Movie Review: Chicken Little
By Katie, age 14

This is a Disney film that rated G.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on the classic children’s story of the same name. Chicken Little falsely claims that the sky is falling. With this error, Chicken Little ruins both his town and his reputation. Chicken Little joins the school’s baseball team to try to make up for his mistake. He helps win the big game and everyone is proud of him. Then one day a spaceship does fall out of the sky and Chicken Little and his friends attempt to save the town.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked Chicken Little’s friends, Runt of the Little, Abby Mallard, and Fish Out of Water.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
The first part of the movie was a little boring. The ending was pretty good though.

Would you recommend this movie?
I really liked this movie and I would recommend it to people of all ages. Even young children would like it. This is a good family movie.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches people to believe in themselves.

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
By Katie, age 14

This is a Warner Bros. film that is rated PG-13.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on the book written by J.K. Rowlings of the same name. It is the fourth book in a series about Harry Potter. In “The Goblet of Fire,” Harry is chosen to compete against students from other schools in the Triwizard Tournament.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought the special effects were awesome!

What didn’t you like about this movie?
There was not anything that I did not like about this movie. It was kind of scary at times.

Would you recommend this movie?
This is my favorite of all of the Harry Potter movies. I would really like to see it again. Since it is kind of scary, I would not recommend this movie to young children. It is a great movie for teenagers and parents too.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
The best life lesson in this movie comes from Dumbledore, “We must face the choice between what is right and what is easy.”

Movie Review: The Legend of Zorro
By Katie, age 14

This is a Columbia film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is a sequel to the movie “The Mask of Zorro” that was released in 1998. In this movie, Zorro is a husband and father who would like a more normal life. But, he cannot give up fighting bad guys.

What did you like about this movie?
This movie is action packed!

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I did not like Armand.

Would you recommend this movie?
I really liked this movie and I would recommend it to others. Since it does have some violence, it is not appropriate for young children.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie teaches about helping people. Zorro fights for the poor and the underdog. As Alejandro, he uses his wealth and power to help others. He is a great role model for us.

Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice
By Katie, age 14

This is a Focus film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on Jane Austin’s novel of the same name. It takes place in 18th century England. It is about five sisters who are not married and their mother is trying to marry them off. One day, two wealthy and eligible bachelors move into the neighborhood.

What did you like about this movie?
I have never seen a movie like this one before. It was neat to see what life was like for people back then.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like it that the five sisters were so desperate to get married.

Would you recommend this movie?
This movie was pretty funny. I would recommend this movie to kids and adults. However, it might not be exciting enough for some people.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie really made me appreciate living in 2005. I have more opportunities than girls did back then.

Movie Review: Yours, Mine and Ours
By Katie, age 14

This is a Paramount film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about a man, Frank, and a woman, Helen. Frank is a widower with eight children and a naval officer. He is very strict with his kids, but he is nice at the same time. Helen is a widow with ten children who is very laid back. The two run into each other at a high school reunion. They fall in love and decide to get married. When they bring all the children together, the kids decide to try to break up the marriage. Eventually, they all end up liking each other.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought this movie was pretty funny. I also liked how the movie ended.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like it that the kids tried to break up the marriage.

Would you recommend this movie?
This movie was very entertaining and fun to watch. This would be a good movie for the whole family.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie teaches some good lessons about what it means to be a family.

Movie Review: Zathura: A Space Adventure
By Katie, age 14

This is a Columbia film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about two brothers and a sister who end up in outer space after a board game one of the brothers is playing comes to life. They realize that the only way to get back home is to finish paying the game.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought the special effects were awesome!

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like that the two brothers were always so mean to each other until the movie was just about over.

Would you recommend this movie?
This movie was non-stop action! I would recommend this movie to kids and adults. There is some language that would not be appropriate for young children.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie teaches about the importance of family and that I the game of life, we cannot play alone.

Movie Review: Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
By Katie, age 14

This is a DreamWorks film that is rated G.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about an inventor named Wallace and his dog named Gromit. Wallace and Gromit run a pest control business called Anti-Pesto. They are hired by Lady Tottington to catch a monstrous rabbit before it eats everything out of all the gardens in town and ruins the annual vegetable growing competition.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought the animation of the clay was amazing. After just a little bit of the movie, I forgot that I was watching something that was animated.

What didn't you like about this movie?
There was not anything about the movie that I did not like.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was really funny and I would recommend it to people of all ages. I think this movie would make a great family movie because everyone would like it.

Movie Review: Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
By Katie, age 14

This is a DreamWorks film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about a horse trainer named Ben Crane, his daughter named Cale, his father named Pop, and a horse. The horse is named Sonador, which means Dreamer in Spanish. Sonador breaks her leg in a race. When the owner demands that the horse be put down, Ben argues with the owner. Ben ends up losing his job over the argument, but he is able to keep Sonador as payment. Ben works with Sonador to get her back into racing again.

What did you like about this movie?
I liked how Sonador brought the family together. As they worked together with Sonador, they became closer and more loving with each other.

What didn't you like about this movie?
I didn't like seeing the horse racing accident when Sonador got hurt.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was great. I would recommend this movie to people of all ages. This movie is a great movie for the whole family.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie teaches people to follow their dreams. If we work hard enough, our dreams can come true.

Movie Review:
The Greatest Game Ever Played
by Katie, age 15

This is a Disney film that rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about Franics Ouimet. It is based on a true story and takes place in 1913. Francis loves the game of golf and it is his dream to play with the best golfers in the world. However, Francis belongs to a working-class family and at this time, golf is a sport for the rich. Despite many obstacles, Francis ends up playing in the U.S. Open Golf Championship against the worlds’ reigning champion and his own idol, Harry Vardon.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked Francis’ caddie, Eddie. He was really funny. It was also neat to see how things were in 1913.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like it that Francis' dad was not at all supportive. He wanted him to quit golf. My parents always encourage me and I can't imagine having parents like Francis' dad.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this was a great movie that people of all ages would like. It's a great movie for the whole family.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches a lot of lessons. It teaches that treating people as "lower-class" is harmful for everyone. It also teaches us not to give up on our dreams. If we follow our heart, we can accomplish great things.

Movie Review:
The Corpse Bride
by Katie, age 15

This is a Warner Brothers film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This is an animated love story based on a Russian folk tale. It is about an arranged marriage of an extremely shy couple, Victor and Victoria. On the night before the wedding, Victor goes into the woods to practice his vows. While practicing, he finds himself married to a corpse. The Corpse Bride whisks Victor down to the underworld where she hopes to live happily forever. Victor's heart, however, belongs to Victoria.

What did you like about this movie?
I liked all of the crazy characters in the underworld.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn't like it that Victoria was forced to marry Barkis Bittern.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was really funny and fun to watch. I would recommend this movie to older kids and adults. Young children might not understand it.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches that true love is not selfish.

Movie Review:
March of the Penguins
by Katie, age 15

This is a Warner Independent Pictures documentary film that is rated G.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about the annual cycle of the emperor penguins of Antarctica. Every year near fall, the penguins march single file from the ocean to their breeding grounds. The breeding grounds are several miles from the ocean. They must lay their eggs this far from the ocean so that the ice beneath them does not melt in the spring, before the chicks are born.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought it was neat that the mother penguins could recognize their babies when they returned to the breeding grounds in the spring with food. They had never seen their babies before, and each mother could pick out her own baby.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
There was not anything I did not like about this movie.

Would you recommend this movie?
I loved this movie! I would recommend this movie to people of all ages. It is a great family movie.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie is very educational and teaches all sorts of things about the penguins. In showing what penguins will do for their babies, it can help us appreciate everything our parents do for us.

Movie Review:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
by Katie, age 15

This is a Warner Brothers film that is rated PG

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on the novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, written by Roald Dahl forty years ago. Almost everything in the movie comes right out of the book. The movie is about Charlie Bucket. Charlie is very poor. He lives with his parents and all four grandparents in a very small house. One day, Charlie finds a golden ticket and wins a day inside a magical candy making factory. The rest of the movie is about that day.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked it that Charlie Bucket got a golden ticket. He was very poor and I felt like he deserved a break. I also really liked the first room inside the factory with the chocolate river and waterfall.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I thought Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee were really annoying

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was really creative and it was a great story. I really enjoyed this movie! I would recommend this movie to people of all ages. It would be an excellent family movie. There are a couple parts that might be scary for very young children.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie is full of lessons. Each child on the tour teaches a different lesson, but the overall message is a warning against being selfish and greedy. In the end, Charlie is rewarded for being kind, generous and loving.