How to Train Your Dragon (2010)



Rated: PG
Directors: Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders
Genre: Animation, Adventure
Running Time: 98 minutes

Hiccup, born into a family, or rather a community, of Vikings, is the oddball. He desires to join in the mayhem of the continuous collective battle against the island's predators, Dragons, yet he doesn't quite fit the bill. Lanky and clumsy yet stubborn as the life he was born into, he uses what he has to impress his family and capture a dragon, his brain. He invents and builds contraptions in hopes of increasing the likelihood of catching one to prove himself. To everyone. He succeeds, yet not according to plan, as all that he imagined shatters upon his first encounter. Simply named Toothless, this feared and renowned Dragon teaches him about a world he thought he knew.

The usual lessons learned are there: going against the grain to do what's right, bumping heads with family yet discovering what truly matters, finding friends by breaking through presumptions etc.. They are expected and are truly good lessons to exhibit - not new but appreciated. In addition, the film is not as goofy as many Dreamworks productions before it, (Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar), with an amusing but somewhat sedate air to enough of the film. Hiccup's awkwardness with, well everything, is endearing.

Visually, it's quite a viewing pleasure. Please, please see in 3D!! Simply admiring the texture in each Viking's leather vest or even furry beard; clear and real enough to flashback to the feeling of your fathers scratchy beard as he hugged you good night as a child. Amazing.

Loved the ending as it was not the picture perfect conclusion that is so commonplace with movies. Hiccup & Toothless' friendship is so much so codependent that it provides a true definition of what it means to rely on a friend.

I give this a four out of five frames!



Cue the trailer:



Danae signing off!

"Parenthood"
Tuesdays, 10pm (check local listings)
NBC

Have you ever had a fight with your brother or sister? Or how about your parents? Or your children? If you haven’t that means that you have no family at all in any capacity and you are a recluse that never has any actual human interaction. That’s okay. I don’t judge. But if you do have any kind of family, and that includes your close friends that you call family, then you can relate to the new NBC show “Parenthood.” It takes you into the lives of the Braverman family. The character single mom Sarah moves with her two children back to live with her parents when she falls on hard times. Upon moving home she is thrust back into the lives of her siblings and their families.

In this family you have father and mother, Zeek & Camille respectively, who are dealing with private issues that they are keeping from the kids. There is Sarah’s sister, Julia, who seemingly has it all together with her career as a lawyer and her stay at home husband, Joel, and their young daughter. Next you have younger brother Crosby who learns from a past girlfriend that they have a five year old son she never told him about. He now has to deal with being a father. Last you have the oldest child Adam. Adam has his wife, Kristina, teenage daughter, Haddie, and young son, Max, who they just learned has Asperger’s syndrome.

Each part of the family has its trials and tribulations but the way they come together to help each other is pretty inspiring. What some other shows about a family get wrong is that they either give you too many unbelievable situations or they try too hard to be “real.” “Parenthood” is one of those rare shows that falls in the middle and is actually “real.” I didn’t think I was going to like this show. When watching the previews I thought it was going to be one of those shows that make me want to roll my eyes for an extended period of time and that all of the funny moments they touted were going to be limited to the ones you saw in the commercials.

I was pleasantly surprised when I left it on one night because there was nothing else worth watching and found that it wasn’t completely awful. It was actually pretty good. The actors on the show were perfectly cast. Each one, right down to the young boy who plays Crosby’s five year old son, plays their characters perfectly. While sometimes you may wonder if these things really happen to families and if they do they can’t all happen to siblings around the same time. Well, of course that is the unrealistic point of all television shows. They only have but so much time to sell you on the show and keep you watching so they throw a lot at you at once. I can look past that when the show is well written and superbly acted; which this one is.

I really enjoy watching this family cope with teens having sex, Asperger’s syndrome, single parenthood, cheating spouses, busy lives, faking orgasms, becoming a parent, starting over, and just about anything else you can think of. I would recommend “Parenthood” to just about anybody. I have found that if my mother has approved a show I’m watching, and actually likes it herself, then it must be good for everyone.

I give this show four and a half frames. I'm leaving the half for the potential this show has to grow.


Here is a two minute replay from the most recent episode titled "Rubber Band Ball."


Head over to the forum at www.j1studios.com to discuss how you feel about this show or any other shows that are centered around family dynamics.

Until next time kids, this has been Hava.

Tasty Drama

I have now invested approximately 21.5 hours to my dear Dexter. Only two seasons left to catch up on and solidified is my respect for the all that is and behind Dexter!

We are first introduced in season one, to Dexter Morgan, a forensics blood spatter analyst, living his life as a serial killer... A serial killer who kills other serial killers. He lives his life under the facade of normalcy via rules he was taught by his father (e.g., do things to make others believe you are normal and (number one rule), don't get caught). His sister, Deb, has always felt that Dexter was favored by their father, also a cop, as Dexter and him spent so much time together. In fact, the bulk of their father/son time was Dexter being instructed how to control his urges and how to use them for "good". Deb is a new detective hoping for more recognition but hindered by a power hungry Lieutenant Maria LaGuerda who seems to have it out for her. Sergeant James Doakes is the only one suspicious of Dexter - he seems to have a keen eye for those trying to hide something. Detective Angel Batista is a nice guy who appears to have it all yet his personal life is not all that it seems. Dexter's training to make him appear an average human being involves maintaining a relationship with his formerly abused girlfriend Rita. The first season was pregnant with Dexter's philosophy and how he managed to stay undiscovered. You gained respect for his ability and either adored or despised the other players in his world. The recently viewed second season had Dexter questioning all that he lived his life by, and was chalk full of close calls and awkward exchanges. Loved EVERY SECOND!!!

Not needing to summarize all that went on in the first couple seasons (if you haven't seen it - do it), what needs to be known is the great story writing and the depth of each actor's characterization. To elicit all the nuances as each is written is quite a task. It is in season two that you truly get to see into the conflict (yet in also the resolutions) within Dexter. Case in point, there was a scene in which Dexter had to feign a duo of emotions: shock and bitter pain as he had to get a morgue technician away from his deceased biological father so that he could examine the body - truly genius! The look, the response, the body position each having to reflect this emotion, not just that but the idea of the emotion, the struggle - yet all not truly having been experienced by him - ingeniuos!

Here's a preview of what consisted of Season Two:



I give this series, so far, a five out of five frames.



Hit me up if you've seen this series or have one to recommend.

Danae signing off!

You Are The Biggest Loser, Or Just A Loser

Yeah I’m talking to you Melissa. That’s why you were voted off last night. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m referring to the latest person to be voted off of “The Biggest Loser” on NBC. If you haven’t been watching, Melissa was voted off several weeks ago and won the right to come back to the ranch by losing the most weight while at home. What made this such a tragedy was that NO ONE liked her. The only person who wanted her around was her husband and he eventually got voted off too.

Melissa has been a topic of controversy on this season of “The Biggest Loser.” The two trainers, Bob and Jillian, suspected that she was throwing the weigh-ins for a couple weeks. Her and her husband would win immunity in a challenge so they couldn’t be voted off at the end of the show. So what did she do, she only lost a couple pounds one week and actually GAINED a pound the next week. By doing that she was able to lose a huge number the next week when she didn’t have immunity, thus making it impossible to be voted off. Okay, I know this is a game and in the end the players aren’t only there to lose weight. They are also there to win a lot of money. To ensure that you stay around you have to play the game a little bit. We all get that. But throwing two weigh-ins in a row? That’s just stupid. People will catch on to you. And they did and that’s why the first chance they got the rest of the players voted her behind off.

When she won the chance to come back on the ranch she was a bigger annoyance, and that’s putting it nicely, than the first time around. The beginning of the season she didn’t only play the game to the extreme, she was rude and ignorant to most of the other players there. That didn’t change. She just amped it up a little more. Why someone would do this is beyond me. Isn’t it obvious that these people don’t like you and want you gone? Can’t you see that when given the opportunity they will get rid of you? The rest of the players did everything they could this past episode to make sure she wasn’t staying. The stepped it up and forced her to lose the challenge which gave her a 1 pound disadvantage at the weigh-in. That’s a big deal on this show. So when she didn’t lose enough weight she went to the ultimate extreme to get to stay. Now I ask, what kind of person says that if you keep them they can guarantee to be in the bottom two every week and help everyone else pick people off one by one?

Let’s examine her proposition shall we? What is she really offering here? Is she saying that she will throw the weigh-in every week so that she is in the bottom two which allows everyone else the ability to get rid of the other person? Does she think that she can’t lose enough weight every week to stay above the yellow line and not be up for elimination so she’s giving them an option? Are the rest of the players really supposed to believe that she won’t screw them and lose a ton of weight every week (because she is capable of it) and pick off the rest of them? Does she really think they are that stupid? Well clearly they aren’t since they got rid of her for a second time. Then she had the audacity to admonish them for not realizing what a wonderful opportunity they are throwing away. This woman has balls people.

I will spare you the catty, nay, witty banter that transpired between me and my mother about how they kept mentioning in the update on the voted off player how Melissa and her husband have been working on their marriage and making it better. Now if you have ever watched this show you can kind of guess as to why their marriage may be on the skids. But we’ll leave that up to speculation. There are some really great players left in the game for the big prize. I would be happy with any of them winning. I hope that all of them continue to lose ridiculous amounts of weight and look amazing and feel amazing in the end. The one thing I don’t want to see is Melissa coming back at the finale and winning the smaller monetary prize for losing the most weight at home. I don’t think I have ever disliked a player on this game more than I do her. If I never have to hear her horrible, grating voice or see that dung eating grin again I will be a happier person for it. Don’t seem shocked at my disdain either readers. I prefaced all of my blogs with a warning that I get invested in all that I watch.

For your viewing pleasure, please watch Melissa have her backside handed to her.


I give this episode 5 frames based solely on the fact that Melissa is gone!


Please head on over to the forum to support my loathing for Melissa. Or feel free to tell me why it is unjustified. Just go to the forum and chat it up.

Until next time kids, this has been Hava.

In Theaters Now....

I grudgingly admit that it has been quite some time since I've entered a real life, popcorn smelling, ludicrously priced movie theater. I've pushed my brain to its limits attempting to recall the last time I entered a cinema house. I believe it was to see The Princess and the Frog? (November of 2009!)

The first step to recovery is admission. Step two is to find out what is out there to determine if at this point, recovery is possible. The impossible is if all choices available = crap. This non-commercial watching gal then had to conduct a search of that which is currently in theaters and has come up with, although only a few, selections. The viewing experiences to come are the next steps to becoming a true POW powerhouse ;). The road consists of a continuous stream of entertainment to filter out that which is brainless, hopeless and a waste of time.

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Rated: PG; Running Time: 98 minutes; Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family

Fun filled story about a young Viking who dares to go against the norm and befriends a dragon. I truly look forward to seeing this and having lots of laughs. Those who brush off these types of films as childish are not only being close-minded but are beyond a doubt, missing out! Also available in 3D.



Shutter Island (2010)
Rated: R; Running Time: 138 minutes; Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime

Yes, yes, this has been out for quite some time yet we all know that my LIFE is late so don't be surprised that I am only mentioning this now. Mixed reviews have been heard but no doubt this is interesting and I am intrigued; I would also love some opinions from those who have seen this as to if they have or have not enjoyed this movie. This has to currently be my top pick for what I want to see.




Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Rated: PG; Running Time: 109 minutes; Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

LeVonn78 will be surprised to hear this as I've refused to accompany him due to my childhood discomfort of anything associated with this story. Yet after his and quite a few (respectable) opinions, I am giving in and would like to see if instead of wanting to dash out of my seat, I will take pleasure in this viewing experience. The book always creeped me out and I saw nothing amusing, nor even fun about the story. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's mutual love for all things odd has appealed to me before; I'm now willing to give it a shot.



I slightly aspire to see Youth in Revolt (Netflix!) - any opinions?

Note to the readers: for my protection and all those curious, if you've seen ANY of above films, post your opinion on the forum - let's discuss!!

Danae signing off!