The highly praised film from Angel Studios is filled with plenty of emotions from all of the characters. Sketch focuses on a family grieving over the loss of the wife/mother. 

At the heart of the story is Amber (Bianca Belle) who has alway loved drawing but since the loss of her mother her sketches have become dark and menacing. She draws monsters attacking people and even one sketch of her frenemy Bowman (Kalon Cox) being stabbed in the stomach. 

These dark pictures draws the attention of the school’s counselor. She explains that Amber is doing the right thing by putting her anger into images rather than taking it out on real people. 

Amber’s brother Jack (Kue Lawrence), on the other hand, is grieving by being silent but also looking out for his sister. And their father Taylor (Tony Hale) is simply grieving while trying to be a good dad and help his kids through this difficult time. 

The kids discover a mysterious pond where Amber’s drawings come to life. What ultimately happens is that these monsters end up attacking the town, causing chaos and fear. But how can anyone stop them?

Amber, Jack, and Bowman band together to try to find a way to stop the chaos that is unraveling throughout the community. How can they stop the menacing creatures that have come from Amber’s imagination?

Let’s face it, this girl has quite an imagination and a love of colors. The monsters are bright blue, red, and other colors that, if they were not evil, would be quite cute in their own way.

The bottom line is, this family has gone through a very dark time and the grief has played out through Amber’s sketches. But Jack is also displaying his personal grief in his own way. And, he thinks if he puts his mother’s ashes in the magic pond she will return to life. 

After seeing how much his children are suffering, Taylor realizes he must change his own attitude and ultimately help them through this devastating event as a family. And in the end the family is stronger than ever, albeit without the matriarch.

This is a bittersweet tale. On the one hand, the loss of a parent is deeply emotional. And on the other hand, the family bond strengthens to meet the grief they all face, but now they are able to get through it together.

There are some scary scenes which might be too disturbing to some youngsters. The storyline, however, is one of overcoming a sad situation and making it as good as it can be.

Sketch opens in theaters August 6, 2025.

The film is rated PG for scary action, some violence, thematic elements, language and rude humor.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, and is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. Francine is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Images supplied courtesy Angel Studios

In this animated film, the life of iconic artist Frida Kahlo unfolds in a colorful and imaginative way. Hola Frida focuses on the trials and tribulations, the ups and downs, the good and bad, and the sadness and resolve of this girl who endured a lot in her life and overcame so much. 

The movie introduces Frida to an audience that might never have known about her life and career. Her Mexican culture blended beautifully with her modern art and her great imagination and use of color.

The art is secondary to the life story of Frida. It begins with her as a young child, filled with hope and kindness. She is a free spirit until a bout of polio sidelines her and commits her to her bed – for awhile. With one leg overtaken by the disease, little Frida has to learn to walk with a brace on that leg, and ultimately regain her strength. It is her inner strength that helps her move forward and gain the physical strength to continue with her life.

While Frida grows, she encounters a school bully with his own personal problems. She also endures some bullying by others at the school, but soon her resilience and true inner kindness prevails.

Frida is a joy to be with. She is filled with hope and love. She is also on her way to being a doctor so she could help others, but that was not to be. Inspired by colors and art, Frida forgoes her dreams of being a doctor to become an artist. And when she suffers another medical emergency, her inner toughness once again brings her back from the brink of death.

Having been near death twice, Frida forges on, knowing each time that it was not her time to die and that she was going to accomplish her dreams of being an artist. 

The movie is unique in that it delves deep into the imagination of this young girl. Her inner soul – or spirit – helped guide her through the tough times. In that sense, it is very inspirational.

As she grows, young Frida draws in her notebook, which is the impetus for her burgeoning art career. Director Karine Vézina said, “Frida Kahlo’s personal journals are a true source of inspiration for Little Frida’s notebook, and they also serve as a temporal marker, with the flipbook-style animation speeding up or rewinding time!”

When asked how the filmmakers approached the animation to blend Frida’s work with her imagination, Vézina said, “That was one of the challenges of the film. We wanted to showcase Frida’s works, but some elements could be difficult to present to children.” Co-director André Kadi added, “We chose to suggest them within her imaginary world, as early glimpses of what would later become her pictorial universe, since she herself said she wasn’t a surrealist and simply painted her reality.”

This aspect of presenting elements of Frida’s life as her imagination is interesting, and definitely colorful. Frida’s imaginary world is bright and beautiful, and is part of what helps her get through her life.

The movie is filled with some sad elements but ultimately brings the bravery and success of Frida to light. It is a colorful and, as stated earlier, a very imaginative film that is meant to introduce Frida to a young audience. 

Young viewers will undoubtedly embrace Frida and her courage as she grows and endures so much. But in the end it is a movie about triumphing over adversity. She became one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century, and now her story is told in an interesting way for both young and old.

Hola Frida is not rated by the MPAA, however it is suitable for most ages. The very young might be a little too sad and emotional during Frida’s struggles, however given the positive message and ending, it is definitely geared for all ages.

The movie opens in theaters August 8, 2025.  The ultimate message is “Viva la vida!” (Long live life/Enjoy life) 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists and is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Images supplied courtesy Level 33/Hola Frida

The film Folktales takes viewers into the journey of several teenagers as they experience a life-changing year and move into adulthood. This documentary takes place at Pasvik Folk High School in northern Norway where the students learn more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. They learn about themselves, life, and how to grow as a person.

The “Norns” in Norse mythology are the deities weaving fate and shaping humans’ futures. These students get an unconventional lesson in learning about themselves and what life might have in store for them. They learn how to cope, how to believe in themselves, and they gain self-confidence, which is what most of them lack when they arrive.

They all experience life-changing lessons that will have an effect on them forever. These teens learn about how to take care of animals, how to hunt, how to survive in the wilderness, and much more.

Sled dogs are part of the school. The students must take care of their dogs, show them love and compassion, and learn how to hook them up and drive their sled through the Arctic wilderness. It’s not as easy as it looks. These Alaskan Huskies also become their companions as the teens bond with them and, spoiler alert, are heartbroken when one of them dies. It’s a touching scene.

The scope of the year brings the teenagers closer to the land, animals, and each other. They are completely different when it comes to personalities. Some are very shy, some are confused about life, and others grab onto life with gusto. But combining these very different personalities in a remote location with situations in which they would probably never find themselves if they hadn’t come to the school, is a lesson in life itself.

By the time they graduate they are more confident in themselves and what they can accomplish. It is inspiring and the film tells their stories in a way that captures the attention of viewers. The cinematography blends with the students’ activities and their growth as they take this incredible journey to adulthood. They came to the school as teens without any real direction in their lives, and they left with compassion, self-assurance, and a new perspective on life and the world.

Folktales opens in theaters August 1, 2025. It was filmed in Norway and includes both English and Norwegian dialogue.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Images courtesy Magnolia Pictures