Previous Reviews

Movie Review: The Ultimate Gift
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Fox Faith film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on Jim Stovall’s novel of the same name. It is a modern day parable about a typically self-absorbed young man named Drew Fuller. Drew is supposed to inherit his rich grandfather’s fortune. But in order to get the money, he must first accomplish a series of tasks designed to teach him some important life lessons.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked Emily and her mom. They were neat people and really good friends to Drew.

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

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was really good. It is a great movie for older kids and adults.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches about gratitude, forgiveness, and family. The most important things in life are not things.

Movie Review: Firehouse Dog
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Fox film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about a dog named Rex, who is a Hollywood star. In the midst of a stunt while filming a movie, Rex goes missing. Rex is found by a 12 year-old boy named Shane. Shane’s father is a captain of a firehouse. Rex becomes the firehouse mascot and helps to bring out the best in the firefighters.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked Rex. It was fun to see how he could help the fire fighters.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I thought some of the parts that were supposed to be funny were just kind of gross.

Would you recommend this movie?
I really liked this movie. I think parents and older kids would both like it. It probably is not a good movie for young kids.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie teaches about believing in yourself and the importance of family.

Movie Review: Pride
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Lionsgate film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on a true story. It is about a man named Jim Ellis who starts a swim team at a run-down community center in Philadelphia in 1971. He coaches the young swimmers and soon the community center becomes a source of local pride.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked how the coach taught the kids about more than just swimming. He taught them to believe in themselves.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
This movie had some bad language and it used the n-word. It made me feel uncomfortable to hear it. However, I understand that offensive word was used by a lot of people in 1971.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this was an excellent movie. I think it would be a great family movie. Young kids, however, probably would not enjoy it as much.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches about the importance of believing in yourself. I thought it was great to see these kids, who were very poor, do so well. Most kids I know think they need the right shoes or most expensive piece of equipment in order to play well. These kids knew that what mattered most was what is on the inside, not what we wear or how much our equipment costs.

Movie Review: Bridge to Terabithia
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Disney film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on Katherine Peterson’s similarly titled, Newberry Medal winning, children’ novel. The story is about Jess Aarons, a boy who is bullied by his classmates and the new girl in town, Leslie Burke. The two create a make-believe world called Terabithia that serves as an escape from real-life troubles.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked the friendship that Jess and Leslie had with each other. I thought it was neat that a boy and girl were such good, close friends.

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

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was terrific! I would like to see it again. This would be a good family movie, but I don’t think this movie would be good for younger children since there are some scary and sad parts.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches us about the importance of being a good friend.

Movie Review: Astronaut Farmer
By Mikaela, age 13

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

What is this movie about?
This movie is about a Texas rancher named Charles Farmer. His childhood dream was to become an astronaut. Now as an adult, he is building a homemade rocket and plans to go into space with it. You’ll have to go see the movie to find out if he actually gets into space!

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked the Farmer family. They stuck together and supported their dad.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like it when Mr. Farmer threw the brick through the bank window. It only made things worse for him because people thought he was crazy.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was really good. It is a good family movie especially since it teaches about the importance of family. There are a few swear words in the movie, so it probably would not be appropriate for younger children.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie teaches us about the importance of family.

Movie Review: Miss Potter
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a MGM/Weinstein film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about Beatrix Potter the English author and illustrator of the story, “Peter Rabbit.” Miss Potter is determined to get her work published even after it was rejected multiple times. Eventually, the brothers that own the publishing company assign “Peter Rabbit” to their younger brother, Mr. Warne, as busy work. Miss Potter’s work is successfully published. Also, Miss Potter and Mr. Warne fall in love. However, their families are not in favor of their relationship.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked Miss Potter. She believed in herself and her work.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like Miss Potter’s mother. She was a snob.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this was a really good movie. It was neat to find out the origins of the “Peter Rabbit” story. This would make a great family movie because all ages would enjoy it.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches that we need to believe in ourselves and never give up.

Movie Review: Title
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Lionsgate film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about all the classic fairy tales. In the storybook world, a wicked stepmother, Frieda, get her hands on a wizard’s magic staff. She uses the staff to rewrite all the fairy tales so that they have unhappy endings. It is up to Cinderella and the wizard’s two bumbling assistants to put things right.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought this movie was pretty funny. I liked Munk and Mambo, the wizard’s two assistants, best.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I thought this movie was really good. Although I hoped it would be funnier since the person who produced “Shrek” also produced this. “Shrek” was much better than this movie.

Would you recommend this movie?
This movie was good and it is a movie a whole family would enjoy together.

Movie Review: Charlotte’s Web
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Paramount film that is rated G.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on E.B. White’s children’s book that has the same title. I’ve read the book and the movie follows the book pretty closely. The story is about a pig named Wilbur and all the other animals in the barn. To keep the farmer from serving Wilbur as Christmas dinner, Charlotte, the spider, weaves a message in her web. The farmer believes it is a miracle.

What did you like about this movie?
I really liked Charlotte and how she took care of Wilbur.

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

Would you recommend this movie?
I think everyone would love this movie. It is a great story and all ages would enjoy watching it. I definitely want to see this movie again.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches about the importance of good friendships.

Movie Review: Night at a Museum
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Fox film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about a man named Larry Daley. He is a perpetual loser. He gets a job as a night watchman at New York’s Museum of Natural History. Then he discovers that the dinosaur bones, taxidermy animals, diorama characters, and mummies come to life after closing time.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought the special effect of all the museum characters and animals were really good.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I liked everything about this movie.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this movie was really funny. This would make a great family movie because all ages will enjoy it.

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
This movie teaches that if we stick with something and follow through, we can accomplish just about anything.

Movie Review: Happy Feet
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a Warner Brothers film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is about a tap-dancing penguin named, Mumble. In the movie, the penguins attract each other with a “heartsong,” a mating call unique to each penguin. In real life, it is a series of squawks. But in the movie, the penguins sing hip-hop, oldies and rock. Unfortunately, Mumble, the talented dancer, can’t carry a tune.

One day, Mumble tries to teach other penguins some dance moves. But when Noah, one of the elders, finds out, Mumble is blamed for the food shortage and banished from the community.

If you want to find out if Mumble wins the heart of his true love or how he discovered the true reason for the food shortage, you’ll have to see the movie.

What did you like about this movie?
I thought the animation was amazing. The penguins and the glaciers all looked so real. I also really liked Ramon because he was so funny.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like how Noah banished Mumble without knowing all the facts. He blamed Mumble for the food shortage and it was not at all his fault.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this was a great movie and I want to see it again. There are a couple scary parts, so it might not be okay for very young children. Other than that, this movie would make a great family movie because adults will enjoy it too.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie tries to teach all sorts of lessons from prejudice to taking care of the environment. But the overall theme is about love and accepting ourselves and others.

Movie Review: The Nativity Story
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a New Line film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie tells the Bible story of how Jesus was born. It begins with the angel announcing to Mary that she will be the Mother of Jesus.

What did you like about this movie?
I liked seeing the Bible story I have heard so many times alive on the big movie screen. I’ve imagined what it might have been like, so it was fun to see how the movie makers told the story.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like how Herod tried to interfere.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this was a very good movie. I would recommend it to all ages and it would make a great family movie. It helps get you in the Christmas spirit!

Does this movie try to teach you anything?
The overall message is about peace and good will.

Movie Review: Flicka
By Mikaela, age 13

This is a 20th Century Fox film that is rated PG.

What is this movie about?
This movie is based on the book, “My Friend Flicka,” by Mary O’Hara. Instead of the story being set in the early 1900’s, the movie updates the setting to modern day Wyoming. Another change from the book to the movie is that the main character is a girl instead of a boy.

In “Flicka,” Katie returns home to the family ranch after a semester of prep school. Katie had nearly flunked out of school because she is such a daydreamer. While out riding in the mountains, she comes across a wild mustang. She quickly bonds with the horse and names it Flicka. Although Katie is determined to tame the horse, her father sells Flicka to a rodeo. Eventually, Katie and Flicka are reunited.

What did you like about this movie?
I liked how this family stuck together even when things were tough. They loved each other and respected each other even when they disagreed with each other.

What didn’t you like about this movie?
I didn’t like it when Katie’s dad sold Flicka to the rodeo.

Would you recommend this movie?
I thought this was an excellent movie. It would be a great family movie and all ages would enjoy it.

Does this movie try to teach anything?
This movie teaches about the importance of family.