{"id":13765,"date":"2025-06-18T05:15:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T12:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=13765"},"modified":"2025-06-18T14:48:30","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T21:48:30","slug":"into-the-wonderwoods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2025\/into-the-wonderwoods\/","title":{"rendered":"Into the Wonderwoods * A Great Pick For Anyone Who Loves Fantasy, Magical Creatures, And Stories About Being Brave"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13771\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IntoTheWonderwoods_27x40_Poster_HiRes.jpg?resize=120%2C177&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"120\" height=\"177\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IntoTheWonderwoods_27x40_Poster_HiRes.jpg?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IntoTheWonderwoods_27x40_Poster_HiRes.jpg?w=473&amp;ssl=1 473w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 120px) 100vw, 120px\" \/>Ten-year-old Angelo dreams of becoming an explorer and a zoologist. When he hits the road with his family to visit his beloved granny, his distracted parents leave him behind at a rest stop. Left to his own devices, Angelo decides to cut through the forest in search of his family. He enters a dark and mysterious world inhabited by strange creatures, some friendlier than others.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Zoey F. comments, \u201c<em>Into the Wonderwoods<\/em> is an extremely worthwhile watch. It explores adventure, friendship, fighting, and magic. My favorite aspect of this movie is the animation. I give a big shoutout to the animators Coline Veith, Samuel Devynk, and Michael Tenner Wijaya Oei who created this film.\u201d Ariel K. adds, \u201cThis film is a great pick for anyone who loves fantasy, magical creatures, and stories about being brave. One of the things I like best about <em>Into The Wonderwoods<\/em>\u00a0 is how creative Angelo\u2019s world is. The forest feels like a place from a dream, filled with ogres, grumpy clouds, and even a creature made of grass and dirt.\u201d Anna Clara B. wraps it up with, \u201c<em>Into The Wonderwoods<\/em> is a magical animated film that really engaged me. I like how the film, in addition to having memorable characters, is super involved with current problems and resolutions.\u201d\u00a0 See their full reviews below.<\/p>\n<p>Into the Wonderwoods<br \/>\nBy Zoey F, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jV__MhwUEEs?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-13767 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_01.png?resize=250%2C135&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_01.png?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_01.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>Into the Wonderwoods<\/em> is an extremely worthwhile watch. It explores adventure, friendship, fighting, and magic.<\/p>\n<p>The storyline follows Angelo who dreams of becoming an adventurer, but sadly can only embark on imaginary ones. His family doesn\u2019t take him seriously; it seems like the only thing he can do is be a \u201cslaphead,\u201d the nickname he earned from his brother, Leo. Tragedy strikes when Angelo\u2019s Gran (Yolande Moreua) falls fatally ill and the family takes a long journey to Gran\u2019s house. Somehow, the journey distracts them, and no one seems to notice that Angelo is left behind in a magical forest. Not far away, Ultra (Jos\u00e9 Garcia), a totalitarian space alien is determined to find the grail of eternal life &#8211;so much so that he is threatening to destroy the forest. Not only does Angelo need to stop him, but he also needs to figure out how to catch up with his family and see Gran.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13770\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_08.png?resize=252%2C136&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_08.png?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_08.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/>My favorite aspect of this movie is the animation. I give a big shoutout to the animators Coline Veith, Samuel Devynk, and Michael Tenner Wijaya Oei who created this film. I particularly love the magical forest because it really puts \u201cwonder\u201d into \u201cWonderwoods.\u201d I also love all the characters in this movie. I like that the main villain, Ultra, is also a misunderstood funny guy. His humor makes the movie a billion times more fun to watch! Another great character is Angelo. He is an adventurer at heart, but at times he struggles and doesn\u2019t believe in himself. As he slowly becomes the hero of the woods, the audience sees him grow in confidence. This is an extremely important theme to communicate to people of all ages, although the movie is primarily geared to a younger audience.<\/p>\n<p>The film\u2019s message is to value yourself and be your own soldier. We see this explored as Angelo decides to follow his dream and takes a stand that no one will define him. Please be advised that this movie includes minor profanity and flashing images that may be overwhelming to photosensitive viewers.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Into the Wonderwoods<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. It releases on VOD June 24, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Into The Wonderwoods<br \/>\nBy Ariel K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sTcbMwL0Q3s?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13773 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_04.png?resize=254%2C137&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"254\" height=\"137\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_04.png?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_04.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px\" \/>I really liked <em>Into The Wonderwoods<\/em> because it is fun, imaginative, and full of adventure that kept me interested the whole time!<\/p>\n<p>The story revolves around a 10-year-old boy named Angelo who dreams of becoming a brave adventurer. When his family goes on a road trip to visit his sick grandma, something unexpected happens \u2013 they accidentally leave him behind at a rest stop. Instead of waiting for help, Angelo decides to take matters into his own hands and cuts through the mysterious forest in the direction of his grandma\u2019s house. While on his journey, Angelo meets all kinds of strange creatures \u2013 some friendly, some not-so-friendly. Angelo has to overcome challenges in order to find his granny.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13769\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_06.png?resize=250%2C135&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_06.png?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_06.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>This film is a great pick for anyone who loves fantasy, magical creatures, and stories about being brave. One of the things I like best about <em>Into The Wonderwoods<\/em>\u00a0 is how creative Angelo\u2019s world is. The forest feels like a place from a dream, filled with ogres, grumpy clouds, and even a creature made of grass and dirt. He&#8217;s my favorite. I also like how the story shows that being brave doesn\u2019t mean not being scared \u2013 it means facing your fears. Angelo doesn\u2019t have any superpowers, just his quick thinking and kind heart, which makes it easy to cheer him on.<\/p>\n<p>The background music adds to the magical feeling, especially during the more intense scenes when Leo is being chased or trying to solve a mystery.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13774 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_05.png?resize=250%2C135&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_05.png?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_05.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>The animation is colorful and detailed, making every part of the forest feel alive. The effects are amazing and really stand out. The exposition is easy to understand and follow along. My favorite part is when the creature made of grass eats a bomb. If there was one thing I would change in this movie it&#8217;s that Angelo says \u201cmommy\u201d too much and that it is weird how the small ogre girl Zaza kisses Angelo all the time and talks about him being her boyfriend.<\/p>\n<p><em>Into the Wonderwoods<\/em> is a heartwarming, exciting story that mixes adventure, magic, and friendship. It shows that even when things go wrong, we can find courage inside ourselves and maybe even discover a little wonder along the way.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Into The Wonderwoods<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18. It is available on VOD beginning June 24, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Into The Wonderwoods<br \/>\nBy Anna Clara B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6JMjh0pmEYg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13768 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_02.png?resize=252%2C136&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_02.png?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_02.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/>Into The Wonderwoods<\/em> is a magical animated film that really engaged me. I like how the film, in addition to having memorable characters, is super involved with current problems and resolutions.<\/p>\n<p>The storyline is about Angelo (Dario Hardouin-Spurio), a 10-year-old boy who dreams of being an adventurer. His family doesn\u2019t take him seriously. His dreams are high, but unexpected things happen and the solution depends on the little boy&#8217;s determination and sense of adventure.<\/p>\n<p>The film&#8217;s animation is wonderful, with great camera angles and adorable supernatural characters, including the forest itself.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-13772\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_03.png?resize=252%2C136&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_03.png?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Into_The_Wonderwood_03.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/>For example there is a shiny mythical creature, like a firefly, that calls the boy. Not only do all the characters move, but the entire forest moves as well and that enchanted me, in part because it induces the boy to follow the story. I like that the film deals with serious issues, such as deforestation, in a way that everyone can understand, but particularly children. For example, we see an animal happily flying and it comes across these things falling from a spaceship and it gets scared \u2013 both the animal and the place are destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>The story is very intriguing; I could really relate to the characters and become empathetic with their situation. For example, his family takes a long journey and Angelo&#8217;s parents get distracted and Angelo gets left behind in a magical forest \u2013 he doesn\u2019t know what to do, because he is just a child. During that scene, I was intrigued by his situation and wondered what Angelo would do. But Angelo comes through and becomes as brave and adventurous as he is in his dreams. The adventures are fundamental to his development and make him stronger and braver throughout the film, just as he dreamed. The background music is essential to the film. When Angelo is in the backlands the music relates to the location and makes us dive into the scene along with him. My favorite part is when Angelo is watching something with the other animals; the scene is in black and white which gives it a vintage vibe, bringing to light an interesting era, like the beginning of the world of animation.<\/p>\n<p>The film\u2019s message is to remember to dream and not pollute the environment. Don\u2019t let anyone take your dreams away from you.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Into The Wonderwoods<\/em> 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. The film releases on VOD June 24, 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ten-year-old Angelo dreams of becoming an explorer and a zoologist. When he hits the road with his family to visit his beloved granny, his distracted parents leave him behind at a rest stop. Left to his own devices, Angelo decides to cut through the forest in search of his family. He enters a dark and mysterious world inhabited by strange creatures, some friendlier than others.<br \/>\nKIDS FIRST! Film Critic Zoey F. comments, \u201cInto the Wonderwoods is an extremely worthwhile watch. It explores adventure, friendship, fighting, and magic. My favorite aspect of this movie is the animation. I give a big shoutout to the animators Coline Veith, Samuel Devynk, and Michael Tenner Wijaya Oei who created this film.\u201d Ariel K. adds, \u201cThis film is a great pick for anyone who loves fantasy, magical creatures, and stories about being brave. One of the things I like best about Into The Wonderwoods  is how creative Angelo\u2019s world is. The forest feels like a place from a dream, filled with ogres, grumpy clouds, and even a creature made of grass and dirt.\u201d Anna Clara B. wraps it up with, \u201cInto The Wonderwoods is a magical animated film that really engaged me. I like how the film, in addition to having memorable characters, is super involved with current problems and resolutions.\u201d  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[1001,9215,22,9210,9209,9213,9205,9211,1207,725,9203,9219,9212,9208,9218,9217,9204,9206,9207,9214,9216,9202],"class_list":["post-13765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-adventure","tag-alexis-ducord","tag-animation","tag-antoine-tome","tag-benjamin-carlier","tag-brandon-mcinnis","tag-dario-hardouin-spurio","tag-emanuel-garijo","tag-family","tag-fantasy","tag-jose-garcia","tag-julie-salon","tag-kristin-mcguire","tag-marie-nonnemacher","tag-olivier-bernet","tag-philippe-alessandri","tag-philippe-katerine","tag-prune-bozo","tag-raphael-lamarque","tag-rebecca-wang","tag-vincent-paronnaud","tag-yolande-moreau"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3A1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13765"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13793,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765\/revisions\/13793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}