KIDS FIRST! News

From producer Oprah Winfrey and directed by Academy Award nominee Reginald Hudlin, this revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier and his legacy as an iconic actor, filmmaker and activist at the center of Hollywood and the Civil Rights Movement. Featuring candid interviews with Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Robert Redford, Lenny Kravitz, Barbra Streisand, Spike Lee and many more, the film is also produced by Derik Murray, in close collaboration with the Poitier family.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Tiana S. comments, “Sidney is an inspiring documentary that will ensure generations to come to love and appreciate the impact of Oscar award-winning actor, Mr. Sidney Poitier…Described by producer Oprah Winfrey as one of the most extraordinary people she’s ever met, Mr. Poitier would be proud of this documentary about his life.” See her full review below.

Sidney
By Tiana Sirmans, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

Sidney is an inspiring documentary that will ensure generations to come to love and appreciate the impact of Oscar award-winning actor, Mr. Sidney Poitier. The techniques used to tell his story, the events shared and the contributions to the film will keep viewers engaged. Described by producer Oprah Winfrey as one of the most extraordinary people she’s ever met, Mr. Poitier would be proud of this documentary about his life.

Sidney reflects on the life and legacy of iconic actor, filmmaker, and activist, Sidney Poitier. Born and raised in the Bahamas, the film shows life for him once he arrived in the USA as a colored man and how he rose to become an icon and the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, despite racism and other obstacles. The documentary creatively tells Poitier’s story in his own words from interviews from Ms. Winfrey’s personal collection. Anecdotes from his family and heavy hitters such as Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and Oprah Winfrey herself included.

This film is truly a celebration of Mr. Poitier’s legacy, the contributions he made, and a life well-lived. I love how the interview clips from the younger Poitier seamlessly blend together with the elder Poitier picking up the story.

My favorite part of the documentary is the clip from Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner when he says, “You think of yourself as a colored man. And I think of myself as a man,” because it perfectly summarizes how he felt about himself and how he demanded other people to look at him. For me, this is what enabled him to break so many barriers and pave the way for other actors, including myself. The film does not hold back and includes some of Mr. Poitier’s not-so-proud moments, which really help show the different sides of his complex life.

This film is about perseverance and being confident in who you are despite how the world sees you. I love that Mr. Poitier understood that he was not identified by his color and made sure everyone else knew it too, on and off-screen, even demanding scripts be rewritten to make his character stronger.

I rate Sidney 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. You can watch Sidney on Apple TV+ starting September 23, 2022.

The second of eight installments in the Boonie Bears: Monster Plan series. This film will be available on DVD, DISH, InDemand, and Comcast on 11/1. AVod platforms, such as The Roku Channel and TubiTV to follow. We are also releasing Boonie Bears: Forrest Frenzy – all 16 films – on AVOD platforms starting in November.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gavin S. comments, “I enjoyed the film Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 a lot, mainly because it is funny, has great animation, wonderful characters, and is suitable for young kids…” Ari P. adds, “The Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 is one of the cutest children’s movies I have ever seen! It’s all about nature and saving the day. It also shows the importance of friendship and perseverance. This is definitely a children’s movie favorite for me.” Emma D. contributes, “The animation is, by far, my favorite part of the film. The animators’ creation of the forest filled with beautiful creatures and plants is superb. The animals are especially well done and beautifully detailed.” Kyla C. wraps it up with, “The message of Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 is that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Many of the characters wish to be stronger or smarter, but they realize that, just because they aren’t smarter or stronger, doesn’t mean that they aren’t talented in other ways.” See their full reviews below.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2
By Gavin S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

I enjoyed the film Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 a lot, mainly because it is funny, has great animation, wonderful characters, and is suitable for young kids, plus it could also entertain older kids. This film really held my attention.

The storyline follows two bears, Briar (Ricky Jay Glen) and his brother Bramble (Justin J. Wheeler). Briar, Bramble and their friends run into many problems with their arch nemesis Rex Vector, who wants to steal their powers and use them to destroy them. So Briar, Bramble and all their friends jump in to solve their problems with Rex Vector and others.

This film is really great. I really found the characters and humor outstanding and perfect for its target age group. All the characters have outstanding personalities; each with a terrific sense of humor. They are also thoughtful and kind to their friends, as well as people or animals around them. The humor in this film is also commendable; there are many things that made me laugh or smile. Even when something bad is happening it always finds a way to make me laugh. However, apart from all these positive things is one not so good thing – the sound. The characters’ voices have issues with the sound quality, but the film was still very interesting. I also love the life lessons of this film – they are very heartfelt and real.

This film’s life lesson is an inspiring reminder that no matter what happens to you, you are unstoppable as long as you have someone there for you. I relate to this because I have found the importance of support from a friend or family member in my life and believe that you can do anything and maybe even everything with the right support.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 5 to 8, plus adults. This film can entertain people young and maybe even old. It will be available on most streaming platforms and DVD November 1, 2022. Be sure to check it out.

The Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2
By Ari P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

The Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 is one of the cutest children’s movies I have ever seen! It’s all about nature and saving the day. It also shows the importance of friendship and perseverance. This is definitely a children’s movie favorite for me.

The storyline follows a bear named Briar (actor) who needs to save his friends from the evil Rex Vector (actor) and his hamster, Mr. Pete (actor). Once Vector and Mr. Pete realizes the group has escaped, they start to work on another project that they think will be their greatest one yet. Briar, his partner Bramble (Joseph S. Lambert), and his human best friend Vick (actor) know that they need to save the day and they have a few adventures along the way.

My favorite part of this film is the funny voices used by the actors for their characters. I love how the bears’ voices are all just so cute and adorable and Dr. Vector’s voice is perfect for a young villain. I also love the setting of this film. It seems so peaceful and quiet when there isn’t an evil scientist trying to rule all the animals. It’s set in a park with all kinds of monkeys, skunks and other cute animals. The only thing I didn’t exactly capture from the film is the emotions from the characters. Neither Rex Vector nor Mr. Pete show as much enthusiasm as I hoped for. For example, when Rex Vector laughs maniacally about a gadget of his working, he doesn’t seem so excited. Also, once Mr. Pete answers a question Briar asks him, there is a small amount remaining of “unsureness” in his answer. Otherwise, I absolutely adore this film. 

The message of this film is that you have to persevere in order to succeed. If the characters didn’t persevere through the different challenges throughout the movie, they never would have stopped Doctor Rex Vector. They also would not have made it through the other challenges along the way.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 5 to 10. It is available on DVD and many streaming channels beginning November 11, 2022. 

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2
By Kyla C, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 is a fun, comedic film that’s perfect for a kid’s first action movie. Colorful animation brings out the best in the plotlines. Each character is funny, relatable, and helps to highlight the important messages and educational aspects.

The storyline follows a grou[1] p of animals including bears, skunks and squirrels who navigate through life in the forest with various enemies and problems along the way.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 has colorful and vibrant animation. The settings are realistic, yet creative and bright. One example that stands out is s the hunter’s pit. Some of the animals get stuck in a poacher’s trap, and we see various angles from inside the hole. The attention to detail is incredible. There are little worms on the ground, weeds growing out of the sides of the walls and even indents in the dirt. Although these tiny details don’t affect the plot, it makes situations seem so much more realistic and truly engages viewers. In addition, each character has its own unique features and physical characteristics that are emphasized in the animation. These characters also have very fun personalities. Each trait helps develop an important theme or subtly teach a lesson. The comedy is perfect for the intended audience; little kids will laugh their heads off while watching. It’s cool that there are so many smaller, individual conflicts and plotlines that take place throughout the film. However, sometimes having multiple plotlines makes it difficult to stay engaged, follow the main plot, and keep watching.

The message of Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 is that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Many of the characters wish to be stronger or smarter, but they realize that, just because they aren’t smarter or stronger, doesn’t mean that they aren’t talented in other ways. There are also other themes such as teamwork, kindness and friendship that are built upon throughout the film.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 gets 4 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 2 to 8. You can watch Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 on DVD and many streaming services beginning November 1, 2022.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2
By Emma D., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 is an exciting and kid-friendly film, with beautiful animation and color, but it lacks some cohesiveness in its storyline.  

The storylinefollows Bramble (Joseph S. Lambert) and his friends on a fun adventure in the forest, on their quest to defeat the evil Doctor Rex and his sidekick Mister Pete. The evil duo devises a plan to steal some of Bramble and his friends’ animal abilities in order to create a robotic monster. The gang uses teamwork and friendship to prevent Doctor Rex and Mister Pete from stealing all of their abilities and ruining their home.

The animation is, by far, my favorite part of the film. The animators’ creation of the forest filled with beautiful creatures and plants is superb. The animals are especially well done and beautifully detailed. At first, I was a somewhat put off by the voices, but once I got over my shock, I found them very entertaining.  Some of the voices are difficult to understand, particularly the skunk. I couldn’t make out what it was saying at times. The storyline picks up at the end and I wish there was a recap at the beginning to give us a bit more context, since it left me with a few questions regarding the plot. Bonnie Bears: Monster Plan 2 is split into five parts, all with different plots. I wanted to better understand what took place in the episode prior to this one.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 promotes friendship, teamwork, kindness and resilience. It also highlights the importance of fighting for those you love and how important it is to overcome your fears if you are to obtain your goals.

Boonie Bears: Monster Plan 2 gets 3 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 4 to 10. It will be released on November 1, 2022, on DVD and many streaming networks.