Lea to the Rescue (2016) Hollywood

An American girl in the Amazon Jungle.

Genre:

Adventure, Family, Mystery.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.


Review:
     This is the tenth film in the 'American Girl' franchise. And this time the theme is a rescue mission. Like I mentioned in the 'Grace Stirs Up Success' (the previous film), I haven't seen all film in the series. This is for children, particularly the preteen girls. So for the grown ups it is like a joke, especially if you are a man. But basically I watch anything, there's no restriction to that, because I want to be an all-rounder. Despite I'm not the target audience, I think it is just an okay film, I mean an average. Though the response from the kids would differ, so watch for them, with them, if you have got one in your family.

     Well, the 'American Girl' films never followed the order or the cast had ever returned. It is so random from the story to the characters and the timeline. So this tale is about another American girl called Lea Clark, who loves adventures and the wild animals, but it is a far more dream than reality to her. But when her family receives a message that her brother gone missing in Brasil, she packs her bag along with her mother and lands in Manaus. While her mother making an effort to bring him back, Lea makes her own attempt and while doing that, she gets lost in the Amazon forest. From there how she makes back and what about her brother, all comes solving in the final quarter of the film.

 What one finds is not stolen. Whoever lost was careless. 

     The little girl Maggie Elizabeth Jones from 'We Bought a Zoo' all grown-up to a teenager. Looks like another young artist who might make big in the filmdom in the near future. Because many who played in this series are now the well known names. Maggie's role was decent, but the issue was the story's silly and predictable. Anyway, that's how a children's film looks like, without the adult contents and explosions. So if you want to watch this, you must compromise on those stuffs, otherwise don't go for it.

     As I have heard, the story takes place in the Amazon forest, but the filming was done in the African rainforest. But I guess some of them were the settings. Overall, the locations are very beautiful and they make good use of it tell the story. Since it takes place in Brasil, some of the lines are in Portuguese. This is suppose to be a comedy, but the theme was very serious, still somewhat it manages to produce a few jokes now and them. A good mix of everything, like a whole family can sit and watch together.

     Not all the films in this series were the theatrical product, but this one was with a couple of others. One thing I always fascinated with this franchise is that they all gives a good message to the youngsters. So every time with a different topic and on the bottom line, takes a bit sentimental dip as well. This time it is highlighted the poaching and its related problems. The wildlife and the forest conservation is a good message to teach kids in this global warming era. So I think it would be a good watch for them. It's nearly time for the production house to announce the next film, so I'm looking forward to know what theme they would choose. Meantime, if you think it is not for you, at least show it to your kids.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Kit Kittredge, Grace Stirs Up Success, Saige Paints the Sky, Chrissa Stands Strong.


External link(s):
    

WCA geolocation:
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Grace Stirs Up Success (2015) Hollywood

When an enthusiastic baker's skill was tested.

Original title:

An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success

Genre:

Comedy, Family.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     The ninth film in the 'American Girl' series, in that, fourth straight film for the director. Honestly, I have not seen all the films in the series, but I enjoyed those I've watched. This is a decent movie for all, especially for the families with the kids to watch on the weekend. I was not expecting it to be a fantastic, because children's films have certain limits and I know that very well. Usually the filmmakers push for a G or a PG tag for their product, that's why a film like this always appears to be so cheerful, and at a time silly as well.

     A typical 'American Girl' movie, but only the theme was different. This time it is about the baking. A young girl Grace is passionate in baking who thinks one day she's going to take over her grandparents' bakery. In the summer holiday, she's forced to drop her all the plans with her two best friends, after an unexpected visit to aunt's in the Paris is decided. There she meets her cousin Sylvie who's not friendly and uncle who runs a small bakery with the quality foods. The cultural difference makes her to struggle to understand the French way of baking, but in the end she overcomes it and decides to take it back to the home to save her grandparents' troubled bakery.

 Take risks. That's how you make amazing things happen. 

     In the several occasions I had postponed watching this for no reasons, but finally I saw this now. To declare it is a good or a bad movie is a very tough decision, but I can say I enjoyed watching it. Not all the adults going to like it, because there are too many scenes that feels so stupid for the matured people like us, especially the dog parts that makes us to say 'whaaat?'. But that is usual and expected in 'American Girl' films, so you have to ignore it if you decide to try it. There won't be any similar issues with the children, especially the girls who are the ones going to enjoy it more than anybody of us.

     A simple movie about baking, that means it is not going to demonstrate how to bake bakery items for us, but still it inspires the kids. One thing is for sure, after watching this you will definitely feel you want to taste a delicious cupcake. Most of the cast was new to me, except Virginia Madsen. But everyone was good in their respective roles, especially the new face who played the title role. This is not an easy movie to suggest, but if you got a young girl in your house like a niece or a daughter, definitely worth it to show them and a reason for us to join them, especially to know how much they adore it.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Summer Eleven, Ballet Shoes, Cadet Kelly, Camp Rock, Mean Girls,


External link(s):
    

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in