How to Train Your Dragon Movie Review.

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Title: How to Train Your Dragon.

Starring: Jay Baruchel {Hiccup}, Gerard Butler {Stoick}, Craig Ferguson {Gobber}, America Ferrare {Astrid}, Jonah Hill {Snotlout}, Christopher Mintz-Plasse {Fishlegs}, T.J. Miller {Tuffnut}, and Kristen Wiig {Ruffnut}.

Gene: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Animation.

Release Dates: Theatrical: March 26^th, 2010; DVD: October 2010.

Plot: Vikings have always and will always be known for their ferocity in battle, their gigantic muscular proportions, their fierce personalities and their big red beards. However, this family-friendly movie will make the Vikings known for their ability to make you laugh {now that they’re all dead and the threat of being carried off by one is severely lessened}.

How to Train Your Dragon takes us back in time to an imaginary island inhabited by Vikings who do the classic Viking things: raid, pillage, plunder, make weapons, break weapons, play catch-the-spear with their children, build big ships and carry on the general existence of Vikings. However, there is one small difference: instead of normal pests, they have dragons who swoop down in great flocks and carry off their sheep and cattle. The Vikings, being a breed of tough warriors, enjoy battling with the scaly, annoying lizards. All except for Hiccup that is. Different from all the other Vikings in muscle mass and thinking {“brains over brawn my dears”}, Hiccup dreams of one day killing one of the elusive, feared Night Furies; black dragons who, under cover of darkness, swoop down and burn the village but never carry off any sheep. When his father {who is head of the Viking village by the way}, and the rest of the villagers are distracted during one hectic night-attack of the dragons, Hiccup sneaks out and, using a contraption of his own invention, shoots a Night Fury.

When nobody believes him when he says he shot it, Hiccup runs out the backdoor of his house and goes looking for his catch; finding the dragon alive but helplessly tangled up in a mass of ropes, Hiccup raises his little knife to end the dragon’s life in hopes of gaining respect from his father and fellow Vikings. Looking into the dragon’s eyes, he sees something that causes him to change his mind and release the dragon who, surprisingly, doesn’t kill him. Stoick, Hiccup’s father, believes that if they find the dragons’ nest and destroy it, then the continuous attacks upon the village will cease, so he enrolls his troublesome son in dragon training school and sets sail for the dragons’ island. Hiccup, meanwhile, begins to swap his time between dragon training where he is suppose to learn how to kill dragons, and dragon training, where he befriends Toothless, the Night Fury he shot down, and learns to ride said dragon.

When Hiccup’s secret double-life is discovered by Astrid, the tough Viking girl he secretly has a crush on, he doesn’t think too much of it; but when, in fine, dramatic style, the rest of the village and his father learn his secret, Hiccup’s world comes crashing down around his head. When he’s at his lowest point, Astrid asks him what he’s going to do, and, suddenly getting inspired as he replies, Hiccup says, “Something stupid and something crazy,” before running off to put his plan into action. Meanwhile, Stoick and his men have taken the captive Toothless to his island in hopes of destroying the dragons once and for all, but they encounter something none of them ever thought even existed before and Stoick finally learns what his son has been trying to tell, and, how much Hiccup really means to him.

Likes/Dislikes: A very well drawn film, with good, fun music, and well developed characters. The voice talents were well chosen and Toothless’ animated facial expressions set my family and I to laughing. Hiccup and his father have communication difficulties between them, but thankfully, Hiccup doesn’t lie to his father and they become fast friends at the end. Hiccup’s fellow classmates, Fishlegs, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Snotlout, and Astrid are also very funny and provide good sidekicks. All in all, a good, clean, funny family movie that I highly recommend.

Rating: PG; I’d say a G but some younger children might not like the big dragon’s ferocity.

Date Report Written: October 29, 2010.

Explanation {sorta}.

I know I haven't posted anything lately; I haven't had time to write a review but this week, I'll do better and will, for sure, have something to say.

I posted a poll at the bottom of the blog but I noticed that not too many people noticed it; either I should put it in a different location, or I need more followers! Any suggestions on that? :) God bless!!

Genesis 45.

“The Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did s end me before you to preserve life.

For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God; and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith they son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.

And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.

And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.” ~ Genesis 45, KJV.

Pilgrim's Progress Quote.

I didn't have time this week to write a review so instead, I'm posting an extract from the classic novel, Pilgrim's Progress, for your enjoyment. It's from the second part of the book {my favorite half}, it has my favorite character in it doing what he does best and it's one of my favorite scenes!

“But now Great-heart replied, ‘I am a servant of the God of heaven; my business is to persuade sinners to repentance. I am commanded to do my endeavor to turn men, women, and children from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; and if this be indeed the ground of thy quarrel, let us fall to it as soon as thou wilt.’

“Then the giant came up, and Mr. Great-heart went to meet him; and as he went, he drew his sword, but the giant had a club. So without more ado they fell to it; and, at the first blow, the giant struck Mr. Great-heart down upon one of his knees. With that, the women and children cried out. So Mr. Great-heart, recovering himself, laid about him in full lusty manner, and gave the giant a wound in his arm. Thus he fought for the space of an hour, to that height of heat, that the breath came out of the giant’s nostrils as the heat doth out of a boiling cauldron.

“The they sat down to rest them; but Mr. Great-heart betook himself to prayer. Also the women and children did nothing but sigh and cry all the time that the battle did last.

“When they had rested them, and taken breath, they both fell to it again; and Mr. Great-heart with a blow fetched the giant down to the ground. ‘Nay, hold, and let me recover,’ quoth he. So Mr. Great-heart fairly let him get up; so to it they went again; and the giant missed but little all-to-breaking Mr. Great-heart’s skull with his club. “Mr. Great-heart seeing that, runs to him in the full heat of his spirit, and pierceth him under the fifth rib. With that the giant began to faint, and could hold up his club no longer. Then Mr. Great-heart seconded his blow, and smote the head of the giant from his shoulders. Then the women and children rejoiced, and Mr. Great-heart also praised God for the deliverance He had wrought.” ~ Pilgrim’s Progress.

Prince of Persia Movie Review.

Title: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal {Dastan}, Ben Kingsley {Nizam}, Gemma Arterton {Tamina}, Alfred Molina {Sheik Amar}, Steve Toussaint {Seso}, Toby Kebbell {Prince Garsiv}, Richard Coyle {Prince Tus}, Ronald Pickup {King Sharaman}.
Release Date: Theatrical: May 28, 2010, DVD: September 14, 2010.
Plot: Dastan, an orphaned peasant boy, is adopted by the king of Persia after he witnesses a display of Dastan’s tremendous courage {and agility} in the marketplace one day and fifteen years pass. Dastan, though a prince of Persia, still hangs out with the poorer class and his cohorts are composed of wild, rag-tag, rough men of that class, but they love their prince and follow him everywhere, even into a night attack on Alamut when the crown prince forbade Dastan to lead the main attack. He, of course, didn’t listen and, leading his secondary attack, captures the city and a strange dagger that catches his eye.

Tamina is the princess of that peaceful city. The crown prince wants to make a union between the two peoples with the beautiful but fiery princess and asks Dastan the next day {and while said prince is drunk and celebrating the victory with his men} to give their father a gift for him and present Tamina to him. Dastan agrees and the king takes him by surprise by giving Tamina to him as his first wife. Tragically, the king is killed just minutes later and, being suddenly accused of the murder, Dastan flees, taking Tamina with him {she wants the dagger he has and spends a good deal of time trying to get it back}.

Along the journey the next day, Tamina complains about his “long, stomping strides” and he gives her a shock by telling her he has no royal blood in his veins and that what she sees is “the walk of a man who has just lost everything.” That’s when Tamina does a double-take and deep inside, her opinions about the “Lion of Persia” change. Through the various adventures that follow {dodging soldiers, discovering the real murderer, meeting a man who races ostriches, trained assassins whom no one is equal to except Dastan, and a sandstorm}, the twosome grow lass sharp with each other and fall in love. And then they face the toughest test of all.
Likes/Dislikes: A very good movie, with lots of action {thankfully no shaking-camera stuff} and fairly impossible but certainly impressive stunts, and an epic battle of good-verses-evil at the height of ancient Persia. Objectionable content would include Dastan being drunk after the battle {though that is actually a funny scene}, several people telling each other lies {the truth comes out later}, mention of the false Persian gods {no big deal if you can handle the Greek and Roman gods}, lots of battle scenes though not much blood and the plot-twist of murder within the family. All in all, I recommend this movie highly!
Rating: The movie is rated PG-13 for violence and action and I will agree with this rating only because younger children might not understand some of the plot and the action scenes might be too intense for them.
Date Report Written: September 21, 2010.

My Notebook Poem.

A collection of thoughts,
Mystical and romantic,
Rushed and frantic
Is my notebook.

A collection of verses,
Sweet and sad,
Ill-writ and bad
Is my notebook.

A collection of stories,
Humorous and happy,
Strange and snappy
Is my notebook.

A collection of notes,
Beautiful and wondrous,
Lovely and ponderous
Is my notebook.

A collection of lists,
Of multiple subjects
And varied objects,
Is my notebook.

Scribbles and doodles
Adorn the cover,
Written in the fervor
Of my animated mind.

Worn out and old,
The edges frayed,
Tis often mislaid,
My notebook is.

Through thick and thin,
My best friend
Till story’s end,
Is my notebook.

Sad will be the day when,
Your pages full
And my pen dull,
Upon the shelf I put you,
For a day, a year, and more,
Till research I begin,
And find I need you,
My faithful notebook.