Archives for June 2017

Credit: Sugar Mountain PR.

Unknown to the world, Thomas Edison built a secret lab where he invented a virtual version of himself and a steampunk robot named Von Bolt. Years later, Angie, a twelve-year-old science prodigy, discovers the lab. While visiting one of Kent’s relatives, the kids come up with a great idea for attracting more tourists to his restaurant – the only catch is that it also attracts a very big shark with very big teeth! What will the Secret Lab Kids do? Guided by fun-loving Edison, Angie and friends will show just how fun science can be. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jolleen M. comments, “I love all of the puns and the jokes. I thought that they were very funny. I also thought that it was awesome that everything tied in with learning, so that you could enjoy watching the movie while learning new things about science.” Carla P. adds, “The show has cool features that I’ve rarely seen on a TV show. At the end of every episode, they have a music video recapping what they learned in that episode.” KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror, Rachael V. wraps it up with, “This collection is called ” It’s Always Sharkest” because it features an episode regarding a shark ‘ s sense of smell. Thinking about subjects such as DNA and radioactive decay doesn’t seem to be very appealing to younger kids, but these episodes change that. It gives a very hands on, kid friendly approach to not just learning about these subjects, but enjoying the adventure along the way.” See their full reviews below.

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: It’s Always Sharkest
By Jolleen M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

This film is very educational and humorous. I love all of the puns and the jokes. I thought that they were very funny. I also thought that it was awesome that everything ties in with learning, so that you can enjoy watching the movie while learning new things about science.

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab is about Angie and her friends who discover Thomas Edison’s secret lab. They go on multiple science adventures to learn how to solve their problems in everyday life. They go back in time, shrink to be super small, go snorkeling and even go inside animals’ bodies to learn as much as they can about their situation to help solve their problem at home.

Phillipa Alexander (Angie), has a voice of a child, which is probably why they chose her for the role of Angie. Phillipa Alexander’s voice can sound nerdy and smart or be used to sound enraged and mad. Shash Hira (Kent) can make his voice sound small and awkward. He portrays Kent as an intimidated character.

The animation in this movie is not that good. When they talk, their mouths mostly just move up and down. The arm movements they do are also really repetitive. Overall, the movements for the characters and scenery are not very life like. But, I don’t think a young child will mind. This movie is made for younger audiences, but the science they teaching is suitable for older kids.

My favorite part of the movie is when Angie and her friends shrink and go through the process of pollination. It looks really cool to see how pollination works, when you are super small actually see the inside of the flower and bee hive.

The message of this film is to accept yourself for who you are, and to realize that science isn’t lame and can actually be useful. When Angie was building a robot for a competition, the opponents were calling her a geek and science nerd. But Angie isn’t discouraged and actually likes that she knows a lot of things. She doesn’t let them distract her and ends up winning the bot fight.

You can learn a lot from this show. I give this DVD 5 out of 5 stars and I recommend it for ages 8 to 12. The animation and plot seem suitable, but the science and vocabulary is more suited for older children. It’s on DVD so, go check it out – especially if you love science!

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: It’s Always Sharkest
By Carla P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

I like Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: It’s Always Sharkest because it is an educational show, has very unique features and really good animation.

This show is about a group of kids and a few robots that do scientific research. They do it in a secret lab that Thomas Edison left behind with a digital version of himself. They do research about a shark’s sense of smell. When the group gets into situations where they mess up on a project or experiment, they always find a way to fix it. And, they have adventures with famous scientists such as Charles Darwin.

The show has cool features that I’ve rarely seen on a TV show. At the end of every episode, they have a music video recapping what they learned in that episode. I’ve only seen this once before on Bill Nye’s old TV series. The only thing different between Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: It’s Always Sharkest and Bill Nye’s music video is that Bill Nye did a parody of popular songs while the songs on this show are all original songs.

The animation reminds me somewhat of the TV show The Fairly Odd Parents. Both have similar animation styles. They both look sort of like paper cutouts.  Furthermore, I like how the robot’s actions are animated. In the first episode, one of the robots is almost eaten by a shark so he spins out of control to try to get away from the shark’s mouth. I thought that was hilarious, seeing him spin out of control.

The message of the show is to find ways to fix problems and it encourages kids to appreciate and learn more science. In the first episode, the group tries to make a slide but fails because there was too much friction. The whole series is based around science and boosts kids’ interest in science.  The program shows how science can be fun. I rate this show 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 6 to 9. It is available now on DVD so, go check it out.

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab: It’s Always Sharkest
Reviewed by Rachael V., KIDS FIRST! Juror.

I’ve been lucky enough to review two of the Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab DVDs and I just love them. As a kid I always loved science class, but I know that not everyone did. There were lessons that appealed to me less than others and I was lucky enough to have shows such as Bill Nye the Science Guy and The Magic School Bus to inspire me . This collection is called ” It’s Always Sharkest” because it features an episode regarding a shark ‘ s sense of smell. Thinking about subjects such as DNA and radioactive decay doesn’t seem to be very appealing to younger kids, but these episodes change that. It gives a very hands on, kid friendly approach to not just learning about these subjects, but enjoying the adventure along the way. One of my favorite things about this program is meeting the creators take on other scientists like Darwin and Watson. The animation is phenomenal and the lessons learned are even better. I recommend this to kids ages 5 to 12, but make no mistake, I greatly enjoyed learning new things and relearning things I had long forgotten. If I could rate this higher than 5 stars I would, but since I can’t , I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

Credit: KIDS FIRST!

From the mind of Gwen Stefani comes the world of Kuu Kuu Harajuku! Say hello to HJ5! A super cool band made of five super cool girls! Love, Angel, Music, Baby and their inspirational leader G love to sing, dance and sport the latest kawaii fashions (Kawaii is “cute ” in Harajuku speak)! With help from their loveably incompetent manager Rudie, HJ5 travels all over to put on shows for their fans! Although they are totally talented, every time they start a gig, something wild and crazy happens before they finish the first bar! I mean, it’s not easy performing while you are being attacked by space aliens, adorable (and ravenous) monster pets OR hunger (you don’t want to mess with Baby when she’s hangry). No matter what challenges come their way, they always work together to save the day! KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Morgan B. comments, “The perfect animation colors and style make this concoction a work of art that is pure genius. This is an adorable fun world full of fashion, original songs and five smart girls with problem solving skills and teamwork.” Kamryn B. adds, “Kuu Kuu Harajuku is a jamming new TV series that is now available on DVD. This show is filled with humor and adventurous episodes. The vibrant colors make the show even more “Kawaii,” the Japanese term for cute.” KIDS FIRST! Juror Rachael V. wraps it up with, “This program was co- created by Gwen Stephani (No Doubt) and you can really tell. It’s extremely girly and stylistic and the music is fantastic.” See their full reviews below.

Kuu Kuu Harajuku: Music Baby

By Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

The adventures on this DVD are crazy and humorous! The perfect animation colors and style make this concoction a work of art that is pure genius. This is an adorable fun world full of fashion, original songs and five smart girls with problem solving skills and teamwork.

I adore the likable, optimistic characters including G (Maggie Chretien), the leader of the band HJ5 who is ready for a challenge at all times. She believes nothing is impossible. This is why she is my favorite character. Fun fact: G is supposed to be represent Gwen Stefani in encouraging young girls to become themselves and to have faith in each other as well. Baby (Charlotte Nicdao) loves everything and just wants to give everyone a hug and talk things out. Love (Daisy Masterman) is the brainiac. She knows her technology and her brain is big and chocked full of knowledge. She is one smart cookie. Music (Sally Taylor-Isherwood) is the sarcastic, sassy one who knows what to do and when to do it. Angle (Emma Taylor-Isherwood) is the girl to call on when you need an outfit for an event. She loves fashion and shopping. They all want the best for each other while they try to make it as a girl band. They are true to themselves and believe every problem has a solution.

The voiceover talent is fantastic. They know how to bring out the perfect tones for each character. Gwen Stefani is the executive producer and along with her, many other wonderful actresses are a part of this crew. Lessons to be learned from the show are inspirational and helpful. HJ5 helps kids learn to be themselves and accept who they are. That is what makes this show so special. People are all different and have a unique quality about them. The world would be boring if everyone was the same. We should accept each other’s differences. It is okay to be different. Embrace our differences and have fun with it. That is what makes you who you are and what makes you special and unique.

Phony ponies is the cutest episode. It reminds me of the Kentucky Derby because of the hats that they wear, like the actual Kentucky Derby. My mom and I always wear crazy hats and watch the horse races. Team work is a great theme for this show. The music is originally and catchy. It makes you feel good and you want to sing along. The animation is perfect as are the colors and style. All the colors are eye catching and fun. On the other hand, the style is perfect. I love the complex shapes and details and the way that they make it all work together.

I recommend this funtastic DVD for ages 4 to 12. For kids who love music, fashion and adorableness,  this fabulous DVD will be a hit. I give it 5 out of 5 “Kawaii” (Japanese for cute) singing stars. This DVD comes out on June 13, 2017 so, keep your eye out for it.

Kuu Kuu Harajuku: Music Baby

By Kamryn B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

Kuu Kuu Harajuku is a jamming new TV series that is now available on DVD. This show is filled with humor and adventurous episodes. The vibrant colors make the show even more “Kawaii,” the Japanese term for cute. The characters Music, Baby, Love, Angel and G experience different puzzling situations together as they sing to their accumulating fan base. Their unorganized manager Rudie and General No Fun are always trying to ruin the band’s plans.

This show was created by Gwen Stephanie based on her Harajuku Lovers brand. Steve Aranguren, Gillian Carr and Madellaine Paxson are credited as co-developers. The cast includes Charlotte Nicdao as Baby, Emma Taylor-Isherwood as Angel, Daisy Masterman as Love, Danny Smith as Rudie and Sally Taylor-Isherwood as Music. I commend the voice actors for the way they make the characters’ emotions seem real.

The animation is quite unique, compared to other animated shows. The show has multiple shades of purple and pink that would make any girl squeal. The characters are all quite unique and well defined. G, the leader of the band, helps the group focus on the task at hand. Whenever General No Fun gets in the way of fun, she helps figure out a way to have fun despite his intentions. Since their manager Rudie isn’t much help, G has an important role to play. Baby is childish and knows what’s cute and what isn’t. Love has all the smarts to create a formula of success. Angel is the fashionista who wears all the newest looks and styles.  And Music is my favorite character because of her sense of humor and a hint of sass.

My favorite scene involved Music in one of the episodes when she suspects something fishy is going on that would negatively affect the band. Music does her best to protect her friends. The different episodes evoke a different message. One that I resonate with is the idea of teamwork and working together as a group. It also emphasizes that people should not be ashamed of  who they are or what they love to do.

I give this DVD 4 out of 5 stars. The animation is great, the characters are lovable and enjoyable. I recommend this DVd to kids age 5 to 10. This DVD comes out on June 13, 2017 so, be sure to check it out.
Kuu Kuu Harajuku: Music Baby
Reviewed by Rachael Vickers, KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror.

This program was co- created by Gwen Stephani (No Doubt) and you can really tell. It’s extremely girly and stylistic and the music is fantastic. It’s about a band called HJ5 . It has a real cutesy Spice Girls meets My Little Pony feel to it. The girls are always running into problems while trying to do a gig. Nothing seems to go their way, but because they are such great friends they always find a way to salvage the day. There is an adorable episode called Baby’s Birthday. Baby is on the girls in the band and it’s fun watching the other members scrambling to make this day worthwhile for Baby. This is definitely not a program that I think boys would particularly enjoy. There are no action moments . It is all heavily focused towards girls , which is fine. The music is great and it has a fun pop sound. The animation is quite good and the storyline flows well. I recommend this for ages 4 through 11 and give it 5 out 5 stars for really teaching girls to be tough and stay positive!

Credit: KIDS FIRST!

Welcome to Enchanted Island, an island covered with a mysterious enchanted forest, which is home to every form of magical creature you could ever imagine – fairies, mischievous boy sprites, unicorns, sirens, ancient tree spirits and magic wishing wells. Visitors to Enchanted Isle must beware for nothing is ever quite what it seems, and dreams and reality quickly become one. At the center of the forest is the palace of the capricious Fairy Queen, who is in a constant temper due to being turned into a frog by a talented young fairy who overdid herself and, in an attempt to grant the ultimate favor to the queen by making her even more pretty, she cast a spell that gave her the head of a frog! Unfortunately, that talented young fairy is our friend, Twinkle. Twinkle has great potential as a fairy but she must learn to master her wand and its magic. Join Twinkle along with her Super 4 friends as they band together to fight villains and save their worlds from chaos. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Alejandra G. comments, “I love that this DVD is filled with creativity and fantasy, factors that truly draw children’s attention. Each story has witches, fairies, enchanted worlds and many other fanciful things.” See her full review below.

Super 4: Welcome to Enchanted Island

By Alejandra Garcia, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

I love that this DVD is filled with creativity and fantasy, factors that truly draw children’s attention. Each story has witches, fairies, enchanted worlds and many other fanciful things. Since young children have big imaginations and tend to be extremely creative, they are automatically drawn to the show since they can relate to the fantasies in each episode. Their open imagination allows them to dream about these unique and special creatures. I understand why kids love the series so much.

In this show, the characters go on adventure after adventure to help their friends solve problems or situations they are in on the Enchanted Island. They get into very funny and odd situations that children will relate to as something that is actually possible. Of course, using magic to help them adds to the intrigue.

My favorite scene from this collection is when the queen’s head turns into a frog as she attempts to make herself more beautiful. She wants to try, but fails and has to deal with the consequences. This scene demonstrates how the shows’ makers incorporate things that children will easily be drawn into. It’s typical of young children dream of and imagine. Also, it is quite funny to see how they manage to make this funny scene part of the story.

The episodes truly excels at entertaining children and making them have a great time while watching. It offers positive role models and a theme of friendship. The Super 4 friends band together to fight villains and save their worlds from chaos. I can honestly commend the makers of this show on their smart and intelligent writing. While at first look, it appears as a length infomercial for Playmobil toys, it is more than that. The stories are unique and special and geared appropriate for its young audience. It’s highly entertaining and fun. I wish the females were more engaging. I rate this DVD 3 out of 5 and recommend it for ages 3 to 8.

Super 4: Welcome to Enchanted Island

By Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

Super 4: Welcome To Enchanted Island is eye catching and entertaining. The lessons are perfect for kids and the animation is terrific. Kids will love this DVD for so many reasons and they will talk about for years to come. The animation in this DVD is one of my favorite things about it. I adore it. The characters all look like toys from a Playmobil toy set and, that is one of my favorite things about this series. Everything that is in this imaginary world is built with Playmobil blocks. Also, the animation is very colorful and joyous and makes me fell all giddy whenever I watch it. 

The morals and life lessons in this DVD are terrific and can be very valuable for everyone. Some of the lessons included are be courteous to everyone no matter who they are or what they have done to you, use everyone’s talents not just your own, look to the future and not the past, and look before you leap.

The characters are all quirky and energetic. I like Alex (Damien Farrette) who is the knight in shining armor to call when you need help. He is also always there for you and ready to lead a helping hand. Rudy (Laetitia Lefebvre) is another goodhearted, but mischievous character for she is a pirate at heart. Even though she is trying to get rid of some of her flaws, she stills has a few. Gene (Frank Lorrair) is a sci-fi futuristic kind of guy who likes to use gadgets, which some might say are magical because of how stupendous they are. He also loves to use logic to solve all kinds of problems, such as how to wrestle with a troll and so many more life lessons. I know I will use them in the future. My favorite character is Twinkle (Sara Natochenny). I love her for her kind heart and her shyness. She wants to make things right by turning the fairy queen back from a frog into a fairy so she can make amends. Also, she wants to do no wrong even though she needs to learn how to use her wand correctly since she accidentally turned the fairy queen into a frog in the first place. Twinkle always looks to the future and always has a good attitude unless her fairy friends are sad. When the furious elf turns all the colors into black and white and makes the fairies all sad and unhappy, Twinkle is there to help them out and look to the future. Twinkle is a fairy full of determination!

I recommend this DVD for ages 6 to 12. Kids will love the quirky characters, fun learning experiences with Twinkle, Alex, Rudy and Gene. They will also love the factor that it is inspired by Playmobil and brings all kinds of worlds together into one big, huge, wondrous universe.  I give this magical DVD 5 out of 5 Golden Wands. This DVD is in stores now so, if you want fun adventure and excitement in your home, go check it out.

Credit: KIDS FIRST!