Each week the folks at Cinema Circus show a series of short films for kids at the Chilmark Community Center. Usually the films are shown on Wednesdays, but due to the Fourth of July falling on a Wednesday this year, the films will be shown on Monday, July 2. The screening begins at 6 p.m., but an hour earlier the circus — complete with jugglers, face painters, stilt walkers, food and music — gets underway.

An advanced screening of the films was arranged with two young Island cineastes. In a world with few certainties, the kid critic is the critic to trust.

This week’s reviewers are brother and sister team, Hardy, age 7, and Eirene (Pickle), age 4, Eville.

 

The Driving Accident (Dir. Rio Fitch / Canada / 2010 / 5 min.)

Hardy: I liked how they filmed it. The little boy was good at acting. His faces were funny and he had really cool smiles.

Pickle: The funny part is when he drives his car into the toilet. And it was funny when the boy looked at his own toothbrush but didn’t want to get it dirty so he used his dad’s.

Ballet of Unhatched Chicks (Dir. Shaun Kim / U.S.A. / 2011 / 2 min.)

Hardy: I didn’t understand this one. The music was good and it was funny because it was basically ballet with little chickens.

Pickle: I liked the yellow bird.

Blowin’ in the Wind (Dir. Brent Dawes / South Africa / 2010 / 5 min.)

Hardy: I loved this one, but what a stupid ant. I liked the part where the ant was basically sledding on his leaf and almost drowned himself.

Pickle: I liked how the little ant crawls. And I liked when his little ant hole farted.

Pl.ink! (Dir. Anne Kristin Berge / Norway, Poland / 2011 / 4 min.)

Hardy: There really was no story but the animation was awesome. My favorite part was when the big blobs of paint were chasing them through the fields of wheat.

Pickle: I have just one thought. I liked the scary part when the baby fell off the piano.

The Big Drive (Dir. Anita Lebeau / Canada / 2011 / 10 min.)

Hardy: I kind of liked this one. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s cool because they are making magic by blowing on things. And I liked how the car looked exactly real.

Pickle: I loved the Big Drive. All the girls in the car going do da dee dee do do. And I agree with what Hardy said.

Hamster Heaven (Dir. Paul Bolger / China, Ireland / 2010 / 4 min.)

Hardy: The hamsters die in this one.

Pickle: No, Hardy, they don’t die. They just pretend to die

Hardy: See, he’s dead.

Pickle: No, Hardy. No. The hamsters are just pretending to die so they will be together forever.

Hardy: Okay, I liked how they pretended to be dead.

Diversity (Dir. Tony Dusko / U.S.A. / 2010 / 1 min.)

Hardy: This one is kind of weird. It’s the shortest one.

Pickle: I don’t have any comments for this one.

Behind (Dir. Ga Young Black / Canada / 2011 / 3 min.)

Hardy: The backpack is magic – my favorite character was the backpack. I liked how the backpack scared everyone away and the big fat rabbit the size of a human who always throws dirt around.

Pickle: Hardy’s right, the backpack is magic. I think it was fun because I liked the backpack and whatever the red stuff was they were throwing around.

Bella and the Grey Whales of San Ignacio Lagoon (Dir. Marc Ostrick / U.S.A. / 2012 / 3 min.)

Hardy: I liked how it was like a bunch of kids going whale watching. It was a nature show.

Pickle: Bella is my friend. She’s in kindergarten at the Chilmark School. She’s in this movie. She is. She really, really, really is. See, that’s Bella. I liked how she dropped her tooth in the whale’s mouth.

Children Make Terrible Pets (Dir. Soup2Nuts / U.S.A. / 2011 / 8 min.)

Hardy: I don’t really know what to say, but it’s funny that a bear has a pet human.

Pickle: I liked squeaker because he squeaked.