KIDS FIRST! News

A foreign film – with subtitles, no less – may seem a stretch for kids. But KIDS FIRST! youth film critics who reviewed the film have rated it highly and recommended it to their peers. Who could resist its appeal when, as 11-year-old Hunter Willow Jones says, “… the dogs are so adorable”? She emphasizes it in captial letters as she shares, “I LOVE this film …” and describes how it opened her eyes to ideas about how other people live and feel. Brianna Beaton, age 12, came away with a deeper appreciation of what it takes to learn to be a seeing-eye dog. She describes a few of the behaviors Quill must master, and observes that “… is an awful lot to ask of him.” And it inspired Camille Bajema, age 10, who says she was especially touched by the couple who raise Quill as a puppy and that the film “really got me interested in training dogs for people with disabilities.”

Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog
Reviewed by Hunter Willow Jones
(See her full review on video.)

I just watched Quill and I LOVE this movie! It is heartwarming and the dogs are so adorable.

I was not actually looking forward to watching Quill; I mean, the title didn’t seem very interesting. Also, it is a Japanese film with English subtitles, which didn’t excite me. But as the movie progressed, I liked it more and more.

Quill is the story of one special guide dog — a yellow Labrador named Quill because of a unique brown spot on his side. Shown as a docudrama, the movie follows Quill’s life as he goes from a small puppy with its mother to being picked to be a guide dog because of his calm nature and sent to live with a foster family that loves and cares for him until he is a year old and then to being off to school where he learns to be the eyes for a blind person. Though Quill does not seem to learn as quickly as the other dogs, Satoru Tawada (Kippei Shiina), Quill’s trainer, is patient and sees the potential in him. Quill is teamed up with Mr. Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayashi), who is not a dog lover and does not like being blind. Though the pair have a rocky start, Mr. Watanabe grows to trust and respect Quill. The ending is inspiring despite it being sad.
 
Technically, Quill is average with good sound and cinematography. The dogs in Quill are simply amazing. They are so well trained. I think they are the best actors in the film. The subtitles were a little distracting, I didn’t like that I couldn’t understand what was being said and had to read it, but as I got into the movie that became easier. I liked seeing what life is like in Japan and that there are differences from my town, like the way the houses look, but there are more things that are same, like how we love our pets.

When my parents and I were done watching Quill, we talked a lot about the movie, from what it is like to be blind to how dogs are trained to be guide dogs to the story and characters. Quill made us smile, laugh and cry, but it also made us think.

Quill was released in Japan in 2005, was released in America in May 2012, and is released on DVD on July 10, 2012.

Quill is a wonderful movie for any age, but it is better for kids who know how to read. Kids and adults both will enjoy it. I give Quill five stars!

Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog
Reviewed by Brianna Beaton
(See her full review on video.)

Wow, this is a very touching and emotional film cast with one of my favorite animals.
 
First off, I really love this film for a couple of reasons. One being Quill’s extreme cuteness and how he catches everyone’s attention every time he walks into the scene. Everyone feeds off of his reactions and the rest of the cast act pretty well themselves. They portray exactly what they are feeling inside. It is hard to tell they are just playing their role. Second, I feel the teamwork shown in this film just blows me away as they are sharing a bond of trust and love. One of my favorite parts is the beginning when Quill is huddling up against his siblings. They are so cute.
 
Quill, a Labrador, is a guide dog in training. He is experiencing how hard it is to stop at a street curb or corner and is having other obstacles as well. For Quill to come and stop when asked to do so, not to take a bathroom break even when he has to and most of all be loyal to his master no matter what is an awful lot to ask of a him. When Quill grows up to an adult dog, he is given over to his new master, Mitsuru Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayashi) a lonely, middle-aged man who isn’t fond of being guided around by a dog. They both go on the adventure of trust and teamwork as Mitsuru’s daughter, Mitsuko Nii (Shinobu Terajima) narrates.Yoichi Sai directs this outstanding film. It is in Japanese and has subtitles in English, so you really have to pay close attention to the screen. Don’t even pay attention to the Japanese, unless you speak and know Japanese.

I recommend this film for ages 6 to 12 because it is so adorable, funny and sweet. Older ages can definitely watch this film as they will enjoy it and understand what is happening. Puppy and dog lovers, this is your film.

I without a shadow of a doubt give this film 5 out of 5 stars because it has comedy, emotion, drama, crises and, of course, cute puppies.

Quill is a great film and I hope you love it as much as you can. Prepare to cry and laugh out loud. It is released on DVD on July 10, so please try and see this amazing Japanese foreign film. No matter where you are at in the world, a dog is truly a man’s best friend.

Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog
Reviewed by Camille Bajema
(See her full review on video.)

Quill is a 2004 Japanese docudrama. I like this movie because it really got me interested in training dogs for people with disabilities. This film is an adaptation of the novel The Life of Quill, the Seeing-Eye Dog by Ryohei Akimoto and Kengo Ishiguro, based on a true story.

Quill is an adorable Labrador Retriever puppy, who goes to live with a kind couple who raise guide dogs, Mitsuko and Isamu Nii, played by Shinobu Terajima and Teruyuki Kagawa. Quill lives with them for a year and is then taken to a training school where he is trained by a strict man, Satoru Tawada.

Quill is a bit slower than some of the other dogs during training, but he improves quickly and is sent to work with a very stubborn blind man, Mitsuru Watanabe, played by Kaoru Kobayashi. Their friendship grows and Quill never leaves Mr. Watanabe’s side, until he falls gravely ill.

My favorite characters in this film are Mitsuko and Isamu Nii, the couple who raise Quill as a puppy. I like them because they are so nice, loving and caring to Quill, and, while watching that part of the film, I felt very touched.

This film was directed by Yôichi Sai and written by Soichi Maruyama and Yoshihiro Nakamura. Yoshihiro Nakamura also wrote Pokemon: Power of One. The soundtrack was composed and recorded by the Kuricorder Quartet.

I recommend this film to kids ten and up because there are subtitles and you have to be able to read very well. There is also some bad language, and there are some very emotional scenes that would be more suitable for older children.

I give this film four out of five stars because it is slow-moving at times.

Photos: Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog DVD box art (top), Hunter Willow Jones (second), Brianna Beaton (third), Camille Bajema (bottom)

Marvel Comics’ heroes transfer well to the silver screen, but those who think they know Spider-Man from previous incarnations will meet a different Spider-Man/Peter Parker in Columbia Pictures’ current release The Amazing Spider-Man. “… it is a completely different film that starts at the beginning of Spider-Man’s journey,” says KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Raven Devanney, age 15, in her review (below). Well, maybe not completely different, as the familiar events set the story in motion. But it is a new villain and a new love interest. And there is plenty of humor. “In fact, this whole film is filled with comedy and action,” says Raven.

KIDS FIRST! youth film critics were also there at the exciting red carpet event on Saturday. Be sure to check out the KIDS FIRST! website to share their experience on video.

The Amazing Spider-Man
Reviewed by Raven Devanney
(See her full review on video.)

The Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone definitely lives up to its title because it is truly amazing. I was expecting this film to be an add-on to the most recent Spider-Man series, but it is a completely different film that starts at the beginning of Spider-Man’s journey. Of course, Peter Parker (played by Andrew Garfield) is bitten by a genetically modified spider and transforms into Spider-Man, his uncle Ben dies, and that’s all the same in the past films about this spandex-sporting hero, but instead of falling for his typical love interest, MJ, Peter falls for Gwen Stacy (played by Emma Stone). And there is no Green Goblin in this film, but instead a new villain for Spider-Man to face.

I love this movie! The special effects are phenomenal, especially in 3-D. I love Andrew Garfield in the part of Peter Parker because he does a fantastic job portraying him and he and Emma Stone have such great chemistry, which really shows in their characters. My favorite scene is when Peter is transforming into Spider-Man, because his aunt and uncle have no idea what’s wrong with him and it’s so funny. In fact, this whole film is filled with comedy and action. My favorite character would have to be Gwen Stacy played by Emma Stone because I really admire her and she does a wonderful job playing this role.

I think something very different about this film is it seems that the target audience is just teens, whereas in past Spider-Man movies the main audience is teens and adults. Overall, I give The Amazing Spider-Man 5 out of 5 stars because it is amazing and I want to see it over and over again. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out. Go catch it in a theater near you!

Photos: The Amazing Spider-Man poster (top), Raven Devanney (bottom)

American Girl. The name is familiar to millions who either own an American Girl doll or have wished for one. American Girl characters also populate a line of books that have earned the loyalty of millions of girls as well as praise and trust from parents and educators.

A new American Girl, aspiring gymnast McKenna Brooks, comes alive in An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars, released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment just in time for the Olympic Summer Games. On Blu-ray Combo Pack or DVD, the American Girl release is available only at Walmart, American Girl retail stores and americangirl.com, or the film may be purchased via digital download through a variety of online retailers.

In recommending the film especially for girls ages 5-12, KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Camille Bajema, age 10, shares, “McKenna has difficult choices to make, but chooses to support her friends, and her friends support and inspire her as well.”

Camille also shares a one-on-one interview with McKenna star Jade Pettyjohn as the KIDS FIRST! youth film critic joined some of the movie’s stars at the Olympics gymnastics trials last week.

An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars
Reviewed by Camille Bajema
(See her full review on video.)

An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars is a new, direct-to-DVD, Universal Studios Home Entertainment film. I really like this movie because it’s a story about friendship and working hard to achieve your dreams.

This film is an adaptation of the American Girl McKenna stories by Mary Casanova and is about a girl named McKenna Brooks (played by Jade Pettyjohn) who is trying to balance the pressures of her life: family, friends, school and gymnastics. McKenna’s favorite gymnastics event is the balance beam, and the balance beam is a metaphor for the balance we all try to find in our lives.

McKenna has many setbacks while working hard to qualify for the regional competitive gymnastics team. She has trouble in school and has to be tutored. She’s very embarrassed about needing a tutor (Josie, played by Kerris Dorsey) and doesn’t want her friends to find out. She also struggles with her friendship with her best friend, Toulane (played by Ysa Penarejo), and doesn’t always want to listen to her gymnastics coach. Coach Isabelle is played by Cathy Rigby, the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic medal in gymnastics. McKenna’s parents (played by Ian Ziering and Nia Vardalos) and teacher, Mr. Wu (played by George Chiang) are very supportive of her. McKenna has difficult choices to make, but chooses to support her friends, and her friends support and inspire her as well. She learns many lessons in this film. She learns that it’s OK to ask for help when she needs it, to accept others despite their differences, and to overcome her fears and work toward her dream one step at a time.

My favorite scene in this film is where Toulane is sleuthing around to see what McKenna is really up to. I really like this scene because it’s funny and Toulane incorporates gymnastics into it. My favorite character in this film is Josie. I like Josie because she really believes in McKenna during their tutoring sessions and is also very kind to her. The music in this movie is very catchy and had me singing along!

This movie was filmed in Winnipeg, Canada, and the screenplay was written by Jessica O’Toole and Amy Rardin. Vince Marcello directed McKenna Shoots for the Stars and Steven Brown, Deborah Martin Chase, and Gaylyn Fraiche produced this film.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars because, overall, it’s very well done and has positive messages. I recommend this film for girls ages five through twelve.

Look for this fabulous film An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars on Blu-ray and DVD on July 3.

Photos: An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars box art (top), Camille Bajema (bottom)

If you missed it in theaters a few months ago – or want to be able to revisit it at your leisure – Twentieth Century Fox is releasing Mirror Mirror on DVD and Blu-ray on Tues., June 26. In this updated version of the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the dwarfs have new names – and much stronger personalities, as KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Julianna Noone, age 12, describes in her review (below). In fact, she says, “My favorite characters are the dwarfs, because they are funny and have more personality than the dwarfs in the classic story.” KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Anthony Aranda, age 9, find Mirror Mirror “has a lot more action than the classic Snow White and there are a lot more cool parts.”

There are, of course, extras on the DVD on top of a high-quality presentation of the movie. But it’s the Blu-ray version that really turns on the magic, including a behind-the-scenes featurette, a toe-tapping dance-along to the reworked Nina Hart song “I Believe in Love” performed by the film’s Lily Collins (Snow White) that plays over the end credits, interactive digital storybook, deleted scenes and much more.

Mirror Mirror
Reviewed by Julianna Noone
(See her full review on video.)

Do you love classic fairy tales, but wish the stories could be a little more up to date? Well, then you will love the new film Mirror Mirror. Mirror Mirror is an updated take on the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 

The film stars Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich and My Best Friend’s Wedding) as the Queen, Lily Collins (Abduction and The Blind Side) as Snow White, Armie Hammer (J. Edgar and The Social Network) as Prince Alcott, and Nathan Lane (Birdcage and The Producers) as Brighton. The Seven Dwarfs are still part of the action, but they, too, are updated to be more relevant to today’s audiences. The dwarves are: Jordan Prentice as Napolean, Mark Povinelli as Half Pint, Joe Gnoffo as Grub, Danny Woodburn as Grimm, Sebastian Saraceno as Wolf, Ronald Lee Clark as Chuckles and Martin Klebba as Butcher. 

The Queen is left in charge of the kingdom after the King disappears. The Queen cares nothing for Snow White or the kingdom and is only interested in keeping herself rich and in power. To do that she must get rid of Snow White and find a way to make Prince Alcott love her. So you can see that the basis of the story remains true to the classic fairy tale, but don’t worry, there are twists along the way that keep the story fresh and exciting. Once the Queen believes Snow White is dead, she moves on with her plan to marry the prince and live happily ever after. Snow White and the seven dwarfs have other plans and the action picks up with their fight to save the prince and their kingdom.   

My favorite part of the movie is when Snow and the dwarfs show up at the wedding to save the prince. The dwarfs all hide in various places, such as under tables and under men’s long coats, but the funniest part is when Chuckles hides under a woman’s umbrella dress and cracks up laughing when he sees her undergarments – it’s a very funny and well-shot scene. My favorite characters are the dwarfs, because they are funny and have more personality than the dwarfs in the classic story. These dwarfs bring a great deal of character to the movie. I also do love Snow White in this movie, because she is strong and plays a heroine in this version of the story.

I rate this film 5 out of 5 stars, because this is a well-written and humorous take on a classic story and, while the basis of the classic story is there, there are enough twists to the story to keep it funny and interesting. Also, there are quite a few “laugh out loud” scenes that will keep you smiling throughout the film. I would recommend this film for ages 5 to adult, especially those who are fans of classic fairy tales. Enjoy this entertaining twist on this classic story.  

Mirror Mirror
Reviewed by Anthony Aranda
(See his full review on video.)

I am reviewing a really funny and family-friendly movie called Mirror Mirror. This movie is about Snow White and the seven dwarfs. I really like this movie because it has a lot more action than the classic Snow White and there are a lot more cool parts. 

This movie is all about a girl named Snow White whose evil stepmother mistreats her and the people who live in the kingdom. Snow White gets help from seven unusual dwarfs to take back her kingdom and help her people.

Some of the main characters in the movie are Snow White, the seven dwarfs, the evil queen and Prince Alcott. My favorite character is Prince Alcott because he is a really funny character. He drinks a potion that gives him puppy love and he does some really funny things. When The Queen throws a book out the window, the prince runs down all the stairs to try and fetch it. It is really funny!

My favorite part in the movie is when the evil queen gets help from black magic and two puppets on strings go to where the seven dwarfs live to try and hurt Snow White. These puppets are dancing around trying to get the dwarfs while Snow White is running to help them. Snow White gets a sword and cuts the strings and the puppets fall down. Another really cool part of the movie is when The Queen goes into her mirror. She walks right though it and comes out of the water into a place out in the middle of nowhere where she does her black magic. That is really cool.

I would recommend this movie for ages 5 and up because there are some sword-fighting scenes and a few parts that might scare little kids. Kids older than 5 would enjoy this movie especially if they know the classic Snow White story.

Photos: Mirror Mirror Blu-ray box art (top), Julianna Noone (middle), Anthony Aranda (bottom)

The early deadline for KIDS FIRST! Film Festival submissions is extended to June 30! That most economical of times to submit a film for festival consideration will hold all the way through the month. Send us your application by June 30 and pay only $20-$40 per title (see the “submit a title” page on our website for an explanation of categories and fees). KIDS FIRST! screens films at more than 100 children’s film festival venues around the country.

Other deadlines for this submission period are:
July 10, for the regular deadline
July 20, for the late deadline
July 25, for the extended late deadline for CQCM members and Withoutabox

Deadlines refer to the date we receive your submission application, not your product, so there is still time to submit for the early deadline!

The next submission period will start in December, for the second of our two annual submission periods.

While we have two submission periods for films, we accept screenplays year-round. Fee is a flat $55.

All screenplay entries will receive written, detailed feedback, and we’ve heard from many screenwriters that they’ve found this a marvelous opportunity to make their screenplays even stronger. Screenplays are now eligible for our KIDS FIRST! Recommended logo, too – and will be considered for the KIDS FIRST! Best Screenplay Award.

Our KIDS FIRST! Best webpage is up and running. Check it out to see films and trailers of our nominated and winning titles. Most of our nominees from the 2012 KIDS FIRST! Best Awards have given us permission to highlight their nominated and/or winning film or trailer on our new KIDS FIRST! Best site. Check it out here. Congratulations to all our nominees for making great children’s films!

We will be giving KIDS FIRST! Best Awards twice per year. We’ve made this change to align with the twice-a-year submission schedule (now just mid year and late year instead of quarterly.)

Don’t miss out! Send in your submission application by June 30 to be eligible for early deadline entry fees!