In this stop motion film, a young boy (Rosie Francis) wishes he could have all the toys in the world for Christmas. His wish is soon granted but he realizes that what is most important and all he needs - is family.
I like that the story is very easy to follow and is very simple. This film is perfect for younger kids because they can easily understand the plot. The camera angles are great. One of my favorite shots is when the young boy is looking in all of the windows and the camera is inside, which makes the viewer curious about what the is actually seeing. The costumes are suitable; since this film takes place during the cold winter season, the characters are all bundled up. For example, when the young boy goes out for oil, he wears a jacket, a scarf, and a hat. The backgrounds are perfect for the story, showing both indoor and outdoor scenes. The background music and sound effects are definitely well executed. For the sound effects, one example are the chimes when the young boy is staring at the toy store, which makes it obvious that there is some sort of magic happening in the toy store. The visual effects are believable -- when the young boy's dream comes true, the flash of light makes it seem that something has changed in the boy's reality. The young boy has some character development. At the beginning, the boy only wants toys for Christmas and doesn't realize that he needs his mom as well. Throughout the film, the boy realizes that he doesn't need a whole bunch of toys, he only needs his mom. I commend the director, Natalie A. Evans, for her excellent work creating this stop motion film; it reminded me how detailed and involved it is to make stop motion animation. My favorite part is the ending when the boy opens the door to the elderly man in, revealing to the audience that the boy has invited him for Christmas so that he is not alone. This shows how the boy understands that Christmas is not a time where you should be alone. The film had some pixilation at the beginning, but for the rest of the time it was fine.
The film's message is that Christmas isn't about the gifts you receive, the best gift of all is family.
I give A Christmas Tale 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. By Ari P. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
In this stop motion film, a young boy (Rosie Francis) wishes he could have all the toys in the world for Christmas. His wish is soon granted but he realizes that what is most important and all he needs - is family.
I like that the story is very easy to follow and is very simple. This film is perfect for younger kids because they can easily understand the plot. The camera angles are great. One of my favorite shots is when the young boy is looking in all of the windows and the camera is inside, which makes the viewer curious about what the is actually seeing. The costumes are suitable; since this film takes place during the cold winter season, the characters are all bundled up. For example, when the young boy goes out for oil, he wears a jacket, a scarf, and a hat. The backgrounds are perfect for the story, showing both indoor and outdoor scenes. The background music and sound effects are definitely well executed. For the sound effects, one example are the chimes when the young boy is staring at the toy store, which makes it obvious that there is some sort of magic happening in the toy store. The visual effects are believable -- when the young boy's dream comes true, the flash of light makes it seem that something has changed in the boy's reality. The young boy has some character development. At the beginning, the boy only wants toys for Christmas and doesn't realize that he needs his mom as well. Throughout the film, the boy realizes that he doesn't need a whole bunch of toys, he only needs his mom. I commend the director, Natalie A. Evans, for her excellent work creating this stop motion film; it reminded me how detailed and involved it is to make stop motion animation. My favorite part is the ending when the boy opens the door to the elderly man in, revealing to the audience that the boy has invited him for Christmas so that he is not alone. This shows how the boy understands that Christmas is not a time where you should be alone. The film had some pixilation at the beginning, but for the rest of the time it was fine.
The film's message is that Christmas isn't about the gifts you receive, the best gift of all is family.
I give A Christmas Tale 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. By Ari P. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
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