How to Train Your Dragon 2!

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Smaug's voice
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How to Train Your Dragon 2!

Post by Smaug's voice »

I am so very excited for this one! As much as The Hobbit perhaps.
The first How to Train your Dragon was fantastic. But it pales at least visually, imo, in comparison to the new one from what I have seen till now.

Of course, now they have dragons as their pets so they would be going much beyond Berk and explore new places.
I also like the fact that they have decided to 'age up' the characters into a more adolescent look.
And visually it looks amazing.

And hey, Cate Blanchett's in it. ;)

DW just released the opening scene of 5 minutes:

5 Minute clip

And here are the trailers:

Official Teaser Trailer

Official Trailer 1

Official Trailer 2

:love:
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Pearly Di
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Post by Pearly Di »

I adored the first film. Visually it was gorgeous and the story had a funny, magical, quirky charm.

The trailer for 2 seemed to give most of the storyline away :shock: but I don't care, I'll go to see it anyway. :D For Hiccup and Toothless!

I'm sure both films have deviated massively from the British comic fantasy books for younger readers that they're based on. Here's the author's very nice website :)

http://www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Post by Smaug's voice »

Yeah Di. Quite drastic changes made there! Some to the point of unrecognizability. And we speak of PJ's Hobbit here. :D
I agree with your assessment if the original. It was crazy fun and yet cutely emotional. And very much creative with dragon-designs. It's one of the top 5 on my favorite animated films of all time. (at the top will be Ratatouille)

ETA: Loved Toothless walking on two legs!
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Post by Sunsilver »

I watch the half hour animated series whenever I get the chance. LOVE it! And, of course, I will be going to see the movie, too! :D
When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose.
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Post by Smaug's voice »

There's an animated series?
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Pearly Di
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Post by Pearly Di »

This is why I'm so forgiving (mostly!) of PJ. :)

The HTTYD film franchise is delightful but it would seem to bear no resemblance to the source material ;) - which also looks delightful.

My other animated favourites include Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story 3 and Wall:E, FWIW. :D
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Post by Smaug's voice »

I haven't read the books. Are they entertaining?

I may as well give my favorites. Which woukd be (from top to bottom); Ratatouille, WALL-E, Lion King, HTTYD, Kung fu Panda - another hilariously crazy fun movie btw.
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Post by Sunsilver »

Yes, indeedy! :D

http://www.animeflavor.com/node/41389
When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose.
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Post by Smaug's voice »

I so wish I had that network. :(
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Post by Sunsilver »

Many of the episodes are available online, if you google for them, S.V.!
When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose.
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Post by Smaug's voice »

I might try on youtube. It takes up less memory.
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Post by Sunsilver »

Um, that's what I meant. On YouTube. The site I linked to has a player you can download, but it wanted to change my homepage, and a few other things about how my computer runs, so I refused to install it! :x
When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose.
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Post by Smaug's voice »

I saw this today.
I love the first one. I loved this one too!

I am not sure if it is better than the first as I have to rewatch it to get quite a few jokes. But it is entertaining. The script is more mature and has fewer cliches than the first one. (which is a good thing itself I suppose, given how fresh the first one was)

The visuals are amazing. Worth the ticket itself.
The animation good except for some scenes where Hiccup and another character's lipsing is a bit odd.

Great world building.
And dragons! So many of them. Actually this has probably more dragons than humans!

The score is good.

Warning: you might be a bit disappointed if you expect to see more scenes similar to the Hiccup-Toothless meeting from the first one. There is much cuteness associated with Toothless, but no big scenes specified. Small ones scattered throughout the film. And some hilarious moments between Toothless and other dragons.

It is actually a much mature and darker film than the first one. And has lots more action.

But there is a scene near the end which packs a big emotional punch.

4.5/5

The thing that, for me, really sets apart these two films is the tiny sense of loss we feel at the end of them, which is absent in almost all children's films.

MAJOR SPOILERS!!!
Hidden text.
In the first one the victory isn't at the cost of nothing. Hiccup looses a leg.
In this one, it is the death of his father, Stoic. (and this comes not too late after he is reunited with his long lost wife) And there is no sappy melodrama in the death scene. Stoic just dies. No last words, a few tears from Hiccup and co. Followed by, probably my favorite scene from the movie, a Viking's last rites.
I have not seen LEGO Movie, but this is definitely in the run for best animation.
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