KIDS FIRST! News

A summer in rural O’ahu takes an exciting turn for two Brooklyn-raised siblings when a journal pointing to long-lost treasure sets them on an epic adventure with new friends, and leads them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Nathalia J. comments, “The upcoming Netflix film Finding ‘Ohana, by Jude Weng, is absorbing, hilarious and intriguing. I truly enjoyed watching the main character Pili (Kea Peahu) evolve throughout the film as she learns more about her heritage and the land. As a young viewer, I found it fascinating that this film points out one of many Hawaiian legends – the Night Marchers – which are the ghosts of ancient Hawaiian warriors. Zoe C., adds, “The movie mixes fantasy and adventure, a little romance, humor and drama in a fun way. This story remind of Goonies and has some elements from the classic 80s films like Indiana Jones, but deals with contemporary subjects of identity and multi-cultural issues. The scenes were filmed on various locations on O’ahu, which gives the film a very authentic tone.” See their full review below.

Finding ‘Ohana
By Nathalia J, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

The upcoming Netflix film Finding ‘Ohana, by Jude Weng, is absorbing, hilarious and intriguing. I truly enjoyed watching the main character Pili (Kea Peahu) evolve throughout the film as she learns more about her heritage and the land. As a young viewer, I found it fascinating that this film points out one of many Hawaiian legends – the Night Marchers – which are the ghosts of ancient Hawaiian warriors.

This film follows two Brooklyn-raised siblings, as their life takes an unexpected turn as they spend the summer in O’ahu. At the beginning of their O’ahu summer, Pili finds an old, dusty journal with notes from an old pirate and the pirate’s crew. After learning more about the pirate’s connection to the long-lost gold from her grandfather Kimo (Branscombe Richmond), Pili takes on the challenge of finding the gold with her new friend Casper (Owen Vaccaro), which leads to her older brother Ioane (Alex Iono) and Casper’s “older sister” Hana (Lindsay Watson) following the journey.

I was super impressed by all of the acting talent, especially Kea Peahu, who plays the protagonist Pili. Considering that this is her first feature film, that is even more impressive. I spoke with her recently about that and she shared, “I have many similarities to Pili, which helped improve my performance. I was able to connect with my ohana (family) just like Pili does in the film.” Along with that, Owen Vaccaro (Daddy’s Home; Daddy’s Home 2) surpassed all my expectations with his performance.

My favorite parts about Finding ‘Ohana are the real-world concepts such as the Hawaiian legends that lead Pili on her journey to find the treasure. Many films are based around myths of various cultures. However, in this film, you see how the Hawaiian legend comes to life in a youth and family-friendly way. I loved seeing the character development of each character and seeing them change by the end of the film when they become family (ohana) because of the experiences they have shared.

This film promotes positive social behaviors and shows how important it is to treat others respectfully. What I took away from this film is to always treat others the way you want to be treated, and that ohana (family) is not always blood; family is those who love and support you, whether you are related or not.

I give Finding ‘Ohana 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 10 to 18, plus adults. It debuts on Netflix Jan. 29, 2021. Be sure to check it out!

Finding ‘Ohana 
By Zoë C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

Families do not always bond nicely. In Finding ‘Ohana, two siblings from New York embark on an adventure in O’ahu, Hawaii and try to connect with each other and with their Hawaiian heritage while they discover the mysteries of the island. This movie is about traditions, embracing your culture and respect.

The film has the perfect adventure spirit. Pili (Kea Peahu), a 12-year-old girl and her brother Ione (Alex Aiono) are always fighting. With their mom, they go to their native island, O’ahu, to visit their grandfather whose health is delicate. The mom, Leilani (Kelly Hu), doesn’t get along with her family all that well. It’s as if all these different generations are colliding, but through the unusual experiences and with help from new friends, they discover the greatest treasure – the love of family (ohana).

The movie mixes fantasy and adventure, a little romance, humor and drama in a fun way. This story remind of Goonies and has some elements from the classic 80s films like Indiana Jones, but deals with contemporary subjects of identity and multi-cultural issues. The scenes were filmed on various locations on O’ahu, which gives the film a very authentic tone. The sights are beautiful and there is some lovely underwater photography. The story is entertaining and keeps you focused most of the time.

Some visual effects and practical sets are not all that impressive, but the performances are very good and make you connect with the characters and what they are going through. Kea Peahu, who plays Pili in her film debut, is amazing in the leading role. I love the songs in the soundtrack and the way the music is incorporated into the storyline. I also love that the film reinforces the importance of a simple life; sometimes we focus on our dreams and goals; we forget about the beauty that is in front of us in our everyday life.

The message of the film is that love of family is unconditional despite our differences.

I give Finding ‘Ohana 4 out of 5 starts and recommended for ages 5 to 18, plus adults.  Finding ‘Ohana premieres January 29, 2021 on Netflix.

Six teens attending an adventure camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar must band together to survive when dinosaurs wreak havoc on the island. Now stranded on an abandoned Isla Nublar, the campers struggle to survive among the wreckage of Jurassic World. As the T.Rex takes over Main Street, forcing the kids deeper into the jungle, the discovery that they may not be alone not only threatens their rescue but may uncover something more sinister. Inspired by the Jurassic World franchise, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous follows six teenagers chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Camp Cretaceous, a new adventure camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar, must work together to survive when dinosaurs wreak havoc across the island.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Conrad W. comments, “Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Season 2 is an exciting, action-packed, at times funny, animated TV series on Netflix! The series continues building upon the beloved Jurassic World and Jurassic Park franchise. If you are fascinated by dinosaurs (like I am) and you like adventure, you should definitely watch this show. Additionally, if you like the other Jurassic Park or Jurassic World movies, I bet you will love this series. I really enjoyed it! Ethan P. adds, “I love Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Season 2—it’s so interesting, and it grabs your attention so well! I also like that season 2 has more action than season 1, which kept me watching the whole time.” See their full reviews and an interview with Executive Producer Scott Kreamer below.

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Season 2 
By Conrad Wilson, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Season 2 is an exciting, action-packed, at times funny, animated TV series on Netflix! The series continues building upon the beloved Jurassic World and Jurassic Park franchise. If you are fascinated by dinosaurs (like I am) and you like adventure, you should definitely watch this show. Additionally, if you like the other Jurassic Park or Jurassic World movies, I bet you will love this series. I really enjoyed it!

The story is about six teenagers, Darius (Paul-Mikél Williams), Brooklyn (Jenna Ortega), Kenji (Ryan Potter), Ben (Sean Giambrone), Yaz (Kausar Mohammed) and Sammy (Raini Rodriguez) who go together to a camp in Jurassic World, called Camp Cretaceous. They have a fun time at the camp, but then all of a sudden all the dinosaurs living in Jurassic World become loose! The teenagers then need to figure out how to survive on an island with wild and crazy dinosaurs that attack the campers. Even though this may sound a little scary, there is humor throughout the episode. There are moments that had me laughing such as when stuff breaks that isn’t supposed to, or when the characters say funny things.

In every episode of this series, there are new dinosaurs that pop into the show. The special effects surrounding these dinosaurs are awesome and seem incredibly realistic. The dinosaurs actually seem like they are alive.  There is a T-Rex, Raptor, Mosasaurus, Compy, Stegosaurus and other prehistoric creatures. The dinosaurs are, by far, my favorite part of the show. The teenage characters all have different types of traits including: athletic, funny, scared of everything, famous, rich and loving dinosaurs. I enjoyed watching how they all end up working together as a team during the course of the series.

The primary message of the series is about teamwork and collaboration. The characters all end up working as a team.

I give Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults.  You can find Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Season 2 on Netflix, available January 22, 2021.

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Season 2 
Ethan P., KIDS FIRST!, Film Critic, Age 12

Jurassic World:  Camp Cretaceous, Season 2 is an American animated, science-fiction adventure series based on the multi-billionaire Jurassic Park franchise. This awesome series has eight episodes with duration of approximately 25 minutes each. The computer animation and graphics are neat, and the colorful backgrounds attract the viewer’s attention.  The voiceovers suit each character, and the music played on every scene is suitable to what is going on. My favorite part is when Darius has a flashback about how he got the dinosaur tooth necklace.

This season starts with a boy named Darius (Paul-Mikél Williams) who wants to go to Camp Cretaceous like he and his dad planned. Sadly, his dad dies and ever since then Darius has been playing a VR game because the game’s winner gets Camp Cretaceous tickets. No one has beaten the game yet, until Darius does, and he attends Camp Cretaceous in honor of his dad. This is big for Darius because he is a huge dino nerd and knows so many facts and has dino toys all over his room. He arrives at Camp Cretaceous and meets five other kids: Brooklynn (Jenna Ortega), a famous travel vlogger; Ben (Sean Giambrone), who is scared of everything and a germophobe; Kenji (Ryan Potter), a rich ungrateful kid who likes attention and brags about going to the park six gazillion times. The other kids include Yasmina (Kausar Mohammed), an athlete who sits alone and Sammy (Raini Rodriguez), who likes to talk a lot and makes friends with everyone. All six of the kids embark on a new adventure in every episode.  

There are many morals in season 2, but teamwork stands out the most. In season 1, the kids need to find people that work at the camp so they can get saved and, in that process, they work together very well. In season 2, they need to find a beacon and also watch out for a T-rex and its lair. They work together using walkie-talkies.

I give Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Season 2, 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18 plus adults and to whomever is a dinosaur or Jurassic Park fan. Jurassic World:  Camp Cretaceous, Season 2 comes out on January 22, 2021, on Netflix. 

Join the Floogals on a mission of discovery as they explore Earth and the funny hoomans who live there! The show centers on three three-inch tall extraterrestrials called Floogals who have come to Earth to study its inhabitants. Upon landing, a human boy, thinking their spaceship is a toy, hangs their craft onto the ceiling of his bedroom. The Floogals, however, don’t seem to mind as they carry on with their studying. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Giana N. comments, “The DVD Floogals: Season One is a collection of episodes from the animated children’s TV show that teaches kids about new things in a fun way. The characters are colorful and fun, and they never run out of new things to explore. This show is entertaining and interesting, which is perfect for a younger audience. Kayla A. adds, “The theme song of the show is very catchy. I could see myself listening to it multiple times. My favorite character is Boomer, voiced by Hugo Harold-Harrison, because he is funny, caring and kind of silly and that makes him even funnier.” See their full reviews below.

Floogals: Season One
By Giana N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 9

The DVD Floogals: Season One is a collection of episodes from the animated children’s TV show that teaches kids about new things in a fun way. The characters are colorful and fun, and they never run out of new things to explore. This show is entertaining and interesting, which is perfect for a younger audience. 

The show is about tiny aliens named Fleeker, Flo and Boomer who are from the planet Floog. After coming to Earth, they observe and learn new things every day. As the aliens roam around the “hoomans” house, they learn about things that people use, such as a balloon, flashlight, and a trumpet. After the aliens are done investigating and learning all about the new objects, they send a report back to their home planet Floog. If the other aliens like their report, the aliens get a sticker. The aliens go to sleep and get ready to learn something new the next day.  

The theme song of the show is very catchy. I could see myself listening to it multiple times. My favorite character is Boomer, voiced by Hugo Harold-Harrison, because he is funny, caring and kind of silly and that makes him even funnier. For example, at the end of each episode, after the aliens send their report to Floog, Boomer either makes a joke or does something funny to make the audience laugh. The storylines are easy to follow because they help kids learn about basic things, such as a doll, a cast, and a tent. Also, the aliens don’t use big words; they use words that young children will know and understand. Many animated kids’ shows don’t show a contrast between cartoons and humans, so that part is pretty cool.

The message of Floogals isyou can learn something new with everything you do. There is always a way to learn something, even if you don’t notice it. This is totally kid-friendly.

Floogals: Season One is a great DVD to watch! I give it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 6. The DVD releases on January 19, 2021. Go check it out!

Floogals: Season One
By Kayla A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10

The DVD Floogals: Season One is a collection of episodes from the fantastic animated TV show Floogals. It is perfect for young children with its fun, playful storyline. It’s very kid-friendly and enjoyable for other family members to watch as well. I like how short each episode is. Parents don’t want their young children watching screens all day, and these short episodes combat that problem.

The storyline follows the Floogals, a team of intergalactic alien explorers named Captain Fleeker, Junior Boomer and First Officer Flo, who travel to Earth to learn more about its wonders. In each episode, the Floogals find different objects that the “hoomans” use, learn more about them and report back to their planet. 

This voice-acting in this show is very enjoyable. Ramus Hardiker (Captain Fleeker), Jules de Jongh (First Officer Flo) and Hugo Harold-Harrison (Junior Boomer) perfectly portray explorer aliens on a whole new planet. Their voice-acting really brings life to the characters in this show. Also, I love the animation, which is full of bright colors and perfect for young kids. Lastly, I love the theme song. It’s really catchy and has a memorable tune.

I think the message of this film about exploring. The show really encourages kids to ask questions and be curious.

I give Floogals: Season One 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 4 to 6. This DVD is available January 19, 2021.

In Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie, Charlie goes on shape-filled adventures he creates using his big imagination. Charlie’s Colorforms City is an American/Canadian children’s streaming television miniseries created by Angela Santomero that is based on Colorforms. The show educates children about colors, shapes, and size. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ella M. comments, “Are you ready for a fun filled, colorful, interactive adventure? Then you have to check out Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie In this animated series, your creative imagination will flourish. So, buckle up and get ready for a fantastic animated adventure that’s both fun and educational for the whole family.” Maica N. adds, “This series has many components that make it as good as it is – for one, the musical part. I love performing and music. Music is always around me. This show includes upbeat songs and background music. For example, the theme song is SO catchy, explains what the show is about, and, by the way, and has impressive vocals.” Avery P. adds, “I got lots of messages from the show, although the one that keeps going with the theme is to stay active and creative. I really like how this DVD is trying to encourage kids to use their imagination more.  With each colorful adventure they will have loads of fun.” Ashleigh C. wraps it up with, “Angela Santomero, the creator of this show is to be applauded for her ideas of creating such amazing themes and messages, while still making it fun. The best episode is “Rock Star Charlie,” where Charlie and his friends create a rock band and dance and sing.” See their full reviews below.

Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie
By Ella McCain, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10

Are you ready for a fun filled, colorful, interactive adventure? Then you have to check out Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie In this animated series, your creative imagination will flourish. So, buckle up and get ready for a fantastic animated adventure that’s both fun and educational for the whole family.

Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie is all about going on unpredictable, interactive, storytelling adventures in Colorforms City with Charlie and his best friends, Red and Violet. Every adventure is different and unique, so you never know what to expect. Charlie is always shaking things up. With Charlie’s imagination leading the way, you’ll be inspired to create colorful and magical stories, while developing your critical thinking skills.

The cast is filled with many talented actors. Jacob Soley (Charlie), Tyler Barish (Red) and Saara Chaudry (Violet) all connect with their characters throughout this series and deliver awesome performances. I love the colorful animation and music. Sometimes, I just jumped to my feet and start dancing.  My favorite part is when Charlie uses his imagination to build a rocket ship using different shapes, sizes and colors to travel to outer space in order to send his friend home.  And, I absolutely love the part, when he can’t decide which pet to have; so his solution is to build one mega-super pet by using various shapes along with one trait from each animal he wants.

The intent of this DVD is to inspire kids to learn about different colors, shapes and sizes as well as work on their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Charlie also teaches friendship skills such as being kind, considerate, respectful, and supportive and being an active listening. I wish I lived in Colorforms City, don’t you?

I highly recommend Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie for ages 2 to 6 and give it 5 out of 5 stars. This DVD is available January 19, 2021. Look for it; you’ve got a great story to create!

Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie
Maica N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, Age 13

The Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie DVDis a compilation of episodes from the educational TV series that will have kids laughing and learning the whole time! It combines shapes, colors, creativity and music to entertain watchers and teach them how to problem-solve and create stories. This is a show with a lot of concepts that are easy to understand.

Charlie’s Colorforms City is about Charlie, a very silly and creative friend. Charlie invented Colorforms City from his imagination. It is a city full of colors and shapes that can make anything you dream of. From making pancakes to finding the end of a rainbow, Charlie and his best friends Violet and Red go on CRAZY story quests and solve the problems that get in their way.

This series has many components that make it as good as it is – for one, the musical part. I love performing and music. Music is always around me. This show includes upbeat songs and background music. For example, the theme song is SO catchy, explains what the show is about, and, by the way, and has impressive vocals. Something else I noticed with this series is the storylines. They are easy to follow and are entertaining. They’re not too complex but they also get you thinking. That’s a nice balance, so props to the creator, Angela Santomero, and the writers of the show. Like a lot of shows for young kids, Charlie’s Colorforms City has “call and response.” I love how this element is used in this show. It allows kids to be included in the story. When I was watching this I thought: “Wow! These characters sound excited!” It’s all thanks to the voice actors. The actor who plays Charlie, Jacob Soley, really stands out to me. He is always enthusiastic and caught my attention immediately. My favorite episodes of this series so far are “Charlie the Pancake Chef” and “Adventure Charlie.” They are intriguing and they have the best storylines. Who doesn’t love pancakes and a little adventure?!

The messages of Charlie’s Colorforms City are: creativity can lead you anywhere, and learning can be fun! Whenever the characters run into a problem, they use creativity and imagination to solve them. There is nothing inappropriate in this show and it is kid-friendly.

Overall, Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie is an incredible DVD for kids! With it being fun and educational, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 6. It’s also a good series for parents to watch with their kids! The DVD releases nationwide January 19, 2021. Check it out; I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie
By Avery P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

I especially love the DVD Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie because of the interactive adventures! This show promotes imagination, games, colors, shapes and much more.

The storyline is about Charlie (Jacob Soley) who takes you on a whimsical adventure while introducing colors, shapes, sizes and all you need to know about creativity. Throughout the story Charlie also introduces other friends such as Violet (Saara Chaudry) and Red (Tyler Barish). With your help, you and Charlie get to create new stories filled with imagination.

I enjoyed the fun personalities of all the characters and the way they are so inclusive. Charlie loves to interact with his friends and the viewers, which keeps the audience engaged. I also got to build new inventions and talk with Charlie. Each new shape-filled story is repetitive enough to promote fun learning.  My favorite episode is the first one, “Charlie the Pancake Chef,” because it involves problem solving skills. Each new short story promotes behaviors of kindness and sharing. This series is perfect for a good role modeling. The backgrounds in the show are bright and whimsical. There are many areas where one can participate and spot out shapes. I really enjoyed the catchy and bubbly introduction in each new short story. There are four segments with two short stories ranging from ten to fifteen minutes in each episode. An entire episode is around twenty minutes long. This is perfect for the intended audience. I love the way that Charlie’s Colorforms City can help kids learn so much about the world around them.

I got lots of messages from the show, although the one that keeps going with the theme is to stay active and creative. I really like how this DVD is trying to encourage kids to use their imagination more.  With each colorful adventure they will have loads of fun.  

I give Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie 5 out 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 6. I also think that this would be great for families to watch together. The DVD is available January 19, 2021 so look for it.

Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie
By Ashleigh C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, 16

Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie is an engaging and hilarious DVD comprised of episodes from the TV series! This show has so many great messages that both young and old need to hear. Also, it awakens imagination and creativity.

Charlie’s Colorforms City follows Charlie (Jacob Soley) and his friends Violet (Saara Chaudry) and Red (Tyler Barish) through a series of adventures in the engaging form of a story where the audience are the storytellers. Each adventure or episode has its own conflicts and resolutions, but most importantly fun.

Jacob Soley has an amazing voice which perfectly fits Charlie’s character. The opening theme music by Voodoo Highway Music and Post, performed by Niiko Soul is undeniably the best I’ve heard for a children’s television series; it’s extremely catchy and dance worthy. The animation in this series is great. However, as most of the characters are 3D shaped, the 2D animated backgrounds look a bit out of place. The different settings such as outer space, underwater and the jungle are very colorful and full of detail. Although this show is targeted at younger audiences it teaches complex subjects such as geometry, entrepreneurship, various emotions, hygiene and weather, just to name a few. Angela Santomero, the creator of this show is to be applauded for her ideas of creating such amazing themes and messages, while still making it fun. The best episode is “Rock Star Charlie,” where Charlie and his friends create a rock band and dance and sing.

Do you sometimes feel afraid when trouble arises because you don’t know the outcome? “Not if we are the one’s telling the story!” Charlie explains that we are the storytellers of our own story, or, in this case, our lives. So, when our story gets sticky and stickier, we can create a fun plot twist and change our story to the way we would like it.

Charlie’s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie gets 4 out of 5 stars and I recommend it for ages 2 to 7. It is available on DVD January 19, 2021. Look for it!

Based on true events and the novel by Aleksandrs Grins, which was forbidden in the USSR, the film follows a coming-of-age story of a sixteen-year-old Arthur. After the loss of his mother, he enlists to fight in WWI with dreams of becoming a hero, but after surviving the brutalities of trench warfare and the loss of his family, he wonders if his efforts in battle were futile and if hope is only to be found in rebuilding a family and a home as Latvia itself is born from the atrocities of war.

Blizzard Of Souls was directed by Dzintars Dreibergs and written by Dreibergs and Boriss Frumins. The film was produced by Inga Pranevska and Dzintars Dreibergs for KULTFILMA, and associate produced by Gatis Sniedziņš. Ilona Bičevska serves as International Producer. It was edited by Gatis Belogrudovs and composed by Lolita Ritmanis. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Eshaan M. comments, “A cinematic masterpiece and the Oscar submission from the Baltic nation of Latvia, Blizzard of Souls will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions while providing you with a thorough history lesson!” See his full review below.

Blizzard of Souls
By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

A cinematic masterpiece and the Oscar submission from the Baltic nation of Latvia, Blizzard of Souls will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions while providing you with a thorough history lesson! With echoes of 1917, Blizzard of Souls has masterful editing and cinematography, incredible sets and locations, and a talented cast, but falls a bit short on explaining major events in the First World War.

KULTFILMA took inspiration from true events and the novel by Grins to create Blizzard of Souls, which follows a teenage boy named Arturs Vanags in Russian-controlled Latvia (around the 1910s). Arturs’ father was a highly decorated commander of a regiment of the Latvian army, and his brother Edgars is focused on carrying on that legacy. He’s not exactly a fighter, but when his mother is killed by the Germans, Arturs, his brother, and his father conscript in the national Latvian Riflemen battalions of the Imperial Russian army in hopes of getting revenge and finding glory. He experiences many loves and losses in battle, after which he, among other soldiers, grows weary of the Tsarist cause and feels forgotten. Arturs must decide whether to stay with his regiment or defect and join his comrades in fighting the Latvian War of Independence and start his life all over again. As you can see, there’s a lot happening in the film, and it’s an intriguing plotline. Though I am a history buff, I’m not at the top of my game when it comes to Latvian war history, so I was really hoping for some time or battle markers; all of the battles seemed to blend together, save for the final conflict Arturs is involved in – the Battle of Cesis.

The cast and crew shine in this Baltic beauty. Oto Brantevics and Raimonds Celms play the brothers Vanags, with Oto as Arturs and Raimonds as Edgars. Raimond is a more experienced actor, but Oto really shines in his performance, with perfectly toned emotions and dialogue. Their on-screen father is played by Martins Vilsons, whose cerebral, tough personality gives way (at the perfect time) to paternal love. And the Vanags’ friends in the film, Mikelsons and Konrads, are played by Jēkabs Reinis and Gatis Gaga, who excel in their supporting roles with pointed humor and emulating the characters’ focused, yet free personalities. Behind the scenes, Dzintars Dreibergs directed the film meticulously, with a keen eye on historical accuracy and believability. The music in the film, which majestically introduces and drives the action in each scene, was composed by Lolita Ritmanis. The soundtrack is definitely one of my favorite parts of the film. Another beautiful element of Blizzard of Souls is the cinematography by Valdis Celmiņš; viewers can tell that each shot was thoughtfully planned out. There is a large part of one battle sequence that was shot and edited in one take, which really helps the speed of the film.

The message of Blizzard of Souls is one of growth; Arturs grows from a young boy to a mature hero throughout this film and has to make many tough decisions along the way. It’s a positive and relatable message, as we all grow as people throughout our lives. There are some scenes for parents to watch out for though; there’s a lot of blood and gore, some nudity and profanity (given the culture of trench warfare).

I give Blizzard of Souls 5 stars out of 5 and recommend it for ages 14 to 18. Adults will enjoy this film as well. Blizzard of Souls is out in theatres and on DVD now!