Archives for June 2024

With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he reluctantly adopts a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans. In partnership with Netflix, Tsuburaya Productions, and Industrial Light & Magic, Ultraman: Rising is written by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes, directed by Shannon Tindle, and co-directed by John Aoshima.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ryan M. comments, “As an Ultraman fan and someone who likes science fiction animation movies, I loved Ultraman Rising. The animation by the Sunrise team is really great – sometimes I forgot I was watching an animation.” See his full review and interviews with cast and directors below.

Ultraman Rising
By Ryan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10

As an Ultraman fan and someone who likes science fiction animation movies, I loved Ultraman Rising.

The storyline follows a baseball player named Ken Sato (Christopher Sean) who left Japan for the United States with his mother when he was young and became a famous baseball player. Now he needs to return to Tokyo to take over the role of Ultraman because his dad (Gedde Watanabe) asks him to come and take a bigger role in his life. He lives with a robot named Mina (Tamlyn Tomita) who helps him in his tasks.  One day, while fighting Ken finds a Kaiju egg and knows that he needs to learn to care for the baby Kaiju and learn the importance of family.  A man named Dr. Onda (Keone Young) wants to destroy all the kaijus, he wants to take revenge because his family died in a kaiju attack.

The animation by the Sunrise team is really great – sometimes I forgot I was watching an animation. The actors’ voices match the characters quite well. Director and writer, Shannon Tindle and co-director, John Aoshima, even including something from the original series – at the beginning it shows the kaiju from the first episode of Ultraman. They also incorporated some very funny scenes and lines, like the baby kaiju going wild! I really love the baby’s incidents – they are so funny. Don’t leave your seat too soon at the end or you will miss an important part of the story.  I want to mention that I noticed that there are some flashing lights in some scenes, so people sensitive to stroboscopic flashes may be affected.

The film’s message is that family is the most important thing in your life. Also, you can’t deny anything you don’t like. Ken tried to find solutions, but they all weren’t good enough.

I give Ultraman Rising 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults and Ultraman fans. This film begins streaming on Netflix June 14, 2024.

As most of you know, I am a BIG Peanuts fan! I love Snoopy and his pal Woodstock! So, I was quite excited when I found out about this new book!

Enjoy nature with the Peanuts gang in Snoopy’s Beagle Scout Tales by Charles M. Schulz! This graphic novel features classic Schulz comic strips, previously published stories, and an all-new original camping-themed story!

This year also marks the 50th year of the Beagle Scouts, so you will be seeing a lot of them in 2024!

The book is so much fun to read and perfect for this Summer!

Welcome to Camp Snoopy,which is a playful guidebook that ties into the Apple TV+ show, Camp Snoopy! You’ll get to see the Peanuts gang bunking up with friends, telling stories around the campfire, and all the other experiences that summer camp has to offer. After all, camping-themed stories are the perfect summer read!

This one is also fun to read and great for camping trips with the kids!

In the new Transformers: Earthspark chapter book, No Malto Left Behind!, by Ryder Windham, Robby and Mo are super bummed—their Terran siblings are going on a top-secret undercover mission with Bumblebee, but they must stay behind. Robby and Mo decide to make their day a lot more interesting with a little help from Nightshade’s Smart Trainer 5008. But when the Smart Trainer spins out of control, Robby and Mo must think about what responsibility really means. Since they got themselves into trouble, can they find a way out on their own? 

Iconic tales from two widely acclaimed franchises! Simon Spotlight graphic novels are chock-full of the adventure and humor emerging readers are looking for, with age-appropriate text, amazing illustrations, and perfectly paced storytelling. 

Through six diverse and inclusive families, author and illustrator Krina Patel-Sage shows how love infuses all kinds of activities in our daily lives. Her new book Love is All We Need [ISBN: 978-1-62371-692-9; $18.95; Crocodile Books; May 2024] is a beautiful hardcover picture book about all the different ways we all show our love and care for each other.

This book really is a beautiful book and I recommend for all families of younger children!

Written by Maryam Hassan and illustrated by Anna Wilson, Until You Find the Sun: A Story About Discovering Home Wherever You Go [ISBN: 978-1-62371-693-6; $18.95; Crocodile Books; June 2024] is an uplifting story about coping with change and finding your way in a new and unfamiliar place. This is an important message for all young children!

CAMP PRODIGY by Caroline Palmer (on sale June 11, 2024)

Perfect for fans of Victoria Jamieson and Raina Telgemeier, this heartwarming middle grade graphic novel follows two nonbinary kids who navigate anxiety and identity while having fun and forming friendships at their summer orchestra camp. Publishing in simultaneous paperback and hardcover editions! Middle school kids will find this very engaging!

Happy Summer Reading!

Self Disclosure: I received the above books free to facilitate this post. Images were also provided.

The little voices inside Riley’s head know her inside and out—but everything changes when Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” introduces a new Emotion: Anxiety. Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who have long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. Maya Hawke lends her voice to Anxiety, alongside Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, Tony Hale as Fear, and Liza Lapira as Disgust.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Tiana S. dives into the teenage mind: “The teenage mind has a lot of emotion, which we explore in Inside Out 2! From taking rides down your river of consciousness to discovering your deep dark secrets, Inside Out 2 makes you think and discover a bit of yourself.”  Neo M. is head over heels: “I absolutely love the film Inside Out 2 with its vibrant, imaginative worlds, hilarious and unique characters, and engaging storyline. I felt a deep connection to each character.”  Keila V. loves the animation: “The animation in this film is fantastic and the characters look stupendous. In one scene when Joy’s emotion changes and she gets frustrated, by the help of animation, she looks as if she is about to explode and cry at the same time.” Clara T. appreciates the familiar: “I enjoy that, even though there are a lot of new things and feelings, you can still see all the original ones. I also like the humor and the small details, like when Riley wakes up as a teenager and she has a pimple.” Katherine S. reflects on the message: “Inside Out 2 has many deep messages, like embracing every part of yourself and remembering that it’s okay to feel all sorts of different emotions. Its goal is to de-stigmatize anxiety and other emotions because they are normal and really common.” See their full reviews below.

Inside Out 2

By Tiana S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

The teenage mind has a lot of emotion, which we explore in Inside Out 2! From taking rides down your river of consciousness to discovering your deep dark secrets, Inside Out 2 makes you think and discover a bit of yourself.

Inside Out 2 is a time skip to the first establishment. It continues to follow Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Tony Hale), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Liza Lapria), who are Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) original emotions. As Riley enters her “teenage years” new emotions are introduced such as Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), Envy (Ayo Edebiri) and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser). When Riley gets accepted to Hockey Camp, Anxiety and new emotions try to take over her core beliefs. It’s up to Joy and her group to find a way to get Riley back to the way she was.

This film is much deeper compared to the first film. This explores the concept of growing up and the more complex emotions that can “take over” other feelings. Anxiety, as the villain, is genius in the sense that most people see it that way. Anxiety tends to overpower joy as metaphorically shown in this film. My favorite aspect of Inside Out 2 is the little hints of the mind they added. I love that they now have beliefs that create the “self,” the river of consciousness which changes floating items based on your thoughts and, even the vault of secrets. This film runs 1 hour and 36 minutes and is worth the watch for new and prior fans!

The film’s message is to be true to yourself and, while you should prepare for the future, don’t let that stop you from experiencing the present. In the film, Anxiety works on always preparing Riley for the future which means her destroying who Riley is and should be. Riley begins to “suffer the consequences” of that action which takes a toll on her. While there is nothing to look out for in Inside Out 2, it is a much deeper-minded film so it can get viewers thinking deeper or experiencing certain emotions.

Inside Out 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. You can watch it in theaters June 14, 2024.

Inside Out 2

By Neo M, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

I absolutely love the film Inside Out 2 with its vibrant, imaginative worlds, hilarious and unique characters, and engaging storyline. I felt a deep connection to each character. Every scene captivated me with its colorful animation and the hilarious chaos carries throughout the film. 

The main character, Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), is now officially a teenager and the film begins with a brief recap of Riley’s life over the past couple of years. We are introduced to four new emotions: Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Embarrassment (Paul Walter), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), and Ennui (Adele E). It seems like an ordinary day at headquarters until everyone realizes that demolition is happening – quite symbolic – and a new emotion, Anxiety, has arrived with the intention to dominate and conquer. Anxiety introduces the other new emotions and takes over with the ultimate goal to eliminate Riley’s sense of self and create a new one. Then chaos erupts!

One of my favorite parts in the film is when Joy and Sadness go down to the belief system. The visuals are so clear and beautiful. I really like the visual imagery throughout the film, with characters navigating worlds like the back of the mind, or the stream of consciousness. I also love the idea of the good memories being “planted” when released into the water, creating a stem to Riley’s sense of self. This film also had me uncontrollably laughing. For example, the moment when a button labeled “PUBERTY” starts beeping, waking up the emotions in the middle of the night. It is hilarious to see how the emotions react to Riley’s changes. This film is very relatable, especially for my age group, because it makes tons of jokes about going through the teenage years.  My absolute favorite moments are related to the character development that emotions like Joy and her counterpart, Sadness, go through. Seeing all the emotions come together and realize that they each play a part in Riley’s sense of self also strikes home.

The film’s message is that all emotions shape us into who we are. For example, we need to experience sadness in our lives in order to feel joy. The film expresses the positive message that all emotions are necessary and are part of connecting to who we are.

Inside Out 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. You can watch Inside Out 2 in theaters, June 14, 2024. 

Inside Out 2 

By Keila V., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12

I really enjoyed Inside Out 2. It is a thrilling film about a young girl becoming a teenager and I could relate to the many new emotions she is experiencing. This movie is perfect to watch with someone the age of the protagonist.

The story follows a girl named Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) who is just entering puberty and needs to make room for new emotions as she becomes an adolescent. Riley’s headquarters (which is where all her emotions stay) gets demolished so that it can make room for her new “sophisticated” emotions, including: Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), Boredom (Adele Exarchopoulos), Envy (Ayo Edebiri) and Nostalgia (June Squibb). In one of the scenes Anxiety tells Joy that Riley needs more sophisticated emotions and pushes aside our classic five being: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale) and my personal favorite Disgust (Liza Lapira).

The animation in this film is fantastic and the characters look stupendous. In one scene when Joy’s emotion changes and she gets frustrated, by the help of animation, she looks as if she is about to explode and cry at the same time. There are no special effects, but there are many visual effects that match the storyline perfectly. When Joy, Fear, Anger and Disgust get trapped inside of a safe a small character named Pouchie (James Austin Johnson) appears and that animation looks different than the other characters, he sort of looks like a cartoon from the 80s. My favorite scene is when the five emotions first meet – Anxiety, Boredom, Envy, Nostalgia and Embarrassment. The interaction between Anxiety and Joy is a bit strange since Joy thinks these are intruders to headquarters and Anxiety is crazy when it comes to meeting new people. I mean, “Emotions!” Another one of my favorite scenes in this hilarious film is when Riley meets the popular girls. This is one of my favorite scenes because of how funny and awkward it is when Riley goes to meet these girls. To see what happens next, you must watch the movie! I know that you will love it just as much as I did! 

The film’s message is that it is okay to experience a variety of emotions and not just feel happy or sad. Another message is about how starting to become adolescents brings about different feelings than we had in our childhood, so, we need to understand why we feel this way and accept these feelings.

Inside Out 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It opens in theaters June 14, 2024.

Inside Out 2
By Clara T., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

I really love the movie Inside Out 2. I enjoy that, even though there are a lot of new things and feelings, you can still see all the original ones. I also like the humor and the small details, like when Riley wakes up as a teenager and she has a pimple.

The story follows Riley (Kensington Tallman), who is 13 years old, so she just became a teenager. She discovers new emotions that she doesn’t understand and they are much stronger than the emotions she had when she was younger. The new emotions are Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Houser), and Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos). They join her original emotions in what could maybe be called a disaster. A lot of things are happening throughout the story and, at one point, Anxiety even takes over Riley. At the end, all of Riley´s emotions are somewhat balanced.

Inside out 2 is one of Pixar’s newest animated films. It is directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen. The new feelings Riley gets are because she has become a teenager and they represent her coming of age. Anxiety, an important role in this movie, is voiced by Maya Hawke. Riley attends hockey camp and hopes to impress the high school hockey coach. When she goes there, she realizes that the high school team’s hockey captain will be there and she wants to make a good impression. However, she starts to ignore her friends since she knows they will be transferring schools and thinks it’s more important to make friends and connections with people she will be going to high school with. She starts to think this because of her new feeling, Anxiety, who fears what will happen in the future.

The film’s message is to observe and know your feelings, without letting one emotion control you entirely. When Riley becomes a teenager and discovers her new and stronger emotions, she learns to “hug” her emotions and embrace all of her feelings.

Inside Out 2 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18. It premieres in theaters June 14, 2024. Look for it.

Inside Out 2

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

I love Inside Out 2! This masterfully made movie is a sequel to the 2015 film Inside Out that dives deeper into the emotional and mental changes children have as they become teenagers. It has amazing storytelling, numerous powerful messages and so much emotional depth. 

This movie follows Riley (Kensington Tallman) as she enters her teenage years in the summer before she starts high school. As she hits puberty, her mind headquarters undergoes an unexpected change to make room for new emotions, like Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), Boredom (Adele Exarchopoulos), Envy (Ayo Edebiri) and Anxiety (Maya Hawke). These new emotions challenge not only Riley’s emotions but also her friendships and sense of self.   

I believe people of all ages will enjoy Inside Out 2. This film was made nearly a decade after the original movie, and with a purpose, it seems. I feel that the creators of this movie waited this long to make this sequel so that all of the original viewers would be older. I was only six or seven when I saw the original Inside Out. And now, I’m sixteen and my mind is so much more complex than the five core emotions featured in the original movie, which Inside Out 2 addresses and is why the timing of this release is so perfect. This movie really masters the more complex emotions that come as we age. Anyone in their teenage years or adulthood will be able to relate to this movie because of these new emotions. Younger children will definitely like this movie, but they may not understand it as deeply as an older person will. I love the new characters. As in the original movie, these performances blew my mind. The strongest performances come from Amy Poehler as Joy, Maya Hawke as Anxiety, and Kensington Tallman as Riley. Kensington, Grace Lu (as Grace) and Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green (as Bree) have so much chemistry and truly seem like they are best friends. My favorite performance is from Adele Exarchopoulos, who plays Ennui (boredom) and, even though she doesn’t have that many lines, she’s hilarious.

Inside Out 2 has many deep messages, like embracing every part of yourself and remembering that it’s okay to feel all sorts of different emotions. Its goal is to de-stigmatize anxiety and other emotions because they are normal and really common. 

Inside Out 2 gets 5 of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. People who enjoyed the original Inside Out movie will definitely enjoy this one. It comes out in theaters on June 14, 2024.

Remember the Welcome Back, Kotter series? Were you a fan? You won’t want to miss this!

“Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back!” For the first time ever, all episodes from the classic TV series are brought together in one set with the release of Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series on DVD June 11^th, available for purchase online and in-store at major retailers.  Get ready to binge on all 95 episodes, and go down memory lane as our favorite high school teacher Gabe Kotter, returns to his childhood inner-city high school to teach a new generation of trouble making kids.

Welcome Back, Kotter premiered in 1975 and aired for four seasons. The series was nominated for four Emmy Awards® including Outstanding Comedy Series in 1976.  The original cast includes a young John Travolta playing the role of Vinnie Barbarino in his first principal TV role. The series also stars Gabe Kaplan as Gabe Kotter, Marcia Strassman as Julie Kotter, John Sylvester White as Mr. Woodman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Washington, Robert Hegyes as Epstein, and Ron Palillo as Horshack.

SYNOPSIS:

Gabriel Kaplan stars as Kotter, a graduate of a tough Brooklyn high school who returns to teach a classroom of underachieving “sweathogs” – Epstein, Washington, Horshack, and leader of the pack Vinnie Barbarino.  Comedy class is in session!

Pricing and series information:

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series

Includes all 95 episodes from all four seasons

PRODUCT                           

DVD                                       

Audio: English SDH

Subtitles: English

Running Time: 35 hours, 30 minutes

Rated: PG

Self Disclosure: I received a free DVD series to facilitate this post. Information and images were also provided.

When Patsy Lee discovers an ancient relic box, she has no idea that it will transport her, her grandfather, and her friends to a mystical world of vampires, goblin witches, talking turtles, and an evil sorceress who will stop at nothing to get the box. Their only chance of returning home is to stop her before she finds the key to the 5 Kingdoms and destroys the entire world. Directed by former child actor Zack Ward (Scut Farkus), from A Christmas Story.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Avalynn G. comments, “The film The Keeper of the Five Kingdoms has a ton of magic and mythical characters such as sorcerers, talking lizards, and trolls. This film is very cultural. I love its focus on Chinese culture.” Ryan M. adds, “If you like a youth-aimed action movie coupled with some ancient Chinese magic and funny situations, you will definitely like The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms. It is light, has no violence and is funny.” Gloria J. wraps it up with, “I found The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms appealing due to its rich incorporation of Chinese culture, which brings authenticity and educational value as seen with the traditional elements like the Chinese leopard water, traditional attire, and the artifacts in the grandfather’s store. The fantasy and adventure aspects, such as the magical land with a Chinese dragon and creative escapes like the car transformation, create an engaging, imaginative world.” See their full reviews below.

The Keeper of The Five Kingdoms

By Avalynn G., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10

The film The Keeper of the Five Kingdoms has a ton of magic and mythical characters such as sorcerers, talking lizards, and trolls. The film takes place in a forest and that setting definitely fits the characters and scenes. The costumes also stand out as they fit the story so well.

The storyline follows a girl named Patsy Lee (Michelle Mao), her friend squirrel (Anna Harr), her brother Hopper (Matthew Sato) and her grandfather Chuck Lee (James Hong). One day they all get sucked into a portal in a stone and are transported to a magical kingdom where they face a lot of obstacles – in order for them to go back home they have to defeat the evil sorcerer.

This film is very cultural. I love its focus on Chinese culture. The costumes are outstanding, especially Allura’s outfit before she turns into a troll – it’s very detailed and beautiful. I like this film although it isn’t really my style. The acting seems too unnatural; sometimes it’s very overly dramatic and, in some scenes, you can tell there is a green screen behind them. Other than that the production is great! My favorite part is when Patsy gives the lizard the box with the bad magic stone. Then, the lizard puts the entire family in a gigantic hole in the ground, and starts dancing wildly above them. The way he dances is really funny.  I love the relationship between the grandfather, Patsy, and Hopper. They always have each other’s back. You can tell that they love each other.

The film’s message is about friendship and a reminder that our family always has our back, no matter what. Hopper always has Patsy’s back like when the bad guys try to force Hopper to give them the box and threaten his sister. Hopper protects his sister first and foremost.

I give Keeper of the Five Kingdoms 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it ages 8 to 12. This film releases on VOD and streaming June 18, 2024. 

The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms

By Ryan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10

If you like a youth-aimed action movie coupled with some ancient Chinese magic and funny situations, you will definitely like The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms. It is light, has no violence and is funny.

The story follows a queen named Lord Kuang (Bai Ling) who wants a box that contains magic. She sends two servants, Mr. Rat (Dante Basco) and Mr. Chicken (Dave Sheridan), some kids Patsy (Michelle Mao), Squirrel (Anna Harr) and Hopper (Matt Sato), plus a Chinese uncle named Chuck (James Hong) to find the box which leads them to an amazing adventure.

I commend the director, Zack Ward, for his work here. There are a lot of comical situations, like when Pasty’s mom is trying to make Grandpa Chuck say that something was leopard pee. However, the animatronic and green screen work sometimes lack synchronization with the puppets’ mouths, and some hair fades onto the green screen, like when they get out of the deep hole. Some actors could have been a bit more convincing, like when they are falling, the only person that looks convincing is Hopper.

The film’s message is that love is a very strong power.

I give The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12. This movie releases on VOD and streaming on June 18, 2024.

The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms
By Gloria J., KIDS FIRST!

I found The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms appealing due to its rich incorporation of Chinese culture, which brings authenticity and educational value as seen with the traditional elements like the Chinese leopard water, traditional attire, and the artifacts in the grandfather’s store. The fantasy and adventure aspects, such as the magical land with a Chinese dragon and creative escapes like the car transformation, create an engaging, imaginative world. The film also delves into complex family dynamics, particularly the reconciliation between Patsy and her grandfather. The moral lessons, like the queen’s redemption through Patsy’s love spell, provide meaningful themes about forgiveness and transformation. However, the complex plot, numerous characters and rapid scene changes can be overwhelming, and the fast-paced narrative leads to a lack of depth at times. While the reliance on familiar fantasy tropes can feel predictable, the cultural richness and emotional arcs make it a compelling watch. Children will enjoy its exciting fantasy elements, like the magical portals, the Chinese dragon, mythical creatures and spells, and young characters like Patsy, which offer a sense of thrill and connection. 

The film begins with a slave informing his master of finding a key to her freedom. Two men from the mythical world are sent to hunt for a treasure box with the key; they evade police using magic and communicate with the master through Chinese characters on a scroll. Patsy accidentally picks up a mystical box, which leads to a series of events where her friend, Harper, is taken hostage and will only be released on the condition that she gives the box back, thus leading them to travel to a magical land. There they encounter mythical creatures, solve ancient puzzles, and ultimately confront an evil queen, who is redeemed by Patsy’s love spell, helping them return home.

The Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms offers a captivating blend of fantasy escapades and cultural exploration that are delightful. From mesmerizing magical portals to mythical creatures, the visuals are breathtaking. What sets this film apart is its rich cultural tapestry, with traditional Chinese music, clothing, artifacts, and beliefs seamlessly woven into the narrative. Viewers are not only entertained but also enlightened as they embark on a journey of cultural appreciation and understanding. The themes of family, friendship, and forgiveness resonate deeply, as characters like Patsy and her friends, with her grandfather’s guidance, navigate challenges and ultimately find redemption through love and empathy. Through its intricate plot and dynamic characters, it encourages viewers to question, probe, and problem-solve, fostering critical thinking skills and igniting curiosity. The program strikes a perfect balance between educational value and entertainment, leaving audiences both enchanted and inspired.

The film bursts with cultural richness, although pacing issues, awkward scene transitions, and a complex plot affect its impact. It takes you on a wild ride and what really brings the story to life is the intelligent use of traditional Chinese music, artifacts and beliefs, magical portals and dragons. You feel as if you’re stepping into another world! The film keeps things exciting with thrilling adventures and relatable young characters like Patsy. The reconciliation between Patsy and her grandfather adds emotional depth. The writer’s mix of magic, adventure, and family drama is excellent. The storyline strikes a balance between fantasy, adventure and cultural education, providing an enriching experience for young people. Stunning visuals bring this film to life. The attention to details such as the majority of the cast being of Chinese descent, Joe’s traditional clothing, and the grandfather’s shop contribute to cultural authenticity. The mystical world set is well portrayed with its creatures, the queen’s soldiers, the talking tortoise, invisible bridges, and the architecture of the castle. The skilled direction captures all of this – in both animated and live-action scenes there are clear, detailed visuals and high production values.

The film supports inquiry and investigation, and the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, the incorporation of cultural elements encourages viewers to explore and learn about an unfamiliar culture, which fosters curiosity and understanding. Additionally, the fantastical elements, such as magical portals and mythical creatures, invite viewers to question and probe the boundaries of reality, stimulating their imaginations and creativity. The complex plot and character dynamics provide opportunities to analyze motivations and consequences, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The film offers a blend of educational value and entertainment that encourages viewers to engage with the content on multiple levels.

The film’s message revolves around themes of family, friendship, cultural appreciation, and the power of love and forgiveness. The film emphasizes the importance of reconciliation and understanding within families, as seen in Patsy’s reconciliation with her grandfather. The cultural elements of the film promote appreciation and respect for different cultures. The redemption of the evil queen highlights the transformative power of love and forgiveness, suggesting that understanding and empathy can lead to positive change.

I give The Keepers Of The 5 Kingdoms 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults.  This film releases on VOD and streaming June 18, 2024.