VoiceAmerica

Eight-year-old Anthony Aranda comes from San Diego, CA where he lives with his parents and two siblings, ages 5 and 2. He has a dog named Patches and, when he's not going to movies, likes to visit Chuck E Cheese and play baseball. He aspires to be a professional baseball player when he grows up! His favorite movie is Ironman 2 and Nanny McPhee. In his free time, Anthony likes to read books and play games such as Four Square. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is his favorite book and Selena Gomez is his favorite actor. Anthony's most proud of getting all A’s in school and getting into the accelerated classes. The thing he enjoys most about his job as a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic: "Interviewing celebrities on the Red Carpet!" He got to interview American Idol finalists, Danny Gokey and Brooke White recently and appear onstage at the MCAS Miramar during a KIDS FIRST! special event.

Seven-year-old Ny'Asia Bell lives in Decatur, GA, just outside of Atlanta. She lives with her parents, a dog named Savanna, a bearded dragon lizard named Julie and an African dwarf frog named Michael. Her favorite movies include Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, the Land Before Time series, and Shiloh. Besides watching movies, she likes to shop and try out different restaurants. In her spare time, you might find her reading, playing with her pets or going to the park. Her favorite actors are Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez. Favorite Book - The New Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley. Favorite Food - mac & cheese! When she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian, a chemist or an entomologist. She already is a celebrity of some note having been featured on a magazine cover at the age of four, interviewed with her pets on a TV show, and featured on the front cover of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. What she loves about being a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic is being the first to see a new movie and interviewing the celebrities.

Fourteen-year-old Gabriella Chu lives in Flushing, New York where she attends 9th grade. Called Gabby by her friends, she is an ace student. Her greatest accomplishment was getting a full score on the NYS Math test. "I was so jubilant and almost speechless when my assistant principal gave me a certificate from President Obama." She loves movies. Her favorites are "Ratatouille," "Wall-E," "The Illusionist," and "Invictus." Actors she admires include Dakota Fanning, Ellen Page, Christian Bale and Steve Carell. Gabby likes to vacation with her parents, read books (Marley and Me by John Grogan and The Messenger by Markus Zusak are among her faves), and eat! She loves shrimp. Her favorite things about being a KIDS FIRST! film critic is watching and reviewing new films and meeting celebrities. Recently, she had the chance to view the new film, Judy Moody and the Bummer Summer and to interview the author of the book series, Megan McDonald and the actress who plays Judy Moody, Jordana Beatty.

Nine-year-old Makai Weber Colvin comes from Santa Fe, NM where she her friends call her Kai Kia or Ma-kaikai. She lives with her mom and dad and a frog, a dog named Maximus Ragnar (Max for short) and Sophie the cat. Makai's favorite movie is Finding Nemo, The Shrek films, and the Princess Protection Program. She likes watching movies with her parents and taking family road trips when "it's just us together." Makai loves to sing and dance in her backyard with her puppy as her audience, likes to invent games for her family and aspires to become a Rock Star! Her favorite actors are Minnie Pearl, Steve Carell and Taylor Lautner. Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift would be her favorite singers. Her favorite book is "The Lightening Thief" and her favorite foods are chocolate croissants, strawberries, raspberries and gummie bears. She is most proud of being in the Recycled Fashion Show and making her own dress from recycled magazines all by herself. She loves reviewing movies for KIDS FIRST! and can't wait to go to LA to meet some celebrities.

Thirteen-year-old Sam Connan lives in Santa Fe, NM with his parents, a cat named Rosie and two dogs, Sherlock and Holmes. He attends seventh grade at the Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences where he is on the high honor roll. In his free time, he likes to play board games, build with Legos, attend the opera, travel and go to the movies. His favorite movies are Star Wars and Indiana Jones. His favorite books are the Artemis Fowl series.

Sam’s true passion is singing and he aspires to become a singer when he grows up. He is most proud of getting into the Young Voices Program at the Santa Fe Opera when he was ten-years-old (a program normally reserved for high school students). He has attended Interlochen Arts Camp in their vocal program and will be attending Stage Door Manor, a theater camp this summer and has worked as an extra on four major motion pictures. Sam's extracurricular activities include lessons in voice and piano. What he loves about being a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic is seeing lots of great movies and improving his writing skills.

Thirteen-year-old Raven Sky Devanney hails from Boulder, CO where she lives with her mom and 6 year old brother and attends 7th grade. She has a slight menagerie of pets (3 cats, 2 dogs, 3 birds, and 3 fish: Luna, Mister, Playdough, Lady, Bo, Pickle Pie, Dave, and Peddie Jeffrey Longbottom.) Her favorite movies are Titanic and The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus. In her free time, Raven enjoys watching movies with her family, ice skating, playing basketball or dining on Ethiopian food. You might run into her shopping at the mall with her friends or find her writing, drawing or reading. Among her favorite books are Emily the Strange, The Giver and Skeleton Creek. Johnny Depp wins her heart as her favorite actor. She aspires to become an actress or model. The thing likes most about her job as a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic: "Getting to share my opinions about the films I watch and interviewing people in the entertainment business. It's all very exciting!"

Daniel Menegaz is a normal thirteen-year-old guy who was born and lives in Los Angeles, California, with his identical twin brother, Jonah, and his mom and dad. He also has a four-legged brother, Wilco the Wonder Dog, and a very old cat, Lucy. In his free time, he plays music—the bass (stand-up and electric), piano, cello, and he teaches himself drums. He plays bass in a band with his brother and two other friends. Favorite bands include U2, The Who, The White Stripes, and Radiohead. He also does basic things guys like to do, such as hang out with his friends, go to the movies, watch television and chat on Facebook. Daniel loves vacationing with his family and enjoys wakeboarding and snowboarding. An avid reader, Daniel's favorite book currently is The Hunger Games, with the other two in the trilogy close behind, and he's looking forward to seeing the movie when it comes out. Some of his favorite actors are Will Farrell, Matt Damon, Bruce Willis and Johnny Depp. He would like to be a musician when he grows up but if that doesn’t pan out, he’d like to be an entertainment attorney. The thing he likes most about being a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic is that he gets to share his opinion! “I have an appreciation for the arts. Why not be able to tell everyone what you think?”

Jonah Menegaz is a 13-year-old Los Angeles native. Music is a big part of his life and he really loves it. His favorite bands include: The Who, Neon Trees, Adele, Led Zeppelin, White Stripes and his very favorite----his own band, Game Over. Yes, that’s right, he writes his own rock music, along with his identical twin brother Daniel and two other band mates. He has been playing guitar since he was 8. Another thing he loves to do is hurl his body through the air in gymnastics. No one knows why he does it, but he loves it. Jonah wasn't a big reader until the day he got a copy of Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan. Now, he powers through books at record speed as long as the subject matter interests him.

Jonah loves to watch movies, especially action adventures and comedies. There are several movies he really likes: Easy A, District 9, It Might Get Loud and Inception. His 3 favorite actors/ actresses are Emma Stone, Johnny Depp and Matt Damon. He really likes being a film critic for KIDS FIRST! because it gives him a chance to share what he likes with other kids.