Scooby-Doo is a perennial favorite with school-aged kids and adults who have been life-long fans. The new shows, such as this one, are more hip than ever. And, of course, Scooby is beloved by all, including our KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Shelby R, age 14, who says, “Scooby is my second favorite character because I love his voice and he is a better fighter than Shaggy because his moves are so swift and smooth.” And, Justin S, age 16 added: We expected it to be a typical kiddy type of show but it actually isn’t.” See her full review below.

Scooby-Doo: Wrestlemania Mystery
Reviewed by Shelby R., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

This movie is about Shaggy and Scooby winning a trip to WWE city to see WrestleMania.  The gang runs into trouble when Scooby is accused of stealing the WWE championship belt. Some of their new friends must prove Scooby’s innocence before it’s too late and the mysterious Ghost bear ruins the main event.  Daphne (Grey DeLisle) is my favorite character because she is in love with John Cena and it reminds of me of myself when I have a big crush on a celebrity.  I love when she confesses to Fred that she gave John her phone number, cellular number, email address and home address.  That is pretty funny and cute and – Fred gets jealous. Scooby (Frank Welker) is my second favorite character because I love his voice and he is a better fighter than Shaggy because his moves are so swift and smooth.

I enjoyed the wrestling scenes in this movie, especially when Scooby is dreaming of being in a video game and he is up against a slice of a pizza, two delicious hotdogs and a huge cup of soda.

My favorite scene is Scooby playing the bonus level of the video game by doing Sin Cara’s victory dance because Scooby has some nice dance moves.  I is really cool to see WWE city animated because you get to experience what it is like to be a wrestler and what it is like to see a fight in the stadium. The upbeat music allows the audience to feel the excitement of the opponents. My least favorite part is the beginning because it takes forever to get to the plot and I is confusing for the first 30 minutes of the film.

The moral of the film is to not allow one’s anger to turn into revenge.  It’s okay to be angry. It is not okay to act on the anger and make bad decisions.  Parents should be aware that there are fighting scenes and a Ghost bear before allowing small children to view this movie.  I recommend this movie for ages nine year to 18 years. I give this movie 3 out of 5 stars.

Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery
By Justin Storey, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

To all cartoon fans, WWE fans and even Scooby-Doo fans, this might just be the best news that you’ve heard yet this year! WWE Studios and Warner Bros Productions releases another surprising and startling movie – “Scooby-Doo WrestleMania Mystery.” If you’re wondering why we said surprising, well that’s because it is! Who would have thought that Warner Bros productions would partner Scooby-Doo with WWE?

“Scooby-Doo WrestleMania Mystery” is actually a pretty cool film to watch.  It made us smile at moments, laugh at moments and even scared at moments. We expected it to be a typical kiddy type of show but it actually isn’t. The unexpected happens. The movie is very interesting and they unexpectedly keep the villain and ghost mystery involved but this time it was with WWE superstars such as Triple H, John Cena, Kane and The Miz – just to name a few. Watching WWE Superstars in a “Scooby-Doo” movie is fascinating in every way. What happens when WWE Superstars are put in the same city with villains and the Scooby Doo gang?

Here is what happens, when Scooby and the gang win tickets to the WrestleMania event, they all travel through a wacky mysterious machine that gets them to WWE city. A lot of mysterious things are going on that lead them all to figuring out the Mystery. The movie offers cool visual animated effects especially in the chase scenes. Now is your chance. You can figure the mystery out with Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, Fred and all your favorite WWE Super stars. The Storey twins give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. It is interesting, funny and kept us tuned in and you don’t need to be a Scooby-Doo fan to enjoy it.  SCOOBY-DOO Where are you?

Credit: KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions

The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants. “I’ve been waiting for this movie for a while and what a payoff,: exclaims KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Keefer B., age 13. Raven D, age 16, adds, “This film is absolutely epic. I have been a fan of the X-Men from the very beginning and, seeing the cast from the original films right along side the younger cast of “X-Men: First Class” is amazing.” See their full reviews below.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Reviewed by Raven D., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16

X-Men: Days of Future Past is the newest installment in the “X-Men” series. The world is in a war unlike any we have ever seen before. With the government targeting mutants and any human who tries to help them, the earth has been set into a futuristic holocaust. The main weapon being utilized to hunt down the mutants are the Sentinels –  war machines with the ability to adapt to any mutant power, making them invisible. What made all of this possible is the DNA of a mutant named Raven, also know as Mystique. Now, with the power of the Sentinels, the entire mutant population faces extinction. The X-Men who are still alive (from the original group) call upon the assistance of a small group of mutants to help them end the war. They send Logan / Wolverine, back in time to the 70s to stop the original event that set this war into motion. It is up to Logan to convince the younger versions of his mutant comrades to change their ways before it’s too late, otherwise the future has a darker fate then ever.

This film is absolutely epic. I have been a fan of the X-Men from the very beginning and, seeing the cast from the original films right along side the younger cast of “X-Men: First Class” is amazing. The cinematography and special effects in this film are gorgeously stunning. From the first scene, the crispness of the images and the way each unique mutant power is brought to life on the screen is completely breathtaking. It is interesting to see how the war of the future is shown in this film. All mutants are branded with the letter M across their faces and are being forced into camps along with any humans who have assisted them to be slaughtered and dumped into mass graves. This completely reminded me of a futuristic holocaust and immediately set a serious tone for the film. Most of the movie is set in the 70s and involves quite a few public political events. Whenever there is an incident involving a mutant, the cinematography changes to look like a live filming of the original event. This is a very cool aspect of the film. When the visuals change to a vintage, grainy, hand-held look, it adds to the realistic feeling of what is happening. The soundtrack is amazing, of course, and completes the feel of the film by carrying the emotions and climaxes of each scene.

My favorite character is Quicksilver, played by the incredible Evan Peters. I am so thrilled that he is in this movie. Evan Peters is my all-time, favorite actor and is in some of my favorite films and TV shows such as “American Horror Story” and “An American Crime.” So, I was very excited to see him in a film that I love so much. Quicksilver is a teen mutant with the power of super-speed. Not only can he move at the speed of light but he talks insanely fast and has a speedy personality with a sense of wit to match. Logan, a young Xavier and Beast go to him for assistance in freeing Magneto from the Pentagon. Quicksilver, being a bit of a kleptomaniac and a sucker for breaking the rules, jumps at the opportunity to break into the most heavily guarded building in the country. Quicksilver is so hilarious and entertaining to watch during the break-in to free Magneto and, even though he is only in a few scenes, he is such a memorably funny character.

My favorite scene is after Quicksilver frees Magneto and is now trying to escape the Pentagon with Xavier, Beast and Logan. They have a run in with a few guards and, right when it seems like it’s all over, Quicksilver comes to the rescue. Since he is so incredibly fast, the scene is in slow motion with Quicksilver running around at what appears to be normal speed. This is such a hilarious scene because he is so nonchalant about saving everyone. Not only does he casually move bullets aside so they miss his friends but, he takes his time to have some fun and mess with the security guards. He seems so pleased with himself the whole time and has a very funny air about him. I think Evan Peters does an amazing job of embodying this fun, mischievous and comical character.

Being a long time fan of these films, I believe I was able to get a lot more out of it than someone who may have not seen the previous films. This movie has so many old faces and characters that we haven’t seen in a while and there are quite a few inside jokes from past films. It is nice for the series to get back to its roots. I think that if you haven’t seen the older movies you may be confused about some of the characters and their importance to the film and its events. I saw this with my mom who has only seen the first X-Men film and I did have to fill her in on a few things throughout the movie. However, this film is so well done, the cast and characters are so phenomenal, the story line are so detailed and moving, the visuals are so incredible, that anyone will have a wonderful experience with this movie, regardless of your history with the previous films.

This movie does have some very heavy and dark situations, some graphic and violent images and profanity. Parts of this film get so dark that it lead me to believe many times that the outcome of the story line would be less than pleasant.  This film is rated PG-13 and I believe it is too intense for younger children. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and I will definitely see this again. Be sure to check it out in theaters now!

X-Men Days of Future Past

Reviewed by Keefer B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

X-traordinarily perfect! I’ve been waiting for this movie for a while and what a payoff.

The future, as we know it, is a wasteland for mutants: hunted and eliminated by the Sentinels. To stop this from ever happening, Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is sent into the past to prevent this dark outcome.

I adore the X-Men series and to see it again is beyond fantastic. Bringing back the original iconic actors such as Sir Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto) makes me overjoyed! Even the younger versions of them – Micheal Fassbender and James McAvory are their own 3-dimensional characters because they’re not trying to be replicas of their older selves. Their interaction and relationships are strong and, just as in “X-Men First Class,” I love seeing Eric and Xavier just talking. These two started as friends and the film shows that perfectly. They have different pathways and ways to fix events but they never give up on each other.

The action and special effects in this film are grand. Showing different mutant powers is what made X-Men unique to begin with. It’s not entirely combat action, like “Avengers,” it’s more letting their powers do the work. Magneto slowly lifts an entire baseball stadium, which allows us to marvel at how powerful mutants can be.

The story is astounding! This film has to pick-up from the previous films and tie-up loose ends. Not only do they succeed but, they also remember little details. Example: the young Wolverine doesn’t have metal claws. They’re bone because he doesn’t get the metal ones until sometime in the future. Specifics like that add to how incredible this film is.

It can also confuse people who haven’t seen the other films. There are inside jokes and character connections that could be lost.

My favorite character is Quicksilver (Evan Peters), a mutant who has incredible speed.

This is by far the best representation of a comic-book character. Evan shows the mischievous and cocky side of Silver that is always a kick to watch.

My favorite scene is Quicksilver’s super speed sequence. This is when the team breaks Eric/Magneto out of a Pentagon prison and the group is cornered by security. Quicksilver, without a care in the world, pranks the guards by poking the bullets in mid-air, pulling their guns out of their hands and more. This is such an incredible ride that it just needs to be experienced.

The message of this film is, “Choices you make in the present, affect your future.” The whole reason for this story is that one careless act has changed the world forever. We need to think through the choices we make to have a bright future.

I give this 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to 13- to 18 year-olds. This film shows dark images and language that is not intended for younger audiences.

Credit: KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions

Disney/ABC Television Group is today re-launching its industry-defining WATCH services for Disney Channel,Disney XD and Disney Juniorwith an intuitive, character-focused redesign and new features that include the launch of Disney Junior en Español, access to Radio Disney, the ability to play games on Android and Kindle Fire devices and premieres of some of each networks’ most anticipated programming.

The WATCH services make it possible for fans to watch popular shows anytime, anywhere via desktops, connected TVs, smartphones and tablets. Fans who verify with a participating TV provider can access live streams of their favorite network, as well as exclusive content.  Beginning today, each network WATCH service now also features the following:

WATCH Disney Junior:

–         Disney Junior is launching Disney Junior en Español, marking the first time the network has made an entire block of programming available in Spanish on mobile devices. Series include  “Sofia the First,” “Doc McStuffins,” “Jake and the Never Land Pirates,” “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Henry Hugglemonster,” as well as short-form series “Minnie’s Bow-Toons” and “The Doc Files.” Additionally, Android users can draw, paint and color pages from their favorite Disney Junior shows with Disney Junior Color! en Español.

–         World premiere of a new “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” episode “Donald Jr.” available in English and Spanish.

–         Launch of Radio Disney Junior, a six-hour block of programming hosted by Genevieve Goings (“Choo Choo Soul”) and featuring “The Best of Radio Disney Junior with Genevieve”; “Magical World of Disney Junior,” featuring music from popular Disney and Pixar movies; “Pirates & Princesses” themed songs; “Storybook Hour” where kids can hear one of their favorite Disney stories like “Brave,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Tangled” and “Monsters Inc.”; and “Get Up and Move,” a one-hour programming block dedicated to health and wellness.

–         Android and Kindle Fire users have access to exclusive Disney Junior games and activities, including “Disney Junior Color,” which offers interactive coloring pages from popular series; “Disney Junior Puzzles,” featuring 90 puzzles, each with a magical Disney Junior video reward; and “Mickey’s Pet Playhouse,” which lets kids play along with Mickey Mouse to adopt, groom and play with virtual pets.

WATCH Disney Channel:

–         The world premiere of the highly-anticipated comedy series “Girl Meets World” is available for viewers who have verified their account with a participating TV provider.”Girl Meets World” premieres June 27 on Disney Channel.

–         Addition of music videos and recently launched short-form series “Dogs Rule…Cats Not So Much.”

–         Live audio stream from Radio Disney.

–         Five exclusive games, available only to Android and Kindle Fire users. “Jessie’s Run,” “Chew Toy Chase” and “Riley’s Message Mayhem” are quick time-based games that challenge players to beat the clock with their favorite characters from “Jessie,” “Dog With A Blog” and “Girl Meets World.” Authenticated users can also play “Sticker Stacker,” a game with over 70 levels, and “Slide Me Crazy,” a puzzle-based game featuring favorite Disney Channel characters in exciting, high-speed game challenges.

–         On June 23, verified viewers will be able to watch the world premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie “Zapped,” starring the multi-talented recording artist/actress Zendaya (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Shake It Up”). “Zapped” premieres June 27 on Disney Channel.

WATCH Disney XD:

–         Exclusive premiere of summer episodes: “Phineas and Ferb Save Summer,” “Wander Over Yonder: The Nice Guy / The Timebomb” and “Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures: Ride The Wild Pac-Topus.”

–         Android and Kindle Fire users will also have access to three new Disney XD games exclusive to the WATCH experience: “Phineas and Ferb: Summer Soakers” takes the backyard water fight to a whole new dimension; “Prank-a-Tron 5000” lets users create their own soundboards, prank noises and audio effects from the random, funny world of Disney XD; and “Ultimate Air” dares players to take the ultimate challenge and defeat Disney XD villains in this high-stakes arcade style game.

Powered by Ludei’s HTML5 hardware acceleration technology, all the WATCH games developed by Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media team are designed to deliver a robust, high-performance fan experience across multiple mobile platforms.  

The WATCH apps have been downloaded more than 20 million times and have over 1.7 billion video views. Currently Disney/ABC Television Group has agreements in place for its authenticated WATCH products with a variety of Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs), including Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, DISH, Midcontinent Communications, Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber and AT&T U-verse. The service is available on multiple devices, including desktops, iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, select Android devices, Amazon Kindle Fire, Apple TV, Nabi, Windows 8 and Roku.

Over the past several years, the Disney/ABC Television Group has consistently unveiled innovative, award-winning multiplatform services and apps. In addition to the WATCH services, other notable DATG apps include the Disney Junior Appisode app, which offers true interactive viewing, allowing kids ages 2-7 to touch, tap, swipe, tilt, shake and talk their way through various fun-filled activities embedded into episodes of some of their favorite Disney Junior shows; the award-winning WATCH ABC Player and WATCH ABC Family Player apps; the ABC News app; and the Emmy Award-winning official Oscars app, which provided unique backstage viewing experiences for the 83^rd, 84^th, and 85^th Academy Awards.

About Disney/ABC Television Group

The Disney/ABC Television Group is composed of The Walt Disney Company’s global entertainment and news television properties, owned television stations, and radio stations. This includes ABC Entertainment Group, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations Group, Disney Channels Worldwide, Radio Disney and ABC Family, as well as Disney/ABC Domestic Television and Disney Media Distribution. The Company’s equity interest in Hulu and its 50% equity interest in A&E Networks and Fusion round out the Group’s portfolio of media businesses.