Emily and the Magical Journey Once upon a time, there was a curious and imaginative girl named Emily. She had always dreamt of going on an extraordinary adventure and discovering enchanted places. One sunny morning, Emily woke up feeling a tingling sensation in her fingertips, as if something magical was about to happen. As she headed to school, Emily noticed a peculiar book sitting on a park bench. The book shone with an ethereal glow, beckoning her to explore its secrets. With excitement bubbling in her chest, Emily eagerly opened the book.

Emily and the Magical Journey

Emily’s mother is sad. To maker her mom happy again, Emily is trying her hardest to be the perfect child. When Emily finds a mysterious chest, she’s transported to a magical world, where she meets the most fantastic creatures. But after scratching the surface, she finds out the horrible truth—the land is dying and the only one who can save it is Emily. But to do that she has to face her worst fear.

Dove Review

Ten-year-old Emily Adams (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland) has tried everything she can imagine to bring her mother, Chelsea (Jenny Lampa), happiness, but the debilitating pain from the death of her husband has left her scarred and aloof. Emily walks home alone from her basketball games, eats dinners with her nanny, and talks to her father’s photo next to the bed, wishing her mom, a famous children’s books author, didn’t have to work so late. Then one night, guided by brilliant “Phelecan” butterflies, Emily is transported to the forests of a secret, magical place called Faunutland, where she is astonished to meet Nightinglar (Jenny Lampa), a perky, quirky, wingless fairy. Nightinglar spritely leads Emily to her cozy, root-ridden, underground home where she introduces her baffled new friend to Belorac (Robert Tygner, Niklas Hermannson), a wise and loving monster.

They are thrilled to have Emily as a new friend since she is a child, a small human, not yet corrupted by fears that plague grown humans. And since Emily still has the courage to dream, to overcome fear, she may even be able to save Faunutland from an ominous witch (Chelsea Edge) who thrives on fear, and who darkened the happy castle of Faunutland, turning children into humans. Interestingly, we meet these humans in their fearful form as oddly behaving gray-haired men who are unable to breach the walls of Faunutland because of their fear. Weirdly humorous, they seem to bumble in circles, seeking to fight the monster darkness by pollenating flowers of the field.

In a clever “paper doll” scene, Nightinglar sadly reveals Faunutland’s history, explaining that the cause of its darkening was the loss of a magical, governing crystal which emanated a guiding light onto the land that she called home. Emily realizes only she can restore Faunutland by retrieving the priceless crystal. However, she must courageously traverse a path through a dark field of monsters to get to it. With the help of Belorac, who reminds her the magic and power is inside her, she marches on.

In a parallel world, Chelsea reads an essay Emily wrote about her, saddened that she hasn’t shown Emily love. Simultaneously, Emily has made it to the dreaded Well of Echos, where the crystal lies, and suffers an experience that illuminates her understanding of her mother’s inability to scale the painful wall of grief.

Emily and the Magical Journey is filled with color and imagination- a Narnia meets The Hobbit meets Raggedy Ann – in a good way! The sets and locations serve to create two unique places, although there’s a bit of disconnect that the characters are American, living in a European town. (It’s actually filmed in Sweden with dialect-proficient Swedish actors, among others.) Cinematography and directing are wonderfully convincing, creating and using detail that brings life to the story’s milieus. Most impressive is the fantastic work of Jenny Lampa, portraying two diverse characters, mastering both comedy and serious drama. Her created character, Nightinglar, is delightfully unpredictable and fun. Tipper Seifert-Cleveland is a pleasure to watch, as she delivers a developed, thoughtful performance, ahead of her age.

From a Christian perspective, there are a couple of concerns that discerning Dove families should bear in mind. Christians hold to the message that God is our strength. This film, like many secular stories about inner fortitude, communicates the belief that the power is within self. The Christian belief is what God tells us in Isaiah: 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you.” The popular culture belief is “Do not fear, for you are with you.” (How’s that working?) And there is reliance on magic to accomplish goals, as well as pointing out the bad news that humans teach children to be like … humans. This could go either way, of course. However, one particular moral of the story encourages having love in one’s heart. All of these are potential teaching points and could lend themselves to helping kids of all ages learn to discern. With this in mind, Dove awards Emily and the Magical Journey the All-Ages Seal of Approval.

The Dove Take:

Although Emily and the Magical Journey professes secular philosophy, this clever family fantasy film travels between two worlds, ultimately offering hope for restoring relationships.

Emily and the Magical Journey

Common Sense Media reviewers include writers, editors, and child development experts. They're trained in creating high-quality parenting advice based on best practices in child development.

Fantasy-adventure has scary moments, little magic.

With excitement bubbling in her chest, Emily eagerly opened the book. To her astonishment, the pages were filled with mesmerizing illustrations of mystical creatures, far-off lands, and a map leading to an enchanted forest. Unable to resist the call of the unknown, Emily embarked on an extraordinary journey into the pages of the magical book.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Encourages curiosity, compassion, and perseverance

Imagination has the power to overcome fear. With i

Emily is brave and courageous and conquers a serie

No fighting, no blood. The witch causes some trees

Parents need to know that Emily and the Magical Journey is a fantasy adventure for family and kids. Through the magic of imagination, Emily (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland) enters Faunutland, a fantasy world of her father's creation. The movie begins seriously as it notes that Emily recently lost her father. Some…

Educational Value

Positive Messages

Imagination has the power to overcome fear. With imagination, anything is possible. Emphasizes love in your heart and love of family.

Positive Role Models

Emily is brave and courageous and conquers a series of intimidating and scary situations. She shows kindness to unknown creatures and unconditional love for her mother. The mother, though, is neglectful, cold, and distant until the last scene.

Violence & Scariness

No fighting, no blood. The witch causes some trees to burst aflame. A few of the monster companions fall over as if dead, but revive later. Some scary scenes and moments of peril could be too much for sensitive young viewers. Terrifying music and score greatly contribute to the scariness. A few monsters could scare a younger child, namely the large Belorac and hooded witch. Creepy, disturbing whispers in a cave: "You'll never make it," "It's all your fault," "Your mother doesn't love you," "She will never love you as much as she loved your father," "It's your fault your father is dead," and even, "Your mother wishes you were dead instead of your father."

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Emily and the Magical Journey is a fantasy adventure for family and kids. Through the magic of imagination, Emily (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland) enters Faunutland, a fantasy world of her father's creation. The movie begins seriously as it notes that Emily recently lost her father. Some scary scenes and moments of peril could be too much for sensitive young viewers. Surprisingly terrifying music and score greatly contribute to the scariness. A few monsters could scare a younger child, namely the large Belorac and hooded witch. There are scenes of intimidating gestures from little monsters, haunting whispers in a scary cave ("You'll never make it," "It's all your fault," "Your mother doesn't love you," "She will never love you as much as she loved your father," "It's your fault your father is dead," "Your mother wishes you were dead instead of your father."), the frightening powers of the witch of fear, and a cold, chilly mother. Still, kids can find a brave role model in Emily, who perseveres in the face of more than a few harrowing situations. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.

As her foot touched the illustration of the enchanted forest, she was instantly transported to a world beyond her wildest dreams. In the enchanted forest, Emily encountered talking animals, sparkling fairies, and towering trees that whispered ancient secrets. She felt a profound connection to nature and a sense of wonder that she had never experienced before. Every step she took filled her with a renewed sense of curiosity, as if she was in a place where fantasy and reality intertwined. On her journey, Emily learned valuable lessons about bravery, kindness, and the power of belief. She helped a lost fairy find her way home, stood up to a group of mischievous goblins, and befriended a wise old owl who guided her through the forest. Along the way, Emily's heart swelled with compassion and her mind blossomed with newfound wisdom. As Emily delved deeper into the enchanted forest, she encountered a daunting challenge. A wicked sorceress threatened to plunge the realm into darkness, casting spells that weakened the magical beings. Drawing from her inner strength, Emily rallied the creatures of the forest to stand alongside her. With unwavering determination and the power of friendship, they overcame the sorceress and restored harmony to the land. As Emily bid farewell to her newfound friends, she was filled with a profound sense of gratitude. The magical journey had not only awakened her adventurous spirit, but also taught her about the magic that resides within each person. She realized that ordinary individuals like her could create extraordinary moments and make a difference in the world. With her heart full of memories and wisdom, Emily closed the magical book, knowing that she had embarked on an adventure of a lifetime. She returned to her everyday life, but with a newfound appreciation for the beauty and wonder that exists all around us. And so, Emily continued to live her life with a twinkle in her eye, sharing the lessons she had learned from her magical journey. With each passing day, she reminded herself to never stop dreaming and to always seek the magic that resides within..

Reviews for "Emily and the Hidden Magic: A Journey into the Unknown"

- Ryan - 1 star

I found "Emily and the magical journey" to be highly disappointing. The storyline was incredibly predictable and lacked any sort of originality. The characters were one-dimensional and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, making it a struggle to stay engaged in the story. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and memorable reading experience.

- Sarah - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Emily and the magical journey" based on the promising synopsis, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The writing style felt amateurish and the plot was underdeveloped. The author introduced interesting concepts but failed to explore them fully, leaving the story feeling shallow and incomplete. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with their experiences. I was left feeling unsatisfied with the overall reading experience and would not recommend this book to others.

- Justin - 1 star

"Emily and the magical journey" was a major letdown. The plot was disjointed and illogical, making it difficult to suspend disbelief and fully immerse myself in the story. The protagonist, Emily, was an incredibly frustrating character, always making nonsensical decisions that only served to further convolute the already confusing plot. The dialogue was clunky and the pacing was all over the place, making it a laborious task to finish the book. I regret wasting my time on this poorly executed adventure and would not recommend it to others.

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