KIDS FIRST! News

This DVD reveals the life story of Harry Houdini starting from his early childhood. It reveals some of Harry’s difficulties in pursuing his dream and how meeting the Great Tesla changed everything for him. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ryan R. comments, “I can relate to him because we both have dreams and we both find ways to pursuit them. He had a lot of motivation.” See his full review below.

Houdini

By KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Ryan R., age 11

I really enjoy this film. I liked this story because the plot of the movie shows how you can do anything when you put your mind to do it. I also like that it shows that, even though Harry isn’t great, he doesn’t give up. This film is an hour long and doesn’t feel rushed. I like that this movie has a nice message along with a nice plot.

The story of Houdini takes place in 1866. It is about a boy named Harry, who dreams of becoming a magician. He gets an opportunity to go to New York to win a contest. If he wins, he will get to perform in New York. The problem is he needs help and so, another magician helps him out.

Something I don’t like is that are no bonus features on the DVD. There are only chapters. I was surprised to find that out. The movie just begins with no introduction to the features. Other than that, I really loved it.

The message of this film is “to follow your dreams and never give up when the challenge gets hard.” I say that because Harry first had problems with performing magic. But, he always wanted to be a magician and he never gave up. He went to New York to practice so he could achieve his goals. And, if you want to know more, you should need to watch see this DVD.

My favorite character is Harry because he reminds me of myself. He reminds me of myself when I took a chance to do KIDS FIRST! I can relate to him because we both have dreams and we both find ways to pursuit them. He had a lot of motivation.

I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend this to kids ages 4 to 18. I think some adults may like this as well. I also recommend this to people who like action and adventure movies.

This film is truly an enjoyable experience just to watch! Director Brad Bird has outdone himself making this master piece. From the perfect cast, to the original story, it is just breathtaking to watch. The cinematography is perfect. It is not too modest but not to forced either. The acting is spot on. George, Britt and the rest of the cast have great chemistry. They joke with other, pull us into their drama and make us believe their story. The relationship between the main characters vacillates. At times you’re sad; at other times happy times in seeing these heartwarming relationships develop. Disney has outdone itself so many times, but again they have surprises us with a very original and nicely created film based on Walt’s original vision of Tomorrow.

My favorite scene is when Casey, Frank and a girl named Athena (watch the film to learn more about this very special character) go to Paris where they launch something out of the Eiffel tower! It is action packed, funny and just stunning to watch. The special effects are out of this world and perfectly executed.

There are so many moral messages, but the main one is – Nothing is impossible and never stop questioning the world around you. In this film, Casey never stops asking questions and, because of this, a very surprising thing happens.

With the release of Tomorrowland on Blu-Ray and DVD, there are a whole bunch of cool and interesting bonus features. My favorite thing is that most of them are narrated by Brad Bird. These include the first day they started shooting, deleted scenes, Brad Bird vs. Weather (that was my favorite!) and even an exclusive animated short showing the creation of Tomorrowland!

This film has very few scenes that are too mature for younger kids so, I recommend it for ages 8 to 18. I also give this 5 out of 5 stars as this film is truly one of the greatest family films of the year.

This film is truly an enjoyable experience just to watch! Director Brad Bird has outdone himself making this master piece. From the perfect cast, to the original story, it is just breathtaking to watch. The cinematography is perfect. It is not too modest but not to forced either. The acting is spot on. George, Britt and the rest of the cast have great chemistry. They joke with other, pull us into their drama and make us believe their story. The relationship between the main characters vacillates. At times you’re sad; at other times happy times in seeing these heartwarming relationships develop. Disney has outdone itself so many times, but again they have surprises us with a very original and nicely created film based on Walt’s original vision of Tomorrow.

My favorite scene is when Casey, Frank and a girl named Athena (watch the film to learn more about this very special character) go to Paris where they launch something out of the Eiffel tower! It is action packed, funny and just stunning to watch. The special effects are out of this world and perfectly executed.

There are so many moral messages, but the main one is – Nothing is impossible and never stop questioning the world around you. In this film, Casey never stops asking questions and, because of this, a very surprising thing happens.
With the release of Tomorrowland on Blu-Ray and DVD, there are a whole bunch of cool and interesting bonus features. My favorite thing is that most of them are narrated by Brad Bird. These include the first day they started shooting, deleted scenes, Brad Bird vs. Weather (that was my favorite!) and even an exclusive animated short showing the creation of Tomorrowland!

This film has very few scenes that are too mature for younger kids so, I recommend it for ages 8 to 18. I also give this 5 out of 5 stars as this film is truly one of the greatest family films of the year.

Tomorowland

By Miles T., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10

This futuristic film has an advanced plot and is full of surprises. It uses a lot of special effects, green screen work and wires and contains a lot of action! This film is about a teenage girl who has glimpsed the future and is determined to figure out how to get there.

My favorite character is Frank Walker played by George Cloony. In the movie, he is very funny and sarcastic. I like this character because it seems like he has no hope, but then something happens and he is suddenly soaked in hope. I love everyone in the cast because their acting is so good and their work with ropes and harnesses and special effects is nothing short of amazing. The action looks very real.

I was very confused at the start of the movie because it does not give you a lot of information and I was not sure where the movie was going. I think that they did not have any idea how to start the movie so they chose to do it as if it was a documentary. It has that feel to it. However, it got less confusing as it developed and the actors and all the action scenes are fun and exciting.  The ending is the best part because it leaves you hopeful and, now I want to see Tomorrowland 2.

Definitely get the DVD because there are a lot of fun extra scenes they had to cut out of the movie. I wish they had left these scenes in the movie because it would been less confusing. But, thankfully, most of it is saved and is now part of the extras. Also, the extras show how the movie was made.  It looks like it was difficult for the actors and took a lot of takes. Brad Bird (Director) exercised his wild imagination and excelled in making things look realistic.  I understand that he was an animator before he was a Director and had specific ideas about how he wanted everything to look.  Well, he succeeded as everything looks beautiful and interesting.

I recommend this movie for ages 6 to 18 up because it shows some violence. I rate this 4.5 out of 5 stars. I hope you enjoy the movie!

The Aladdin Diamond Edition is available now on DVD/Blu-ray/Digital. Climb aboard for a magical carpet ride with nonstop laughs, action-packed adventure and Academy Award(R)-winning music that will make your heart soar (1992: Best Music, Original Song, “A Whole New World,” Original Score). Now for the first time ever, a whole new world of Disney’s ALADDIN is revealed in a whole new way on Blu-ray and Digital HD — with never-before-seen bonus! With the help of a hysterically funny, shape-shifting, 10,000-year-old Genie, street-smart commoner Aladdin and clever, confident Princess Jasmine join forces against the evil sorcerer Jafar to put an end to his plans to take over the kingdom! Starring Robin Williams, Linda Larkin and Scott Weinger. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O. comments, “…one of the greatest is Aladdin with flying carpets, magical Genies, giant talking sand monsters. Aladdin is beloved by me along with millions of others and it will be loved by many more with this new Diamond DVD.” Haley P. adds, “Aladdin has so many jokes that it makes you laugh, but also has quite a few dramatic scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat with relationships sprouting into wonderful romance. And, it is all wrapped together in one fantastic adventure.“ See their full reviews below.

Aladdin (Diamond Edition)

By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13

Disney has so many classics, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, but one of the greatest is Aladdin with flying carpets, magical Genies, giant talking sand monsters. Aladdin is beloved by me along with millions of others and it will be loved by many more with this new Diamond DVD.

Aladdin has so many jokes that it makes you laugh, but also has quite a few dramatic scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat with relationships sprouting into wonderful romance. And, it is all wrapped together in one fantastic adventure.

The story begins when a Middle Eastern princess decides she had enough of being stuck in her palace and goes out into the city for once in her life. She goes to the market and gets in a little bit of trouble, thanks to a poor young man named Aladdin. Sadly, he is accused of kidnapping the princess. Now in jail, he and another man manage to escape to go find a massive treasure and most importantly – a Genie bottle. The Genie (our favorite Robin Williams) comes out and grants Aladdin three wishes – now Aladdin can decide what he wants to do.

Aladdin is such a fantastic and entertaining film. The animation is just mind blowing. How good it is, considering that it was made over 20 years ago, how full of emotion the voice actors ate, it is quite different than many other famous Disney animations. With such a famous cast, it is truly a masterpiece. And, quite nostalgic to hear Robin Williams’ so recognizable voice as this is one of his most iconic roles. It really shows how he entertained the world with laughter for so many years. The soundtrack in Aladdin is incredible. Each song is catchy and kind of gets stuck in your head (I will show you the woooorld!) and so many of them are now classic songs that people of different generations sing.

This special Diamond edition of Aladdin comes with quite a few bonus features. In one of my favorites, conversations with the casts, I found out a lot of interesting facts such as Scott Weinger, the voice of Aladdin, actually didn’t know how to sing when he auditioned for it at the age of 15! There are also several deleted scenes, showing how different they originally planned the film and even a deleted song that was done by Jafar, (Jonathon Freeman)!

My favorite scene is when Aladdin releases Genie for the first time and he quickly gets out of his small bottle (he is rather big). I love his first line, “10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!” I love this scene because instead of ranting about something, he just does his first line as a pretty funny joke, which forever brought this lovable special character into our lives.

Aladdin has something similar to the other Disney animated films in that they are meant for the whole family. So, I recommend it for ages 7 to 18. I wouldn’t show it to kids younger than seven because there are a few dramatic scenes that might be frightening for then. It isn’t exactly bright and fun throughout the whole film. I give it five out of five stars because this is truly a classic and I love every aspect of it, especially our wonderful Genie who we miss every day.

Aladdin
Reviewed by Haley P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13

Aladdin is an amazing classic and one of my favorites.  It is a wonderful fairy tale that makes you want to see more even after it is finished.

This movie is about a boy named Aladdin (Scott Weinger) with his pet monkey named Abu (Frank Welker) who are considered street rats in the town.  Then there is the Sultan (Douglas Seale), his daughter, Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin), his evil advisor, Jafar (Jonathan Freeman) who live in the Palace and also a genie (Robin Williams).  The Sultan tells his daughter, Princes Jasmine that she has to find someone to marry. She is tired of being forced to stay in the palace and wants to live her life without her father telling her what to do and who to marry.  She sneaks away from the palace.  When she gets into trouble at the marketplace, Aladdin rescues her and they run off together.  However, Aladdin gets thrown in jail by Jafar, and caught up into his evil plot to take over the land with the help of a genie in a lamp.

My favorite part is when Aladdin rubs the lamp and the genie appears.  He starts singing a song about all the things he can do.  I also liked the part where Jafar steals the lamp and wishes the genie to turn him into a Sultan.  The parrot then shoves crackers into the original Sultan’s mouth as payback.  It was hysterical.

My favorite character is Abu because he is always saving Aladdin when he gets into trouble.  He is an awesome sidekick, even though he keeps trying to steal everything.  All the characters do an amazing job of playing their parts. The animation was fabulous. It really made the movie come alive!  The moral of the story is no matter how many lies you tell, the truth will always come out.

There is even a bonus feature that shows a deleted song made for Jafar named “My Finest Hour.”  The producers and directors discussed for a while about a part in the movie where Jafar would have his own song.  However, they decided not to use it.  I liked song because it puts more emphasis on how evil Jafar really is.

I think this movie is good for ages 5 through 18. Both boys and girls will watch this movie because it has the fairytale for the girls and the action for the boys. If you don’t have this movie, you will be missing out on something special.  I give this movie a 5 out of 5 dazzling stars. Aladdin is now available on DVD/Blu-ray/Digital so check it out. 

After more than 60 years since Gumby was first created, we are brought back to the good times of the original, and my opinion the best of the iconic Gumby and Pokey characters. Gumby is all about fun and comedy. You watch Gumby not for drama or romance. There is lots of action and fantasy, since it is all about Gumby’s fun adventures. Art Clokey (creator of Gumby) does a fantastic job writing fun and unique episodes.

I love each of the characters for the fun and silly adventures they undertake and how unique each one is. Even small characters have their own personality which I love. Not many shows today pay so much attention to each character. I think Art Clokey has done a mind blowing job making these shows. He created some cool special effect techniques such as one episode with a rocket ship where he has scratched each frame so it looks like flames. Techniques like this were used in films for decades afterwards. The stop motion animation itself is very smooth and impressive, particularly since it was made 60 years ago!

My favorite episode is the first one, when Gumby goes to the moon and his Dad needs to save him. I love it because it starts off Gumby’s career and is kind of the birth of Gumby. This also includes the rocket special effects mentioned above. The episode is really a joy to watch, not to mention that it was so symbolic for those times when everything was about space travel.

People that enjoyed Gumby growing up will be happy to share their passion with a new generation. After all, Gumby is meant for kids. Ages seven to eighteen would probably enjoy the series more than younger kids and would be able appreciate the beauty of the clay animation. I give it five out of five stars because, what they did was way ahead of their time with the special effects, unique stories, wonderful characters and more. Can’t wait to see what’s next in store for Gumby! (They are creating some entirely new episodes)

Availabe now on DVD/Digital/Digital comes Disney’s live-action Cinderella directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Lily James, Cate Blanchette and Richard Madden. The story takes off when Cinderella’s father unexpectedly passes away and young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters. Never one to give up hope, Ella’s fortune begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger in the woods. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Mia A. Comments, “I rate this movie 5 out of 5 stars for all of its incredible sets, details and costumes. I recommend it for ages 3 to 19 because this film would appeal to all ages.” Keefer B. adds, “Breathtaking. This new and improved version of the beloved fairy tale reminds audiences that there is still magic in the world..” See their full reviews below.

Cinderella
By Mia A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

Disney’s Cinderella, directed by Kenneth Branagh is fantastic! Now available on DVD/Blu-ray/Digital, this movie is about a girl named Ella (Lily James) who ends up living with her stepmother (Cate Blanchet) and stepsisters (Sophia McShera and Holliday Grainger). Ella is treated like a servant until one night when the prince holds a ball that changes her life.

Ella is a kind and courageous girl who cares about everyone and everything. One of her mother’s sayings was, “have courage and be kind.”  This is a good message to use in life. I think Ella as a character is a good role model. She stands up for what she believes in and is always very kind.  This film is very detailed and precious. The costumes in Cinderella are amazing and breath-taking.

All the costumes were very stylish and fit the time period. Every sparkle, seam and ruffle on every costume were perfectly in place.  Ella’s ball gown is spectacular and has very vibrant colors. In general, all the colors in the sets and costumes light up the film.

All the actors played their parts perfectly. They are so into their characters that they seem real. The actors fit together as a cast like family which helps make the whole film more believable. My favorite character is the Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham Carter). She is so funny and has a bubbly personality. She really looks and acts like a Fairy Godmother. All the special effects seem real. In one scene, a pumpkin turns into a carriage and it looks like magic.

The DVD of this movie includes some cool bonus features. One of the bonus features is Frozen Fever, a Frozen short (based on the feature film Frozen). In this film, it’s Anna’s birthday and Elsa helps out. Another feature is Ella’s furry friends. This feature is about working with all the animals in the movie. Also there’s a bonus feature about the ballroom scene which made me realize how much work they put into these scenes.

I rate this movie 5 out of 5 stars for all of its incredible sets, details and costumes. I recommend it for ages 3 to 19 because this film would appeal to all ages but, there is a lizard guy who is weird and a little creepy that younger kids might not enjoy so much. Cinderella truly is spectacular and now it’s available on DVD/Blue-Ray/Digital.

Cinderella
Reviewed by Keefer C. B., KIDS FIRST! Critics, age 14

Breathtaking. This new and improved version of the beloved fairy tale reminds audiences that there is still magic in the world. Ella (Lilly James) lives with her wicked step-mother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters. She wants to go to the ball so she can reunite with “Kit” aka Prince Charming (Richard Madden). She does this with a little help from her fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham Carter).

There have been many versions of this story and I believe most of us know it by heart. With that said, the film brings innovative contributions to the story. We learn more about Ella as a person and the struggles she goes through. More is explained about the motivation of the step mother. Even the Prince is given a story arc of his own. Because of this. the characters and their relationships are stronger. The filmmakers took this fairy tale we all know and added new aspects to the story that audiences can experience and enjoy.

The special effects and costumes are the highlight of the film. These are visuals that only the magic of Disney can conjure. You are transported into th fairy tale. The best scene that shows off these phenomenal effects is the scene with Ella and her Fairy Godmother preparing her for the ball. It’s simply gorgeous from the mice turning into horses to the pumpkin transformation into the carriage. Fun Fact: In the original Cinderella movie, the transition of Cinderella into her dress was Walt Disney’s favorite piece of animation sequence ever to be put to paper. If he was alive today to see the transformation in this film, he would be speechless. Costumes like Ella’s dress and glass slipper are enchanting. I adore the little touches like the butterflies clinging onto the dress.

My favorite character is Lady Tremaine, Ella’s wicked step mother. With a character so cruel, you need an actress who can pull it off. Enters Blanchett and her sinful performance. A good villain is a character you hate and yet love. She is one of those villains. With her evil smile and her corrupt laugh, you can tell she is having fun with the role. Also, like the other characters, she has a well developed story arc. You have more of an understanding why this character is mean to Ella, even if you don’t agree with her.

Moral of the story is “have courage and be kind.” These are the words that Ella’s mother shares on her death bed and Ella lives by. Throughout this movie, Ella experiences a lot of anguish such as loosing loved ones and having her step mother treat her like a servant. However Ella never forgets those words. She does cry and mourn, like any human being, but she never becomes bitter.

I give this 5 out of 5 pumpkins and recommend this to 4 through 18-year-olds. It’s perfect for the whole family to adore. This film is proof that Disney has not lost its touch bringing magic to the big screen. In theaters now.

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