But Sacha’s parents, who have already made arrangements for her marriage, strongly disapprove of her fascination, to say the least. Defying her parents’ wishes, Sacha flees her home and launches an adventure-filled quest toward the Great North in search of her grandfather and his ship. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O. comments, “There are animated films that don’t use animation to its full potential and treat it as a tool instead of an art. Long Way North is not one of these films for it is a beautifully crafted animated masterpiece.”  Alejandra G. adds, “I like the film because the events are so unexpected. I would predict that something would happen and then, something completely different happened and I would stare at the screen in shock.” See their complete reviews below.

Long Way North
By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 14

There are animated films that don’t use animation to its full potential and treat it as a tool instead of an art. Long Way North is not one of these films for it is a beautifully crafted animated masterpiece. Long Way North, at its core, is an adventure – not just a physical one, but an emotional one for the protagonist, Sacha. With so many dangerous moments, there is a multitude of action scenes filled with drama and intensity. This film will inspire you with its heartwarming story.

The story takes place in 1880s St. Petersburg, Russia. Sacha (Christa Théret) is a young girl from a very successful family. She doesn’t have her eyes on politics or wealth. Instead, Sacha has her eyes on the North Pole. After her grandfather disappears on a voyage to the North Pole, she makes it her mission to find him. It won’t be easy, she has never worked in her entire life and she will have to do it without her wealthy parents’ support.

One thing that is truly spectacular about this movie is how quickly you understand the conflict, protagonist, plot and goals of the protagonist. Within the first five minutes, I knew the names of each character, Sacha’s hopes and dreams, her challenges and why her character is unique. Very few films can achieve this with even a simple plot which shows how well the film’s story is shown. Another beautiful part of the film is the animation. It is hand drawn and very colorful. The style perfectly suits the story and seamlessly shows the different elements of the movie, from big ice cliffs to the stormy seas. One aspect of the film I disliked is the voice-over acting and dubbing. The movie was recorded originally in French and is dubbed in English. Many times, the voices are very emotional and perfectly fit the characters, but at times the voices are too soft and sound as if they were recorded in a room somewhere and not where the action is taking place. Despite this, turning on sub-titles completely removes this issue and it is still a very entertaining and enjoyable film.

My favorite scene is when Sacha first leaves the large mansion, surrounded by the maids she grew up with. What appeals to me about this scene is how connected you feel to this young girl. You can feel her fear, excitement and wonder that she is experiencing. It is all achieved, thanks to the amazing story, wonderful animation and unique, but relatable characters.

Parents have very little to worry about in this film. In a few scenes, there is some mild language, but that’s it. I recommend it for ages 5 to 18. It is intended to be a kid’s film, but because of the mature and inspiring story, I believe that teenagers and young adults will enjoy it as well. I give it 4 ½ out of 5 stars because it only has one small issue with the dubbing and voice-overs, but it is truly a work of art and something the whole family can enjoy watching. This film is available on DVD on January 17, 2017 so, go check it out. You’re sure to enjoy this adventure.

Long Way North
By Alejandra G., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

I loved this film. It surprised me a lot. In the beginning, it was a bit boring, but as the movie progressed, it got better and better. I like the film because the events are so unexpected. I would predict that something would happen and then, something completely different happened and I would stare at the screen in shock. I love that feeling because it’s exciting. For me, when that happens, when you don’t know what’s going to happen next or that anything could happen, it makes the film intriguing and interesting. You are curious about what will happen next.

The movie takes place in 19th Century Saint Petersburg when a young girl from the Russian aristocracy named Sacha suffers over the fate of her grandfather. He is a renowned scientist and Arctic explorer who has yet to return from an expedition to the North Pole. Against the wishes of her parents, who have made marriage arrangements for her, Sacha flees home and launches her quest to search for her grandfather and his ship.

My favorite part is when Sacha saves the captain from falling off a cliff and dying. I like this scene because Sacha manages to win the captain’s respect. Sacha was very judged and underestimated by the crew and captain, but she manages to prove all of them wrong. With her hard work and dedication, she shows them who she really is. Everyone finally starts respecting her and treats her respectfully. After she saves the captain’s life, they stopped judging her.

The life lesson taught in this film is to never underestimate anyone, because you can be surprised. You can be surprised at who they really are or how they might change to attain a goal. Don’t ever judge a book by its cover. Sacha changes throughout the movie in a huge way. She starts out as a spoiled girl that doesn’t know how to work or make herself useful. But she is also very decided and dedicated in what she wants to accomplish and she will do anything to get that, even if it means preparing herself to work. During her journey, the sailors have very little faith in her and judge her heavily. They think she is a superficial girl that doesn’t know what she is doing, but they are wrong. Sacha manages to prove the ship’s crew that she is courageous, determined and a special young woman through her actions. So, this film teaches us an important lesson, to never judge a person by they way they look. You don’t know what that person is capable of doing to achieve something that’s important to them.

I recommend this movie to kids ages 6 to 14 and give it 5 out of 5 stars. This film is available now on DVD so, go check it out.