Archives for March 2025

This series sees British national treasure Sir David Suchet (Poirot) travel around the world, following in the footsteps of the Queen of mystery, Dame Agatha Christie. Before becoming the world’s best-selling author, Agatha Christie embarked upon a world tour in 1922 with her husband at age 31. Her ten-month itinerary of the then British Empire took her across South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, along with a holiday to Hawaii. Perceptions of Agatha Christie’s character tend to be dominated by the persona she adopted in public life, when she was seen as a shy individual who disliked fame. But this was a defensive wall erected by Agatha. Now, 100 years on, this journey is an opportunity for Sir David, and all fans of the author, to discover a lesser-known Agatha – the woman she really was. And through recreating her surprising and fascinating journey, he’ll also have a unique chance to explore the history and complex legacy of the British Empire.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Isabella V. comments, “Travels with Agatha Christie & Sir David Suchet is an incredible and informative documentary that informs us so much about Agatha Christie and the places and cultures that inspired her. I learned so much about so many different cultures and their history that I never would have known without watching this.” See her full review below.

Travels with Agatha Christie & Sir David Suchet 
By Isabella V., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13 

Travels with Agatha Christie & Sir David Suchet is an incredible, and informative documentary that informs us so much about Agatha Christie and the places and cultures that inspired her. I learned so much about so many different cultures and their history that I never would have known without watching this. 

This five-part docu-series follows Sir David Suchet as he follows in the footsteps of Agatha Christie, visiting the places she used in her novels. While doing this he learns more about Agatha Christie herself, the history of these places and what they were like when she was there. 

The cinematography is gorgeous; every shot is so thoughtfully planned and has such beauty. I especially love the shot over Victoria Falls in Episode One. They also picked the perfect person to host this series; not only is Sir David Suchet entertaining and charismatic, he also knows what he’s talking about. He played Agatha Christie’s character Hercule Poirot for 25 years and is extremely dedicated to learning more about her and the places seen in her stories, making him an amazing guide. The amount of information given in this series is outstanding, there are so many facts and details about her and these locations, and they take time to flesh out these ideas; every piece of information helps us better understand who this remarkable author really was. Sir Suchet recreates her journey here to Southern Africa, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. One of my favorite places to learn about was Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, which Agatha Christie visited when going to Australia. Another experience of hers I enjoyed learning about was her ride on the Puffing Billing Railway, and the current unique features it has to offer with being able to sit on the windows.

This series allowed me to understand a woman, who I knew almost nothing about beforehand, in a deep way. It also teaches us about so many different cultures and regions and helps us see the difference between what they were like during Christie’s era and today.  

The series’ message is about going for what you want to do, even if it might not seem possible. Agatha Christie wrote mystery novels at a time when it was very unusual for women to do so, and she was extremely successful. Be warned that the series mentions and discusses topics such as slavery and racism. 

I give Travels with Agatha Christie & Sir David Suchet 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It releases on BritBox on March 8, 2025. 

When Karen the Computer decides to take over the world, it’s up to Plankton to stop her – with a little help from SpongeBob and the Gal Pals (Pearl, Sandy, and Mrs. Puff).

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ari C. comments, “I absolutely love Plankton: The Movie. The fun storyline and fantastic voice acting gave me lots of giggles. I also love the visually amusing graphics and the fun and happy atmosphere. You may be thinking that this is just another SpongeBob movie, if so, you are sorely mistaken. This is Plankton’s (Mr. Lawrence) movie. The film’s message is that love is all you really need.” See his full review and interview below.

Plankton: The Movie
By Ari C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, age 12

I absolutely love Plankton: The Movie. The fun storyline and fantastic voice acting gave me lots of giggles. I also love the visually amusing graphics and the fun and happy atmosphere.

You may be thinking that this is just another SpongeBob movie, if so, you are sorely mistaken. This is Plankton’s (Mr. Lawrence) movie. After 20 years of being pushed around and dismissed, Plankton’s wife, Karen (Jill Talley), has had enough. Plankton’s epic failures at world domination has Karen fed up. She is ready to remind him that she can be three times as evil and should not be ignored. Their marriage problems swirl into world-wide chaos. Unlikely characters must team up to save Bikini Bottom, the whole world, and a marriage.

This film is engaging with its amazing graphics; I feel like I am in a visual circus.  I commend Mr. Lawrence for voice acting Plankton and for writing the story.  Mauricio Bartok and Piyush Dhuppe are the animators for this film and they have created a virtual visual playground.  This film is like a roller-coaster that took me on an awesome adventure with its many twists and surprises. It still keeps the classic SpongeBob characters such as SpongeBob (Tom Kenny), Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), and Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown). This movie is absolutely hilarious. Even though I don’t watch SpongeBob a lot, I really enjoyed the comedy and have always been a Plankton fan. I love how Mr. Lawrence has held on to his role as Plankton, going back to when he started in 1999. It’s amazing that he has stuck to this role for so long. Everything from the fantastic storyline to the mesmerizing animation make this film a treat to enjoy. There are a couple of heartwarming scenes, but there are also plenty of action scenes that give the movie a thrill. My favorite part is when an implant causes Plankton to have a wild hallucination. That was crazily exciting and fun.

The film’s message is that love is all you really need.

I give Plankton The movie 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. It releases on Netflix March 7, 2025.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Simon Stålenhag, the story takes place in a reimagined version of 1997. With humans isolated in their VR helmets and a continuing battle against a strange breed of monstruous drones in the wake of a technological meltdown, a teenage girl named Michelle and a robot travel the West Coast of the U.S in search of the girl’s missing brother.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Katherine S. comments, “I really enjoyed The Electric State! This film is loosely based on the illustrated novel of the same name and is an eerie parallel to the future of modern technology, while also connecting with the nostalgia of the 90s. The scary part of this movie is that I can envision the future of our world looking something like this.” See her full review and interviews with the directors and cast members below.

The Electric State

By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

I really enjoyed The Electric State! This film is loosely based on the illustrated novel of the same name and is an eerie parallel to the future of modern technology, while also connecting with the nostalgia of the 90s. The scary part of this movie is that I can envision the future of our world looking something like this.

The Electric State is a science fiction adventure comedy drama film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. The storyline follows Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), an orphaned teenager, as she travels through the American West in search of her younger brother in a dystopian version of the late 1990s. She meets a robot resembling a cartoon, a smuggler (Christ Pratt) and his robot companion, Herman (Anthony Mackie), and along the way she discovers the corruption in their world.

Although inspired by the book The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag, fans of the graphic novel should keep in mind that this movie is very different from it at times. It explores the characters from the books but adds new characters, increasing the complexity and development of the world. The CGI is very high quality – nearly the whole movie and almost all of the characters are CGI and I could barely tell because they look so realistic. I also truly love the cartoony design of the characters as they add to the uneasy and dystopian feeling of the world. The acting is superb. I connected with all of the characters and even got a bit emotional at the end. Chris Pratt’s character, Keats, and Herman the robot (Anthony Mackie) have so much chemistry with their funny banter and love-hate relationship, even though Herman is completely animated. Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt also have terrific chemistry and it was so entertaining to watch their relationship evolve. Stanley Tucci, as Ethan, and Giancarlo Esposito, as the Colonel, are both such dynamic characters and it was very interesting to see them together.

The Electric State emphasizes the importance of family, whether by blood or by choice. It also highlights the importance of respecting everyone and everything. The neurocasters and advanced technology in this world serve as a warning to our society to live in the moment and not forget the importance of human interaction and connection. Be forewarned that there is some profanity and depictions of war.

I give The Electric State 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It releases on Netflix on March 14, 2025.

In this breathtaking new picture book, readers will explore a forest with a classroom of students, experiencing and learning about the essential beauty of diversity in humanity and nature. Together, a Forest begins as an exciting journey into nature and blossoms into a meditation on how our unique personalities and ways of being help create a more vibrant and beautiful world. This book highlights the importance of interdependence, inclusion and celebrating diversity in our communities.

I highly recommend this book and love how it focuses on the beauty of diversity!

https://us.macmillan.com/mackids/

Self Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to feature. The image was also provided.

It’s time to spring clean your reading list with these new page-turners that are full of adventures, friendships, and even fun festivals.

Alycat and the Copycat by Alysson Foti Bourque

Alycat is excited that it’s Science Fair Day, but why is her classmate copying almost everything about her, from the shirt she’s wearing to the project she’s doing? Soon Alycat learns, through patience and kindness, that two similar things can be better when they work together. This latest addition to the kitten picture-book series includes STEM themes plus instructions for making your own glitter volcano!

An Alani Adventure by Tara Lala

Leia, Ohana, and Kai are three siblings who have never ventured off of the island of Maui. When a dormant volcano suddenly awakens and threatens their home, they are gifted a magic map that allows them to explore different countries all around the world. What treasures does the map want them to find? Will they be able to follow its clues in time? Or will the volcano erupt and destroy their island before they return?

Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends by Jen Kirkley

Willard DoGooder has trouble making friends in his new class. Things are just…different. One day, Willard spots a magical trail that leads him on an adventure filled with curiosity, fun, and new friends, as he learns how to think through and celebrate differences.Each friend that Willard DoGooder meets on the trail, teaches him how we can approach differences, learn from one another, and appreciate each other. Over the course of the book, Willard learns a three-step process for approaching differences: Name the difference, find the good, and move on with kindness. With characters based on the author’s children, and issues they’ve learned how to work through together, Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends, is a fantastic adventure grounded with a message that we can all use in our daily life.

Hannah Bear and LuLu’s Festival to Remember by Julie Hooks

Two adorable bears set out to find the source of an irresistible aroma and wind up smack dab in the middle of the most exciting place on earth―a festival! Join Hannah Bear and LuLu on a thrilling journey as they explore the blinking lights, the spinning rides, and delicious food! The adventurous cubs sample every delectable delight at the big autumn event, from spicy cracklins, pecans, and pralines to other Louisiana treats. As the wind picks up, Hannah Bear and LuLu catch a whiff of something truly special that leads them through the pumpkin patch and across Bayou Bridge. They even encounter an alligator! Follow Hannah Bear and LuLu to the perfect spot with the most delicious smell of all.