Archives for April 2023

Shy 13-year-old Alex flies from Kansas City to Mexico to meet his extended family for the first time. There he meets his grandfather and former lucha libre champion Chava, energetic, wrestling-obsessed cousin Memo, and fearless, hip cousin Luna. But just as Alex begins to get his bearings, he discovers a mythical creature living under his grandfather’s shed: a young chupacabra cub, which he recognizes from stories of the feared, full-grown chupacabra, fabled to feed on farmers’ livestock. Alex soon learns that his new friend “Chupa” has a secret history with his family, and that dogged, dangerous scientist Richard Quinn is hunting the misunderstood creature to try and harness his powers. To protect Chupa from impending danger, Alex sets off on the adventure of a lifetime, one that will push the bonds of his newfound family to the brink, and remind him that life’s burdens are lighter when you don’t have to carry them alone.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ashleigh C. comments, “Chupa is an entertaining and enjoyable children’s movie that definitely captivated me with its imaginative story and lovable characters… The film boasts stunning visuals, with vibrant colors and creative creature design that I love and believe that they are perfectly suited for young viewers.” See her full review and interviews below.

Chupa
By Ashleigh C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 19

Chupa is an entertaining and enjoyable children’s movie that definitely captivated me with its imaginative story and lovable characters.

The movie follows the adventures of Alex (Evan Whitten), a young boy who discovers a mysterious creature known as the chupacabra, AKA Chupa, when visiting his family in Mexico. Alex quickly befriends Chupa and, with the help of his new friend, Alex embarks on a wild and exciting journey to protect Chupa from those who would harm him.

Chupa is a must-see film for children and families looking for an entertaining and meaningful story. The film boasts stunning visuals, with vibrant colors and creative creature design that I love and believe that they are perfectly suited for young viewers. The cast is fantastic, with Evan Whitten delivering a standout performance as both a shy and adventurous Alex, and Christian Slater and Demián Bichir lending their talents to the supporting cast. What really sets Chupa apart from others is its heartwarming message about the importance of accepting and protecting those who are different. With its captivating visuals, talented cast, and important message, Chupa is sure to become a new favorite among young viewers.

The movie teaches children valuable lessons about empathy and kindness, while still making its mark as a fun and exciting adventure. Note that this film does contain violent themes and some inappropriate language.

I give Chupa 4 out 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. Chupa release on Netflix on April 7, 2023. Don’t miss it!

Jane, a 9-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her powerful imagination, Jane takes her best friends David and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world because, according to her idol Dr. Jane Goodall: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.”

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Dominic D. comments, “To all nature and environmental enthusiasts, sit tight because a great mini-series is coming your way! Jane, a new 10-episode action adventure series is the “complete package” full of imagination, thrills, and a whole lot of education, inspired by the work of famous conservationist, Dr. Jane Goodall.” See his full review below.

Jane

By Dominic D., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13

To all nature and environmental enthusiasts, sit tight because a great mini-series is coming your way! Jane, a new 10-episode action adventure series is the “complete package” full of imagination, thrills, and a whole lot of education, inspired by the work of famous conservationist, Dr. Jane Goodall. Viewers are in for a real treat.

The series takes us through the imaginative short journeys of Jane Garcia (Ava Louise Murchison) and her best friend and partner-in-crime, David (Mason Blomberg), who set out to save the world’s vanishing species.  While on their quest to help these species, this dynamic duo educates viewers about threatened wildlife and explains the importance of making a change for generations to come. Following each journey, these young environmentalists are joined virtually by a research scientist who not only shares so much information about specific species, but also shares their own experiences, which adds excitement to each episode. From bees to bats and bears, the Jane series is exceptional!

Each episode is so inspiring which is what I like most about Jane. Of course the adventure, action, and creativity are also enjoyable, but what makes this series stand out is the education we get about diminishing species and what can be done to save them.  The visual effects also deserve a mention. The live action/CGI-blended scenes are outstanding. Set locations are perfectly chosen, allowing viewers to feel they are right there alongside the animals.

The Jane series delivers a message of hope. Each of us, no matter what age, needs to be committed in order to make positive change for our ecosystems. Every species is important on our planet, and if we can gain a better understanding of the problems that exist within nature, maybe we can fix them.  We’re all in this together, and together we can make change –future generations are counting on us!

I give Jane 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12.  Jane makes its global debut on April 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.  Mark your calendars—this series is great!

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The story of The Super Mario Bros. on their journey through the Mushroom Kingdom. A Brooklyn plumber named Mario travels through the Mushroom Kingdom with a princess named Peach and an anthropomorphic mushroom named Toad to find Mario’s brother, Luigi, and to save the world from a ruthless fire-breathing Koopa named Bowser.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Katherine S. comments, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the perfect video-game to movie adaptation! There’s lots of laughs for all ages and loads of references to the Mario Games for all fans. I enjoy this animated movie because it gives the iconic characters we all know and love the movie adaptation that they all deserve.” See her full review below.  

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the perfect video-game to movie adaptation! There’s lots of laughs for all ages and loads of references to the Mario Games for all fans. I enjoy this animated movie because it gives the iconic characters we all know and love the movie adaptation that they all deserve.

In this movie, we learn the origin story of our favorite video-game brothers, Mario and Luigi. Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are just your average brothers living and working in Brooklyn as plumbers, but when they find a warp pipe in the sewer, they get transported to the magical land where Toads, Yoshi’s and Koopa Troopas roam. Along the way, Luigi gets captured by the evil Bowser (Jack Black) and with the help of Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Mario is forced to ‘level up’ and fight Bowser before he conquers the world.

There’s no need to play the video games to like this movie, but existing fans of the franchise will especially love it because of all the Easter eggs and familiar songs. This is such an imaginative story with characters and themes from some of my favorite games in the franchise – Mario Kart, Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong. I love how this has elements of the classic games but also new twists, like how Princess Peach in this movie isn’t like your normal Princess Peach in need of rescuing, because she can save herself and is very skillful at doing so. I also love how relatable the brothers are as they are from our world. We’ve been seeing a lot of high quality animation from Illumination recently, and this movie follows the trend. The animation is cheerful and lively and the quality is top-notch. Jack Black, as Bowser, is absolutely perfect in this role. His versatile voice makes for an almost manic Bowser – scary, evil, quirky and laughable – and he can flip the two like a light switch. Chris Pratt as Mario and Charlie Day as Luigi have a lot of chemistry and seem like very close brothers. Collectively, they are relatable and help us sympathize with the plot even more.

The messages of The Super Mario Bros. Movie are that family is the most powerful thing in the world (real and virtual) and when working together, you can accomplish anything.

I give The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4 of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. Players of any Mario games will enjoy this. It comes out in theaters April 5, 2023.

The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Tiana S. comments, “The Mandalorian is back for Season 3 and coming in hot! Episode 3 just dropped and it’s one huge plot-twist to what The Mandalorian fans have come to expect from the series. The creative team behind the show, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, are known to deliver huge surprises in past seasons and fans can expect the same mind-blowing shockers with this new season.” See her full review below.

By Tiana Sirmans, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

The Mandalorian is back for Season 3 and coming in hot! Episode 3 just dropped and it’s one huge plot-twist to what The Mandalorian fans have come to expect from the series. The creative team behind the show, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, are known to deliver huge surprises in past seasons and fans can expect the same mind-blowing shockers with this new season.

The Mandalorian: Season 3, Episode 3 (Chapter 19: The Convert) starts with Mando (Pedro Pascal), Grogu and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) at the end of their journey to locate water on Mandalor so Mando may be forgiven for his transgressions and become a Mandalorian again. Surprisingly, this episode takes a turn and focuses more on Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi) as he works in the New Republic trying to adapt to the new lifestyle while he is constantly asked questions about his life experiences. His plans of a new experiment were practically going to be destroyed, which impacts him a lot. At the same time, he is also joined by one of his coworkers, Elia Kane (Katy O’Brian), who also appears in “Episode 3.”

I enjoyed the break in the series to learn more about Dr. Pershing. I look forward to seeing how this episode connects to the others and all the storytelling possibilities and characters that come from it. The special effects, character designs and the CGI universe continue to wow viewers. This episode is a little slower and less action-packed than the others since it focuses more on Dr. Pershing, but it is still entertaining. It still has intense fight and chase scenes. Fun fact: This is actually the longest episode in the entire series. The storytelling, though not what fans are used to, still takes you on a seamless journey from the previous episode. 

This episode expands on the messages from the previous episodes and really touches on redemption and trust. Friendships are tested and true characters are revealed. Who people think are their friends may really not be in some cases and others are able to seek opportunities to redeem themselves and seek forgiveness.

The Mandalorian, Season 3: Episode 3 gets 4 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. May the force be with you as you check out this eight-episode season currently running on Disney+, with new episodes every Wednesday.

After a small-town pilot mysteriously dies during flight, passenger Doug White is forced to land the plane to safety and save his entire family on board. Based on an astonishing true story of faith and survival, this film follows one man’s harrowing journey to save his family from insurmountable danger.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Eshaan M. comments, “Based on a true story, (this film) will put you on the edge of your seat throughout its duration, with a compelling plot and sincere performances by Dennis Quaid and Heather Graham. It’s a film for aviation geeks and thriller fans, as well as general audiences.” See his full review below.

On a Wing and a Prayer

By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

On a Wing and a Prayer, based on a true story, will put you on the edge of your seat throughout its duration, with a compelling plot and sincere performances by Dennis Quaid and Heather Graham. It’s a film for aviation geeks and thriller fans, as well as general audiences. My only advice: don’t watch this before you get on a flight!

On a Wing and a Prayer follows the story of Doug Smith (Dennis Quaid), a Louisiana pharmacist. On a family getaway, Smith hears of the death of his brother, a pilot, and is shattered to the point of questioning his faith in God. He is put to the test when, after the memorial services and as the Smiths are on their way home, the pilot of their private plane dies mid-air. Doug must pilot the plane to a safe landing and save his family from what seems like impending death, combating medical emergencies and a tropical depression….oh, and did I mention Smith has never flown for more than an hour before?

 The cast of On Wing and a Prayer dazzles. Dennis Quaid plays Doug Smith with conviction and honesty. In one of Quaid’s more serious performances (I don’t think he flashed his famous grin even once during the film), he takes on a paternal role that will have you spellbound. What I especially like about Quaid’s character is how unapologetically clueless he is at times; the film shows that even the “macho man” can be rendered helpless in an unfamiliar environment and stressful circumstances. But he never gives up. Heather Graham, who plays Smith’s wife, acts as the consummate copilot, remaining strong and supportive throughout the film. I never saw Graham as an actress made for maternal roles, but there’s something uniquely warm about her portrayal in On a Wing and a Prayer. A good portion of the film is shot in the cockpit of a King Air plane, and the versatility of shots used is understandably limited. This leads to parts of the film not feeling as visually stimulating as they could: you’re staring at a medium closeup of Smith and his wife for forty minutes. In On a Wing and a Prayer, two kids enthusiastic about aviation track the progress of Smith’s flight, even biking to the runway to watch him land. This angle feels unnecessary in the film and leads to some confusion. On a Wing and a Prayer is certainly a dialogue-heavy film; the actors’ lines are what carry it. Still, the music could have been better utilized to accentuate the tension of the situation.

On a Wing and a Prayer promotes perseverance when times get tough. The film assures viewers, especially those who feel like all’s lost, that they have people in their corner who will support them at all costs, in the same way that the Florida air traffic control metaphorically held Doug’s hand throughout the whole harrowing experience. In terms of parental advisories, there are mentions of death, and Smith’s daughter suffers a violent allergic reaction onboard the plane. If you’re afraid of planes or of flying, this also might not be the best film for you.

I give On a Wing and a Prayer 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. On a Wing and a Prayer is available on Prime Video on April 7, 2023.

Trailer: