Saige Paints the Sky

Aired on NBC, this American Girl feature-length film set in the Southwest (with an abundance of turquoise jewelry and Native American art) follows 9-year-old Saige (Sydney Fullmer), who lives to paint and ride horses. Scheduled to start fourth grade in the fall, Saige learns that she'll have to make do without art class due to budget cuts. Meanwhile, best friend Tessa (Alex Peters) has met a boy named Dylan (Mika Abdalla) at music camp, which leaves Saige feeling like a third wheel until she meets the artistic Gabi (Alana Gordillo)—a fan of Saige's artist grandmother, Mimi (Jane Seymour)—who encourages her to try new techniques and speak up for the things she believes in (Saige also has a horse named Picasso and a dog named Rembrandt—both available as toy accessories, naturally). "Artists never give up," Mimi tells Saige, so the latter organizes a Day of Beige protest against the elimination of art instruction. With their principal's encouragement, the girls attempt to raise funds for a part-time teacher, but working separately leads to infighting. Adults may appreciate the messages here about creativity and cooperation, but this is a fairly lackluster effort with mediocre acting from the younger cast members and subpar special effects, especially since Winnipeg unconvincingly stands in for Albuquerque. An optional purchase. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)