McKenna Shoots for the Stars (2012)

Director:

Vince Marcello

Writers:

Jessica O'Toole (teleplay)
Amy Rardin (teleplay)
(more)

Genre:

Drama

Cast

Jade Pettyjohn	...	McKenna Brooks
Kerris Dorsey	...	Josie Myers
Nia Vardalos	...	Mrs. Brooks
Ian Ziering	...	Mr. Brooks
Ysa Penarejo	...	Toulane Thomas
Cathy Rigby	...	Isabelle Manning
Kally Berard	...	Sierra Kuchinko
Talia Pura	...	Grandma
Paula Rivera	...	Mrs. Thomas
George Chiang	...	Mr. Wu
Kadence Kendall Roach	...	Maisey Brooks
Paiten Raine Roach	...	Mara Brooks
Aisha Alfa	...	Announcer
Will Woytowich	...	Cowboy Bob
Abbey Thickson	...	Impatient Girl Tutor
Emma Leipsic	...	Megan Murphy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stefanie Wiens	...	School Librarian

Directed by
Vince Marcello

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mary Casanova		novel
Jessica O'Toole		teleplay
Amy Rardin		teleplay

Produced by
Ellen L. Brothers	....	executive producer
Steven Brown	....	producer
Debra Martin Chase	....	executive producer
Erin Falligant	....	co-producer
Gaylyn Fraiche	....	producer
Ellen Rutter	....	co-producer
Kim Todd	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Tim Wynn		(as Timothy Michael Wynn)

Cinematography by
Jon Joffin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Paul Millspaugh

Production Design by
Craig Sandells

Set Decoration by
Andrea Spakowski

Costume Design by
Mary Partridge-Raynor		(as Mary Partridge)

Makeup Department
Daena Groleau	....	assistant makeup artist
Ediena Hawkes	....	assistant hair stylist
Travis Marszalek	....	key hair stylist
Cindy Smith	....	key makeup artist
Alisha Talbot	....	first assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Jeff Bessner	....	post-production supervisor
Ellen Rutter	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roman Buchok	....	first assistant director
Mimi Crowe	....	third assistant director
Brad Medhurst	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nick Burns	....	storyboard artist
Scott Hadaller	....	graphic designer
C. Summer Holmes	....	lead dresser
Robert Kestler	....	on-set dresser
Scott Layton	....	set dresser
Brent Letain	....	construction coordinator
Van McLean	....	head carpenter
Kristin Shanski	....	property master
Laura Souter	....	art department coordinator
Katharina Stieffenhofer	....	set buyer
Paul Wagner	....	property master
Greg Warkentin	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Richard Calistan	....	adr editor (as Rich Calistan)
Steve Copley	....	foley recordist
John Elliot	....	foley artist
Joe Mancuso	....	dialogue editor
Edgar Ozolins	....	boom operator
Dino Schiavone	....	production sound mixer
Dan Sexton	....	sound effects editor
Dan Sexton	....	sound supervisor
Brad Thornton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Williamson	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Ed Preston	....	special effects coordinator
Wesley Reid	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Bill Rude	....	visual effects supervisor: Los Angeles
Michael Shand	....	visual effects supervisor (as Mike Shand)

Stunts
Kristen Sawatzky	....	stunt double: Josie
Dan Skene	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Todd Elyzen	....	camera operator: 'b' camera
Allen Fraser	....	still photographer
Shane Gowler	....	generator operator
Cynthia Greer	....	second assistant camera: 'b' camera
Jesse Harris	....	dolly grip: 'b' camera
Ting Henson	....	best boy electric
Doug Kiddell	....	rigging gaffer
Namowan Kirby	....	lead grip
Marvin Klein	....	lead lighting
Izak Mallin	....	camera trainee
Matt Margolis	....	best boy grip
Marty McInally	....	camera operator: 'a' camera
Jason McKinnon	....	lighting designer
Jeremy Milmine	....	lighting crew
Mark Motoch	....	generator operator
Robert L. O'Hara	....	dolly grip: 'a' camera (as Rob O'Hara)
Jos Oman	....	first assistant camera: 'a' camera
Laird Pierce	....	second assistant camera: 'a' camera
Rob Rowan	....	gaffer
Julian Saray	....	grip
Richard Sinclair	....	first assistant camera: 'b' camera (as Rich Sinclair)
John Westerlaken	....	key grip

Casting Department
Shelly Anthis	....	extras casting
Stephanie Gorin	....	casting: Canada
Him Heber	....	casting: Canada
Elizabeth Lang	....	casting: US (as Liz Lang)
Patty Majorczak-Connolly	....	adr voice casting
Marcia Ross	....	casting: US
Mark Sussman	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katelynd Johnston	....	costume buyer
William Ng	....	costume set supervisor
Madeleine Stewart	....	costume buyer
Soo Luen Tom	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Dax Brooks	....	first assistant editor
Jodie Brown	....	post-production coordinator
Colin Moore	....	colorist
Rocky Polidoro	....	on-line editor
Brett Trider	....	colorist

Music Department
Julianne Jordan	....	music supervisor
Will Kaplan	....	supervising music editor
Patrick Kirst	....	composer: additional music
Dave Lawrence	....	music editor
Christopher Lennertz	....	score producer
Christopher Lennertz	....	themes
Jessica Neilson	....	music coordinator
Drew Silverstein	....	music coordinator
Drew Silverstein	....	score coordinator

Transportation Department
Stephen McGuire	....	transportation captain (as Steve McGuire)
John Mysyk	....	transportation coordinator
Franklin Swark	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
G. Thomas Arnold	....	assistant location manager (as G. Thom Arnold)
Pia Athayde	....	production accountant
Susan Boyajian	....	voice actor
Cathie J. Edgar	....	location manager
Jodi Goldberg	....	creative consultant
Kerri Heppner	....	assistant production coordinator
Rochelle Hykawy	....	production assistant
Alanna Mills	....	script supervisor
Amanda Misquez	....	voice actor
Becky Pelto	....	first assistant accountant
Bill Rude	....	title designer
RoseAnna Schick	....	unit publicist
Colleen Wowchuk	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Martin Chase Productions
• Original Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Home Video (2012) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Canada Film Capital  tax incentive consulting services
• Evolve Speciality Catering  catering
• Technicolor Toronto  re-recording studio

Also Known As:

"An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars" - USA (alternative title)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Martin Chase Productions

Movie Connections:

Follows An American Girl Adventure (2005) (TV)

Fun and inspiring

McKenna Brooks is in the fourth grade but hopes to be an Olympic gymnast someday. She pushes herself really hard, and Coach Isabelle worries she's not ready for some of the moves she attempts. McKenna's best friend Toulane also aspires to be an Olympic gymnast because her older sister was hurt and lost her opportunity. Correction: Toulane's mother aspires for Toulane to be an Olympic gymnast, and Toulane can't tell her mother how she really feels. Meanwhile, McKenna is having trouble in school, and her parents expect her to improve her grades or no gymnastics. Her teacher Mr. Wu suggests Josie as a tutor. Josie is in a wheelchair, which gives the movie another opportunity for an inspiring story. But even though she is quite friendly and patient, her techniques make McKenna feel like a little child who has to start over. It will be a long road uphill, with plenty of obstacles to overcome.

This movie offers a lot of lessons about responsibility, determination, and the real meaning of friendship. It is kind of preachy but gets the message across with feel-good moments and plenty of humor.

Kerris Dorsey and Ysa Penarejo, as Josie and Toulane respectively, both do a reasonably good job acting, and both have their moments, but one can tell they are acting when they deliver dialogue. Dorsey does a very good job when it is her turn to be frightened, after Josie has been so strong and confident.

Nia Vardalos and Ian Ziering both do okay as McKenna's parents, but they're not quite up to the superior level one might hope for. Vardalos has more to do and does it better.

Jade Pettyjohn, however, becomes McKenna and does an outstanding job. She is so adorable and easy to like.

I didn't know Cathy Rigby could act, but I did not know which one was her. I figured she might be the coach, but she was so good.

The gymnasts also do an excellent job. In McKenna's case, we can't see her face and her hair is slightly different when she is doing her most difficult stunts, so I think we know what that means. It's hard to believe they're just kids. It's a beautiful thing to watch all these kids going through their routines--almost like Esther Williams without the water.

As would be expected for a movie targeting young girls, there's not a lot of music. There is a lot of what young girls think is music. But the movie does offer four exceptions to the rule. There is generic background music which is listenable for someone with my taste. And a song with the lyrics "Breathe in, breathe out" is sort of good. But two of the movie's funniest scenes have good music. One is a hilarious sequence where McKenna tries out different tutors. In another, Toulane behaves like a spy because of her jealousy when McKenna has secrets and other friends. In the library she uses her gymnastics skills to sneak around. The music resembles the "Mission: Impossible" theme.

The movie makes effective use of visual effects and editing, illustrating McKenna's problems with concentration, and dramatically showing her difficulty, through rapid-fire editing, taking a test when she can't remember anything.

This is a very good effort and one that is really worth seeing. There is no offensive content here. Just a few scary scenes, but this is appropriate for all ages.