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Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Buster Moon, a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal, some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Clayton P. comments, “Sing is a terrific new animated film that is a feast for both eyes and ears!  From the creators of Despicable Me, Minions and The Secret Life of Pets, Sing is an instant classic.”  Mia A. adds, “Illumination Entertainment has done it again! The creators of Despicable Me, Pets and Minions have brought us more talking animals to love – and, this time they sing!” See their full reviews below.

Sing
By Clayton P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

Sing is a terrific new animated film that is a feast for both eyes and ears!  From the creators of Despicable Me, Minions and The Secret Life of Pets, Sing is an instant classic.  It stars Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlet Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Tori Kelly. It is directed and written by Garth Jennings and co-directed by Christophe Lordelet.

The film concerns a theatrical impresario and koala bear, Buster Moon whose classic theater is not thriving.  However, he has a big idea to bring back the audience. He decides to stage a singing contest!  The only trouble is the flyer that is produced to advertise the contest is misprinted. Instead of “winner gets $1000”, the flyer says “$100,000.”  Of course, Moon doesn’t have the money, but the show must go on!  He holds an audition and decides on the finalists who will compete for the prize.  They include Johnny, a gorilla crooner with a Cockney accent (Taron Egerton); Meena, an elephant with stage fright but a beautiful, resonant voice (Tori Kelly); Ash, a punk rockette (Scarlet Johansson); Mike, a boastful mouse who sings jazz standards (Seth MacFarlane); and Gunter and Rosita a couple of pigs who sing and dance (Nick Kroll, Reese Witherspoon).  Moon also has an elderly iguana assistant, named Ms. Crawley (Garth Jennings).  There are many subplots including the fact that Mike’s dad is a Cockney mobster who expects Mike to be the getaway driver.  Each contestant is well fleshed out with a backstory that makes us care about each one.

My favorite part is when Gunter is about to go on stage for dress rehearsal.  In his German accent he says, “This place is about to explode with some major piggy power.”  Another great scene is when Rosita leaves her 25 piglets at home.  She is unable to get a babysitter, so she makes robotic contraptions out of everyday materials and puts them all over the house.  It wakes the piglets up, feeds them, gets them dressed and out the door with their backpacks and one contraption even says goodbye to the husband and all 25 kids as they exit the house.  It reminded me of the toy train scene in Wallace and Gromit’s The Wrong Trousers.  This scene is visually very creative.
One of the best things about Sing is the many different styles of music.  It’s great for kids as they can learn about different music genres.  The film is bookended by The Beatles’ song Golden Slumbers.  It also includes some Motown songs, including Stevie Wonder’s Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing, jazz standards like My Way and recent pop songs like Call me, Maybe.  Overall, the soundtrack is really terrific.  According to some accounts, there are over 80 songs in the film.

Sing is perfect for the whole family.  Everyone will enjoy it.  I rate this film 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for kids ages 5 to 18 as well as adults.

Sing
By Mia A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

Illumination Entertainment has done it again! The creators of Despicable Me, Pets and Minions have brought us more talking animals to love – and, this time they sing!

Sing is about a Koala named Buster Moon who loves the theater so much that he buys a theater and follows his dreams. His theater is going through some hard times, so he holds a singing competition. Ash, Buster Moon, Rosita, Mike, Meena, Johnny and Gunter are some of the competitors, and they all have important stories to tell.

Each character has its own small subplot, so you get some good background information on each one. Voiced by big names including Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Seth MacFarlane, we get to know and love each character.  Ash is a rock singer who lives with a stuck up boyfriend. Rosita is a pig that has many kids and a husband, but she doesn’t feel appreciated by any of them. Mike is a little street mouse or rat with attitude that gets him in some interesting situations. Meena is an elephant that is super shy and Johnny is an ape that is stuck in a family job of robbery. My favorite character is Johnny because he believes in what he loves and never stops trying to pursue his dreams. He almost runs two lives, doing what he wants to do while also participating in the family business of robbery.

My favorite scene is the car wash scene. Buster Moon has to wash cars to make some money, so his friend Eddie helps him. Buster Moon washes as Eddie dries. This scene is very funny because they use their bodies to wash and dry.

The moral to this film is to never give up on your dreams. We see how all the characters have an event in their lives that holds them back from what they really want to do and what their true talents are. This movie is called Sing, so I expected some major singing. I like that there are popular songs incorporated into the movie. All the characters have amazing voices and some are very comical. The singing really made me want to get up and start singing.

The animation is super colorful, creative and detailed. You can see small details on the animals like the fur on the apes and the quills on the porcupines. I love how the animal characteristics and human characteristics are combined and balanced out perfectly to make a human animal. The animals may walk and talk like humans, but they also have some animal traits. The porcupine’s quills fly out and the apes run on their feet and hands.

I recommend Sing to ages 6 to 18 because this is a great family movie for all ages. I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for good clean family fun, go enjoy Sing in theaters near you!

In a small town going through tough economic times, business owner Matthew Peyton (Ryan O’Quinn) struggles between his desire for financial success and the responsibility of funding the annual Christmas pageant. Desperate business decisions ruin his popularity and angry employees seek their revenge. When Matthew meets Clarence (Isaac Ryan Brown), a joyful boy who believes in miracles, he must make a choice: do what’s best for himself or give faith a chance by opening his heart to help his community. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O. comments, “There are many holiday films that attempt to show you a story of faith, or hope or maybe just positivity. Believe tries to tackle all those things in a fantastic and entertaining holiday adventure.” Watch his full review below and be sure to watch his cast & crew interviews as well.

Believe
By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 14

There are many holiday films that attempt to show you a story of faith, or hope or maybe just positivity. Believe tries to tackle all those things in a fantastic and entertaining holiday adventure.

Believe begins showing Matthew Peyton (Ryan O’Quinn), a business owner in a small town, going through financial trouble. Despite owning a business, he also has had the responsibility of hosting the famous local Christmas Pageant every year. Sadly, this year, his company has not been doing well and is losing money. When he tries to plead to the townspeople he cannot do it, he is accused of being greedy. The entire town hates him and it is up to him to save his business and attempt to save the spirit of Christmas in a poverty-stricken town.

Believe perfectly achieves its message – never lose hope and always believe in a better tomorrow. The story clearly  represents that. The cinematography is unique and beautiful in many scenes, from slow motion of falling snowflakes, to unique close ups and first person prospective. The actors, for the most part, play their emotions well and make the story feel dramatic. One character falls a bit short. Clarence (Isaac Ryan Brown) often feels out of place in some scenes, almost as if included for comedic effect or to help solidify the message. This is not because of bad acting. Isaac Ryan Brown plays Clarence as an excited and positive kid perfectly. The major problem is the interactions and his role in the story. Throughout the whole story, it feels like Clarence and Matthew have separate adventures and goals of being hopeful and faithful. This does not integrate well and makes for awkward scenes. Another major issue is that the film is  too long at 2 hours. It would benefit from some judicious editing as there are many scenes that had no purpose and add to the length, making the story feel stretched.

My favorite scene is when Matthew gets mugged and his car is set on fire. The cinematography of this scene is great with close ups of Matthew as his car is on fire and snowflakes slowly falling in the background. The entire time, the camera is shaking and distorted as if the viewer is experiencing some sort of head injury along with Matthew. I loved this because it gives you both a third person view of Matthew and a first person feeling of what he is experiencing.

There are very few with some mild violence and some dramatic scenes so I recommend it for ages 9 to 18. I also give it 3.5 out of 5 stars because, despite it having an issue with one character and the story, it has a strong moral, beautiful cinematography and fantastic acting. It is theaters now so, go check it out.

From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves. Opening December 26, 2016, Rogue One is an American epic space opera film in the Star Wars Anthology, directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta. It is a stand-alone sequel to Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and a prequel to the original Star Wars film Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) ending at the point at which that film begins. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ryan R. comments, “… let me tell you, it is a must see and you don’t have to go to a galaxy far away to see it! It’s edgy, intense and delivers a lot of thrills.  Fans will not be disappointed with this new action packed film.” Nathaniel B. adds, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is definitely a great addition to the Star Wars saga. It has so many amazing things about it and is truly astonishing.” See their full reviews below and, be sure to watch Alejandra G.’s interview with Diego Luna who plays Cassian Andor.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
By KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, Ryan R., Age 12

I just finished watching Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and, let me tell you, it is a must see and you don’t have to go to a galaxy far away to see it! It’s edgy, intense and delivers a lot of thrills.  Fans will not be disappointed with this new action packed film.

Meet Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), a defiant and eager character  who takes on a desperate mission for the Rebellion to try to steal the plans of the Death Star so they can learn how to destroy it. The question is, will they find the plans and learn how to destroy it or will they fail? You have to see the movie to find out.

I relished watching this movie for its incredible CGI, story and characters. The CGI is amazing. For example, the details of the planets make them look so interesting, realistic and beautiful. Another example is K-2SO (my favorite character) who is completely created by CGI and yet, he looks like a real robot!  I also love K-2SO because his sarcastic humor and delivery is hilarious. He acts too smart for his own good and he steals the show. The story has many twists and turns, and it left me with a lot of “what ifs” and I enjoyed that. The new characters are ordinary but strong people who band together to help Jyn and you’ll end up liking and rooting for them. Each one is memorable in their own right.  I feel like the Star Wars movies are getting better and better.  There are some subtle references to previous Star Wars films and some familiar faces. You might be asking, “who?” The answer is, go see the movie to find out!

I did not enjoy how the movie ends because, I felt they could have gone in another direction. But that is just my opinion. Overall, this film is amazing and I think you will definitely enjoy it.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to people who like spinoffs, family, Star Wars films and action / adventure movies. I recommend this for ages 8 to 18 as well as adults. Be aware there are a few intense scenes and some blood shown. It opens Friday, December 16, 2016 so make sure to check it out in a theater near you.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
By Nathaniel B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is definitely a great addition to the Star Wars saga. It has so many amazing things about it and is truly astonishing.

As in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, this film has a great female hero, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones). She is the perfect person for this role. She is very silent in the beginning and doesn’t have as many lines as I thought she would, but it serves as a way to show her character’s personality. She seems angry inside and does not care about the Rebellion.

The music uses the Star Wars theme and, even though it is not the exact same music as in the other Star Wars movies, it plays a critical role in making the film come alive. The music is dramatic at times and soft at others and really sets the moods, making scenes more dramatic, even when they aren’t that dramatic. The scenery also really makes you feel like you are on another world.

I love the special effects – the explosions, weapons, and spaceships are fantastic and are even better than the amazing special effects in the other Star Wars films. They look so real and are very interesting. The spaceships are the coolest of all the special effects. There are so many different kinds, it is hard to believe that someone put that much time, effort and creativity into designing imaginary aircrafts.

As great as Rogue One is, it is violent and has a lot of death. The death is not bloody or gross in any way but it is still death. Just a warning, some characters that people might get attached to die and some people may get upset because they like that person, so brace for impact. This film feels more like a movie for grown-ups than some of the others in the saga, but it is still great for kids.

This movie is a prequel to Star Wars 4, A New Hope (or number one if you are talking about the order of the films being made) and it comes after the Anakin, Qui Gon Jinn and younger Obi Wan Kenobi section of the saga. This film is called a Star Wars “story”, but it is one of the best Star Wars films yet. It explains many things and shows how different things in A New Hope happened. There is one particular part that I needed to have pointed out to me. I will not spoil it, but if you think during the movie about the name, A New Hope, then you should get it.

I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars because it adds important details to the previous Star Wars stories, is a great story on its own and is beautifully made. This film is suitable for ages 8 to 18 because it is great for older people but kind of scary for younger kids.  It opens in theaters on December 16, 2016 so, go check it out! You’ll be glad you did.

This holiday season, N Circle Entertainment brings you a wonderful collection of films on DVD that you can share with your loved ones of all ages. Beginning with The Little Prince: The Planet of Gargand and including Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab:  ‘Twas the Night Before Liftoff and 14 more, it really is a treasure trove of shows. Take a look below.

The Little Prince: The Planet Gargand starts with the universe in great danger. The evil Snake has extinguished the stars, causing chaos and plunging the planets into darkness. The Little Prince must leave his Asteroid home and beloved friend, Rose, in his quest to outsmart the Snake and save the universe from doom.  Accompanied by his trusted companion, the Fox, the Little Prince travels from planet to planet, braving danger and discovering vast and enchanted worlds.  Will the extraordinary gifts of the Little Prince bring each of the planets back to life? And will he ever find his way home? KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Rohan F. comments, “I like how they include action without violence so it is suitable for younger kids. It is a series of three episodes of a television show that are all part of one big story. When my younger brother watched it, he said it was the best kid’s show he’d seen in a long time.” See his full review below.

The Little Prince: The Planet Gargand
By Rohan D. Foxe, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

The Little Prince: The Planet Gargand is a fun and playful animation for kids.  It is based on characters from a famous book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry called The Little Prince. I like how they include action without violence so it is suitable for younger kids. It is a series of three episodes of a television show that are all part of one big story. When my younger brother watched it, he said it was the best kid’s show he’d seen in a long time.

The story is about the Little Prince’s adventure on the planet Gargand. When the prince arrives, he finds out that there is about to be a race and the winner will become the next Khagle. The Khagle is a person who delivers seeds to grow magic trees that give gifts to the children. If all the seeds are not delivered, then the planet will break apart into lots of small floating islands. Someone cheats in the race and Thery, a local who expected to win, doesn’t. He gets very angry at Dokan, his best friend because he thinks that it was him and then tries to steal the seeds so that he can be the Khagle. The Little Prince and his friend, the Fox must stop him and save the planet.

I like the cheery animation and the action in this film. I also enjoyed the expressions of the characters and the vivid colors. There are some inconsistencies when it suddenly changes from day to night at certain points that I didn’t like. My favorite part of the film is the race scene because it is energetic and exciting. It is action-filled and very fast-paced. It is also gripping because they had dreamed their entire lives of winning this competition and it is very important to them.

Brian Dow is the voice of Thery and James Beach voices Dokan. The Little Prince is voiced by Aidan Drummond and the Fox by Brian Drummond.  Their voices express the characters so well, it makes you believe they are the characters they play.

This film has several moral message about how friendship is powerful and how you can do anything you put your mind to. It also shows that cheating does not pay off and good conquers evil.

The Little Prince: The Planet Gargand is a great animated film and I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I think kids ages 3 to 10 would enjoy it and I also think adults would like watching it with their kids. It is now available on DVD and I think it would make a great Christmas gift for kids.

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: ‘Twas the Night Before Liftoff
By Rohan Foxe, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: ‘Twas the Night Before Liftoff is a wonderful DVD that is educational and interesting and still very funny and entertaining. In it, some very colorful characters have a very important and exciting adventure. It also has an educational, original music video at the end of each episode.

This DVD contains six seasonal episodes of Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab that create one special holiday story. It features four kid geniuses who help a virtual Thomas Edison to solve every day and unusual problems using science. In the first episode, Stranger in a Strange Lab, the kids learn about wormholes from Albert Einstein so they can help Thomas Edison’s Friend, Bob, with an urgent, top-secret project. In the following episodes, which include Sturm und Drag, All the Heavy Lifting, Twas the Night Before Liftoff, Von Bolt Meets Santa, and And to all a Good Flight, they help him solve problems with his project using their scientific knowledge, scientific theories and the help of historic geniuses such as Isaac Newton, Pythagoras and George Cayley. Meanwhile, Thomas Edison’s steampunk robot, Van Bolt, digs deeper into Bob’s secrets to reveal his true identity and the real reason his project is so urgent.

This film is very funny and educational, teaching science, history and vocabulary in a very entertaining way. It also contains loads of cool fun facts. I really like how all the scientists that help the four kids are real scientists from history such as Albert Einstein. From watching this DVD, I learned that George Cayley created one of the first flying machine, how airplanes fly and the amount of time you can be in freezing temperatures before getting hypothermia or frostbit. I also learned that batteries die quicker in cold temperatures and how space suits work. My favorite part of the DVD is the original music videos at the end of every episode. They are funny, cool, and catchy and actually help to remember the facts!

I give this DVD five out of five stars because there was nothing I didn’t like about it. I recommend it for children age 5 to 13 and I think it would make great holiday viewing for kids that are interested in science and engineering. It is available on DVD now so go check it out.

Other Holiday DVDS from NCircle Entertainment include: The Snowman and The Snowman and the Snowdog, Gumby’s Artic Antics, Gaillou’s Holiday Movie, The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas, Caillou’s Holiday Movie, Doozers Giant Gingerbread House, Mike the Knight: Mike’s Christmas Surprise, Naya’s Arctic Adventures: Meet Naya, Naya’s Arctic Adventures: Naya and Friends, Octonauts: The Great Penguin Race, Octonauts: The very Vegimal Christmas, The Cat in the Hat: Told from the Cold, Chloe’s Closet: Chloe’s Winter Wonderland and yo Gabba Gabba: Live! Holiday Show.

This DVD is a compilation of episodes from the popular TV series Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab. In this compilation, an old friend of Edison’s visits the lab and asks the Secret Lab Kids to help him with an urgent, top-secret project, they have to follow him through a wormhole to get to his own secret lab. Who could this mysterious friend be and what is this top secret project during the holiday season? KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Rohan F. comments, “This film is very funny and educational, teaching science, history and vocabulary in a very entertaining way. It also contains loads of cool fun facts. I really like how all the scientists that help the four kids are real scientists from history such as Albert Einstein.” Imani B. added, “It is a very fun interactive movie that various kids will enjoy due to its learning experience. While watching, I felt as if I was being taught something new while celebrating the Christmas spirit.” See their full reviews below.

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: ‘Twas the Night Before Liftoff
By Rohan Foxe, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: ‘Twas the Night Before Liftoff is a wonderful DVD that is educational and interesting and still very funny and entertaining. In it, some very colorful characters have a very important and exciting adventure. It also has an educational, original music video at the end of each episode.

This DVD contains six seasonal episodes of Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab that create one special holiday story. It features four kid geniuses who help a virtual Thomas Edison to solve every day and unusual problems using science. In the first episode, Stranger in a Strange Lab, the kids learn about wormholes from Albert Einstein so they can help Thomas Edison’s Friend, Bob, with an urgent, top-secret project. In the following episodes, which include Sturm und Drag, All the Heavy Lifting, Twas the Night Before Liftoff, Von Bolt Meets Santa, and And to all a Good Flight, they help him solve problems with his project using their scientific knowledge, scientific theories and the help of historic geniuses such as Isaac Newton, Pythagoras and George Cayley. Meanwhile, Thomas Edison’s steampunk robot, Van Bolt, digs deeper into Bob’s secrets to reveal his true identity and the real reason his project is so urgent.

This film is very funny and educational, teaching science, history and vocabulary in a very entertaining way. It also contains loads of cool fun facts. I really like how all the scientists that help the four kids are real scientists from history such as Albert Einstein. From watching this DVD, I learned that George Cayley created one of the first flying machine, how airplanes fly and the amount of time you can be in freezing temperatures before getting hypothermia or frostbit. I also learned that batteries die quicker in cold temperatures and how space suits work. My favorite part of the DVD is the original music videos at the end of every episode. They are funny, cool, and catchy and actually help to remember the facts!

I give this DVD five out of five stars because there was nothing I didn’t like about it. I recommend it for children age 5 to 13 and I think it would make great holiday viewing for kids that are interested in science and engineering. It is available on DVD now so go check it out.

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: ‘Twas the Night Before Liftoff
By Imani Baptiste-Green, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 15

My overall thought about this film is very positive. It is a very fun interactive movie that various kids will enjoy due to its learning experience. While watching, I felt as if I was being taught something new while celebrating the Christmas spirit. You will definitely not be bored throughout the film.

The story is about a secret lab developed by Thomas Edison (Livingston Taylor) in a world that no one knows about. In that lab, a virtual version of Thomas was built along with a robot named Von Bolt. A long period of time passes and a young girl named Angie (Philipa Alexander) discovers the lab. An old friend of Edison comes to town and asks the Secret Lab Kids to help him. The viewer is invited to join the cast of Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab in solving the mystery of the secret project and the mysterious friend.

My favorite scenes would have to be the sudden sing along tunes. Each tune has a new lesson that is introduced at different times. Science is taught with touches of the Christmas spirit as well. I really admire how the writers create similarities between science and Christmas for kids to get them into the spirit of the holidays. For example, a song explains the scientific history of Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein, but the characters also talk about what they want to do for Christmas. Another example is when Von Bot teaches the kids about the magic of Christmas and what it is really about. I felt as if I was being taught new information and opinions about science by the characters in the film, which I found positive and enjoyable.

Without giving away the ending, the moral message is to focus on the task at hand and work together as a team to get things done. At first, the characters have trouble realizing that they were given a special mission that needed to be completed by a certain time because they were so focused on the fact that Christmas was coming soon. I really like how the writers tried to not to make the message so repetitive since many children’s movies are. It really is a fun and calm, interactive movie to watch. I recommend this film for children ages 5 to 12 due to its childish, yet mature message and educational information. I also think parents would enjoy watching this along with their kids and they may even learn something new like I did. I rate this 5 out of 5 stars because of its merry Holiday spirit and interactive learning experiences. This DVD is available now so, go check it out.