One Of Last Year's Best..."How To Train Your Dragon 2"

How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Rated PG for violence and dragons!

Starring Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Djimon Honsou

Directed by Dean DeBlois

The Story:

It's been several years since we last met the Vikings of Berk on the big screen, and as the film opens, it turns out they have adjusted to life quite well being dragon-riders.  Stoik (Butler) has designs on Hiccup (Baruchel) taking over as Chieftan of Berk, but Hiccup is too busy trying to find his way in the world and deciding what he really wants to be.  He's having too much fun exploring the world with Toothless and discovering all of the new lands.  It's on one of these adventures when he discovers two very important things:  there is an evil army collecting dragons in preparation for war; there is a mysterious dragon-rider who has ties to Berk and could help Hiccup unlock more dragon secrets than he ever imagined.

Dreamworks Animation has done it again.

If it sounds familiar, that means you read this review when I saw it in theaters last year.

Well, Christmas has come and gone, and it found its way under the tree.

That should come as no shock to anyone either, Dreamworks has been on a roll that the other studios haven't been able to match.

At least at our house, if not the box office.

I gave the nod to the original for my Top 10 of 2014 simply because I hadn't seen it before, so it was eligible.

Take it off the table, and Part 2 easily makes the Top 10 films of last year.

It's simply breathtakingly gorgeous, and the scope of the film grew tremendously since the first part.  Time has passed, the characters have aged and grown.

There will be a shift in the dynamics of the film by the time the credits roll.

Whether that's good... we'll find out in Part 3!

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: We own it, and are looking forward, sadly, to the final installment.

How To Enjoy The Weekend Part 2: "How To Train Your Dragon 2"

How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Rated PG for violence and dragons!

Starring Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Djimon Honsou

Directed by Dean DeBlois

The Story:

It's been several years since we last met the Vikings of Berk on the big screen, and as the film opens, it turns out they have adjusted to life quite well being dragon-riders.  Stoik (Butler) has designs on Hiccup (Baruchel) taking over as Chieftan of Berk, but Hiccup is too busy trying to find his way in the world and deciding what he really wants to be.  He's having too much fun exploring the world with Toothless and discovering all of the new lands.  It's on one of these adventures when he discovers two very important things:  there is an evil army collecting dragons in preparation for war; there is a mysterious dragon-rider who has ties to Berk and could help Hiccup unlock more dragon secrets than he ever imagined.

Dreamworks Animation has done it again.

That's pretty much your spoiler-free review right there!

:)

If you loved the first one, and just about everyone who has ever seen it, does... well, you're going to love this one.

If you've missed the first one, I don't think you'd be too terribly lost.  The narration provides you everything you need to get caught up, but it doesn't feel like a horrid rehash of what has gone one before.

The animation is mesmerizing.  Such beautiful landscapes, it's absolutely breathtaking.

The voice work is top-notch, with several new characters being introduced alongside all of your favorites from the first film.

What can be said about Toothless?  Perhaps the cutest animal ever to appear on film.  Half cat... half dog...

All dragon.

The only piece of advice I might offer...

Don't be surprised if like over half of my viewing companions last night...

Tears might be shed.

You've been warned.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It's a purchase...no question.  Only a few of the family will see it in theaters, the rest are waiting for DVD. 

Will there be a 3rd outing?  Hard to say, but if they choose to, we'll be back!

How To Enjoy Your Weekend..."How To Train Your Dragon"

How To Train Your Dragon (2010)
Rated PG for violence and dragons

Starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristin Wiig, America Ferrera,

Directed by Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

The Story:

On the island of Berk, the Vikings are led by Stoick the Vast (Butler).  What these Vikings do is try an survive and kill dragons when they are attacked.  Stoick's son Hiccup (Baruchel) is not exactly the Viking his dad had hoped he would be.  Very imaginative, but not very...Viking-like...Hiccup wants to help out, but nobody really wants him around.  When he uses one of his contraptions to actually shoot down the elusive Night Fury dragon, Hiccup will go to prove that he's got what it takes to be a Viking.  However, when he finds his dragon, he is going to discover that everything the Vikings thought they know about dragons...

Is a lie!

Better late than never is one way to approach this film.

My kids have adored this movie for the last 4 years, and they always begged me to watch it.  I would always come up with some excuse or another to not join in the festivities, so this one remained unseen by me until recently.

However, with a sequel set to come out today, and the kids hoping that I will either take them, or maybe go with them, there was no time like the present to give this one a shot.

Boy, am I glad I did.

Continuing in a line of impressive Dreamworks Animated films, this movie has everything you want in an animated movie:

a) It's absolutely gorgeous
b) The voice cast is great, but not overbearing in stunt celebrity casting
c) The story itself is enjoyable
d) There is a deeper heartfelt aspect to the movie that proves it's not just for kids.

Sadly, many of Dreamworks offerings are overlooked at the box office, but when they have a hit, it hits big!

It's weird at the feast or famine aspect of Dreamworks at the box office.  This was every bit as enjoyable as Rise of the Guardians or Turbo, but those two were flops and this was a success.

At this stage in the game, Dreamworks should be celebrated like Pixar.  They aren't, and that's puzzling.

I won't attempt to explain it, I'll just admit that I'm disappointed.

At the end of the movie, the film has resolved all of the issues that were raised during the film.

That they put their hero(es) as capable to save the day with a disability is an extra feather in the cap that Dreamworks should really be proud of.

As usual, my kids were right, and I'm glad they finally got me to come around.

It won't be 4 years until I see the sequel.

If you or your kids haven't seen it yet, or as a primer for this weekend's sequel, I highly encourage you to do so!

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it.  Looking forward to the sequel.  And this marks the 2nd Dreamworks Animated film in the running for Best Films of 2014. If Part 2 is half as good, I may end up with 3 animated features from one studio all vying for the top spot!

Come back tomorrow and see how Part 2 fared!

:)

All-Star Heist Action... "The Art Of The Steal"

The Art of the Steal (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Kurt Russell, Matt Dillon, Jay Baruchel, Kenneth Welsh, Chris Diamantopoulos, Katheryn Winnick, Jason Jones, Terence Stamp

Directed by Johnathan Sobol

The Story:

Crunch Calhoun (Russell) has finally gotten out of jail after his last art theft scam got him caught.  His half-brother Nicky (Dillon) comes to Crunch to try and pull off another heist, and hopes that the whole doing time in jail thing is water under the bridge.  They bring in Crunch's old crew and begin scheming to pull of their next heist.  However, hot on their trail is Interpol Agent Bick (Jones) and with him is convicted art thief Samuel Winter (Stamp) who can vouch for art being real or fake just by looking at it.  Is Crunch going back to prison, or is he going to get away with the biggest score of his life.

Yes indeed, a heist movie!  One of my favorite genres, and this, a direct to DVD offering with a pretty decent cast to it, so it must really suck, right?

Not so fast...

Indeed, the movie starts a little slow, but it's still interesting and keeps you connected to the characters.

Then it builds, and with the final act, you are treated to a payoff that you may, or may not, have seen coming.

And even if you did, it's quite doubtful that you thought of every plot piece that this movie works out perfectly.

That's what brings a "C" movie into the "B" range right there.

In fact, aside from the slow-ish start, once again I'll give the rant:

This movie is Rated R for language.  Which is overused throughout the film. 

Cut it back, widen your audience.

Then again, with one of the pieces of art in the film, and the joke that accompanies it, well, I can almost forgive the rating.

:)

All of the actors are great, and Kurt Russell plays the aging action hero to perfection.

However, the interplay between Jones and Stamp is downright hilarious every time they are on screen and bickering with each other.

Worth a look if you've never seen or heard of it.

Rumor has it, this film should be streaming on Netflix before the month of June is over.

** Update:  Now Streaming As of June 8th **

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Would've gone for a B+ and put it on my Purchase list, but again, the language hampers replayability in a house full of kids.  I need family friendlier heist films like Fast 5 or The Italian Job.  But yes, I could certainly watch it again in the future.

Nothing A Little Armageddon Won't Cure..."This is the End"

Based on a true story.

Somewhat.

The Story:

Jay Baruchel comes out to L.A. to visit his best friend, Seth Rogen.  Rogen wants to go to James Franco's house for a party, but Jay is uncomfortable with all of Seth's Hollywood friends.  Seth assures him it will be fine, and so they head to the home. 

Naturally, that's when the Apocalypse happens.

So, in a few movies I've reviewed, I've mentioned that there are some actors who literally just play themselves on the screen.  Seth Rogen...Jonah Hill... those guys, right?

Well, this movie does one better, they actually play themselves, playing themselves.

Genius!

And for what it is, it works.

These guys are friends, or at least act like it in the movie.

Jay plays the outsider of the group who just doesn't click with the Hollywood crowd, and then the literal apocalypse kicks off, and people are raptured to Heaven.

Naturally, none of our cast makes the cut, and they spend the rest of the movie trying to stay alive, and not kill one another, while holed up in Franco's abode.

The crew of survivors also includes Craig Robinson and Danny McBride. 

They throw nearly any and every joke against the wall to see what sticks.  All the while, mayhem ensues.

There are some howlers, there are some eye rolling, but the guys give it their all.

Plus, there's Channing Tatum.  Apparently everything is better with more Channing Tatum.  That's the new Hollywood mantra.

However, I will give them a plus for having the decency to kill Rihanna.

: )

For the fans that have enjoyed all of their other films, you'll probably see no reason to miss this one.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was enough, thanks.