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Reviews
Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon (2010)
Oh Gods, what have they done?!
Let me start out by saying that I'm a huge fan of the original HTTYD film. The plot and characters, the voice acting, the visuals, and the score were all superb and I rank the movie highly amongst all of the animated films I've seen.
I'm aware that this is supposed to be a "short film" and not a full- length sequel to the movie. However, that is no excuse for throwing together a half-arsed job in an attempt to milk what looks to be a very promising franchise. If I could erase my memory of viewing this short, I would. Let me break down everything that was wrong about this "film" for you:
The plot: Technically, HTTYD is a "family" movie aimed towards kids; I get that. However, being in my 20s I still found the original story to be highly enjoyable (if a bit predictable) but still with a respectable level of emotional maturity. Still, the dialogue was witty and the story flowed well. I'm well aware that you can't do much in the span of 15 minutes, but the story in LOTBD was embarrassingly juvenile such that anyone over the age of seven would find "uncool" to watch. Did they hire the same writers? Jokes were lame, and everyone's personalities were reduced to stereotypes. Toothless had more of a cameo than an active role, despite the fact that he is one of the principal characters. Heck, the hammerhead sharks and yak had more screen time (take from that statement the content of the plot)! The film was more about Gobber, who I found to be quite funny in the original but I hated how he was portrayed here as a paranoid, stubborn, bumbling oaf.
The visuals: This was what shocked me the most, aside from the horrendous script writing. What happened?! The original movie had absolutely mind-blowing visuals; the details they put into both the characters and environment were stunning. The environments were incredibly stale and unpolished, like something I would have expected from the 90's in terms of quality. And to cut even more corners, they stuck in some lame 2D schlock-fest to fill up about half the time.
The score: I loved John Powell's soundtrack to the movie. It's on my iPod and I've listened to it about a dozen times. To make it even more obvious that this film was a last-minute idea, they didn't both to re- hire Mr. Powell to create a new score, and they instead re-used everything from the original. I was looking forward to hearing some more original stuff, but it became a predictable disappointment.
Frankly, I'm also disappointed with the voice actors that they would lend their talents to such a shoddy production. If the quality of this film is a preview of what I can expect from the second and third full- length sequels, then Dreamworks will have lost my support for this once- promising franchise.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
A classic Halloween tradition for the family
I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it, when I was 7 years old, and I'm still loving it 10 years later. It's become a family tradition to watch this movie every Halloween, and it's something I definitely want to continue doing. Along with the other fans, I'm shocked at the poor reviews I read from other people. I admit that some scenes may be intimidating for the real young ones, but that's why it has a PG rating! The funnies quickly overshadow any scene that could be considered "mildly" frightening. A lame script? What more could you expect from a children's/family movie? If you want a deep, epic and intricate plot, go watch The Lord of the Rings. Luckily, I'm not hearing many complaints from the acting, and I'm glad for it. Bette Midler, Katy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker are the highlights of the movie with their hilarious portrayals of the Sanderson sisters. Midler's rendition of "I'll Put a Spell On You" and Parker's "Come Little Children" are wonderfully done; I was humming the tunes for days after seeing the film for the first time, and I still do whenever I watch it. And, of course, I can't leave out Omri Katz and co.'s acting, to which I give two thumbs up. Truly, this is a movie for all ages, whether you're 7 or 70. Those who can't appreciate the film's humour must have therefore lost sense of their own. Watching Hocus Pocus is sure to sprinkle a bit of magic onto your Halloween night, and bring out the kid in you to play.