A fantastic musical series that uses imagination to highlight self-confidence.
Recommended for age
4 +
Editor rating:
☆☆☆☆☆5/5
Positive Messages
/10
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
/10
Intimacy
/10
Violence
/10
Profanity
/10
Positive Role Models
/10
Year:
2018
Genre:
Comedy
Director:
Josh Wakely
Medium:
Netflix
Synopsis: Ben an 8 year old boy has been asked share his talents in school, but he is worried because he thinks he has no talent to showcase. Ben mentions this to his grandmother who sends him on an unusual errand where Ben discovers a magic paintbrush that empowers him. Ben, now equipped with a magic paintbrush, transforms his city by bringing to street art to life
This fantastic show for children has been created by Josh Wakely who co-created Beat Bugs. In this little gem of a series - Ben, an unassuming little boy utilizes a magic paintbrush to bring street art to life. Motown Magic has wonderfully and seamlessly integrated in the narrative remakes of classic Motown songs. The show's main character, Ben, is always ready to help others and do the right things, and the show's messages about creativity and self-esteem are particularly strong.
The city setting is reflected in the scenery as well as the ethnic diversity of the characters. This incredible series is a good choice for parents and kids to enjoy together. The themes Motown includes are family bonds, imagination, creativity, teamwork and appreciating individuality.
The storyline
Ben, an 8-year boy, lives with his family in Motown (a fictional town). His family is very creative, notably his grandparents, Marvin (Ryan Robinson) and Ruby (Rhonda Morman), who are always singing and playing on the patio of the apartment building.
Ben worries that he's the only one in the family who isn't gifted somehow, but Grandma assures him that he is. She leads Ben to an old house, which he's not seen before, where he discovers a paintbrush tangled in a plant. When he draws it out, it transforms into a portal on the mural nearby.
He climbs in and is now inside the mural (the ark work). He meets Sky Writer (Autumn Joy), a flying girl who reveals to him that the paint brush is called "Masterpiece," He is the Artist selected to bring life back to the neighbourhood's art and the art on the walls.
He doesn't believe he is, and colours vanish every time he touches it. He helps bring in his best friend Angie, then Ella, to figure out what's wrong. That's the time when Sky Writer assures him that for Masterpiece to work, he has to trust himself.
How good is it?
This is a masterpiece of a series with famous Motown music and a classic story that emphasizes family, friendship, and self-confidence, making it seemingly childish at first glance but inevitably broadly appealing.
Ben's self-confidence issues do not go away once he learns to use Masterpiece. However, the experience gradually helps him recognize the value of his own unique qualities. He is the one who knows to use the magic that Masterpiece creates to help himself as well as those around him deal with difficult situations and emotions.
Although a kids' show based on Motown hits may not appear to be a top contender, it succeeds spectacularly. Each show of Motown Magic presents a new song that is cleverly integrated into the story, leaving the viewing audience, young and old, tapping their toes. The reruns of faves like "ABC," "My Girl," and "The Tracks of My Tears" are high-quality productions that expose younger audiences to the classic Motown sound in the modern setting of these endearing characters' lives.
