KIDS FIRST! News

True to the original Broadway story, Les Miserables will have fans singing out loud in their seats. If you’ve never seen the original you are in for a real treat, but if you know every song like many fans do, you may find yourself wishing you had the theater to yourself. According to KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Raven Devanney, “it stays so true to the play it is unbelievable,” however, the one change is “they made the movie easier to understand and follow.”

Les Miserables is about a very dark time in history and not recommended for young children. Rated PG-13, Raven recommends it for everyone over age 13 “because of the dark period it is set in and the violence and cruelty that occurs.” Go see Les Miserables in theaters now, but beware, someone in the seat next to you just may burst into song!

Les Miserable
Reviewed by Raven Devanney
Click here to see Raven’s full video review!

The epic musical, Les Miserables (Les Mis), tells the story of a man named Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) set during the dawn of the French Revolution. After serving 19 years as a slave, because he stole a loaf of bread, he breaks parole and spends years reinventing himself as a new man. Jean is being hunted by officer Javert played by Russell Crowe, who swears he will not rest until Jean is behind bars. While running from Javert, Jean Valjean finds himself caring for a factory worker’s young daughter, Cosette. The young child changes his life forever.

Les Miserables is honestly one of the greatest films I have ever seen. This film is almost three hours long, and I still wanted it to go on longer. A very well known Broadway musical and it stays so true to the play it is unbelievable. Not a single word is off. The one thing that changes for the better though, is they made the movie easier to understand and follow. I have been a huge fan of Les Mis for a long time and I know almost every single song by heart. I was trying so hard not to start singing along with the film, the musical score was amazing. The whole film is better than I could have ever hoped for and seeing this tale up on the big screen was phenomenal!

The visuals and special effects are truly breathtaking. Set in France at the beginning of the French Revolution, when life for the poor was awful and life for the rich was grand. They capture the hard times of the streets perfectly by using dark colors and wonderful lighting contrasts. I love seeing the world of Les Mis on a grand scale and it is exactly as I imagined it. I love this entire movie so much that when it was over I immediately wanted to see it again. I’m definitely going to see it again when it comes out in theaters. I have so many scenes that I love so much, but my favorites are the Lovely Ladies and the Master of the House. I like the Lovely Ladies scene because that’s where Fantine, Cosette’s mother, turns to the streets as a home after losing her job at the factory. It is a wonderful musical number and Anne Hathaway’s performance is amazing! It is so historically accurate showing how people would do anything to make a quick penny from selling their teeth, to chopping off their hair, it was hard for everyone. I also love the Master of the House scene because it is so hilarious. It has Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the innkeeper and his wife. They con people into staying the night at their inn, then trick them into never leaving. They are so crafty and hilarious and they rob everyone blind. This scene is so clever and hilarious. Sacha and Helena make an amazing duo.

I love all of the characters equally, but I’ll only pick a few to talk about. Jean Valjean is a truly amazing character and Hugh Jackman brings him to life so well. Hugh’s talents are really shown off during this film and I am very impressed by him. Fantine, played by the remarkable Anne Hathaway, is a very memorable character. Anne is perfect as Fantine and this is, in my opinion, her best role. The last character that I really enjoyed is Eponine played by Samantha Barks. Eponine sings all of my favorite Les Mis songs and her incredible duo of A Little Fall of Rain with Eddie Redmayne. A little fun fact is that Samantha Marks played Eponine in the Broadway version of Les Mis.

I give Les Miserables 5 out of 5 stars because it is truly the most amazing film I’ve seen in a long time and it far surpasses my expectations. This film is definitely for ages 13 and up because of the dark period it is set in and the violence and cruelty that occurs. Raven Devanney, age 15, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened last weekend, breaking records around the globe. Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence and frightening images, you might want to think twice before taking your tweens or teens. Filled with battle scenes, decapitation, amputation, and repeated stabbing and slashing with swords, it’s not for the squeamish.

**If you would like to be a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic for 2013, and attend screenings, write reviews, appear on our KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions radio show and much more, the time to enter is now! Time is running out. Click here to find out more about how to enter your audition video, or just go on and vote for your favorite critics for next year!**

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the prequel to the epic trilogy, Lord of the Rings. This story follows the simple Hobbit Bilbo Baggins who is recruited by a group of Dwarves and Gandalf the Grey to be a burglar on their journey to the Lonely Mountain. They must make it to the Mountain to reclaim their treasure and home stolen by the Dragon Smaug.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Raven Devanney (age 15) found the cinematography to be outstanding but the movie’s length a bit much to handle. Anthony Aranda (age 10), KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, says, “this movie is awesome, adventurous, and I guess scary for some people”, and though he loved the film, he also admits that it has “a lot of violence and killing and stuff.”

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Reviewed by Raven Devanney, age 15, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

I thought this movie was okay, but I only think that’s because I watched the Lord of the Rings when I was 5 and can hardly remember anything about it at all. Plus fantasy films aren’t my thing. However my mother who happens to be a huge Lord of the Rings fan loves the movie.

I have to give the movie props for the cinematography. I mean, oh my God, the visuals are beautiful!! All of the images are so clear and crisp, I literally felt like I was right there with Bilbo. I especially love the Elf kingdom and the graphics for that are amazing. I can’t even explain with words how beautiful the imagery and 3D are in this film, you just have to see it for yourself. There are a few things that bothered me about the visuals though. Some of it is almost too perfect and too clear. You can see every piece of grass in the field and every pore or drop of sweat on the Dwarves. It is a bit too much. The other thing that pulled me away from the movie is how the Orcs look. They look like videogame characters and they don’t have the same quality of the rest of the CGI in the film.

My favorite character is, by far, Gollum. Even though he is only in one scene of this movie, he is really funny in a creepy way. I really want to go back and re-watch the Lord of the Rings just to see more of him! I also like Bilbo Baggins because everyone doubts him, but he never gives up or turns back. My favorite scene is a toss up between when Bilbo meets Gollum and when the Dwarves are in the underground world of the Goblins. I love when Bilbo meets Gollum because the two of them have a very funny interaction of riddling each other. I also like when the Dwarves are escaping the Goblins because their world is underground and very rickety.

I think the biggest downside of this movie is the length. It is way too long in my opinion, but then again, all of the Lord of the Rings films have been very long as well. If you enjoy the Lord of the Rings then you will love The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, but will I see it again? No. The cinematography deserves 5 out of 5 stars but, the overall film only gets 3.5 out of 5 from me.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Reviewed by Anthony Aranda, age 10, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic
Click here to see Anthony’s full video review!

This movie is awesome, adventurous, and I guess scary for some people. It is also really funny. I just love it. This movie was really good; it has really good graphics and lots of action, and some parts that could creep you out but with all of it together, it is perfect.

This movie is all about a guy named Bilbo Baggins who is chosen to go on a huge adventure. The best thing is, there is going to be a second movie. All the action is really cool with the dragon, the Orcs, the weapons and their enemies. It is a really cool movie that I love.

The main characters in the movie are Bilbo and Gandalf. My favorite character is Bilbo Baggins because he isn’t sure he wants to accept Gandalf’s instruction but then he realizes it would be fun to go on an adventure. There are a couple twists and turns but everything turns out okay, or does it?

My favorite part of the movie is when they find out the mountain monsters are real. They throw big chunks of mountains at each other which is really cool. The most exciting thing is when they find out they are standing on a giant’s knee. It was a little crazy, but they all survive. This is the best part of the movie and really cool to see in 3D. It really feels like they are standing right in front of me.

I recommend this movie for ages 8 and up. Kids seven and under will probably get scared of some things. There is a lot of violence and killing and stuff that could encourage kids to smash plates and cups trying to do a scene in the movie. Kids older than seven should see this movie because they would like all the things they do in the movie. I mean lots of kids like adventures movies and would probably like this one too. Go out and see this movie in theaters now.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Morgan Bertsch, age 8, attended an exciting preview of three DreamWorks films scheduled to come out in 2013. All in 3D, Turbo, The Croods and Mr. Peabody and Sherman, are all sure to be box office hits. Morgan got to meet a lot of famous folks who were pleased to have such a lovely young interviewer.

Preview Event for Turbo, Mr. Peabody and Sherman and The Croods. All coming to the theaters 2013.
Review by Morgan Bertsch, age 8, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

I had an amazing time. I got to see the previews of three of the movies coming out in 2013 brought to you by DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox all in 3D.

Turbo is the story about a snail that is tired of being slow and longs to be a racer. Turbo has a brother who of course doubts Turbo will do much of anything in the way of excitement. He gets the power of lightning fast speed after an accident. The Indianapolis 500 is in his future. The graphics are amazing. There are tons of new characters to meet. I think everyone will love this movie coming out July 19, 2013.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman is about the smartest dog in the world who adopts a little boy. He takes him on many adventures in his time machine to teach him about the world. He gets to experience the past in real life. We learn that Sherman loves cake, like all kids, but this turns out to be a bad thing. This story is based on a series produced by Jay Ward, who did The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle. I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter Tiffany Ward who is one of the Executive Producers on this animated feature film. She is very pretty and wonderful to talk to. I think that carrying on her father’s legacy is very cool. I can’t wait until November 1, 2013 when we all get to see this movie and on go on the many adventures. The preview leaves us wondering what will become of Sherman since he stole the time machine, has taken a classmate with him and lost her.

The Croods was very funny. It is a little strange because it is about some wild cavemen and women. They are afraid of everything outdoors. All the neighbors seem to disappear. The teenage daughter tries to date a stranger and the whole family flips out. When their cave is destroyed they must rely on him and their family to find a new home. In true DreamWorks style, the scenes were original, colorful and different from anything you have seen before. I got to talk to Chris Sanders, who is also the voice of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. He is one of the writers of The Croods. He really loves to draw and told me that they took different parts of various animals and mixed them together to come up with the crazy creatures you see in this movie. I have met and chatted with Cloris Leachman, who once again did an incredible job. She is the voice of Gran the Grandmother. Gran is very cute and very hungry. Let’s just say they all need to learn some table manners or well, learn what a table is first. They are cavemen after all. We will be able to see this March 22, 2013 in theaters.

When we left the filming we got to eat at three different stations. Turbo’s station was all decked out with checkered racing stripes and Tacos were being served. Mr. Peabody and Sherman’s station had crepes to die for and The Croods had burlap table clothes and scrumptious omelets.

DreamWorks always manages to make our dreams appear on the big screen and it looks like 2013 will be an amazing, fun time at the movies. I am so looking forward to seeing all of them.

In 1982, Jim Hensen was riding a popularity high with his amiable Muppets, and his attempt to use puppets to create a darker experience was not universally well received. Although The Dark Crystal garnered a prestigious BAFTA Award nomination in 1984 for special visual effects, a Hugo Award nomination in 1983 for dramatic presentation, and a Saturn Award win in 1983 from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films USA for Best Fantasy Film, much of the wide following it now enjoys has built over these intervening years.

KIDS FIRST! youth film critics give the film high marks for its technical achievement: Morgan Bertsch, age 7, credits Jim Hensen with creating some really spectacular effects, and Julianna Noone, age 12, especially applauds the puppets’ anthropomorphic qualities.

Catch The Dark Crystal on HDNet Movies kidScene when it screens Aug. 24 and 25.

The Dark Crystal
Reviewed by Julianna Noone
(See her full review on video.)

Do you enjoy the puppets used in the classic Muppet films but wish they had a darker storyline?  Well, look no further than The Dark Crystal.

This is a Jim Henson film that stars Jim Henson as Jen, Kathryn Mullen as Kira and David Goelz as Fizzgig. This movie is about an elf-like Gelfling who is sent by his dying master to find a shard from a broken lamp that will help restore the balance in his universe. This Gelfling’s name is Jen, and Jen  has some troubles along the way. First off, he has the shard but doesn’t know what to do with it. Also the Skeksis are trying to kill him so that the prophecy can’t be fulfilled and the Skeksis can live forever. However, Jen gets some help from Kira, the only other Gelfling alive, and the animals from the forest where the witch Kira lives.

I think that the puppets they use are very well designed and detailed so much so that they have anthropomorphic qualities. The cinematography is considered to be cutting-edge for this movie, but could have been better, as some scenes in the movie you can see the wires on the puppets.

My favorite characters are Kira and Fizzgig, Kira’s pet. I like Kira because she is brave and determined to protect Jen. I like Fizzgig because he is loyal to Kira and protective of her. Also, even when Fizzgig does not want to do something he still does it when Kira asks him to. My favorite scene is when Kira and Jen touch hands and share their memory with one another. I like these scenes because it is kind of the Podlings to share their village with a stranger. I dislike the scenes that are rude and/or cruel. The puppeteering is phenomenal, as expected from Jim Henson. 

I hope you guys out there enjoy this movie. I think that this film is for ages 8 to 14 because these aren’t your normal Jim Henson puppets, and the dark storyline may be too much for young children.    Overall, I rate this film 3 out of 5 stars because, while it was well done, the darker storyline just isn’t for me.  Look for this film playing on HDNet Movies kidScene this month. 

The Dark Crystal
Reviewed by Morgan Bertsch
(See her full review on video.)

The movie The Dark Crystal is playing all month long on HDNet Movies kidScene.

The Dark Crystal is a sci-fi fantasy-adventure that happened thousands of years in the past. It’s cast entirely of puppets, and Jim Henson also voices Jen, a Gelfling. You know Jim Henson as the creator of the Muppets. In this movie, he partners again with his creative friend Frank Oz to pull of some really spectacular effects.

The Dark Crystal is missing a shard, broken in an ancient battle, and prophecy says that a Gelfing would heal the crystal. It’s an extraordinary adventure with creatures that are out of this world. When light and dark come back together, the world is healed.

Ages are 8 and up, or anybody who loves puppets.

I give it 3 1/2 twinkling stars.

Photos: The Dark Crystal poster (top), Julianna Noone (middle), Morgan Bertsch (bottom)