How to Train Your Dragon

A-

This a very fun movie that also had some surprising depth, especially for a summer kids movie. Just like Despicable Me and Toy Story 3, what a great summer for animated movies.

Hiccup is a teenage Viking from the island of Berk, where fighting dragons is a way of life. Hiccup's progressive views and weird sense of humor make him a misfit, despite the fact that his father (Gerard Butler) is the tribal chief. Tossed into dragon-fighting school, Hiccup endeavors to finally prove himself as a true Viking, but when he befriends an injured dragon, he has the chance to plot a new course for his tribe's future.

This film really brings it. It is funny, exciting, and tender. The animation is very good. The script and voice talent, also very good. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Check it out with or without kids.

Toy Story 3

A

Another home run for Pixar! They just can't make a bad film. This is the third movie in the Toy Story franchise and it blew my socks off. I kind of feel like I grew up with these toys/characters and their owner Andy. I was worried about how they were going to wrap it all up, afraid that however it ended it would be dissatisfying.

With their beloved Andy preparing for college, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and the rest of the toys find themselves dumped in day care. Unfortunately, the uncontrollable urchins do not play nice, so woody and the gang make plans for a great escape.

I can definitely say that it was very satisfying. The animation is, again, a step forward T(their animated humans are more lifelike than ever). The story was funny, charming, clever, and heartfelt. I loved it. I highly recommend it for everyone, especially fans of the first two.

Despicable Me

A

I really liked this movie. It was a pleasant surprise. It was clever, funny, and tender. A homerun.

A man who delights in all things wicked, supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) hatches a plan to steal the Moon. Surrounded by an army of little yellow minions and an impenetrable arsenal of weapons, Gru makes ready to vanquish all who stand in his way, especially his rival supervillain named Vector. However, nothing in Gru's preparations and calculations has prepared him for his greatest challenge: three adorable orphan girls who want to make him their dad.

As i said before. This gem of an animated film had it all. The voice talent was great. the writing was clever and funny. The minions were hilarious. It was a winning mix of wit, humor, originality, and tenderness. I highly recommend it, for kids and grown-ups alike. i took my wife to see it for a date night and we had a blast. It is rated PG for some rude humor and slapstick violence.

UP

A

Wow. I've said it before and I'll say it again, When is Pixar gong to throw up a stinker? It seems that all they know how to make are winners. Up is no different. The animation quality was astounding (as we've come to expect from Pixar) and the story was great. Although somewhat "grounded" in reality, Up is definitely a fantasy adventure story. It has it all, unforgettable characters, genuine laughs, action, suspense, and truly tender emotions that we can all relate to.

Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. He ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies it to South America. He is surprised to find that a little boy named Russell has accidentally stowed away on his trip. Hilarity and action ensue.

As you watch the film, notice the attention to detail. For example, as the movie progresses Carl's facial hair slowly grows from clean-shaven to stubble. I was a little concerned that maybe the villain's mean dogs might scare my 4 year old, but she handled it just fine. And by the end, the dogs had become quite endearing. It is another phenomenal film that I highly recommend to all viewers. It is rated PG for action, some peril, and some frightening chase scenes.

Wall-e

Grade: A-

Visually stunning with a touching story. I (and more importantly my 3 and 7 year old kids) loved this movie. Pixar has done it again! I am amazed how they can continually reinvent the genre to avoid stagnating.

In the distant future, the Earth has become uninhabitable. WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class, is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying up the planet, one piece of garbage at a time. But after 700 years, WALL-E has developed a personality, and he's more than a little lonely. Then he spots EVE (Elissa Knight), a sleek and shapely probe sent back to Earth on a scanning mission. Smitten, WALL-E embarks on his greatest adventure yet when he follows EVE across the galaxy.

The overarching message is one of love which is displayed on many levels: artificially intelligent machines learning to love each other, people learning to love each other, and people learning to love the planet. In addition to the environmental message, we find a humorous social commentary on sedentary life. The animation was incredible. I was surprised at how much emotion the animators could evoke from robots who don't even really speak. The first 30 - 45 minutes was almost entirely dialogue free, but it was still mesmerizing to watch. I recommend this film for kids, parents of kids, Earth-lovers, and hopeless romantics. (If all you care about is action and blowing up stuff, then maybe this is not the movie for you, even though there are a few explosions.)

The Clone Wars

Grade: B

I really liked this movie, understanding that it was meant for kids. (My own kids loved it.) It was a fun little romp in the Star Wars universe. In fact, it is intended to kick off a new TV series with the same name on the Cartoon Network (I think).

The Clone Wars is a computer animated film that takes place between Episode II (Attack of the Clones) and III (Revenge of the Sith). We find Kenobe and Anikan fighting in the clone wars when Yoda sends a young apprentice to Anikan. They immediately butt heads as both are headstrong and somewhat arrogant and reckless. Together they embark on a mission to rescue Jabba the Hut's infant son from kidnappers in an effort to win his support in the Clone Wars. Both learn valuable lessons along the way, and we get to see a lot of action.

The action was exciting. The animation was adequate. It was fun.

Kung Fu Panda

Grade: A

This may be Dreamworks’ best animated feature. It had the perfect combination of voice talent, script, cutting edge animation, humor, action, and emotion. I thoroughly enjoyed the film from beginning to end.

The chubby panda Po (Jack Black) works in the family noodle shop, but has dreams of acheiving kung fu glory with the five masters in the Jade Palace. In a twist of fate, Po is chosen to become the next “dragon warrior” charged with the high task of defeating a masterful enemy, despite his martial ineptitude. Sifu, the renowned kung fu instructor voiced by Dustin Hoffman, is equally skeptical of the unimpressive Po. Will he be able to defeat the ultimate enemy and save the village from destuction?

My children were totally enthralled for the entire 91 minutes, and I was too. The laughs are genuine, and the story has a great mix of comedy, cartoon martial arts action, and deeper themes for the adult watchers. It has something for everyone. I highly recommend Kung Fu Panda. It is rated PG for martial arts action and some scary images of the villainous snow leopard.