The Disney/Pixar film, The Good Dinosaur, will be released on Blu-Ray/Digital HD on February 23. It asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? In this epic journey into the world of dinosaurs, an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend and learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ryan R. (age 11) comments, "I like how it touches our emotions and admit that it made me cry in some parts. I also liked the jokes because they are really funny." Gerry O. adds, "The whole plot is a large and exciting adventure which allows for some mild action. There is a bigger moral to the story which is "discover your voice." See their full reviews below.
The Good Dinosaur
By Ryan R., KIDS First Film Critic, Age 11
I really enjoy watching the new Blu-ray of The Good Dinosaur. One thing I loved about this Blu-ray is the deleted scenes. I love how the director explains why certain scenes didn't make it in the final cut. I enjoyed the Dino bites, which is a short showing the characters goofing off. I also enjoyed watching the trailers of The Good Dinosaur in different languages. It was interesting knowing that there are different names for this movie in other places. There was nothing to hate about this Blu-ray.
This 3D, computer-animated, adventure, dramatic comedy is very emotional and funny, a perfect movie for the family. The story is about what would happen if an asteroid missed the Earth and never killed the dinosaurs. In the movie you meet Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) who is a very insecure, scared dinosaur until he is able to find his roar! He meets a human kid named Spot. Something happens. Arlo chases Spot and falls into the water taking Arlo very far away from his family. Will Arlo make it back to his family or will he be lost?
I enjoyed this movie. I like how it touches our emotions and admit that it made me cry in some parts. I also liked the jokes because they are really funny. I love the action scenes that involve the water. It kept me on the edge of my seat.
My favorite character is Arlo. He is a very ecstatic, extremely compassionate dinosaur who learns to face his fears. Arlo is very relatable because everyone has fears and people think it is silly but it isn't. I love that he is very motivated. I love how he changes throughout the story.
The moral lesson in this movie is you can discover what you're truly capable of if you are willing to face your fears. Arlo proves that in this movie as he "finds his roar." On the Blu-ray, there are bonus features, deleted scenes and shorts. The shorts include Sanjay Super Team, Dino Bites and Hide and Seek. It also tells you facts about dinosaurs and many more. Another feature are trailers of the movie. My favorite short would be Sanjay's Super Team, because this short told its story without any dialogue and delivered an important message about dealing with old family traditions and the modern world.
I give this film 5 out of 5 amazing stars and recommend it for kids ages 5 to 18. Adults might like this as well. I also recommend this to kids who like family, action, adventure, drama, comedies, dinosaurs and Disney movies. Check out the Blu-ray and Digital HD when it comes out on February 23.
The Good Dinosaur
By Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13
What if? That's the beginning of this film with its spectacular scenery, a beautiful soundtrack, an exciting story and so much more. What I really love about this film is the animation. A good 20 minutes of the film is dedicated to looking at the scenery, which is incredible. The design of the landscape, with its hills, valleys, mountains and rivers is truly breathtaking.
This movie is not all comedy, there is quite a bit of drama. In many scenes you feel touched by the characters and even pity them. The whole plot is a large and exciting adventure which allows for some mild action. There is a bigger moral to the story which is "discover your voice." Disney has focused on that in its "Find Your Roar" campaign, encouraging kids everywhere to "find your own voice or 'your roar!'"
The story starts when an infamous meteor hits the Earth. Millions of years later, a dinosaur named Arlo is separated from his family and home. He goes on a huge adventure to get back home, which involves enemies, friends and more.
The story is dramatic and takes turns that surprise the audience multiple times. The voice acting is excellent in every role, making characters sound alive, personable and full of energy. One of my favorites is Butch (Sam Elliot). Butch is a T-Rex and a pretty cool one too. Sam makes him seem menacing and dramatic, but still friendly, even a bit funny at times.
In the Blu-ray version, there are a dozen special features, including an option to listen to commentary throughout the film from some of the creators, including storyboard artists and editors talking about the process they used to make the film. A perfect example of this is when they discuss how they based the terrain on the western United States. The special features also include deleted scenes and some cool interviews.
My favorite scene is when Arlo meets the T-Rexes. He and his companion, Spot, are running away from scavenger birds. They see a dinosaur in the distance and plea for help. It turns out they find two powerful T-Rexes and the T-Rexes assist Arlo and Spot to get to safety and on with their journey. The staging in this scene is intense and dramatic, especially when you don't know if these giant carnivores will be more dangerous than the birds.
This film is most suitable for ages 6 to 18. Younger kids may find the more intense and dramatic scenes way too frightening. I give it five out of five stars for its beautiful animation, emotional voice acting, an intense story and smooth editing. The Good Dinosaur is being released on Blu-ray and Digital HD February 23 so, keep a lookout for it.
Ryan R., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11
Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 13.