Riddle of Fire (2024)

 

 

Movie Name/Year: Riddle of Fire (2024)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Length:  1h 53min

Rating: PG-13

Director: Weston Razooli

Writer: Weston Razooli

Actors: Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Weston Razooli, Lorelei Olivia Mote, Austin Archer, Abigail Sakari, Phoebe Ferro, Charlie Stover, Danielle Hoetmer, Rachel Browne, Skyler Peters, Andrea Browne, Lonzo Liggins, Chuck Marra, Colleen Baum, Sohrab Mirmont, Kent Richards

Film Website: www.riddleoffirethemovie.com

 

IMDb Blurb: Three mischievous children embark on a woodland odyssey when their mother sends them on an errand.

 

Selina’s Point of View:

The trailer for Riddle of Fire was interesting if a bit cutesy. So, that’s what I was mostly expecting from the film. A cute little fairy tale, with a little-kid twist to it. Possibly with the shock value that comes with kids causing havoc and doing things you’d mostly expect from teens.

 

Instead of something simple, funny, and cute – I got something that was deep and full of whimsy. A fairy tale that had an air of danger. It was so much better than I’d even hoped. That says a lot, because it made #8 on my Top 20 movies to look out forin March. My hopes were already high.

 

I love the way Riddle of Fire was shot. There was a constant green tint that gave everything a very Celtic flair. It made the use of fairies and witches seem at home, though the magical language seemed to be Greek. It was a mash-up of lore that worked to make something that carried an ethereal feel to it.

 

There’s no way I can talk about Riddle of Fire without including my thoughts about Lio Tipton (Warm Bodies, Vengeance, Why Women Kill). I adore them. I think Tipton is extremely under-rated. They are one of those actors I would follow to just about any project. I have since Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) – despite most of their scenes in that movie being written in such a cringey way that I have to hide through the second-hand embarrassment the whole time.

 

I digress.

 

 

Lio Tipton has a range that not a whole lot of actors can boast. If you look at their early career, it seemed as if they were going to be typecast – but something sent that off the track and now you can really see how well they do just about everything. Their performance in Riddle of Fire was flawless.

 

Where kids’ acting is something I opt to only discuss in certain situations, I don’t mind talking about it here.

 

Naturally, kids are less experienced, and you need to have a different set of expectations for them. That’s just a fact. The kids in Riddle of Fire fit the feel of the film. I believed what they were selling me enough that their performances felt right for the fairy tale setting.

 

Weston Razooli (Anaxia, Jolly Boy Friday, Trials of the Red Mystic) made their full-length debut in Riddle of Fire. It’s a hell of a statement. There’s a bit of a tweak that can be made here or there, a scene that could be removed or altered, but it’s a damn fine debut. It’s high quality and feels as if a much more experienced director was at the helm. I will absolutely be looking out for more from him in the future.

 

I would recommend Riddle of Fire to anyone with a love for fairy tales.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I absolutely adored Riddle of Fire.

 

That being said, I did have a few reservations when I first watched the trailer. I wasn’t sure where the film would land on the scale of watchability or if the story would come together. I had a few questions, but I was intrigued, and very excited that we got a chance to take an early peek at Riddle of Fire to offer a review.

 

This story is a bit of a re-imagining and twist on the “kids with bikes” adventure genre. These particular kids had dirt bikes rather than traditional bicycles, and they were armed with paintball guns rather than slingshots or home-made gadgets. I appreciated this new spin.

 

I was struck with some serious nostalgia as I watched Riddle of Fire. It was a bit of a time capsule bringing me back to a time when kids had more freedom (and general safety) to roam during the summer and get into all sorts of shenanigans. We just had to be back home before dinner.

 

Riddle of Fire was whimsical with its touches of fantasy – right down to the Celtic-like font that illustrated the credits and necessary captions and even the, what sounded like, Greek (if not Greek-adjacent) words of magic. It was a tale of immortal reptiles, bandits, and nomad fairies.  There was even a challenging quest for a special potion of healing in the form of a pie, which offered an excellent framework for the adventure to unfold.

 

I loved the humor and the thrill of the hunt, as well as the potential danger that the kids found themselves in. It was a test and testimonial for their friendship. The story stirred so many heartwarming feelings. Even the way that Riddle of Fire was filmed was an excellent strategy to deliver this modern fairytale. 

 

 

The fact that Lio Tipton (Warm Bodies, Why Women Kill, Vengeance) was involved with the film was another draw for me and one of the sparks for my initial interest in this production. I’ve been a fan of theirs from figure skating to America's Next Top Model (2003-2018) and into acting. Their journey has been a joy to watch and I really appreciate the depth they brought to their character here in Riddle of Fire. I was actually intimidated by the intensity of the look in their eyes at a few points.

 

When kids are involved – especially generally fresh and untested talent – things can be a bit unpredictable and sometimes the performances don’t quite hit the right note. It's just a bit of performance roulette that comes with the territory. In this case, the lack of some polish just enhanced the wild and unsupervised freedom of these mischief makers within the story.

 

Weston Razooli (The Book of Three Snakes, Trials of the Red Mystic, Jolly Boy Friday) really knocked this out of the park as a feature film debut as writer and director. I was, frankly, surprised that this was his first full-length outing. Of course, Riddle of Fire wasn’t flawless, but that just means he has so much room to grow into his craft. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

 

Riddle of Fire will be reaching theaters with a limited release premiering Friday, March 22^nd. I’ll definitely be rooting for this movie and hope it performs well.

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 89%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –None

Metascore – 49%

Metacritic User Score – None

IMDB Score – 7.0/10

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

 

Movie Trailer:

Crater (2023)

 

 

Streaming Service: Disney+

Movie Name/Year: Crater (2023)

Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Family

Length:  1h 45min

Rating: PG

Production/Distribution: 21 Laps Entertainment, Truenorth Productions, Walt Disney Pictures, ABC Television, Disney XD, Disney+

Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez

Writer: John Griffin

Actors: Ashlan Rowan, Billy Barratt, Brady Noon, Carson Minniear, Hero Hunter, Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Jermaine McTizic, Mckenna Grace, Orson Hong, Piper Rubio, Scott Mescudi (aka Kid Cudi), Selenis Leyva, Thomas Boyce, Viviana Chavez

 

IMDb Blurb: After the death of his father, a boy growing up on a lunar mining colony takes a trip to explore a legendary crater, along with his four best friends, prior to being permanently relocated to another planet.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

When I first watched the trailer for Crater, in prep for the May 2023 Top 20 article, I was very excited to see this movie. I’ve been biding my time and now that it has been released, I was not disappointed. It was absolutely fitting for the #4 placement I gave it on my list. 

In the article, I said that Crater looked like it would be a “genuine feel-good family movie that took the ‘kids on bikes’ ensemble concept to a whole new level out of this world.” It gave me the feeling that it would have a similar vibe to movies dear to my heart such as The Goonies (1985) and relatable to younger audiences that are more familiar with Stranger Things (2016-). I definitely got those vibes from Crater and appreciated how the production maneuvered through darker concepts, balanced with the lightness of the kids’ friendship, and tempered the story with hope. 

 

There were some moments that felt really heavy, but I think there was just enough edge of levity and counterpoint brought out by the kids’ resilient spirits and their character growth that it didn’t seem like the weight was impossible. I got a little misty at one point but was never really pushed over the edge to tears - and am glad for that. This has been a busy holiday weekend and I’m already running on the fumes of exhaustion. Crater’s message was light enough to be uplifting and gave good vibes without being hokey. 

That was one thing I really was concerned about. Direct to Disney movies tend to be a little on the cheesy side. Crater didn’t go that route. This was a film I would have been fine with paying for a ticket at a theater to see - in fact, I wish that had been an option, as the visuals would have been spectacular on the big screen.

 

 

That brings me to my next point. The effects and attention to detail were impressive. The Mouse House didn’t pinch pennies when it came to getting things generally right as far as the physics of space and moon travel were concerned. I believed every moment that I watched, completely under the spell of the story unfolding before me. I’m even willing to forgive their apparent lack of airlocks. That was the only thing I could even remotely nitpick about. 

 

The young ensemble cast worked well together and gelled in a way that shone a light on both their diversity and commonalities. I really hope that this helps launch them into more great things, for those that are just getting started in their careers. Of course, they weren’t all new. I have adored Mckenna Grace (Gifted, Troop Zero, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) in everything I’ve seen her in, and Crater was no exception. 

As I mentioned before, there are some heavier themes within the story that very young kids might have a hard time with, but there isn’t anything explicit or graphic that would be inappropriate for small children. Crater would be an excellent pick for a family movie night and I think I might even be watching it again in the near future with mine.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 63%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –63%

Metascore – 65%

Metacritic User Score – 4.5/10

IMDB Score – 5.2/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

 

Movie Trailer:

Blue's Big City Adventure (2022)

 

 
Streaming Service: Paramount+
Movie Name/Year: Blue’s Big City Adventure (2022)
Genre: Comedy, Musical, Family
Length: 1h 22min
Rating: TV-Y
Production/Distribution: Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, 9 Story Media Group, Nickelodeon Network, Paramount+
Director: Matt Stawski
Writers: Liz Maccie, Angela Santomero
Actors: BD Wong, Alex Winter, Steve Burns, Ali Stroker, Steven Pasquale, Joshua Dela Cruz, Donovan Patton, Taboo, Jacob Soley, Ava Augustin, Amanda Dela Cruz, Brianna Bryan, Traci Paige Johnson
 
IMDb Blurb: Josh and Blue head to New York City to audition for a big Broadway musical.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
If I had to sum up my experience with Blue’s Big City Adventure, I’d call it an adorable big-screen-worthy addition to the wholesome franchise. This is the sort of movie you can watch with very little kids and feel 100% confident that they’re not going to be watching anything questionable at all. The bonus is that there was enough going on that adults shouldn’t be too bored watching along, too!
 
Admittedly, I’m far outside of the demographic Blue’s Clues (1996-2020) is geared towards. My daughter has even outgrown the inquisitive blue pup and her sidekicks. All the same, I wasn’t bored to tears watching Blue’s Big City Adventure.
 

This full-length movie felt like an extended special feature for the Blue’s Clues show that condensed a small Broadway production into a format palatable for the very young. The singing and dancing were spot on and highly entertaining, even though they were working through problem-solving and hunting those iconic blue paw print clues.
 
Blue’s Big City Adventure even presents methods of combating performance anxiety through de-stressing techniques and preparing for the task at hand adequately. In this case, vocal warm-up exercises were an apt preparation. There’s also a lot to be said for the teamwork lessons here, too. I don’t want to give it all away, but I was pleased with the ‘lessons’ couched in fun, song, and dance.

 
Of course, there’s also the matter of a Blue’s Clues host reunion of sorts taking place on screen. Steve Burns (Netherbeast Incorporated, Christmas on Mars, Blue's Clues & You) and Donovan Patton (Team Umizoomi, Super PupZ, Gabby's Dollhouse) join forces to help current host Joshua Dela Cruz (Point Man, Adam Bloom, The Tiny Chef Show) and Blue find their way through New York City in hopes of making it in time for Josh’s Broadway audition.
 
I was even giggling over the cameo appearances.

 
The Holiday Season tends to be rather hectic and kids tend to have large chunks of time away from school during this time period. Blue’s Big City Adventure was well timed in its release to Paramount+ so that it presents a constructive option to offer kids while adults are busy with holiday preparation and chores. I’ll say, though, that it would work wonderfully as a family experience together as well. An added bonus is that Blue’s Big City Adventure is streaming on Paramount+ so it doesn’t require all of the hassle and wrangling to get little ones to a theater.
 
Either way, I’m thrilled that this adorable little blue pup can frolic through our homes this year, and absolutely would recommend anyone with young kids to check it out. 

 
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 80%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 95%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6.4/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

P.S. - There is a mid-credits scene, as well as a small song and dance number immediately afterward. 
 
Movie Trailer: