How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

Tags

Action, Animation, Comedy, Dreamworks, Family, Fantasy

(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a poem praising pets, so I went a bit mythological to extol a dragon as a pet.)

Cats are cute and dogs are dear,
And yet the pet without a peer
Is easily the rarest kind,
The least beloved and most maligned,
The lizards born of myth and lore
That few have ever seen before,
Who ride the winds and skim the waves
And send the bravest to their graves,
Who’ve earned renown as hoarders, wyrms,
Monsters, fiends, and harsher terms
Yet are perhaps misunderstood
And might spice up the neighborhood.
For, given love, like any beast,
A dragon can be tamed, at least.

So Mom and Dad, you have to let
Me get a dragon as a pet.
I’ll take him out on flights each day
And teach him how to roar and slay.
He’ll never singe the rugs, I swear.
Oh, please, let’s have a dragon lair!
______________________

MPA rating: PG

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the third installment in the How to Train Your Dragon series. I loved the first film, while the second left me rather cold, and angry honestly at the way Hiccup’s father was torn from his family. I still consider myself a fan of the series, so I was hopeful The Hidden World would end the trilogy on a better note. Thankfully, it managed to deliver both an entertaining adventure and a satisfying conclusion to the story of Hiccup the Viking and Toothless the Night Fury.

Like many a DreamWorks film, The Hidden World does feel a tad recycled. Expanding the first film’s culture of dragon-hunting, the new villain is the famous and feared dragon hunter Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham), who, like Drago in the second film, employs his own dragons for his purposes. And since the first film’s dragon nest and the second film’s dragon sanctuary weren’t impressive enough, we learn that Hiccup’s father was also searching for an even bigger “Hidden World,” the original home of the dragons. When Grimmel threatens the village of Berk and the peace between Vikings and dragons, Hiccup and his friends evacuate everyone to search for a new safe haven in this Hidden World.

Thanks to ever-improving technology, The Hidden World is probably the best looking of the three films, with lighting, shading, and fire and water effects adding greatly to the atmosphere and the thrilling action scenes. Abraham’s voice also makes Grimmel a dignified but menacing antagonist. The dire threat reinforces the slightly darker epic tone of the second film, while some well-played running gags successfully lighten the mood with doses of humor.

As I watched The Hidden World, I was trying to figure out what was lacking between this (one of DreamWorks’ best franchises) and the likes of Disney or Pixar. In addition to a few mixed messages (like calling dragons pets in the first film yet treating them as equals here), I think a main issue is the side characters; Astrid (America Ferrera) and Hiccup’s mother (Cate Blanchett) fare well, but Hiccup’s other friends are hastily introduced in an opening action set piece yet never make much of an impression beyond a few gags. Despite this, Hiccup and Toothless are a lovable pair to make up for other faults, and it’s genuinely sad as they start to drift apart when Toothless becomes enamored of a female “Light Fury.” Like Ash and Butterfree in Pokemon, it’s clear right away where the story is going with the relationship between dragon and rider, but, even if it didn’t bring a tear to my eye like it might well have when I was ten years old, it was still a touching and beautiful conclusion to an inconsistent but ultimately satisfying trilogy.

Best line: (Stoick, in a flashback) “But with love comes loss, son. It’s part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but in the end, it’s all worth it. There’s no greater gift than love.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2020 S.G. Liput
684 Followers and Counting

Abominable (2019)

Tags

Animation, Comedy, Dreamworks, Family, Fantasy

(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was to write about a fruit. While I haven’t watched any big fruit-related movies lately, I went with the humble blueberry, which was featured in this movie.)

A humble fruit of pie and scone,
The blueberry is barren-grown
In berry fields from East to West
And happy, though it sounds depressed.

With belly-buttons on both ends,
One out, one in, this fruit transcends
The fact it’s on the tiny side
By filling pints in stores worldwide.

If you should drip a drop of juice
Upon your shirt, farewell its use.
Its stain is deep; its flavor sweet,
The M&Ms of nature’s treats.
__________________________

MPA rating: PG

From the trailers, Abominable looked like a been-there-done-that kind of movie, one more example of Dreamworks splicing together pieces of better animated films. Now that I’ve seen it, I’ll admit… it is exactly that, but that’s not to say it’s bad. In fact, I’d say it’s one of the studio’s better films of late, albeit overshadowed by the third How to Train Your Dragon last year.

Abominable is mainly notable for its Chinese setting, ranging from the metropolis of Shanghai to the gorgeous countryside to the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. A teenage violinist named Yi (Chloe Bennet), still grieving from her father’s death, discovers a young Yeti on the roof of her urban apartment and is whisked away as it flees from a wealthy industrialist (Eddie Izzard) attempting to collect it. Along with her two friends, she accompanies the creature she names Everest on a western journey to its mountain home, pursued by Everest’s would-be captors.

As I said, Abominable has plenty of familiar elements: the gentle-giant-bonding-with-kid dynamic (E.T., The Iron Giant), the bad-guy-trying-to-redeem-himself-from-ridicule cliche (Up, Paddington), the hurt-kid-learning-to-move-on-via-friendship trope (The Good Dinosaur, Lilo & Stitch, Next Gen). The waters are well-charted, but the trip and destination are still comfortable. Plus, it’s not entirely predictable, such as making one of the villains not as bad as they seem, and the characters are consistently likable as they grow on their journey. Like Coco’s Latin cast, care was taken to hire mostly actors of Chinese descent to match their characters, though it doesn’t do much to dive into Chinese culture, and I enjoyed hearing Chloe Bennet of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the main heroine Yi.

Best of all, the animation is a visual feast. Everest proves to have magical powers that grow and manipulate the natural environment, and some of those scenes were stunning to behold. The best is probably the interlude where Yi plays her violin as flowers grow all around; both the visuals and Rupert Gregson-Williams’ music are lovely, and for some reason, they throw in a bit of Coldplay’s “Fix You,” which was random but fine by me. Abominable doesn’t reinvent any wheels – heck, with three Kung Fu Panda films, it’s not even Dreamworks’ first set in China – but it’s an enjoyable, family-oriented ride nonetheless.

Best line: (Mr. Burnish) “I’m so used to looking down on the world, it’s amazing how small one feels just by looking up.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2020 S.G. Liput
684 Followers and Counting

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Tags

Action, Animation, Comedy, Dreamworks, Family, Fantasy

Between one parent and one child,
Their love is uncomplicated,
Even if they’re not related
Or may feel somehow exiled.

Will it change, their love compiled,
If a parent is located
From which they were separated
And the two are reconciled?

Some may fear they’ll be reviled
At reunions long-awaited,
Yet how can love be ever faded
Between a parent and their child?
________________

MPAA rating: PG

It may have seemed that DreamWorks was just planning to milk its past success with minimum effort when it released a third Kung Fu Panda in the usually lackluster month of January last year. However, Kung Fu Panda 3 managed to exceed expectations and end the franchise on a surprisingly solid note, building on its prequels with a satisfying conclusion.

After the final scene of Kung Fu Panda 2, where Po’s real not-dead father Li Shang (Bryan Cranston) realizes his son is alive, we get to see father and son reunite early on, only to be threatened by a new adversary named Kai (J.K. Simmons), a yak from the Spirit World who drains others’ chi energy. While Kai builds an army by turning kung fu masters into jade zombies (yes, jombies), Po (Jack Black) follows his father to his home in a distant village of pandas, where Po hopes to train but ends up enjoying the life among his own kind that he never knew.

Kung Fu Panda 3 continues the strengths and weaknesses of its predecessors, including some stellar fight choreography and animation, as well as a lack of character development for Poe’s comrades, the Furious Five, except for Tigress (Angelina Jolie). Where it excels in the character department is Po and his two fathers, adoptive goose father Mr. Ping (James Hong) and his biological father Li. I love how Mr. Ping has grown from an eyebrow-raising gag in the first film to a real source of heart for these movies. Here, he finds himself jealous of Po’s excitement at finding his father and wrestles with how to react to this new monopolizer of Po’s attention. Meanwhile, Li may seem selfish or unwise at times, but it’s easy to sympathize with both fathers. In addition, the fact that Li seeks out Po after realizing he’s alive makes his absence a whole lot more understandable than, say, the willing separation of Hiccup’s mom in How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Kung Fu Panda 3 does a lot to bring the franchise full circle, particularly in the return of the deceased Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim). True, it sidelines formerly major characters like Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and bears similarities to the first film, but Po’s family dynamic and the Spirit World villain help it stand apart. The village full of Po’s fellow lazy pandas was also cute and endearing for the most part, where I expected it to be lame and silly. Aside from the action sequences, I especially admired one underplayed sacrifice that was easily Poe’s most heroic moment of the series.

All in all, Kung Fu Panda 3 is a worthy and funny finale for a series I didn’t expect to like when the first film was released back in 2008. DreamWorks has maintained its quality in both animation and story, creating a trilogy where it’s hard to say which of the three is the best, though I’m partial to the second movie. Why it was released in January, I don’t know, but Kung Fu Panda 3 is one of DreamWorks Animation’s stronger sequels.

Best line: (Shifu) “If you only do what you can do, you’ll never be better than what you are.”

 

Rank: List-Worthy (joining the other two)

 

© 2017 S.G. Liput
497 Followers and Counting

 

#15: The Prince of Egypt (1998)

Tags

Animation, Biblical, Drama, Dreamworks, Family, Musical

(Best sung to “When You Believe”)

 

In captivity,

In Egypt, Hebrews send their prayer

Waiting for their God above

To free them from their yoke.

Young Moses grows up free,

Adopted into Pharaoh’s care,

Till the past he knew not of

Cannot help but provoke.

 

He can’t live as a fraud

And sadly flees.

He finds refuge

And life anew.

Sent by his awesome God

To Rameses,

He has unease but follows through,

Though Pharaoh disagrees.

 

Brothers long ago,

The prophet and the Pharaoh clash.

All the plagues sent from the Lord

Demand his people freed.

The Pharaoh’s hardened “No”

Requires death to end the lash.

No such cost can be ignored,

And Pharaoh has to heed.

 

God’s people thus depart

To promised land,

Until the sea

Lies in the way.

Pharaoh, more sore than smart,

Makes his last stand

Until the hand of God that day

Provides salvation grand.

__________________

 

Hollywood isn’t known for remaining faithful where Biblical source material is concerned, but the greatest proof that it is possible is The Prince of Egypt, one of the first animated films of Dreamworks’ filmography. While Dreamworks Animation’s lineup has ranged from excellent (How to Train Your Dragon, Chicken Run) to mediocre (Shark Tale, Bee Movie), not since have they reached the high mark they set right from the beginning.

No Moses film yet has stuck completely to the Book, often downplaying Aaron’s involvement and Pharaoh’s vacillation during the plagues. Though this one too takes its liberties, it indeed remains faithful to the “essence, values, and integrity” of the source material, as stated in the prelude note that reveals the filmmakers’ respect for the story they’ve undertaken. The film does borrow a few aspects of The Ten Commandments, but improves upon every one. Rather than making Moses and Rameses rivals from the beginning due to a contrived love triangle, it makes them close friends and brothers pitted against each other in a tragedy of pride and divine intervention. Rather than Moses’ murder of the Egyptian being violent but somehow justifiable, in this version it is instead portrayed as an accident, allowing Moses to remain righteous while providing the shame to propel him to self-banishment. (I realize it was no accident in the Bible, but I like this kind of change.) All this improvement also comes with masterful abbreviation; events that took The Ten Commandments half an hour to portray are depicted in mere minutes of concise storytelling, sometimes funny but often of surprising depth.

Enhancing both plot and entertainment, the film’s soundtrack by Stephen Schwartz is inspired, with every song memorable and perfectly spaced in the film’s runtime. From Israeli singer Ofra Haza’s impassioned “Deliver Us” at the beginning to the Oscar-winning “When You Believe” as the Hebrews depart Egypt, the music serves the story rather than replacing it, just as the CGI flourishes enrich the beautiful hand-drawn animation. I’ve often hummed Jethro’s “Through Heaven’s Eyes” whenever speed is required (somehow it seems to make me move faster), while “The Plagues” has a dreadful majesty reminiscent of the music in Disney’s Hunchback.

Likewise, The Prince of Egypt is a perfect example of star power applied judiciously. The voice actors are all big names, including Val Kilmer as Moses, Ralph Fiennes as Rameses, Patrick Stewart as Seti, Sandra Bullock as Miriam, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Tzipporah. In each case, the voice so fits the character that I don’t just hear Jeff Goldblum but a believable Aaron, not just Danny Glover but a jolly Jethro. I could hardly recognize Steve Martin and Martin Short as Pharaoh’s magicians, who nonetheless have fun with their own song, “Playing with the Big Boys.” It’s interesting to note that, just as Kilmer also voiced the powerful yet personal depiction of God (with background whispers from the rest of the cast), Charlton Heston also voiced God in The Ten Commandments.

The most moving part (pun intended) is rightly the parting of the Red Sea, just as much a wonder to behold as it was in DeMille’s 1956 film. A shot of some enormous fish in the wall of water, lit by distant lightning, has an eerie power best suited to this animated outlet. The Prince of Egypt combines high studio quality with an earnestness unseen in many Biblical films, eschewing dark revisionism and modernist explanations in favor of faithful and profound filmmaking. It’s one of the few animated films that I feel should have been nominated for Best Picture, a brilliant example of how cartoons can be elevated to dramatic excellence.

Best line: (Miriam, singing “When You Believe”) “Many nights we’ve prayed, with no proof anyone could hear. In our hearts a hopeful song we barely understood. Now we are not afraid, although we know there’s much to fear. We were moving mountains, long before we knew we could….”

 

Rank: 60 out of 60

 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

282 Followers and Counting

Shrek 2 (2004)

Tags

Action, Animation, Comedy, Dreamworks, Family, Fantasy, Romance

Fiona and Shrek, ever since true love’s kiss,

Are living the good life in marital bliss,

But soon they’re invited to Far Far Away

To meet with her parents, in spite of Shrek’s nay.

 

The journey is long and the company grates,

And when they arrive, the whole welcome deflates.

The king is disgusted by Shrek’s ogre ways,

And Shrek gives an equally ornery gaze.

 

A Fairy Godmother then visits Fiona

And isn’t much thrilled with her ogre persona.

The Godmother planned all along for her son

Prince Charming to wed her, till Shrek jumped the gun.

 

She urges the King, who is under her thumb,

To get rid of Shrek, so her own prince can come.

The King hesitantly obeys and recruits

A famed mercenary known as Puss in Boots.

 

The cat doesn’t win but befriends the main pair

And guides them to Godmother’s potion-filled lair.

One potion that guarantees beauty and joy

Transforms the two ogres to a real girl and boy.

 

The Godmother sees this as her perfect chance

For Charming to woo the princess at a dance,

But Shrek, with the help of his fairy tale friends,

Attacks the King’s castle before the night ends.

 

Redeeming himself, the King sticks up for Shrek

And thwarts the corrupt fairy pain-in-the-neck.

Both parents and son-in-law now get along,

And Donkey and Puss sing a toe-tapping song.

__________________

 

Shrek 2 ranks on my list as DreamWorks Animation’s best CGI film, as well as their most successful.  It also holds a special place in my heart thanks to my mom.  I was only 10 when my mom picked me up from school one day, but instead of driving home, I suddenly realized we were entering the parking lot of our local movie theater to see what else but Shrek 2.  The unexpected surprise (and enjoyable film) became one of those indelible childhood memories, even if she herself barely remembers it.

The film itself was a joy to watch, bringing back all the lovable players from the first film and introducing new classic characters.  It builds on the original story and doesn’t repeat itself.  Nearly every joke hits its target, and there are so many details and parodies that repeated viewings are definitely rewarded.  At the very beginning during the Oscar-nominated song “Accidentally in Love,” there are references to From Here to Eternity, Spider-Man, and The Fellowship of the Ring, and countless others follow, including spoofs of Alien, E.T., Beverly Hills Cop, Frankenstein, The Mask of Zorro, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii 5-0, and even the O. J. Simpson chase footage.  The Zorro resonances are especially ingenious since Antonio Banderas plays his feline counterpart Puss in Boots with enough gusto to give Donkey a run for his money as best animal sidekick.  (I’m a sucker for those big dark eyes.)  Yet, in addition to all these parodies, the film retains its own brand of humor:  Donkey’s annoying are-we-there-yets, the clever exchanges that both Shrek & Fiona and King Harold & Queen Lillian share before their rendezvous, the glimpses of the villains’ pub and the red carpet night.  As with the first film, a soundtrack of contemporary songs complements several thrilling action scenes; Jennifer Saunders’s rendition of “Holding Out for a Hero” as Shrek storms the castle is easily the best sequence of the whole film and my favorite version of the song.

Shrek 2 was a high point for DreamWorks that was quickly lowered by the likes of Madagascar and Shrek the Third.  The third Shrek film was an uninspired, unfunny mess focusing on all the wrong things and was only partially redeemed by the decent Shrek Forever After.  Perhaps it would have been better if Shrek and the gang had been left singing “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”  As far as satirical comedies with a romantic heart of gold go, DreamWorks has yet to do better.

Best line: (Fiona, unsure what Shrek’s new form looks like, questioning Puss) “Shrek?”  (Puss, eyeing her) “For you, baby, I could be.”

 

Artistry: 8

Characters/Actors: 10

Entertainment: 10

Visual Effects: 9

Originality: 9

Watchability: 10

Other (I like other films more): -5

 

TOTAL: 51 out of 60

 

Next: #107 – Captain America: The First Avenger

© 2014 S. G. Liput

215 Followers and Counting

 

Shrek (2001)

Tags

Action, Animation, Comedy, Dreamworks, Family, Fantasy, Romance

Within his swamp, the ogre Shrek

Desires just to be alone,

Content to occupy his wreck

And scare invaders of his zone.

 

But then a Donkey who can talk

Annoys him with his friendliness,

And later, to the ogre’s shock,

He’s forced to share his home address.

 

A bunch of fairy tale rejects

Are dropped outside his home’s facade,

So Donkey eagerly directs

The way to Duloc’s Lord Farquaad.

 

Farquaad has plans to be a king

But needs a princess far away,

So he commissions Shrek to bring

Fiona back without delay.

 

To get his swamp back, Shrek relents,

And Donkey joins him on his quest.

The task before them is immense;

A dragon keeps out every guest.

 

They find and rescue their princess

And narrowly escape the beast.

She’s startled by Shrek’s ugliness

As well as glad to be released.

 

Along the way back to Duloc,

She seems disheartened by the night,

Yet she makes Shrek and Donkey gawk

At how this girl can burp and fight.

 

Unlikely romance starts to brew,

And late that evening Donkey learns

Fiona’s made an ogre too

Until the bright sunlight returns.

 

Next morning, Shrek delivers her,

Misunderstanding a remark,

While, eager for her curse’s cure,

Fiona wants to wed ere dark.

 

Since nobody is pleased at this,

It’s Donkey who convinces Shrek

To dare to be her true love’s kiss

And fight for her, ‘cause what the heck?

 

When Farquaad’s less than sympathetic,

Donkey’s new date makes him chow.

Fiona’s ugly curse poetic

Keeps her ogreish somehow,

And she and Shrek live less ascetic,

Happy ever after now.

____________________

 

Shrek is DreamWorks Animation’s golden boy, having won his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The un-jolly green giant launched their new wave of computer-generated comedies and initiated their unique brand of irreverent, pop-culture-laced humor. An instant classic, the film eclipsed Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. to win the very first Best Animated Feature Academy Award. Will Smith’s recitation of a whole scene from Shrek in I Am Legend illustrates the film’s impact on young and old moviegoers alike.

Mike Myers found his most iconic role as the Scottish-accented ogre, as did Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona. The rest of the voice actors are perfectly cast, from Eddie Murphy’s frenetic, amiable Donkey to John Lithgow’s hilariously narcissistic and overcompensating Lord Farquaad. It was the lovable cast that kept the franchise going for four films, even when it perhaps should have stopped while it was ahead.

“Fractured fairy tales” were nothing new, but Shrek’s mish-mashing of known Disney properties and original characters gave it a mocking edge that was well-tempered by the strangely engaging romance and the don’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover lesson. The rousing score by Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell is instantly recognizable, and the film also boasts a rocking soundtrack of contemporary pop songs. Both songs and score complement the action and romance beautifully, particularly in the case of the slow-motion castle escape scene and John Cale’s cover of “Hallelujah” during a dramatic montage.

Despite some mild language that set it apart from Disney’s films, Shrek remains one of the high points for DreamWorks Animation. It’s an original fairy tale that offers a fresh take on familiar material.

Best line: (Donkey, complimenting Shrek’s swamp with a line I’ve used countless times since) “I like that boulder. That’s a nice boulder.”

VC’s best line: (Donkey, crashing the wedding) “All right, nobody move! I’ve got a dragon, and I’m not afraid to use it! I’m a donkey on the edge!”

 

Artistry: 8

Characters/Actors: 10

Entertainment: 10

Visual Effects: 8

Originality: 9

Watchability: 9

Other (I like other films more): -4

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #120 – Jesus Christ Superstar

© 2014 S. G. Liput

207 Followers and Counting

 

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)

Tags

Action, Animation, Drama, Dreamworks, Family, Western

(Can be sung to Bryan Adams’s “Where I Belong”)

 

A horse was born so long ago,

Out in the West where free things grow,

An unfettered mustang, an ace in his prime,

Free to run, as they have for all time.

 

Leading his happy herd, defending each foal,

This Spirit’s unrestrained, till he falls under man’s control.

His homeland’s behind him; his future’s unknown,

Yet he keeps on fighting to live on his own.

 

He shows up his captors and earns their distaste,

But, helped by an Indian, he breaks out in haste.

Persistent young Little Creek tries riding in vain,

But he introduces his fair mare named Rain.

 

Though Spirit is shocked that the human and she

Display some connection that lets her run free,

He sees for himself that the Two-Legs possessed

More room for kindness than he had first guessed.

 

Though Spirit could run home, he opts to go back

And rescues the boy from a sudden attack.

Though poor Rain is injured, he still finds his hope

As he helps drag a train up a slope.

 

He halts all their efforts, escaping from flame,

Relieved loyal Little Creek thankfully came.

They flee from pursuers and leap for their lives;

Spirit’s glad when a healed Rain arrives.

 

Goodbyes are not easy when trust has been earned,

But they know it’s time that the mustang returned.

With Rain by his side, Spirit’s now free to roam

And at last he again embraces his home.

____________________

 

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron was one of my favorite movies growing up. As I’ve said, movies that have made me cry hold a special place in my heart, and Spirit is one such Childhood Tearjerker. DreamWorks knew from the start that most adults and kids alike love horses, and seeing such a wild and free creature dragged from his home was enough to get my waterworks going. It still touches me, though I don’t weep like I used to.

The animation is absolutely stunning. While some of the CGI from the opening is obvious, still lovely but paling in comparison to that of Dinosaur, the rest of the Western landscapes and the hand-drawn horses are gorgeous (especially the gorges). I’m no artist, but most agree that horses are among the most difficult creatures to draw: after all, Maurice Sendak illustrated Where the Wild Things Are with assorted beasts only because he realized he couldn’t draw horses. Not only are the horses arrestingly beautiful and convincing, but their facial features evoke the full spectrum of emotions without ever lapsing into anthropomorphic talking animal territory. Spirit himself has some inward monologues, provided by Matt Damon, who could have varied his voice more, but the rest of the animal interaction is done skillfully with emotion-filled neighs, whinnies, wickers, nickers, brays, and countless other equine ejaculations. So well is the wordless interplay handled that much of Damon’s voiceover, which ranges from stirring to funny, seemed unnecessary, though my VC felt it served to break up all the whinnying.

Then again, that is why Bryan Adams’s excellent anthems were included. Along with a rousing orchestral score that once again proves Hans Zimmer’s musical facility, Adams’s songs provide the melodious heart of the film. Though some critics decried the soundtrack as “whiny” or “insipid,” I felt they added so much to the film. It may not be on the level of what Phil Collins provided for Tarzan, but every song strikes the right chord of emotion, from free-wheeling liberty to depression to rekindled hope. “Don’t Let Go,” which features Sarah McLachlan with a haunting harmony, certainly deserves a place in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame.

Over the years, I have still seen some flaws: the intruding humans are uniformly bad because of their enslavement of horses, and I don’t usually like to feel guilty for wanting to ride a horse. Since all the Indians’ horses appear happy, the film seems to imply that only they built any relationship with their ponies. All the soldiers’ horses seem to hate their masters and frequently sabotage them, not allowing for the fact that I’m sure plenty of cowboys shared a connection with their steeds. After all, even broken horses can be happy.

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is nonetheless a lovely, G-rated adventure with fantastic music and some genuinely exciting action sequences. It was DreamWorks Animation’s second-to-last hand-drawn film (before Sinbad) and causes me to miss the days before CGI became the only animation style successfully used in film.

Best line: (part of Spirit’s opening monologue) “I was born here, in this place that would come to be called the Old West. But, to my kind, the land was ageless. It had no beginning and no end, no boundary between earth and sky. Like the wind and the buffalo, we belonged here; we would always belong here. They say the mustang is the spirit of the West. Whether that west was won or lost in the end, you’ll have to decide for yourself….”

 

Artistry: 7

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 10

Originality: 7

Watchability: 8

Other (crying effect): +1

 

TOTAL: 47 out of 60

 

Next: #156 – As Good As It Gets

© 2014 S. G. Liput

172 Followers and Counting

 

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Tags

Action, Animation, Dreamworks, Fantasy

Hiccup is a Viking lad

Upon the isle of Berk.

He cannot seem to please his dad

With his inventive work.

 

His father Stoick only cares

For hunting dragon pests,

But Hiccup is the worst of heirs,

As everyone attests.

 

He shoots a dragon from the sky,

A Night Fury, the worst,

But when he tries to watch it die,

His feelings are reversed.

 

He lets it live; it follows suit,

And cautious friendship grows.

He names the beast Toothless to boot,

And learns what no one knows.

 

Since half the dragon’s tail was torn,

It cannot fly away,

But Hiccup crafts prosthetics worn

Around its tail each day.

 

As he is trained with fellow teens

To fight each flying creature,

Astride his pet Hiccup careens,

With practice as his teacher.

 

With inside knowledge of the brutes,

He handles them with skill

And wows his dad and the recruits

And earns the right to kill.

 

A girl named Astrid follows him

And threatens to reveal,

But Toothless scares her on a whim

Yet proves he has appeal.

 

They find the hidden dragon nest,

Ruled by a giant beast,

And Hiccup sees they act the pest

Or else become its feast.

 

So Hiccup tries to prove his point

In front of his whole town,

But Hiccup’s efforts disappoint,

And Toothless is brought down.

 

His father stubbornly insists

To find the dragon nest,

And Toothless grudgingly assists

With Stoick’s killing quest.

 

Since Hiccup knows they cannot fight

That dragon monster thing,

He and his Viking friends take flight

On dragons they’re keeping.

 

The monstrous dragon is released,

And Stoick saves Toothless.

They all engage the mammoth beast,

And Hiccup’s acts impress.

 

He taunts the beast, astride his friend,

And brings it down with flair,

But very nearly meets his end

If not for Toothless there.

 

Though injured, Hiccup quickly mends,

And witnesses with glee

Dragons and Vikings can be friends

And live in harmony.

__________________

 

After the Madagascar movies, I began to not expect much from DreamWorks. Their focus on parody made them pale in comparison to the originality of Pixar, but How to Train Your Dragon was a welcome surprise. Boasting a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s awesome in both concept and execution. Based off of Cressida Cowell’s book series, the film combines rowdy Scottish-accented Vikings with various species of the legendary flying reptiles to create something exciting, touching, and just plain cool.

Jay Baruchel brings a geeky likability to Hiccup, and Gerard Butler deepens his voice and accent to give heft to Stoick the Vast. Other roles are filled decently by America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Craig Ferguson, etc. The character I especially admire is Toothless, the Night Fury. I love how his behavior is often cat-like, and his scenes of flight are so exhilarating and beautiful that I wish I had one of my own.

As far as the story, there are some clichés, such as the overbearing, disappointed parent who doesn’t understand the more open-minded child (sounds like The Little Mermaid). The various teen stereotypes aren’t all that memorable, but their interactions in the entertaining training scenes are. There’s even the familiar he’s-dead-no-wait-never-mind cliché, though unlike other movies, Hiccup doesn’t escape completely unscathed, giving the loss more weight. Even with its action-oriented story, the film also extols inventiveness and the value of reading and, yes, open-mindedness.

John Powell’s fantastic Celtic-influenced score heightens the excitement and the fun; it’s probably my favorite score of all of DreamWorks’ animated films. My VC doesn’t much care for the film, considering the dragons to appear too cartoonish, but I think How to Train Your Dragon is DreamWorks Animation’s best film in years. I hope to see the sequel soon.

Best line: (Gobber, to Hiccup about his father) “Now, you’re thinkin’ about this all wrong. It’s not so much what you look like, it’s what’s inside that he can’t stand.”

 

Artistry: 6

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 9

Visual Effects: 9

Originality: 6

Watchability: 8

 

TOTAL: 45 out of 60

 

Next: #174 – Mulan

© 2014 S. G. Liput

158 Followers and Counting

 

Joseph: King of Dreams (2000)

Tags

Animation, Biblical, Dreamworks, Family, Musical

In Canaan, Jacob’s simply thrilled

To have his prayers at last fulfilled.

For barren Rachel’s borne a son,

A miracle to everyone.

 

As Joseph grows and sings in key,

He’s Jacob’s favorite, plain to see.

His ten half-brothers grow quite tired

Of the way he is admired.

 

He wears a coat of many hues

And flaunts his standing, in their views.

They’re also irked that it now seems

Their brother has prophetic dreams.

 

At last, they say they’ve had enough

And make a move that’s not a bluff.

They trap their brother in a cave

And sell him as a meager slave.

 

To Egypt, Joseph’s taken far

And sold again to Potiphar.

Through labor, he starts earning praise

And all his perseverance pays.

 

Now high within his master’s house,

He’s slandered by his master’s spouse

And thrown in jail in utter gloom,

A dark and rat-infested tomb.

 

He solves some fellow inmates’ dreams,

Interpreting their common themes.

He’s left alone for two years till

He comes to terms with his God’s will.

 

When Pharaoh has a dream as well,

He calls on Joseph from his cell.

His dream predicts some years of famine,

Spread from Egypt unto Ammon.

 

Pharaoh is indeed impressed,

And Joseph soon is heaven blessed.

As Pharaoh’s second-in-command,

He helps prepare the entire land.

 

When famine withers shoots and seeds,

All Egypt has the food it needs.

When Joseph’s brothers come for food,

He acts conspicuously rude.

 

He quickly locks up Simeon

Till they bring brother Benjamin.

They come back with his newest brother,

Born of Rachel, his dead mother.

 

A trick gets them at last to leak

Their crime, which they’ve been loath to speak.

Then Joseph says he’s their estranged

Half-brother, when he’s sure they’ve changed.

 

They beg forgiveness, which he gives,

And he is glad his father lives.

Then Jacob and his family

Move down to Egypt joyously.

___________________

 

Joseph: King of Dreams is a prequel to DreamWorks Animation’s The Prince of Egypt but skipped theaters and was released directly to video, the only animated DreamWorks film to do so. Though the story of Joseph had been done as a musical before with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s pretty good adaptation Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, this animated film is much closer to the spirit of the Biblical story, as the opening disclaimer tries to convey. Some creative license was taken, such as removing Leah from the picture to avoid the depiction of Jacob having two concurrent wives, but Joseph: King of Dreams is a wonderful introduction to the Biblical story for all young viewers.

The animation and music are all right but do not measure up to the masterpiece that DreamWorks pulled off with Prince of Egypt, and I bet the filmmakers knew that; hence, its direct-to-video status. Many of the songs are catchy while you hear them but aren’t as memorable as they try to be, but the best ones are the opener “Miracle Child” and “Better Than I,” a very Christian song beautifully recounting Joseph’s memories while in captivity (though, can a tree really grow that much in two years?). While the voice acting was never advertised much upon release, it does feature Ben Affleck as Joseph, Mark Hamill as Judah, and Richard Herd as Jacob, among various other known and obscure voice actors.

It’s always enjoyable to see a well-produced adaptation of a Bible story since so many are obviously low-budget affairs. At the same time, there’s a danger of departing too far from the source material in order to build characters or tension (a la the recent Noah); Joseph: King of Dreams is an admirable Biblical movie that remains faithful to the text, telling a timeless story for all ages and audiences.

Best line: (lyrics in the song speaking of God while Joseph is imprisoned) “You know better than I.”

 

Artistry: 6

Characters/Actors: 5

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 5

Originality: 5

Watchability: 7

 

TOTAL: 35 out of 60

 

Next: #260 – Galaxy Quest

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Puss in Boots (2011)

Tags

Action, Animation, Comedy, Dreamworks, Family

This legend of the Puss in Boots,

Who some may know from Shrek,

Is of a lover and outlaw

Who’s on a lengthy trek.

 

He hears the tale of magic beans

That Jack and Jill will use

To grow and climb the famed beanstalk

And steal the Golden Goose.

 

He tries to steal them from the pair

Of outlaws. Nonetheless,

Another skillful cat with boots

Prevents him from success.

 

They fight with dancing and with swords,

But Puss is shocked to find

He fought one Kitty Softpaws, who

Can swiftly steal him blind.

 

He learns she works for Humpty Dumpty,

Quite a crooked egg,

Who wants his help to steal the beans

And isn’t shy to beg.

 

Puss then tells Kitty of his past:

The egg and he were pals,

Two orphans seeking magic beans

To boost their low morales.

 

Puss was the toast of San Ricardo,

Future looking bright,

But Humpty tricked him into helping

Rob the bank one night.

 

So Puss abandoned him to jail

And has been running since.

The two get Puss to help their plan,

Though he’s hard to convince.

 

They snatch the beans from Jack and Jill

And fly where Humpty knows

They’ll sprout into the tall beanstalk

And up, up, up it grows.

 

They find a golden gosling, plus

A giant unseen beast,

And take the goose back down to earth,

Their fortunes now increased.

 

But Jack and Jill attack that night

And leave Puss all alone.

He follows them to San Ricardo,

Where the truth’s made known.

 

It all so far was Humpty’s plan

For vengeance on his friend,

And everyone from Jack and Jill

To Kitty helped pretend.

 

While Puss in Boots is locked away,

The city celebrates,

For Humpty’s bought it with the gold

The giant goose creates.

 

The goose’s even bigger mom

Attacks, as Humpty’d planned,

But Puss convinces his old friend

To help him save the land.

 

Reuniting mom and child,

Humpty’s death’s implied.

He plummets from the city bridge,

Revealing gold inside.

 

Once San Ricardo’s safe and sound,

Puss gains respect once more.

Though wanted still, both he and Kitty

Seek their next big score.

__________________

 

The Shrek universe got a welcome addition in 2011’s Puss in Boots. It already had a number of memorable characters, such as Donkey, Fiona, Gingy, Prince Charming, and so on, but none deserved their own film like the big-eyed feline that stole the show in Shrek 2. Puss in Boots is an imaginative origin story that plays up the similarity between Puss and Antonio Banderas’s role as Zorro. The Hispanic tone makes the setting feel a little more like the real world, even though no one is surprised at talking feline outlaws or anthropomorphic eggs.

Several more interesting characters are introduced, from the conflicted Humpty Dumpty to the sultry love interest Kitty Softpaws, played by Zach Galifianakis and Salma Hayek, respectively. Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris are also memorable as the pig-loving ruthless killers Jack and Jill. The animation is also marvelous, and the story itself is much more original, intricate, and entertaining than the awful Shrek the Third. Plus, it’s very funny with a number of jokes intended for adults, including a Fight Club reference and even a drug joke.

While there’s nothing really objectionable, I can’t help but feel that the story gets a bit too weird in its imagination. The filmmakers at times fracture the fairytale to the breaking point, so to speak, turning the giant’s castle into a humongous lost world, the Golden Goose into Godzilla, Little Boy Blue into a literal blue-skinned boy, and Jack and Jill into evil hillbillies. Sometimes, the action becomes so frenetic that a blink can cause you to miss something. Still, combining Humpty Dumpty with the Goose that lays the golden eggs was inspired, even if his ultimate fate is rather open-ended.

Also, the ending is good for this film, but it’s unclear how it ties into Shrek 2. In some ways, Puss in Boots is akin to Prometheus, offering a prequel of sorts that can stand alone but doesn’t connect with the next installment quite the way we would expect. What happened to Kitty Softpaws? How did Puss end up in Far Far Away where the king found him? Perhaps DreamWorks is planning a Puss in Boots 2 to answer questions like these.

Best line: (Puss in Boots, leaving his latest conquest) “I will never forget you… Margherita.” (annoyed cat meows) “I mean, Rosa.”

 

Artistry: 5

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 8

Originality: 7

Watchability: 6

Other (some weirdness and unanswered questions): -7

 

TOTAL: 33 out of 60

 

Next: #282: Fireproof

© 2014 S. G. Liput