KIDS FIRST! Jury Blog

My parents have been trying to get me to watch this film every year. Finally, this year I watched It’s a Wonderful Life from start to finish. I found it absolutely magical! I now understand why it’s the most popular Christmas movie of all time.  Directed by Frank Capra, the film stars Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore. Written by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett and Capra, the screenplay was further polished by the witty Dorothy Parker, which is why the dialogue really sings. Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, a man who is dissatisfied with his life and wishes he was never born. His wish is granted by a guardian angel, Clarence. The film shows how each life has purpose and touches everyone else’s life. The movie showed me how blessed we are and how we take our lives for granted. Also, that you can be an important person without being rich and famous.  Part of the movie’s enduring appeal is its unbridled optimism. Capra made propaganda films for the US government during WWII, so he was the master at emotional manipulation.  It’s a Wonderful Life was made at the end of the war in 1946, but bombed at the box office. A copyright lapse in the 70s aided its popularity because it was then played all the time on TV. The film’s later popularity was very surprising to Capra. My favorite scene in It’s a Wonderful Life is during the High School dance when the gym floor opens up and everyone falls or jumps into the swimming pool.

Another perennial Christmas classic is Jean Shepherd’s A Christmas Story. I love the nostalgic humor of this movie, even though it is the most overplayed holiday film on cable TV. Some channels play the film in marathon 24/7!  A Christmas Story is based on the reminiscences of Shepherd’s 50s childhood in Indiana.  My favorite part of the film is when Ralphie, the protagonist, stands up to the neighborhood bully. My Dad’s favorite scene is when Ralphie visits Santa at the department store and is so overwhelmed that he forgets what he wants for Christmas!  A recurring joke in the film is that everyone tells Ralphie that the BB gun that he wants for Christmas will “poke your eye out kid.”

My other favorite Christmas film is Home Alone, which is just hilarious. Both the original Home Alone and the first sequel really put you in a good mood. I also love both Miracle on 34th Street films. They are the most “Santa friendly” films because they prove in a courtroom that Santa does indeed exist. Another really hilarious, light Christmas film is Elf. My favorite part of Elf is when Will Ferrell accosts a dwarf, thinking that he’s one of Santa’s elves.

This story follows a successful New York advertising executive who suffers a great tragedy and retreats from life. While his concerned friends try desperately to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love, Time and Death. But it’s not until his notes bring unexpected personal responses that he begins to understand how these constants interlock in a life fully lived, and how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty. KIDS FIRST! Juror, Juanita L. comments, “I enjoyed watching Collateral Beauty. It is a great example that reminds us how connected we are to people within and outside our circle.” See her full review below.

Collateral Beauty
Juanita L., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror

I enjoyed watching Collateral Beauty. It is a great example that reminds us how connected we are to people within and outside our circle.

It is a story about Howard (Will Smith), a successful advertising executive who suffers deeply from the loss of his 6-year-old daughter.  Howard writes letters to the concepts of Death, Love and Time.  While others might say Whit (Edward Norton), Claire (Kate Winslet) and Simon (Michael Pena) are really concerned about their financial situations, I feel they want to sincerely help their friend Howard through his grief.  The solution they come up with is a bit strange and might be viewed as cruel and making light of his grief. As Whit is proposing the plan, he realizes that when talking with his mother who has Alzheimer’s, that it is important to go and be inside the person and view through the world through their reality. He proposes giving Howard the opportunity to meet Death (Helen Mirren), Beauty (Keira Knightley) and Time (Jacob Latimore) face to face.  A troupe of struggling actors are hired, allegedly to help Howard’s friends prove he is unfit to continue managing the agency.  The underlying issue is that they all have a great deal to lose financially and want a remedy.

The thread running through all the characters is their connection to Death, Love and Time.  Whit looks for love with his daughter. Claire’s biological clock is running out for motherhood. And Simon is afraid of death. Collateral Beauty, filmed in various parts of New York, shows the busyness and excitement of New York City both day and night.  I enjoyed the music and the intensity of the scenes with Howard riding his bicycle against the traffic, not caring about his life.

I recommend this film for ages 14 to 18 and give it 5 out of 5 stars. Collateral Beauty opens Friday, December 16, 2016 in theaters across the country. Check it out for yourself and learn about Collateral Beauty for your life.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Tony- Award winning musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder at the Playhouse at Rodney Square, formerly the Dupont Theater in Wilmington, Delaware.  The Playhouse at Rodney Square continues to feel like a grand theater of yesteryear.

I am a fan of musicals.  When I was a young child, I wanted to be a tap dancer in a musical show.  A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder lives up to an award- winning musical production.  In each scene, lavish Edwardian decor of the sets put you in the time frame.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder is the story of a young man Monty Navarro (Kevin Massey) who discovers, to his great shock, that his unfortunate late mother was disinherited from the highborn D’Ysquith clan for marrying a Castilian musician for love.  Monty finds out he is ninth in line to inherit a dukedom and he decides to eliminate the other eight heirs standing in his way. Monty meets and eliminates them one by one.

I enjoyed watching Monty plan his way to dukedom.  It is so funny to watch all eight D’Ysquith heirs (John Rapson). Each character has distinctive look and personality as he portrays The Rev. Lord D’Ezekial, the buxom Lady Hyacinth, the pompousness of the reigning Lord Adalbert and the perkiness of the bright-eyed beekeeper Henry with whom he sings double-entendres in a mock-duet, “Better With a Man”).

One of my favorite numbers is the scene in which Monty tries to keep his latest love interest, Phoebe (Kristin Hahn), from discovering that his old flame, Sibella (Kristen Beth Williams) is in the other room.  It is very creative and the ladies’ beautiful voices blend to let us see Monty dilemma.

All the cast members are excellent singers, dances and actors. If you want to be entertained, learn a few tips about how to move to front of the line of heirs and entertain more than one love, go see A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder now playing at The Playhouse of Rodney Square, until November 20, 2016.

I recommend A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder for ages 14 to 18 and adults will enjoy it also. I give A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder 5 out of 5 stars.

The first ever Hollywood Walk of Fame Honors will be airing on the CW November 23, 2016. I met some amazing people who have appeared in some incredible TV shows, movies, have written or sung some amazing songs and are our favorite Celebrities. So, get the turkey ready and pumpkin pie in the oven, settle down with some popcorn, get ready for black Friday, relax and enjoy the show. Get ready to make plans to walk off the holiday food by visiting the Terrazzo and brass star studded sidewalk. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is FREE and open 24-7. It is about a mile and half walk to view all the celebrities’ stars and you will know all about them when you go.

I had the pleasure of meeting some incredible people including Laura McKenzie, host of the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade. She also hosts a show on traveling, Laura McKenzie’s Traveler. Laura and I have seen each other many times at the Parade in the past and we can’t wait to see each other again this year on November 26th. Katherine (Kat) Kramer is the daughter of Stanley Kramer, the first star to be laid in the new Walk. Stanley Kramer’s star was placed on March 28, 1960, near the intersection of Hollywood and Gower.

Ron Moss (The Bay) and his wife, producer Devin DeVasquez (The Bay & 411) and their dog, Prince, were adorable. They are in the middle of filming and are having a blast on their projects. Prince, the dog, has a Facebook and Instagram account. Dr. Fariba Kalantari, Chair of the Board for Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, was lovely. She is on the committee that approves the stars for a place on The Walk of Fame. Fariba also performs the live ceremony presentations. Jeff Zarrinnam, Senior Vice Chair Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, accompanied her. There are over 2,589 stars along the walk with more being added. Gabrielle Ruiz (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) is amazing in her pink dress. She is having a great time working on her TV show, which she loves.

Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeanie, still one of my favorite shows) loves her acting career and she is very excited for the years to come. She is an adorable sweetheart who is still young at heart and looks fabulous. BC Jean, who wrote the song If I were a Boy, which Beyoncé sings, is currently engaged to Mark Ball from Dancing with the Stars. Candice Glover, who won American Idol on its 12th season, is very excited to be performing at this fantastic event and she is very thankful that they are letting her sing on stage.

Eddie Money was also there with over 40 million records to his name. I love his music. My generation knows who he is. Nicolas Coster has the record for the appearing in most Soap Operas. That number being 10. He is 82 years old and still acting. That is magnificent! Louis Gossett Jr. is an actor with a soothing deep voice who has made a ton of movies. He loves acting and his family very much. Penn Jillette and Teller are the only magicians who reveal the secrets behind their magic. They believe that everyone is a part of the act and they want to do something no one has done before.

Melissa Rivers is Joan Rivers’s daughter and she was able to present the segment on some of the best comedic women, including her mother, who have their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Isaac C. Singleton Jr. has voiced some of your favorite characters in some of your favorite shows. He is very friendly, easy to talk to and Oh my gosh he is soooo tall.

I recommend this event to kids age 8 to 18 and adults as well. Kids will love all the guest appearances and they will learn about Hollywood’s history. Adults will see some of their favorite stars and will enjoy seeing some legendary figures in Hollywood’s history.  I give this event 5 out of 5 Hollywood Walk of Fame shinning stars.

If you follow my blogs, you know that I mostly write about legendary women in film or women who have made a mark in history or outstanding contributions to the film industry. However, today I’m writing about someone special who I actually met and can speak about how genuine she is – Rachel Crow, a beautiful person inside and out.

Rachel Kelly Crow was born January 23, 1998. She is a singer, comedian and actress from Mead, Colorado. She was raised by adoptive parents and became a fan favorite on the X Factor (2011) for her ability to bring maturity and skill to songs that seemed well beyond her young age. Rachel finished fifth overall which was an amazing experience and opened up fantastic opportunities. In 2012, she signed a record deal with Columbia Records and began working with Teen TV network Nickelodeon. 

From the small screen, Rachel leaped to the big screen by voicing the character Carla in Rio 2.  In my interview with her, she described her character as fun and one who loves music.  She readily identified with the character so portraying her was easy. Our conversation was upbeat, fun and genuine. I could feel her excitement for what’s happening in her life. She knows her craft and is easy to talk to, one teen to another.

Whether performing a voice-over, singing or acting, her fabulous personality and amazing talent shine through.  Rachel references a song that says “all your scars make you who you are…you know all the bad scars and the good scars.” This is her biggest X Factor lesson and it’s so true.  As I continue to work on my craft of acting, I have so many disappointments and rejections, but I learn from them every time. Rachel is an inspiration to a lot of teens out there and to me in particular.  Although she was eliminated from the X Factor, she never gave up on her dream of becoming a star.

The Birth of a Nation writer, director and star Nate Parker has received much controversy for a scandal at his former college. His merit as a person is in question, even though he was found innocent. His film has received positive reviews from critics, so his artistry is not in question. The Academy is not the Nobel Peace Prize committee. They are not voting on how good or bad a person is, they are voting on their cinematic work. How do I know? A man who was found guilty on invidious charges was given an Oscar for Best Director, for his work on The Pianist. And that was someone found guilty. Woody Allen continues to get nominated for his work despite allegations associated with him. So why is it that Academy members declined to see a screening of The Birth of a Nation because of Nate Parker’s scandal when they have given Oscars to those found guilty and with equally troublesome scandals? I’m not saying race is the reason, but I’m not ruling it out. Let’s analyze this further.

One Academy voter was quoted as saying that they wouldn’t see the movie because there have been too many movies with the subject of slavery recently. Since Amistad was a major Oscar player in 1997, I can only think of three major movies that deal with slavery in the last 10 years: Django Unchained, 12 Years a Slave, and The Birth of a Nation. Even if that’s “too many,” the voters who use that as an argument must not mind seeing movies about or with WWII as the backdrop. In the past 10 years there’s been: Atonement, Inglorious Bastards, Fury, The Imitation Game, Unbroken, The King’s Speech. And that list doesn’t include the, soon to be released Hacksaw Ridge and next year’s Dunkirk. That’s already more than twice the amount of films dealing with slavery and I could still go on. So why the complaint about too many movies on slavery, but not a word on the multitude of WWII movies that get nominated for numerous Oscars.

Beyond the skeptical excuses given by these Academy members for not seeing the film, how about basic integrity? If their job is to vote for the best films of the year, why wouldn’t they see as many films as possible? It’s their job and the purpose of attending a screening. The very merit of the Academy Awards takes a shot with the knowledge of this news. Academy voters purposely not seeing a film because of ludicrous reasons that they’ve only applied this one time to this filmmaker and this film. No one refused to see Midnight in Paris. No one refused to see Carnage. But they’ve refused to see Birth of a Nation. Furthermore, the Academy’s merit is also challenged by the fact that their voters have a history of voting for things they haven’t seen. I’m sure you’ll remember when news broke out that two anonymous voters admitted to having voted (ironically enough) 12 Years a Slave for Best Picture despite having not seen it. And that’s for Best Picture; imagine how many of them see the films nominated for Animated Short or Foreign Film.

Personally, I think their reasons for not seeing Birth of a Nation are absurd. Their voting history goes against any and every excuse they could possibly use. Too many movies on slavery lately? Yet, they continue to watch and nominate WWII movies. The filmmaker is too controversial? They keep nominating and awarding Woody Allen and Roman Polanski. The film is too violent or graphic? They recently nominated The Revenant, the aforementioned 12 Years a Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street. But beyond that, the most upsetting part has to be their lack of care for their merit and responsibility. These are people that vote for the biggest award in the film world. Careers are affected, legends are made and dreams are made or broken. Yes, I’m well aware that art is subjective and that winning an Oscar isn’t measurable of talent or deservedness, but it does have its merits. There is a certain seriousness and importance that an Academy Award poses. In a way, it separates the wheat from the chaff. It cements Hollywood legends and greats and immortalizes films. That’s a responsibility movie buffs and cinema lovers don’t take lightly. So we expect that voters for the Academy Awards would take the time to actually see as many films as they can see in order to for their vote to reflect the most educated opinion possible.

I contend that we should write the Academy. We need to make the Academy and these voters aware that we know they are not giving their all in undertaking their responsibilities. Their hypocritical excuses for excluding certain films over another will not be tolerated. If they are unwilling to do what it takes to make the most informed vote possible, then why should we be willing to watch their show and respect their institution? Whether they are honestly critical about Nate Parker’s allegations and that is keeping them from watching the film or, for racial reasons, they are shirking their duties as voters, their vote must not be compromised. And we, as fans of cinema and the Oscars cannot allow it. Pick up your pen and write them.

Here’s something we can all relate to. I’ve recently been thinking about it because I’ve seen a lot of films recently that I’ve enjoyed and yet critics disliked. Now, film is art and art is subjective so, of course, people are going to have different thoughts about certain films. That’s what having an opinion is all about. Here are some films that come to mind.

Money Monster – This Jodi Foster directed film starred George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Just uttering those three stars should make critics go wild. Well, in fact, the opposite happened. While critics enjoyed the cast, they thought the themes of Wall Street were clouded by action. Now I can understand where they are coming from. The drama comes from George Clooney’s character becoming a hostage by a young man played by Jack O’Connell, who lost  everything by following a stock tip by Clooney. This film had the potential to use the power of film to comment about Wall street and commerce but they played it safe. I think it works. This is one of those films where it’s fueled by its actors. Lucky for Foster she has two of the best in the film industry plus Jack O’Connell  who steals the show with his performance.

Bridge of Spies – Now let’s talk about a film that was praised by critics. Many people called it Steven Spielberg’s best film and who could blame them. It stars Tom Hanks. It’s written by the Coen Brothers and Matt Charman. And, it’s based on a true story set during the cold war. I was excited for this film, which could be the reason I didn’t go nuts over it. Don’t get me wrong, I like this film and have no problems with it. However, I just didn’t get into it that much. I thought Tom Hanks’ performance was good, but not amazing compared to his other roles. The dialogue was flawless, but standard drama. Even Spielberg’s direction wasn’t anything special. Not only do I think the hype for the film influenced my opinion, but I also think it was expected to be good. With the cast and crew, I expected an amazing film, making it almost predictable. That’s where I think I didn’t connect with it. I know it sounds crazy but the film was too perfect for me to enjoy.

Ace Ventura – Here is an example of a film audiences loved but critics thought it was too obnoxious and desperate. One of Jim Carrey’s signature roles was disliked by many critics including my hero Roger Ebert who called the film “a long, unfunny slog through an impenetrable plot.” Yes, the film is filled with Jim Carrey’s silly comedy and even I agree it’s not his best. I have to admit, this film makes me laugh every time. I think it showcases Carrey’s best comedic attributes. His physical comedy, fast-talking quips and absurd acting ability are all wrapped up in one movie.

Now You See Me – The closer you look, the less you see.  Critics looked at this film so close, trying to find a good movie, that they missed it. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 49% and said, “Now You See Me’s thinly sketched characters and scattered plot rely on sleight of hand from the director to distract audiences.” I can’t disagree with the points they made but that doesn’t make it a bad film. It’s a popcorn movie! It’s meant to entertain and it does a stunning job at doing that. The story is unique and the many twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat. So instead of trying to analyze this, you should stop looking and just enjoy the show.

Rocky and Bullwinkle Movie – Okay, this one really gets me. This film brings back the cartoon icons Rocky and Bullwinkle in a feature length film. Rotten Tomatoes said, “Though the film stays true to the nature of the original cartoon, the script is disappointing and not funny.” I totally disagree. This film has hilarious lines and action from our favorite moose and squirrel. Sure, some of the jokes are incredibly cheesy and even cringe worthy, but the original cartoon was like that as well. Even the movie makes fun of their writing at points. I believe the so-called “unfunny” parts stays faithful to the original cartoon. Compared to other adaptations, I’m looking at you Smurfs, it’s comedy gold.

Are there any films you liked and the critics hated or vice versa? In the end, there are movies we love and some we hate. While critics can influence our opinions, it’s up to you to challenge your thinking of films and figure out what you enjoy at the movies.

Animation is an amazing art form.  Especially, the labor intensive forms, such as hand-drawn, traditional animation, stop-motion animation and claymation. All my favorite animated films use these types of animation.  Computer generated animation (CGI) just doesn’t do it for me, especially in a feature film.

Traditional animation is known to be the oldest form of animation.  The artist has to draw every frame to fashion the animation sequence.  Numerous drawings are created and filmed to create motion.  In traditional animation, timing is very important, since each frame has to blend into the soundtrack exactly.  Some films that use traditional animation, also called ink and paint, include the classic Disney features Snow White, Aladdin, Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty. Walt Disney Feature Animation was the first studio to switch from hand-drawn to digital ink and paint, starting in the late 80s with The Rescuers Down Under.  Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke was the last feature film to exclusively employ traditional ink and paint.

In stop-motion animation, physical objects are moved around and filmed, frame by frame, but through the magic of cinema it appears as fluid movement. Stop-motion animation has been around since the invention of film when Albert Smith and Stuart Blackton made The Humpty Dumpty Circus in 1898.  Some films which use stop-motion animation are early South Park episodes, Coraline, James and the Giant Peach, Nick Park’s Wallace and Gromit series and his wonderful, Chicken Run.  This year’s Kubo and the Two Strings took stop-motion animation to a whole new level. The origami characters that Kubo creates are mind-blowing in their grace and detail.  My favorite stop-motion animation film is Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox.  That film not only has great visuals, but an incomparable screenplay as well.

In claymation, balls of clay are molded together to create characters.  Oil or water based clay is used to accomplish this.  The characters are then filmed in short burst of movement to create a scene.  Most of the films that use this technique are also stop-motion animation.  Some of the best include the original Gumby series, the Wallace and Gromit shorts, Shaun the Sheep and Paranormal.  I will never forget the chase scene on the train set in Wallace and Gromit’s The Wrong Trousers.  That scene is the epitome of stop-motion animation!

Throughout the years, new modern forms of animation have been created that resemble these older styles, but take less time to make and cost considerably less.  These newer techniques are usually used in conjunction with the more traditional forms to create a hybrid animation if you will.  The newer Studio Ghibli films employ this approach, a mix of computer animation and hand-drawn cels.  This is what still gives those films such a wonderful, painterly look.

What do you think? What are your favorite animated films and what format are they created in? Let us know. We love to hear from our readers.

There is nothing like a good futuristic story. It may include spaceships, teleportation, invisibility, lasers or just your good old giant robot fight. For many decades, this futuristic tech has been the things of fiction. Recently, that is changing. The objects in films like Star Wars, or Star Trek, or even Transformers are actually becoming part of our everyday life. In Japan, there are robots that have become so advanced and so powerful, they could replace a soldier. Across Europe and North America, there is development of cleaner and much more powerful electricity production and in many nations, space is a big topic again.

Stephen Hawking theorizes how to send a space probe at close to the speed of light, or plans to land on Mars in less than two decades, or even the possibility of sending people to Jupiter and Saturn. This is the talk of science fiction, right? Well, no. With space tourism on a rise and people living much longer then previous generations, science fiction is becoming non-fiction. This brings up an interesting point. In our future world, with all these advanced gadgets, what will become of the science fiction genre? It is described in the dictionary as: fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.

What happens when we actually all those futuristic scientific or technological advances become reality? In 100 years, will we still have sci-fi as we know it now? Most likely, in 100 years, all that technology that we never thought could be possible, will be part of our day to day life. Most likely, sci-fi will either become a much different genre with technology than we believe is simply impossible to exist, like immortality, or magical production that pops anything out of nothing. Another possibility is that in a very ironic way, the imagination that the sci-fi genre sparks will be the one that kills it at the end since, as a human race, we focus on making such a world come to life (even if that world is a good or bad one) and thus, it will cause the death of sci-fi as a movie genre.  What do you think?

Betty White was born January 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois.  She was the only child to her parents, Horace and Tess White. She moved to California at the young age of two.  She is best known for her role as Rose Nylund on the hit TV Show, The Golden Girls.

Ms. White has been in the entertainment industry for a very long time. Her appearances include sitcoms, game shows and even hosting Saturday Night Live. She is a comedic actress and a lover of animals. In fact, she worked with the Los Angeles Zoo and the Morris Animal Foundation for four decades. As if being a comedic actress and animal lover was not enough, she is also an author of several books that she wrote during the 1980s and 1990s. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1988.  The star is next to her late husband Allen Ludden’s star. She has been nominated for four Golden Globes awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series and had countless Prime Time Emmy nominations and is a winner of many.

Ms. White never had any children of your own however she is the stepmother of David, Martha and Sarah through her previous marriages. It was a conscious decision not to have children which she never regretted.

Ms. White continues to make appearances on TV and is very close with her animals. She is loved by so many and, not only people in her age bracket, but also teens like me.  She is witty, funny and gets to make people laugh. How can you not love her? She states, “I’m actually the luckiest old broad alive. Half my life is working in a profession I love and the other half is working with animals.” I truly believe you can have a successful career working in what you love to do and someday, I will be doing the same thing.