KIDS FIRST! News

My Little Pony is a perennial favorite with kids of a certain age and adults as well, as I discovered last year at the premiere of My Little Pony: Equestria Girls. A huge following of 20 and 30-year-olds arrived in costume to celebrate the feature film debut of this iconic series. About this DVD Gerry O, age 12, a self-proclaimed fan comments, “This collection has more than just favorite characters – there are a lot of family matters, some good lessons, a lot of comedy and some pretty thrilling moments as well as great and catchy music.” Kendyl P, age 12, adds, “(This DVd) is an adorable collection of episodes complied on one DVD! While watching the different episodes it reminds me of the fun times my sister and I shared when we were younger watching My Little Pony on television.” Their full reviews are below.My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: The Keys of Friendship
Reviewed by Gerry O, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

This is a fantastic collection of My Little Pony episodes. My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Keys of Friendship is a collection of the best episodes from My little Pony including a sing-along. If you are as big of a fan as I am, you will be very entertained by this collection.

This collection has more than just favorite characters – there are a lot of family matters, some good lessons, a lot of comedy and some pretty thrilling moments as well as great and catchy music.

The episodes show, as usual, the pony friends learning about friendship. However, Twilight, who recently became an alicorn (unicorn and Pegasus) doesn’t feel like she is doing enough of her job as a princess. However, she will become more important than ever when an ancient beast comes back from his prison to rain chaos in Equestria! (The country where ponies live.)

I thought this was a very smart choice of episodes since the DVD contains about half of the full season. These episodes really are exciting and, even though some people may not know it, pretty funny and really show some good lessons. For example, in one episode about family, ponies argue a lot but at the end they are still just a family.

My favorite episode is when one of them learns that she is a cousin of another friend. When they realize there may be an error, they go on a road trip to find out the truth. On the way there, the family argues and feels bad that they may look like a dysfunctional family. At the end, they see that even though they argue, they are still a great family. I like it because so many families in real life feel like that and we all need to understand that it happens with everyone. Nobody is perfect.
There is nothing parents should worry about and even infants will like the bright colors of the show and its wonderful sounds. I give this DVD an age rating of one to 18. I also give it 5 out of 5 stars.


My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: The Keys to Friendship
By Kendyl P, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic age 12

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: The Keys to Friendship is an adorable collection of episodes complied on one DVD! While watching the different episodes it reminds me of the fun times my sister and I shared when we were younger watching My Little Pony on television.

This DVD includes four different episodes and each one offers a different friendship lesson. The DVD is filled with beautiful music, great family lessons, a bonus sing along and wonderful comedy!

My favorite character is Rarity; she is a beautiful pony! Rarity and I have some similarities – she likes fashion, enjoys working with her friends and working hard to get the job done – just like me!

My favorite episodes are Twilight Kingdom, Parts 1 and 2 when Twilight has to defeat the evil monster but has to find her own special power! I enjoyed watching the ponies work together to help Twilight discover her special gift.

The message of this series is everyone has a special talent or character trait that makes him or her unique and important. After each episode, one of the ponies does something brave and commendable by putting its friend first. The pony then receives a little object, as a reminder, and it is very useful at the end of the show.

I love the voices of actors, Tara Strong, Ashleigh Ball and Andrea Libmar in this DVD Their voices are perfect for their characters.

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: The Keys to Friendship is the perfect show for little girls. I highly recommend this movie for girl’s ages 2 to11. They would love this movie! I give it 5 out of 5 shining stars. You can purchase this DVD in stores near you July 29, 2014.

This sequel to the reboot of the original Planet of the Apes (1968) explores new and uncharted territory. And, it serves as a prequel to the original films in the series. What we see is a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar that is threatened by a band of human survivors from the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.  KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O, age 12 comments, “…this is a sequel and an eighth movie. I expected that it would feel a bit stretching, but it isn’t.” See his full review below.

Dawn of The Planet of The Apes
Reviewed by Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

What an exciting and thrilling blockbuster! I was worried about this film. This was the 8th add on to the Planet of the Apes series, second to the reboots. So this Is a sequel and an eighth movie. I expected that it would feel a bit stretching, but it isn’t. In fact, Dawn of The Planet of The Apes’ main purpose Is to show another side of these super apes and to set up the story for the next film in the franchise.

This isn’t just about fighting; in fact, fighting scenes, even though they are epic, take very little part of the film. There is romance within humans and apes families, sometimes, the apes can act funny. Dawn of The Planet of The Apes is thrilling and kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time! Also it has a story line no one expects!

The original Planet of the Apes book is about humans that went to a planet ruled by apes. When they come back to Earth, the same thing happened to our planet. The reboots, (Dawn of The Planet of The Apes and Rise of the Planet of the Apes) are pretty much prequels. So, Caesar leaves civilization with his ape friends while the human race almost goes extinct due to a deadly virus. The remaining humans struggle for power. Will they be able to find a new source of power or will it be up to the apes and their leader to decide the humans’ fate?

For me, this is a fantastic addition to the series. They don’t try too hard to make it too action-packed and cool looking. The apes look extremely realistic and I really like that. They include some scenes from Rise of the Planet of the Apes which helps to pull it all together nicely. The action and fighting even has some stuff from the original 1963 Planet of the Apes book! The director made it a perfect length and, in fact, this is the first time I’ve seen what I would call a “trailer” movie (a movie that looks like an hour-long trailer for the next one in the series) that is entertaining and includes a surprise ending.

My favorite scene is when we see a small group of humans working on the power station. When they wake up, the youngest is sitting with an ape that acts as a teacher to young apes and is very loyal to Caesar. The kid gives him a book and reads along with him. It shows how well they actually understand each other and how alike humans and apes are. It shows friendship and how two creatures of different species can be friends.

This film has some violence and intensity so I recommend it for ages 12 to 18. I also give it 5 out of 5 stars for fantastic graphics, a well planned story, excellent cinematography and stupendous acting.
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Transformers: Age of Extinction
Reviewed by Raven Devanney

It’s been years since the Decepticons and the Autobots battled for the fate of the humans in Chicago and human defenses against alien forces are at an all-time high. A government branch of humans is targeting all Transformers, Autobots and Decepticons alike, with the help of a menacing assassin. While all of this is going on, Cade Yeager, a struggling inventor from Texas tries to make enough means to keep his property and put his daughter Tessa through college.  While looking for parts to help his inventions, he stumbles upon a broken down, rusted truck and decides to fix it up. To his surprise, the truck turns out to the mighty Optimus Prime. Cade fixes him and decides to help him defeat the forces coming for Earth yet, again once he realizes what the government is doing to Transformers. Now, the fate of the entire human race lies in the hands of Optimus and this family of humans and, without them, we might just face extinction.This film is entertaining and visually very well done. Director Michael Bay uses the first IMAX Digital 3D camera, making the images more immersive and stunning than anything that’s been seen on the big screen so far. It’s very intense to be sitting in the IMAX Theater seeing these 50 ft. robots captured in such a realistic way. If you’ve seen any of the previous films from this franchise you know that they are nothing short of action packed. The cinematography and CGI is able to show the intense battle scenes and large scale attacks in a breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat way. One thing that I don’t like about the visuals is the inconsistency of the Transformers from film to film. The main characters look the same but some of the Autobots that are introduced in this film are designed completely different than in any of the previous films. Their faces are constructed to have features that look extremely humanesque and it is strange to see them next to Optimus and BumbleBee who still have the classic Transformer look. Another inconsistency is that, in the last film, every time a Transformer was hit they would spill a blood-like-liquid, but in this film, if they are injured, the liquid that comes from the wounds is bright green.

It is very strange to see a Transformer film without Shia Labeouf but, I am quite impressed with Mark Wahlberg and the way he tackles this role. I think he’s a fantastic actor and really grounds the film. I’m also a fan of Nicola Peltz and think she is decent in this film. However, I am really sick of the way girls are portrayed in this franchise. Every single leading lady looks like a Victoria’s Secret model, is completely helpless about 75% of the movie, can never figure out how to help them self and has to be told to run before they do. Near the end, they have one moment of courage and that’s pretty much all. It’s a formula that is completely predictable in all of the Transformer films, but alas, it’s what sells.

Like I said before, this film is entertaining and it enjoyable. It kept me engaged, concerned for the characters, shocked and, I’ll admit, I did almost cry near the end. However this film is peppered with extremely cliché and honestly annoying lines and interactions. From the very beginning, Tessa is introduced as a stereotypical film version of a teenage girl. She rolls up with her friends screaming and giggling about how excited they are to party and be crazy. The whole interaction is cheesy and unnecessary and sets her up to look like a bimbo. After that, her boyfriend, who looks suspiciously similar to the Hemsworth brothers, comes to save the day and the rude, inappropriate and just plain stupid things he says to Tessa’s father drove me insane. There are several lines in the film that prompted me to say to myself, “Really? Was that really necessary?” The last irritating thing is the fact that they really drove the whole “American Way” and patriotism to the ground. In every seen at Cade’s ranch there are at least two American flags shown and it is constantly mentioned that they’re just good ole’ Texas folk, protecting America with cries of: “Don’t mess with our country!” “Think of your country!” “Fight for your country!” Previous films were less centered on our nation and more about the human race as a whole.

Despite my qualms regarding this movie, it is entertaining and the visuals are extremely well done. I give it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend this film for ages 13 to 18 due to the violence and language. However, if you have seen the previous films and are under 13, then this film should be suitable for you. If you’re a fan of Transformers, action or just want to experience the first film to ever use the million dollar IMAX Digital 3D camera, be sure to check out Transformer: Age of Extinction in theaters now.

For those of use who hold a special place in our hearts for the sci-fi films of our youth such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, this film may seem like a blast from the past, only with new and fun twists. The story follows a group of kids who embark on an adventure with an alien who needs their help. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry Orz comments, “This movie brings the old sci-fi feel of the 80s back to life. It has the same style, which is my favorite.” See Gerry’s full review and interviews with cast and creators below.

Earth to Echo
Reviewed by Gerry Orz, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

This is an adventure Hollywood has been waiting for. This is not just another story about helping an alien to get to its home planet, Earth to Echo is an emotional and fun adventure that many kids will love and cherish for generations.

The story has a little sprinkle of romance, displays a true friendship, thrills when they discover Echo, and, of course, will pump you up with adrenaline. If you are the type of person that likes action – this film has plenty of it since there are also BAD guys chasing after them.

The adventure starts when four young kids have to move out of their homes because a highway project is going to demolish them. On their last day together, they follow maps that randomly appeared on their phones. What they find is greater than any of them anticipated. Now, if you want all the juicy details – you have to watch the film.

This movie brings the old sci-fi feel of the 80s back to life. It has the same style, which is my favorite. It relates a lot to the legendary film, E.T and I see Echo as a sort of E.T. Jr. character. However, the story starts rather abruptly. It feels like there is no well-defined beginning. Otherwise this is great adventure that kids will love and perhaps even look for their own Echo’s in the neighborhoods.

The directing, I think, is very unique since it seems as if the movie is shot from the kid’s prospective. There is a lot of complexity around this type of technique but I believe the end result is well worth the time and the effort that was put into the movie.

My favorite scene is when they are escaping BAD guys. The thing they find, which they name Echo is in danger because of those bad guys. They are about to crash into a truck, but Echo takes the truck apart in midair and puts it back together behind them! The special effects are amazing and it also shows that Echo is very protective of her friends.

I recommend this movie for ages 6 to 18. Younger kids may not understand the full complexity of the film. I also give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Earth to Echo
By Kendyl P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
Video review here.

Earth to Echo is a mind blowing movie. If you are a fan of movies like E.T. or discovering aliens from space, this movie is perfect for you. Earth to Echo is about a group of friends, Tuck (Astro), Alex (Teo Halm), Munch (Resse Heartwig) and Emma (Ella Wahlesedt) who are forced to move because of the construction of a big freeway near their houses. Before they move, their cell phones start acting up. It turns out to be a map and they follow it. It leads them to an alien that is trying to get back home but can’t go. It’s up to Tuck, Munch, Alex and Emma to save the day.

My favorite character is Alex because he is very helpful and cool. He sticks by the alien’s side and he really cares about him. He is like the alien’s best friend. My favorite part is when small parts of the space ship fly in from all over the neighborhood to form a really large spaceship and the main part of the ship is in Alex’s backyard. I really enjoyed watching that.

The actors, Astro, Teo Halm, Resse Heartwig and Ella Wahlesedt do a great job expressing different emotions in the film. The message of this film is “true friendships can last a lifetime.” The friendship the boys have continues long after they go their separate ways.

This is a great film. I recommend this film for kids age 9 to 16 and I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Earth to Echo
By Kayla P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12
Video review here

Earth to Echo is a fantastic family movie to watch this summer. This film is about three boys, Tuck, Alex and Munch who have a very close friendship. Unfortunately, their homes are being demolished because there are plans to build a major highway right through the middle of their community. As the boys prepare to pack up and leave their community, their cell phones began receiving strange pictures, which they learn is a map. The boys decide to follow the map and discover a robot named Echo. After communicating with Echo, the boys learn he is trying to build a key to unlock his space ship to go home. While the boys are helping Echo, they learn the real reason why their homes are being demolished. They may be able to save the community from being destroyed.

Tuck and his friends are told to stop trying to help Echo. They learn that by helping Echo they are also helping the families in their community. The message of the film is “do the right thing.” You might face some opposition by some people, but you still have to do the right thing that will benefit all people.

My favorite scene is when Tuck, Alex and Munch discover Echo. At first they think he is a beeping machine. Every time Echo beeps Munch starts running for his life and acts crazy. He is my favorite character because he brings a lot of the humor to this film.

The actors are spectacular. They make the film come alive and make you feel like you are on the journey with them. Earth to Echo is the perfect summertime movie for the entire family.  I recommend this film for kids ages 7 through 18. I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars. Earth to Echo will be in theaters July 2, 2014, don’t miss it.