Archives for July 10, 2022

Thor: Love and Thunder finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced — a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who — to Thor’s surprise — inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jude A. comments, “This is incredibly aesthetically pleasing and, quite frankly, nothing that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has shown us before. Matched with a rocking soundtrack — Appetite for Destruction from Guns N’ Roses, Thor: Love and Thunder is quite literally an “appetite for destruction.” Tiana S. adds, “This ends here and now … Thor is back with a comedic, out-of-this-world all-new adventure! This new installment about the God of Thunder, Thor: Love and Thunder has everything a Marvel fan could want. With two Thors making an appearance, you get things you didn’t know you wanted and needed.” Ethan P. wraps it up with, “The graphics and CGI in Thor: Love and Thunder are exciting. The visual effects technology used in this movie is the same as used in The Mandalorian. The audience can see a muscular Jane Foster with arms noticeably bigger in this film. Her costume is on point, similar to Thor’s. The music really rocks on every scene, literally.” See their full reviews below.

Thor: Love and Thunder

By Jude A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

Marvel Studio’s Thor: Love and Thunder officially redefines the definition of film and on-screen art. Taika Waititi’s background as a painter can be seen throughout the film, through the use of a vibrant color scheme and specific tint isolation. This is incredibly aesthetically pleasing and, quite frankly, nothing that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has shown us before. Matched with a rocking soundtrack — Appetite for Destruction from Guns N’ Roses, Thor: Love and Thunder is quite literally an “appetite for destruction.”

Thor: Love and Thunder picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is still tagging along as one of the Guardians of the Galaxy. After all his paths have been severed from his battles with Thanos, he finds himself without a pathway. In all of his thousands of years of living, this has never been a concept that Thor has had to tackle. This puts him on a journey of self-exploration. Although, obviously in the Marvel Universe, that can only last so long when the new villain Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) comes to town. Gorr vows that “all gods will die.” Thor recruits the help of his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who seemingly became a Thor herself. These two learn to work together to defeat Gorr and how to navigate the world while rekindling their old relationship.

Thor: Love and Thunder emphasizes the idea of “love” in the title because that’s how audiences will feel about the film’s color variations and banging soundtrack. Christian Bale completely steals the entire show as Gorr the God Butcher. In every scene he is in, your eyes are glued to his worldly-like presence on the screen. Although he is terrifying, the audience will not be able to get enough of him. Christian Bale finds a way to make this a Christian Bale film and not a Chris Hemsworth film. As much as Gorr the God Butcher’s storyline is golden, which is ironic given his black and white color scheme, other branches of the film feel unnecessary. During the film, certain plot points are used that feel somewhat like a cheap excuse to move the story forward. The characters spend a solid 30 minutes exploring something new, yet later we learn that it has no overall impact or relevance to the story. Part of the film is wasted on the focus of Zeus. It may be comedic and light-hearted in the moment, yet it almost feels like it is only introduced to help set up future Marvel projects, rather than focus on the film we are currently watching.

If the title doesn’t make it obvious, the film deals with the theme of love persevering and expresses the concept that relationships aren’t forever, but the love behind them is eternal. Following previous Marvel content Thor: Love and Thunder continues the trend of pushing PG-13 boundaries and getting darker. When I say that Christian Bale is incredibly terrifying, that is really true. Marvel does not hold back on his character, especially when a large part of his role is about abducting children. Given that, plus the barrel of intense action throughout the film, this film is not to be taken lightly.

I give Thor: Love and Thunder 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. You can find Thor: Love and Thunder raining its way into theatres on July 8, 2022. So make sure to check it out!

Thor: Love and Thunder
By Tiana S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

This ends here and now … Thor is back with a comedic, out-of-this-world all-new adventure! This new installment about the God of Thunder, Thor: Love and Thunder has everything a Marvel fan could want. With two Thors making an appearance, you get things you didn’t know you wanted and needed. It’s called “Love and Thunder,” so of course, there is plenty of love.

Thor: Love and Thunder starts with a backstory about a villain named Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) as he experiences a great loss and seeks help from a God. When he refuses to help him, Gorr wants revenge and goes on a mission to kill all Gods. Thor (Chris Hemsworth)learns of Gorr’s quest and un-retires to go save his home, Asgard. Along the way, his ex-girlfriend, Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), now the Mighty Thor with Thor’s powers, joins him to help save Asgard and the Gods.

The main characters in this film are Thor, Jane Foster, King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and Gorr the God Butcher. Thor’s comeback, wearing a rock-and-roll outfit and set to 80s music, is epic! Make-up, especially for Gorr, is realistic, creepy and jaw-dropping.  This film allows you to connect with each character on a different level where you care about each of them, even Gorr. It’s the perfect balance between romance, tragedy, comedy, drama and action. My favorite part is the fight scene with a new generation of warriors, including a surprise appearance from another Marvel character’s son. There is even a hilarious scene with a stuffed bunny used as a weapon. Marvel and Disney are leading the way for more LGBTQ+ representation in their movies, and Thor: Love and Thunder is a great reflection of today’s society. 

Thor: Love and Thunder’s theme is that love is worth fighting for. All the main characters battle for the thing and/or person that they love the most. They are all in pain, seeking love and want revenge for how they feel, and are willing to fight for it. Parents should be aware that there is a brief nudity scene, some mild cursing, and heavy topics such as cancer and relationships.

Marvel has outdone itself with Thor: Love and Thunder and I give it 5 out of 5 hammers. This may be the funniest, “lovingest,” and most entertaining Marvel film yet. I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. You can watch this movie in theatres starting July 8, 2022. 

Thor: Love and Thunder
Ethan P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13

I like the new Marvel Cinematic Universe release Thor: Love and Thunder because of how comical and emotional it is. I also like that the movie has a female kind of Thor, Jane (Natalie Portman), who becomes as powerful or more than Thor.
 
Continuing from Avengers: Endgame, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has to get in shape so he can help the Guardians of the Galaxy’s team fight off enemies on other planets. While this is happening, somewhere in the desert, Gorr (Christian Bale) the God Butcher is trying to save his daughter from dying and asks the god of his planet for help, but the god declines, laughing at him. The god previously kills a man holding a sword called the Necrosword, the only sword that can kill gods. The sword chooses Gorr, and then Gorr grabs the sword and kills his god and sets out to kill all gods.

The graphics and CGI in Thor: Love and Thunder are exciting. The visual effects technology used in this movie is the same as used in The Mandalorian. The audience can see a muscular Jane Foster with arms noticeably bigger in this film. Her costume is on point, similar to Thor’s. The music really rocks on every scene, literally. My favorite part is when Thor has to help a planet, since the Guardians of the Galaxy couldn’t, so he took off his cloak and went on a rampage while throwing in some comedy at the same time. Another favorite part is when Zeus (Russell Crowe) flicks his disguise and that accidently takes all of it off—at that point Thor screams, “You flicked a little too hard.” This film has other great actors, including Matt Damon, Chris Pratt, Melissa McCarthy, Sam Neill, Vin Diesel and Taika Waititi.

There are multiple moral messages in this film, but the most important one is love is more important than greed or revenge. Gorr learns this the hard way while facing Thor.

I give Thor: Love and Thunder 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18 plus adults. Thor: Love and Thunder will be released on July 8, 2022. 

When she fails to meet an item on his list of requirements for a bride, Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) is jilted by London’s most eligible bachelor, Mr. Malcolm (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù). Feeling humiliated and determined to exact revenge, she convinces her friend Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto) to play the role of his ideal match. Soon, Mr. Malcolm wonders whether he’s found the perfect woman…or the perfect hoax. Also starring Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ashley Park, with Theo James.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Heather S. comments, “Mr. Malcolm’s List is the glamorous adventure of the year! The film transports fans into the Regency era for a tale filled with romance and exquisite music.” Mikella G. adds, “Something that I really enjoyed about this movie is its comedic aspects. There are multiple jokes thrown in here and there that really lighten the mood. Julia’s character has quite a strong personality, and often says things that are very funny.” See their full reviews below.

Mr. Malcolm’s List

By Heather S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

Mr. Malcolm’s List is the glamorous adventure of the year! The film transports fans into the Regency era for a tale filled with romance and exquisite music. 

Mr. Malcolm’s List is set in 1818, where the most eligible bachelor, Mr. James Malcolm (Sope Dirisu) looks for a wife. He meets Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) who he believes isn’t worthy of his courtship because she does not meet his list of qualifications for a wife. Julia is embarrassed in society’s newspaper so she plans her revenge on Mr. Malcolm. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Allain. 

This film shows how Regency era pieces have taken the world by storm. The movie is lighthearted, overflowing with gorgeous dresses, beautiful ballrooms and witty comedy. There was a short film based on Mr. Malcolm’s List previously released, with several cast members returning for this feature. It’s wonderful to have the entire story fleshed out, taking its time to tell the entire tale without feeling rushed. Sam Heughan reprises his role as Henry. Audiences can see that he feels more comfortable with this role, which adds to the greatness of this character. The story itself is unique and keeps viewers on the edge of their seat. With the series Bridgerton giving fans several love stories with people who are head over heels for each other, it’s refreshing to have Mr. Malcolm’s List be the complete opposite. A woman taking revenge on a man for embarrassing her in society is as comedic as it is powerful. The writers have given Julia such power in proving herself worthwhile and she ends up finding love under unlikely circumstances. The film gives personality and color to our ideas of what people were like in the early 1800s. Two friends spending their free time pondering on how to ruin the life of the most eligible bachelor in London, just because they think it’ll be fun, is exciting and totally unpredictable. Every second of this film is compelling.

The moral of this story is to honor yourself. Julia never lets anyone degrade her. Whereas some women during this time period would have let a man embarrass her and move on, Julia gives James a taste of his own medicine. She is never upset about not meeting his requirements, but instead becomes furious that he has a list to begin with. 

I give Mr. Malcolm’s List 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. The film releases in theaters July 1, 2022. 

Mr. Malcolm’s List

By Mikella G., KIDS FIRST!, Film Critic, age 16

Mr. Malcolm’s List is a heartwarming rom-com film. It’s great to unwind to and I enjoyed it a lot.

The storyline takes place in the 19^th century, following the lives of some of England’s elite. It focuses on the actions of a mysterious wealthy suitor, Mr. Malcolm (Sope Dirisu) who is in search of the perfect wife, and every eligible lady is trying to get in front of him. However, Mr. Malcolm is very picky, and doesn’t really care when he lets women down. When the main female character Julia (Zawe Ashton) isn’t enough for him and gets publicly humiliated, she doesn’t back down. Instead Julia brings in her good friend Selina (Freida Pinito) to give Mr. Malcolm a taste of his own medicine. In the end, things may not turn out as planned, but when they listen to their hearts, it all works out.

Something that I really enjoyed about this movie is its comedic aspects. There are multiple jokes thrown in here and there that really lighten the mood. Julia’s character has quite a strong personality, and often says things that are very funny. Even the way that she talks about other people, or things she doesn’t agree with are funny. It seems that most films today are very serious, so it’s great to see a strong light-hearted movie. Additionally, there’s a very strong storyline that kept me interested and wanting more. There is a lot of suspense throughout the film, as well as some surprising turnouts. I could never predict what would happen next. I also love the costume design, which suits the 19^th century time period. Each outfit has so much attention to detail.

The message of Mr. Malcolm’s List is that in the end, love and honesty will always make things right.

I give Mr. Malcolm’s List 4 out of 5 stars, and recommend it for ages 10 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters July 1, 2022.