KIDS FIRST! News

We at KIDS FIRST! extend heartfelt condolences to all the families touched by the shooting in Aurora.

“The true test of a hero is to be able to face your darkest fears and rise above,” says KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Julianna Noone, age 12, in a very perceptive opening to her review of The Dark Knight Rises. This thought underlies much of the storyline of this final film in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, and may sustain it in real life as it moves past the undeniably tragic occurrence that marked its opening weekend.

As an artistic accomplishment, The Dark Knight Rises offers some highly entertaining treats of its predecessors (such as Michael Caine’s Alfred) and new delights, such as “Bat,” a gadget Julianna describes in her review below.

KIDS FIRST! youth film critics Victoria Burns, age 14, and Raven Devanney, age 15, share their reviews on video as well.

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

The true test of a hero is to be able to face your darkest fears and rise above. Christopher Nolan’s film, The Dark Knight Rises, begins eight years after the last film, with Batman hiding from the police and Bruce Wayne hiding from life. Christian Bale continues in the dual role as Bruce Wayne/Batman and does a tremendous job in the role.

In this last film of Nolan’s trilogy, Gotham City’s rich are prospering in the post-Harvey Dent era. Little does anyone realize that a storm is coming, in the form of the ruthless terrorist Bane, played brilliantly by Tom Hardy. Throw in a beautiful cat burglar, Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman), played by Anne Hathaway, a modern-day, female Robin Hood who steals from the rich to give to the poor, and soon enough, darkness falls over Gotham City. The question is, will Batman return to save Gotham? And better yet, if he does, is there any chance he can stop Bane, the physically superior and heartless monster who unleashes his fury upon Gotham?

There is a great ensemble cast in this film, starting with Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as rookie policeman Officer Blake, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and Michael Caine as Alfred, amongst others. My favorite character is Selina Kyle/Catwoman because, though she is a cat burglar, she only steals from the rich who can spare to give up some of their wealth. She also is very capable of taking care of herself and isn’t afraid of anyone.

My favorite scene is one of the climactic scenes in the film, where Catwoman tells Batman that she will help him open the tunnel to allow the City’s residents to escape but that she is not staying to help further and believes he shouldn’t either. She shows her true colors by coming back to save Batman from Bane, and helps him fight to save the city.

The cinematography is fantastic, from the opening scene where Bane hijacks a plane and escapes in mid-air to the fight scenes that were shot on Wall Street in downtown NYC. The CGI is amazing. How they made the football stadium field implode and the shots of the bridges being blown — they are so realistic it is a bit frightening. In all three films, they have had the best gadgets for Batman to use, and in this film, they didn’t let us down. They created a cross between a car, a helicopter and a plane that could basically do anything. They call it “Bat.” It’s a great addition to Batman’s gadgets. The musical score by Hans Zimmer is so well done, it adds to the intensity of the critical moments of the film.

Overall, I rate this film 4 out of 5 stars, as there are many new characters that spread out the storyline and make the film a bit long. Plus terrorist threats, which are eerily similar to many real-life threats today, make for a chilling storyline. Don’t get me wrong, though — I love this film. The violence makes the film appropriate for ages 13 to adult. It’s a great ending to a great trilogy … or is it?

Look for this film in theaters and IMAX everywhere. And remember, it doesn’t matter who you are, a true hero can be anyone … it starts with a simple act of kindness.

Photos: The Dark Knight Rises poster (top), Julianna Noone (bottom)

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)

The Ice Age cometh again. The fourth in 20th Century Fox’s franchise, Continental Drift, is rolling its way through communities throughout the world and opened in U.S. theaters last weekend. The characters are as endearing as ever, with the familiar voices of Ray Romano (Manny), John Leguizamo (Sid) and Denis Leary (Diego), among others. New to the cast of characters this time out is Granny (voiced by Wanda Sykes), who makes a big hit with KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Cheyenne Nguyen, age 8: “My favorite character in this moive is Granny. Everything about her is funny and unpredictable.” On a more technical note, KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Julianna Noone, age 12, observes, “The animation is so well done that the characters appear life-like as you can see the details in the the sheen of their fur and the muscle movements. Also, the 3-D is well placed and not overdone, so it doesn’t take over the film.”

Ice Age: Continental Drift
Reviewed by Julianna Noone
(See the full review by Julianna Noone and Cheyenne Nguyen on video.)

HOLY CRAB! What a great movie! This film really kicks some pirate booty.

From Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox comes Ice Age: Continental Drift. This fantastic film is about a group of different families that come together to form their own herd, and together they overcome obstacles to stay together.

Once again, Manny (voiced by Ray Romano), Sid (voiced by John Leguizamo) and Diego (voiced by Denis Leary) set off on another wild adventure caused by Scrat’s continued chase of that elusive acorn. Along the way, they overcome pirates, sirens and many other life-and-death obstacles.

While I love all the characters and they are voiced by a terrific and funny set of actors, my favorite character is Granny (voiced by Wanda Sykes), who is a new addition to the cast. Granny is so hilarious and a little zany and crazy. Everyone thinks Granny has an imaginary friend, but as the movie goes along, we find out that the friend is not so imaginary. It’s a very precious moment in the movie.

My favorite scene is when Manny, Sid, Diego and Granny are having hallucinations that are unique to each of them. Sid’s is about a female sloth; Diego sees Shira, a female pirate and also a sabertooth tiger; Granny sees a muscular sloth; and finally Manny sees his wife, Ellie (voiced by Queen Latifah), who says to him, “Manny, you were right, you’re always right.” Manny hears that and he snaps out of his hallucination because he knows that Ellie would never say that to him. It’s such a funny moment in the film, but also saves them all from dying.
The music is very catchy and fits the movie well. My favorite song is at the very end, because it’s about family and it is an adorable song. The animation is so well done that the characters appear life-like as you can see the details in the sheen of their fur and the muscle movements. Also, the 3-D is well placed and not overdone, so it doesn’t take over the film. Well done.

I rate this film 5 out of 5 stars as it is funny, well written and has a great message for the audience. It is a perfect movie for everyone in your herd. Look for this film in theaters everywhere starting July 13th.

Always remember, stick with your herd because they always have your back, no matter what.

Ice Age: Continental Drift
Reviewed by Cheyenne Nguyen
(See the full review by Julianna Noone and Cheyenne Nguyen on video.)

Ice Age: Continental Drift is an adventure and comedy animation.

Ice Age 4 picks up where Scrat still does not catch that acorn, and the result of his chasing after the acorn is the continent drifts apart.

Manny (voiced by Ray Romano) is an over-protective father trying to keep his teenage daughter, Peaches (voiced by Keke Palmer), from hanging out with the bad group of mammoths. However, Peaches is desperate to prove that she is cool so she can hang out with the cool kids.

Manny and his daughter have a fight in front of her friends, and the last thing Peaches says to her father is, “I wish you were not my father.” This is when the earth shakes; Manny, Diego and Sid are separated from the rest of the pack. They encounter ice pirates and many different sea creatures.

They all are homesick and want to find a way home. However, the ice pirate wants to capture them as prisoners. Manny and his gang have to come up with a plan to escape from the pirates and use his ice ship to go home.

This movie has a lot of jokes that make me laugh throughout the movie. The love story between Diego and the white tiger Shira (voiced by Jennifer Lopez) is so cute. The 3-D is totally awesome.

The message of this movie is the importance of family and we do not have a choice to pick who is in our family.

My favorite character in this movie is Granny. Everything about her is funny and unpredictable.

One thing that I did not like is there are too many new characters. I would like to see more of Granny.

I rank this movie 5 out of 5 stars because it’s exciting, funny and all the characters are so strong and different.

I recommend this movie for ages 3 to 18.

This movie will be released July 13 to theaters near you.

Photos: Ice Age: Continental Drift poster (top), Julianne Noone (middle), Cheyenne Nguyen (bottom)

Picking up a nomination for a Teen Choice Award for Choice Summer Movie – Comedy/Musical, the documentary about teen music sensation Katy Perry gives the up-close-and-personal story that fans crave. A respectful “up close and personal” view, though, allowing the film to keep a PG rating. The filmmakers combined a variety of sources into the film, as KIDS FIRST! youth film critic and Katy Perry fan Raven Devanney, age 15, describes: “It was really cool to see some of her backstage footage of before and after the shows as well as showing some awesome concert footage. And it also incorporates some home videos as well as footage from her fans, which was so cool to see what a positive influence she has …”

Katy Perry: Part of Me
Reviewed by Raven Devanney
(See her full review on video.)

Katy Perry: Part of Me follows Katy Perry on her biggest tour yet. This fantastic film incorporates a documentary of her rise to the top as well as showing some fantastic footage of her concerts.

I thought this film was awesome. It was really cool to see some of her backstage footage of before and after the shows as well as showing awesome concert footage. And it also incorporates some home videos as well as footage from her fans, which was so cool to see what a positive influence she has on her fans of all ages and genders.

I am a huge Katy Perry fan, so naturally I loved this film. But I saw it with my little brother who doesn’t even listen to Katy Perry music and didn’t really know much about her, and he had a blast in this film. After we were done watching this movie, he couldn’t stop singing her songs.

Katy is so strong. She has been through so many record labels that didn’t work out or they were just telling her what her sound should be or what her image should be, and they weren’t letting her just be herself. And finally she got to a place where she could be herself and create the music and the life she wanted. And she never gave up on her dreams.

And now, look at where she is. She’s so huge, and she’d accomplished so much. And this film really shows how much she’s fought and worked so hard for what she needs and what she’s created for herself.

I think overall I would give this film a five out of five stars, because it was so awesome to see a deeper side of Katy. More than just her music that we all listen to. So I would recommend this film for everyone. So grab all of your friends and family and go check it out in a theater near you.

Photos: Katy Perry: Part of Me poster (top), Raven Devanney (bottom)

The fact that Quill had been a big hit in Japan when it was released in 2005 was not the main reason Ed Arentz, managing director of Music Box Films, was attracted to the opportunity for his company to distribute the film in the United States. Part of the company’s programming strategy to obtain “art-house” films for kids, Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog was released to theaters and VOD platforms this past May and streets July 10 on DVD.

Although it had been a top 10 release in 2005 in Japan and had done well in other markets, its screenings in the U.S. were mostly at festivals, which is where Arentz “happened to see it,” he says. “It spoke to me on a personal level,” he shares. The story follows the life of one remarkable dog from his puppy days through his time as a service animal to a disabled man and into his old age. For Arentz, the connection was immediate. “[I saw it] during a period of time when my daughter, wife and I were foster parents to seeing-eye puppies.”

He felt the movie was a great tribute to dogs in general, and “especially to these breeds, the enormously helpful service dogs. They are remarkable partners in so many different activities, able to do things we can’t do for ourselves.”

Believing Quill to be a moving film that would speak to others as it had to his family, Arentz says, “The biggest challenges were convincing colleagues and partners that this was a film we should get involved with.”

He gave it an extended title, adding to the simple name of the dog it biographies (“Quill”) the more informational “The Life of a Guide Dog.” And the company added subtitles. Not that there is much dialog, anyway, Arentz points out. “Quill is not a fantasy animal; he doesn’t speak. We intuit what Quill is thinking from the actions.

“The story, we felt, was affecting and direct enough, it didn’t need to be guided that much by subtitles.” Comparing the film to a picture book, Arentz says even a 5- or 6-year-old could follow the story. “A child will easily understand the emotional aspect of the story” – with maybe just a little input from his or her parent, filling in any additional details the subtitles provide.

This final paragraph comes to readers with a “spoiler alert” warning, so you may wish to read no further.

“Like the best dog films, from Old Yeller to Marly, this film ends in a bittersweet way,” says Arentz. But based on his own experience as a foster parent to three potential seeing-eye dogs (two of whom graduated to become seeing-eye companions and one of whom remains with his family as a pet), he feels the film is a very honest portrayal of dogs he calls “remarkable.”

Ed Arentz shares more about Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog as a guest on this week’s episode of KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions, which streams on Voice America Kids.

Photos: Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog DVD box art (top), Ed Arentz (bottom)