{"id":3980,"date":"2019-04-16T14:47:33","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T21:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=3980"},"modified":"2019-04-18T15:59:35","modified_gmt":"2019-04-18T22:59:35","slug":"missing-link","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2019\/missing-link\/","title":{"rendered":"Missing Link \u2013 Outstanding Animation, Beautiful Artistry, Delightful Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.poster.jpg?resize=152%2C225&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3997\" width=\"152\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.poster.jpg?resize=202%2C300&amp;ssl=1 202w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.poster.jpg?w=672&amp;ssl=1 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 152px) 100vw, 152px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Mr. Link recruits explorer Sir Lionel Frost to help find his long-lost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. Along with adventurer Adelina Fortnight, this trio of explorers travel the world to help their new friend. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Benjamin P. comments, \u201cI love the animation in this film. With <em>Missing Link<\/em>, animation studio Laika continues to prove that its animation is getting better and better with each film. Every locale in this film, from India to the Himalayas is colorful and vibrant.  These environments and characters are well-crafted and thought out.\u201d Jordan M. adds, \u201cThe movie has outstanding animation and a unique storyline. Because it\u2019s a LAIKA studio film, the characters are made out of clay and there are a lot of incredible details that add to the movie. Fans of LAIKA films will enjoy the artistic style of the film.\u201d See their full reviews below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Missing Link<br>By Benjamin P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Missing Link<\/em> is a positively charming adventure\nwith a lovable protagonist and fantastic animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<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\/a-mbWaqt9m8?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>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.a.jpg?resize=225%2C116&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3986\" width=\"225\" height=\"116\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.a.jpg?resize=300%2C154&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.a.jpg?resize=768%2C393&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.a.jpg?resize=1024%2C524&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.a.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The story line\nfollows Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman), a daring adventurer with a flair for\nthe dramatic, who stumbles upon a massive discovery. He receives a letter\nconfirming the existence of the Sasquatch and treks off to meets the sender, a\nSasquatch named Mr. Link (Zach Galifianakis). Mr. Link convinces Frost to help\nhim track down his cousins, the yetis, living up in the Himalayas.&nbsp; Together with Frost\u2019s old flame Adalina, they\ntravel the globe in search of Link\u2019s distant family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My favorite\ncharacter in this film is Mr. Link. He is a big creature with an even bigger\nheart. Link yearns for family after years of loneliness in the wilderness. Link\ntakes everything very literally which provides the film with some witty gags.\nZach Galifianakis&#8217;s voice work on this film adds an extra layer to this\ncharacter with his warm, upbeat energy and comedic voice performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.b.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3985\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.b.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.b.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.b.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.b.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I really like\nthe character of Sir Lionel Frost also. He is a flawed explorer who has lost\nhis passion for adventure and has gained a desire for success in all the wrong\nplaces. It&#8217;s interesting to see an adventurer who, although good at what he\ndoes, isn&#8217;t as dashing and is more unlikable at the onset of this film than the\nnorm. Frost isn&#8217;t readymade for the role of hero and earns it as we watch him\nbecome a more selfless, kind person during his arc in the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I love the\nanimation in this film. With <em>Missing Link<\/em>, animation studio Laika\ncontinues to prove that its animation is getting better and better with each\nfilm. Every locale in this film, from India\nto the Himalayas is colorful and vibrant.\nThese environments and characters are well-crafted and thought out. You sense\nthe work and passion behind what you see on screen and the animation is\nbreathtaking and even unbelievable at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.e.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3984\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.e.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.e.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.e.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.e.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Missing Link<\/em> doesn&#8217;t overuse the\nfish-out-of-water trope with the character of Mr. Link. The one flaw with this\nfilm is the use of an assassin character named Stenk. This character doesn&#8217;t\nadd much to the film, other than an action scene every once in a while and\ncomes across as underdeveloped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>Missing\nLink<\/em> an age rating of 5 to 15 for some scenes of peril and crude humor. I\ngive Missing Link 4 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend you see this film when\nit ventures to theaters on April 12, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Missing Link<br>Jordan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<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\/4meiavgoykU?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>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.f.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3983\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.f.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.f.jpg?resize=768%2C323&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.f.jpg?resize=1024%2C430&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.f.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It tells the story of monster hunter Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) who\nis in search of a mysterious creature &#8211; the Missing Link. He wants to join an\nexclusive club and needs this discovery to become a part of it. Soon he goes\nsearching and spots the Missing Link in the woods. Link, who goes by Susan, is\nplayed by the hilarious Zack Galifainakis. The two set out on a journey to find\nLink\u2019s home, a land of yetis, so he can finally be part of a family. They are\njoined by Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana). She is a spunky and fearless woman\nwho helps them on the way. On their way, they encounter villains who are\ndetermined to stop Sir Lionel from proving Link\u2019s existence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The movie has outstanding animation and a unique storyline. Because it\u2019s\na LAIKA studio film, the characters are made out of clay and there are a lot of\nincredible details that add to the movie. Fans of LAIKA films will enjoy the\nartistic style of the film. My favorite character is Link (aka Susan) who is\nfunny and lovable. The movie takes the audience on a journey as Link tries to\nfind out who he is and where he belongs. I also enjoyed the character Adelina\nbecause she is the motherly figure of the group. Together, Sir Lionel, Link and\nAdelina are a perfect team. My favorite part of the movie is when the three\ncharacters set out on an adventure to find Link\u2019s family. It is the first time\nthey work together and they are hopeful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.c.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3987\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.c.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.c.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.c.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/missinglink.c.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The film is a story about belonging and friendship. Sir Lionel and Link form a strong bond. They remind me of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. The movie is full of humor and surprises. I rate this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 18, as well as adults. It\u2019s fun for the whole family. You can find it in theaters on April 12, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Images \u00a9 Laika\nStudios \/ Annapurna Pictures; All Rights\nReserved <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tired of living a solitary life in the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Link, who is 8 feet tall and covered in fur, recruits fearless explorer Sir Lionel Frost to guide him on a journey to find his long-lost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. Along with adventurer Adelina Fortnight, the trio encounters their fair share of peril as they travel to the far reaches of the world. Through it all, they learn that sometimes one can find a family in the places one least expects. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Benjamin P. comments, \u201cI love the animation in this film. With Missing Link, animation studio Laika continues to prove that its animation is getting better and better with each film. Every locale in this film, from India to the Himalayas is colorful and vibrant.\u201d Jordan M. adds, \u201cThe movie has outstanding animation and a unique storyline. Because it\u2019s a LAIKA studio film, the characters are made out of clay and there are a lot of incredible details that add to the movie. Fans of LAIKA films will enjoy the artistic style of the film.\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":[15],"tags":[222,220,221,223],"class_list":["post-3980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-chris-butler","tag-hugh-jackman","tag-zach-galifianakis","tag-zoe-saldana"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-12c","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3980","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=3980"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3998,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3980\/revisions\/3998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}