Movie Review: How to Train Your Dragon 3D

For those who do not know "How to Train Your Dragon" is the first in a series of eight books set in a fictional viking world about a young, 10 year old Viking named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and his pet dragon, Toothless.

All I really remember about the first time I saw A preview of this film was, that this cost 165 million to make? I thought for sure that this was going to be such a huge failure at the USA Box Office, that I didn't even bother to read any of the first few weeks reviews of this film.



Then I started to see that the film kept doing good at the Box office and that parents were taking their children to see this multiple times because of their kids enthusiastic word of mouth. So far it has created an outstanding sustained run that led to the film being reassessed as a major success and maybe, the start of a new media franchise for Dreamworks. So when it opened up in South Korea on 20 May, 2010, I knew that I wanted to see the film in 3D. (It is playing in 3D in a Korean dubbed version along with a Korean subtitled version here in the ROK.)

I really had no idea what the film was going to be about so when I saw that it was Vikings vs. Dragons, I though, "Ok sounds interesting so far." The I heard Gerald Butlers voice at the Stoick the Vast: the chieftain of the Viking tribe and Hiccup's father, the hero of this film. It started to gain my interest. Then when I heard Jay Baruchel as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III voice, I knew that this was not going to be what I had expected to see in a film.

The idea is quite simple Hiccup wants to become a Viking but he's going to do it in his own way and his way sure isn't the Viking way. You see him befriend a dragon and soon many other dragons and then the film really takes off.

I really liked the film and it deserves at least one viewing in 3d, but don't be surprised if you want to see it more than once.

Grade A-

Astrid: [Referring to Toothless] I bet he's really frightened right now... what are you gonna do about it?
Hiccup: Ehhh... probably something stupid.
Astrid: Good, but you've already done that.
Hiccup: Then something crazy...!
Astrid: That's more like it!

Movie Review: Robin Hood (2010) and Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Well this was the week for remakes and as usual, I liked one of the films and absolutely hated the other one.

Lets deal with the one that I liked, "Robin Hood" first. I really thought that it was a better story than some of the past efforts of this legendary bandit. I liked the fact that Russell Crowe returned to the action film genre. I did see a huge problem with this film and it will cause a lot of people to really hate this film.

To me, the film has a huge problem of not being very believable. In most of the other versions of the film, Richard the III, is being held captive by the Austrians and thus the need for high taxes to pay off the ransom. In this version its the French who are portrayed as the real villains and I liked it, I could really see how this might cause the audience to turn on this film.

This film could have also been setting itself up with a sequel. The purposed film looks like it will be Robin Hood tries to start the Magna Carta and save England from Civil War. If this is the case, then is this really "Robin Hood"?

The film is worth one viewing. Bu, please be wary, wither you will like this or really hate this film. The majority of reviews leave no middle ground for this film.

Grade B

The next remake goes by the name of A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) and I so agree with Wes Craven, who was reportedly not approached about this remake. He has however publicly spoken against it. This idea should have remand that, just a bad idea never made into a film.

If you have no idea who Freddy Kruger is then please click here to get a good look at the legend of this man.

I have no idea why anyone would want to remake a cult classic as Freddy and not cast the man who originally played him, Robert Englund. It makes no sense at all and the majority of people who have seen the film seem to agree with me on this. As I mwas watching the film, every time the new Freddy, Jackie Earle Haley, would try and speak like Kruger, he sounded like he was still acting like Rorschach from "The Watchmen" movie.

I have no idea what the film makers were going for in this film, but it does not work and by the end of the film, I was wanting at least something interesting to happen but, alas, it never did and when the film was over, I will never watch another "Nightmare" film for the rest of my life.

Please pass on this one at all cost.

Grade F

Movie Review: Iron Man 2



At the time of this review, I have seen the film twice now. Once at a digital screen and one at a digital IMAX screen. The film is set 6 months after the first film in which Tony Stark has revealed his identity as Iron Man and is resisting calls by the United States government to hand over the technology. Ivan Vanko has also duplicated the technology and built weapons of his own, creating a new challenge that sets up the arc of this film.

What I really liked about this film was the acting of Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko. If you are going to have a kick ass super hero, then you must also have a bad man who can kill the hero or at least make the hero doubt himself. When he states this line in the film, "If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in Him. There will be blood in the water, and the sharks will come." The evil had truly believe that he had won the day and the film really improves after this.

What I also liked in the film was the role of Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer. I really liked that no matter how hard Hammer tried, he could never be just like Tony Stark and by the end of the film I was convinced that this man was really this bad of a weapons designer.

The film ultimately falls of the suit of Iron Man. if you liked the first film, then this film is a great 2nd chapter in the story. The film wasn't too long nor was it too short, It covered what needed to be covered and makes me want to see part 3 as soon as they can get it ready.

Please see the film in IMAX, if you get the chance. I feel that it will be worth your time and effort to see the film. Also, watch all of the credits for a little surprise at the end of the film.

Grade A.

Ivan Vanko: If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in Him. There will be blood in the water, and the sharks will come.
[looks at Stark]
Ivan Vanko: All I have to do is sit here and watch, as the world will consume you...