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Reviews8
ptdlugosz's rating
"How To Train Your Dragon"- A guide to successful domestication. Or a really awkward title for a porn film.
As with most films, I went with certain expectations, but all of them, were exceeded as the ending credits rolled out... and made me head down to the nearby adoption center, in hopes of finding a baby dragon. No luck.
Dreamwork's latest film is directed by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders and written by Cresida Cowell, is voice cast by such stars as Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Craig Ferguson.
The premise?
In a mythical land, where Vikings favorite pastime activity is hunting fire-spitting pests, dragons, a muscle-ridden teenager by the name of Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) tries to constantly make a mark" on the 300 year old war with little or no success. Actually, with no success at all.
Until one day, he get's lucky, and catches the most feared dragon of all, Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death", and an unlikely friendship develops.
What seemed to be playing with fire, turns out to be more like sitting next to it, and enjoying the warmth. As Hiccup is forced into How-to-kill-a-dragon 101, he realizes that all they know about them is wrong". Unfortunately, his father Stoick, (voiced perfectly by Gerard Butler) does not share his approach...
How to Train your Dragon" is an animated film, full of heart, with a healthy emotional dose, stitched together with thrilling aerial sequences, that put 3D to it's best use – it puts you, where the action is. And, what's a rare trend in animated films, the film is practically pop-culture free.
The character designs don't disappoint, but also don't thrill... That is until you see the dragons. Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head. Give them a twist a flick of the wrist, That's what the showman said... Sorry
The Dragon's design heavily reflects their personalities - a bumble-bee like dragon is a bit slow on the uptake, while a sleek-designed dragon, like Night Fury, is fast and smart, kinda like a heat-seeking missile). Also, what I really liked about them, is that eventually they turn out to have pet-like behavior. They like being scratched on the back, they get high on blades of grass and if you share a fish with them, they'll love you forever.
The entire voice cast is a perfect fit for the film's characters. Gerard Butler, with his overpowering, hoarse, deep-throat voice, goes perfectly with Stoick's over-muscular statuesque (Sparta is proud of you!) Jay Baruchel is AMAZING! His voice acting gives Hiccup so much credibility as a boy with unlimited fervor but limited by his surroundings. And then we also have Craig Ferguson voicing Gobber, the village's blacksmith who has a blanket-like quality to his voice – warm & fuzzy. And there are many more talented voice cameos, who carry themselves quite well throughout the film.
You can just tell, that Dreamworks tried Pixar's approach... They gave the story a lot of thought and consideration. Like it would be their first and last animated film for which they'd be remembered. Show, don't tell – it's that simple. Up" did it, so can you!
One bad thing is, that the film seems a bit sequel-ready. No need for future installments to ruin the charm of the first one. Remember "Shrek"?
You will not burn yourself on How To Train Your Dragon". Instead you will be pleasantly meant with warmth and understanding, that we can all coexist with each other.
Pixar, watch your back, Dreamworks is sneaking up.
As with most films, I went with certain expectations, but all of them, were exceeded as the ending credits rolled out... and made me head down to the nearby adoption center, in hopes of finding a baby dragon. No luck.
Dreamwork's latest film is directed by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders and written by Cresida Cowell, is voice cast by such stars as Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Craig Ferguson.
The premise?
In a mythical land, where Vikings favorite pastime activity is hunting fire-spitting pests, dragons, a muscle-ridden teenager by the name of Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) tries to constantly make a mark" on the 300 year old war with little or no success. Actually, with no success at all.
Until one day, he get's lucky, and catches the most feared dragon of all, Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death", and an unlikely friendship develops.
What seemed to be playing with fire, turns out to be more like sitting next to it, and enjoying the warmth. As Hiccup is forced into How-to-kill-a-dragon 101, he realizes that all they know about them is wrong". Unfortunately, his father Stoick, (voiced perfectly by Gerard Butler) does not share his approach...
How to Train your Dragon" is an animated film, full of heart, with a healthy emotional dose, stitched together with thrilling aerial sequences, that put 3D to it's best use – it puts you, where the action is. And, what's a rare trend in animated films, the film is practically pop-culture free.
The character designs don't disappoint, but also don't thrill... That is until you see the dragons. Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head. Give them a twist a flick of the wrist, That's what the showman said... Sorry
The Dragon's design heavily reflects their personalities - a bumble-bee like dragon is a bit slow on the uptake, while a sleek-designed dragon, like Night Fury, is fast and smart, kinda like a heat-seeking missile). Also, what I really liked about them, is that eventually they turn out to have pet-like behavior. They like being scratched on the back, they get high on blades of grass and if you share a fish with them, they'll love you forever.
The entire voice cast is a perfect fit for the film's characters. Gerard Butler, with his overpowering, hoarse, deep-throat voice, goes perfectly with Stoick's over-muscular statuesque (Sparta is proud of you!) Jay Baruchel is AMAZING! His voice acting gives Hiccup so much credibility as a boy with unlimited fervor but limited by his surroundings. And then we also have Craig Ferguson voicing Gobber, the village's blacksmith who has a blanket-like quality to his voice – warm & fuzzy. And there are many more talented voice cameos, who carry themselves quite well throughout the film.
You can just tell, that Dreamworks tried Pixar's approach... They gave the story a lot of thought and consideration. Like it would be their first and last animated film for which they'd be remembered. Show, don't tell – it's that simple. Up" did it, so can you!
One bad thing is, that the film seems a bit sequel-ready. No need for future installments to ruin the charm of the first one. Remember "Shrek"?
You will not burn yourself on How To Train Your Dragon". Instead you will be pleasantly meant with warmth and understanding, that we can all coexist with each other.
Pixar, watch your back, Dreamworks is sneaking up.
The year is 2010, and four loser friends decide to reclaim their youth (or at least its illusion) through a night of drinking and partying... in a hot tub. But they get more than they bargained for – they accidentally go back in time to 1986. In a country where the threat of leg warmers, cassette players and rolled up sleeves is as real as it'll ever get...
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, directed by Steve Pink and written by Josh Heald, will be perceive by many, as this year's The Hangover. And there are many good reasons for that flattering comparison.
The film engages the viewer really fast, and never falls pray to stagnation – the story is always on the move, but never in sprint. Pink's years of working in the film business, be it as a writer, producer, or director, turned out to be invaluable experience before taking on this zany story.
We have four friends, who are fed-up with how their lives turned out, but when given a chance to fix them, they don't embrace it at first – they fear it. The years of regret have done their job. And a warning about screwing up the future by messing with the past from the Hot Tub Mechanic (played by Chevy Chase) doesn't help either.
That whole panorama of issues, dreams-confronting-reality, wants and desires, are really strong tools in connecting with the viewer – it's like reaching out to the darkest corners of his or her souls and tickling them. Although it does sometimes border close on sexual harassment... That especially applies to Lou, played by Rob Corddry. Jerk, dick, asshole – he accepts all those titles with great honor and dignity, and will make the best of his stay in 86 (ever heard of Luogle?).
The leads, are a bit of an odd pick...But then again, I do forget this film does not take itself seriously. So, we have John Cusack, Rob Corddy, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke (who?) and Chevy Chase. Although Chevy Chave, isn't really here to display his comedic skills. He serves more as the film's patron, re-assuring the viewers with his presence, that it's a legit comedy, that carries his stamp of approval.
Oh! Question! What do you do with a film full of one-liners, carefully tailored for individual needs? Answer - Believable delivery, that's what.
John Cusack, playing Adam - the voice of reason in the film (at least in the beginning) falls behind the rest performance wise. He's funny – yes, but there's not much zest to it. Also, his acting career, began in the 80's, where he ruled the hearts of teenage girls, and gained approval of their parents. This could have been a golden opportunity, to simply poke fun at it, call it homage if you want – all is fair in a film entitled Hot Tub Time Machine". In this case, his place could have been easily taken by some other established actor, let's say, Matthew Broderick, and no one would tell the difference.
And then we also have Craig Robinson, who might not be in The Office setting, but sure is in Office mode.
And who could forget Clark Duke? Wait. Who is he? ... Anyway, moving on.
To wrap up, the film is an all-you-can-eat-buffet of 80's but it's served to us on such a level, that it makes it safe for people unfamiliar with that time period, yet nostalgic enough for those who lived through it, and lived to tell the tale.
"Hot Tub Time Machine" has an aftertaste of a teen comedy, that was forced into adulthood, and got seasoned with old-school charm. Don't argue with me... just go see it.
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, directed by Steve Pink and written by Josh Heald, will be perceive by many, as this year's The Hangover. And there are many good reasons for that flattering comparison.
The film engages the viewer really fast, and never falls pray to stagnation – the story is always on the move, but never in sprint. Pink's years of working in the film business, be it as a writer, producer, or director, turned out to be invaluable experience before taking on this zany story.
We have four friends, who are fed-up with how their lives turned out, but when given a chance to fix them, they don't embrace it at first – they fear it. The years of regret have done their job. And a warning about screwing up the future by messing with the past from the Hot Tub Mechanic (played by Chevy Chase) doesn't help either.
That whole panorama of issues, dreams-confronting-reality, wants and desires, are really strong tools in connecting with the viewer – it's like reaching out to the darkest corners of his or her souls and tickling them. Although it does sometimes border close on sexual harassment... That especially applies to Lou, played by Rob Corddry. Jerk, dick, asshole – he accepts all those titles with great honor and dignity, and will make the best of his stay in 86 (ever heard of Luogle?).
The leads, are a bit of an odd pick...But then again, I do forget this film does not take itself seriously. So, we have John Cusack, Rob Corddy, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke (who?) and Chevy Chase. Although Chevy Chave, isn't really here to display his comedic skills. He serves more as the film's patron, re-assuring the viewers with his presence, that it's a legit comedy, that carries his stamp of approval.
Oh! Question! What do you do with a film full of one-liners, carefully tailored for individual needs? Answer - Believable delivery, that's what.
John Cusack, playing Adam - the voice of reason in the film (at least in the beginning) falls behind the rest performance wise. He's funny – yes, but there's not much zest to it. Also, his acting career, began in the 80's, where he ruled the hearts of teenage girls, and gained approval of their parents. This could have been a golden opportunity, to simply poke fun at it, call it homage if you want – all is fair in a film entitled Hot Tub Time Machine". In this case, his place could have been easily taken by some other established actor, let's say, Matthew Broderick, and no one would tell the difference.
And then we also have Craig Robinson, who might not be in The Office setting, but sure is in Office mode.
And who could forget Clark Duke? Wait. Who is he? ... Anyway, moving on.
To wrap up, the film is an all-you-can-eat-buffet of 80's but it's served to us on such a level, that it makes it safe for people unfamiliar with that time period, yet nostalgic enough for those who lived through it, and lived to tell the tale.
"Hot Tub Time Machine" has an aftertaste of a teen comedy, that was forced into adulthood, and got seasoned with old-school charm. Don't argue with me... just go see it.