How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - A worthy and fond farewell

I love Dragons! I think it's essential for me to make that clear right out of the gate. To me, Dragons are the one thing that almost every culture in the world has in common, considering how there are so many different interpretations of the concept. They are the perfect embodiment of human curiosity, imagination, and the wonder of the unknown. Rather or not they ever actually existed is another discussion entirely, but that does not matter to me anyway. What matters to me is the idea: the notion that there is something that unites us strangely and tangibly that we can't always explain. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that I have always been a fan of the Train your Dragon series. Not just because of the remarkable mythological creatures, but because they have been some of the best stories about them and their impact on the human spirit. While I am sad to see this series come to an end (at least this particular storyline), I am happy that it did so with such a satisfying and heartwarming execution, thereby creating a rare and beautiful perfect trilogy of films. 

For those of you who may have not yet seen this series, How to Train Your Dragon is an animated film from Dreamworks released back in 2010. It follows a young Viking boy named Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) who has a talent for building things and lives in a remote village, known as Berk, that is regularly attacked by Dragons. As such, people are expected to not only know how to hunt and kill Dragons but are just taught to hate them and never to assume anything good can come from them. That is until Hiccup discovers a mighty Dragon referred to as a Night Fury in the woods with a broken tail. As such, the Dragon can no longer fly on its own. Rather than try and kill the helpless creature, Hiccup decides to help the Dragon, whom he names Toothless for reasons you'll discover when you watch the first film (which I highly recommend you do anyway), by building him a new tail as well as a mechanism for riding. Together, they form a powerful and ever-lasting bond that will change their lives forever. Once more, it is through their friendship that Hiccup discovers the real reasons for the regular attacks on their village. Which, without spoiling anything, turns out to be not what anyone else in the town could have ever expected. 

This successful first film was followed up by a sequel which expanded upon the world and characters presented rather flawlessly, and a few television shows and specials of mixed quality. Each outing did more to develop the characters, enrich the world created, and provide fantastic entertainment value all along the way. Speaking personally my favorite is the Holiday Special as that one featured the most profound development of the friendship between Toothless and Hiccup. Which, incidentally, is called back to in the third film. If you have not yet seen either of the first two films, I encourage you to do so. Especially if you plan on seeing this new movie in theaters, which I also recommend you do. While all three films can easily stand on their own as individual stories very well, watching them in order does provide a profound sense of closure and enlightenment of sorts.

The third film, as in today's subject, takes place a few years after the events of the second. The people of Berk have not only been at peace and harmony with the Dragons, but they have even become a safe haven for them all. As there are still plenty of other tribes out there who only see them as monsters to be taken down. One such new threat takes the form of a master Dragon hunter named Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham) who claims to have hunted and killed almost all of the Night Fury Dragons. Realizing that it's only a matter of time before this lethal hunter funds their home, Hiccup decides, as leader of the tribe, to move everyone to a new land where they may stand a better chance at defending themselves and protecting their Dragons. Making things even more complicated, Toothless had discovered, and become enamored with, a female Night Fury (actually referred to as "Light Fury" in the movie). Also, legend speaks of a safe haven known as The Hidden World specifically for Dragons. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must face their greatest challenge yet: choosing between the world they want and the world they need.

What I like best about this movie, and indeed the series as a whole is how smart of a film it is. All of the characters in this series are smart, developed, three-dimensional, and have grown over time. Sure, there are still some comic relief characters who have been more-or-less the same in terms of personality, but they serve their purposes well and even show some signs of change when it comes to how they choose to react to specific situations. Much like Zootopia none of the characters are made to be stupid or ignorant to advance the plot. Everyone in this film is utilized to their full ability.

The relationship between Hiccup, his Dragon friend Toothless, and his girlfriend Astrid (America Ferrera) is the heart of the film in every way. Their dynamic and loveable connections drive the story every step of the way. Making their journey all the more memorable and heartfelt especially at the very end of the movie.

The animation will undoubtedly wow both general audiences and specialists. The advancements made in technology since the first film shines through in the third. The amount of detail and textures ate genuinely astonishing to behold. Not to mention the overall style which has been a stand out for me remains visually gorgeous. It is worth noting that renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins worked as a visual consultant for all three films, and it shows.

This is a beautiful addition and a satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series. Kids will love it, adults will admire it, and fans will rejoice for it. I know I did. If you enjoyed the first two movies, then you will love this one. If you have not yet seen the aforementioned films, then you owe it to yourself to get started. Like any good series of movies, there is something for everyone.

Is this movie worth seeing?
Yes.

Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Yes.

Why?
It is a bold and well-crafted story about love, friendship, and the hope for a better future all told with stunning action and some of the coolest Dragons you will ever see. Don't miss this one.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you for reading.

Alita: Battle Angel - Organized chaos at its finest

In the world of filmmaking, and indeed film criticism, I have come to identify two kinds of people. The ones who forgive a movies faults provided there is enough valuable entertainment and substance, and those who refuse to do so by clinging to dogmatic perfectionism and structures of narrative and insist that movies without said qualities are automatically and entirely awful. I am one of the former. I can forgive a film that has a cluttered plot, overstays its welcome, and doesn't really have an actual ending, provided the movie in question has enough heart and commitment put into all of it. Alita: Battle Angel is such a film as it has lots of things to do, but does so with so much passion, love, and commitment, that you can't help but admire it. Even find it to be incredibly impressive like I did. The faults of this film are tiny when compared to everything else it does well. This is a genuine gem to behold, and I am glad I got to see it on the big screen and in my lifetime. Also, it may very well be the best Western live-action adaptation of an Anime title. Which, I assure you, is saying a lot.

Based on the series Manga by Yukito Kishiro, which was adapted into a short OVA (Original Video Anime) back in the 90s, the story takes place in a far off cyberpunk style future. War has ravaged most of the planet leaving only two places to live: one where the rich and powerful live in a floating city, and the town just below for the lower class (metaphor much?). We follow a young cyborg teenaged girl with a human brain named Alita (Rosa Salazar) who was discovered in a scrap yard by a robotics doctor named Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz), who gives her a brand new body and takes her under his wing. Which is lucky for her since she can't remember who she was before. As Alita adjusts to her new life by making friends and discovering some of the smaller joys (like chocolate), she begins to see the more ugly aspects of the city. Like bandits who will yank robotic body parts off of unsuspecting victims to sell on the black market hoping to buy their way into a better life. Choosing to take on such evils, Alita begins to discover her remarkable ability as a fighter, and in doing so, regains some of her lost memories. Soon she will have to make a choice: will she embrace this violent side and accept the harsh world around her, or will she become a hero and fight for love and a better future?

There is a bit more to the story than what I just described, but this is arguably the central focus of the narrative.

What makes this movie so amazing to me is the number of risks that it takes. Namely, casting a relatively unknown Latina actress in the lead role. Who, by the way, carries the movie on her shoulders with absolute ease. This young lady is a powerhouse of an actress. She succeeds in selling everything she does and says in this movie, even when she has to occasionally deliver some of James Cameron's clunky dialogue (more on that in a moment). Every action scene, every quiet moment, and everything in between is played with incredible conviction and heart by Rosa Salazar. She alone makes this movie worth the admission price, and I can't wait to see what she will do next.

Furthermore, this is a kind of movie that I have not seen out of the Hollywood system in a long time besides those from Marvel Studios. A larger-than-life concept with an abundant of mysterious places, people, and technology the likes of which had only been seen in films like Blade Runner or even Star Wars. All of which is spectacularly brought to life by WETA Digital. The effects team behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to name a few. The effects used to create the world and render the cyborg population therein is phenomenal. Never at any point of the film did I see the cracks of the special effects at play. Even better, the action scenes are all coherent and entertaining. Unlike the action scenes in any given Michael Bay Transformers movie, you can actually make out what is happening on screen and even care about it. That alone provides this movie with a ton of bonus points in my book.

The film was co-written and produced by James Cameron whom you may remember as the guy who did Avatar and Terminator. A filmmaker who is known for perfectionism but always seems to have a talent for creating amazing works (most of the time). Not to mention, while he does have great ideas for stories, he's never really been perfect with his dialogue. As he has a tendency to lean towards the adolescent and clunky every so often, especially in recent years. Even so, it's not as noticeable here. This has apparently been a long time passion project of his and had intended to direct it himself. However, as other projects kept taking priority, he handed directing over to Robert Rodriguez, late of El Mariachi, Sin City, and From Dusk 'Till Dawn. A filmmaker who is generally at his best working on shoestring budgets and usually going with the flow to get his movies made. A stark contrast with a personality like James Cameron to be sure, but it somehow works. Robert Rodriguez, who is also used to doing just about everything himself on set, steps into the directors chair exclusively for the first time in his career, and he proves himself a tour de force when given the right material. While I have never liked most of his own films, I have always admired the man himself for his enthusiasm and ability to just make stuff happen. Cameron would be wise to being Robert on board again with future projects.

Now, as much as I did genuinely enjoy this film, and although I loved the amount of heart and passion that went into making it, this movie is not without its flaws.

For one thing, the film is just too long. I get the impression that the writers wanted to include as much of the stuff from the source material as they could, and that meant spending a good chunk of the running time explaining things and building the world, but I'm pretty sure some aspects could have stayed on the cutting room floor. I'm not sure what at the moment as the experience is still fresh in my mind, but I'm sure that upon the next viewing I can pick a few things that could have been shorter, changed, or taken out entirely. Because at two hours, it sometimes overstays its welcome.

Another issue with the movie is its ending. Without spoiling anything, it kind of has the same problem as Return of the King, where it has multiple spots in the story that could have been the ending only for the plot to pick itself back up again and keep on rolling. Then, when we get to the actual end, it's reasonably cool but isn't quite as satisfying as I would have liked it to be. If they make a few more of these movies, and I hope they do, then maybe it will make a little more sense. As it is now, it's not awful nor is it great, it's just...there.

Despite these flaws, I still very much enjoyed my time with this movie. This is the kind of stuff I want to see more of. Fantastical out-of-this-world concepts made by people who wholeheartedly embrace the insanity and silliness of it all. In the hands of any other group of filmmakers, this would have likely been turned into another safe and calculated "reimagining" of itself, where it's made to be more "realistic" and "modern." I say screw that! Take a risk with storytelling, take a chance with world creation, and make a leap of faith in seeing this film. It may not be quite what you're expecting, but as it turns out, that's part of its charm.

Is this movie worth seeing?
Yes.

Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Yes.

Why?
While it may be a little hard to follow in some areas, it still succeeds in becoming a charming and entertaining time at the movies. If for no other reason than how awesome it is to have a larger-than-life science fiction film helmed by a kick-ass young lady in Alita. This may very well be the first step into a new and delightful era.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.

This...might actually be great.

Back in 2013, Disney released what has arguably become their most successful animated musical film in recent history, Frozen. It delivered stunning box-office returns, received the Acadamy Award for Best Animated Feature, and continues to wow viewers in many different ways. Except for me. I cannot deny that I have never really liked this film, and while I have changed my attitude towards expressing my feelings about it in recent years, I still stand by my criticisms about its execution. The best way I can describe my take on Frozen is that it is a film that has lots of great ideas but doesn't know what to do with them. It gives the impression that it wants to be about sisterhood, breaking down old fairy tale tropes, and the power of love (all of which are great things to tackle in a movie), but it all just doesn't come together very well. At least not in my opinion. While I can understand and appreciate what the movie wanted to accomplish, in my humble opinion, it didn't succeed. Even so, there is at least one thing about the film the I genuinely and wholeheartedly love. No, it's not the song, it's this awesome lady! 

Elsa is, by far, the most interesting, likable, and relatable character in the whole film, and I love everything about her. I love her personality, her back story, her powers, her design, and yes, even her song. As a character, Elsa is one of Disney's most fabulous creations. She is the embodiment of true love, strength, courage in the face of trauma, selflessness, and empathy. In other words, Disney's equivalent to Starfire. Which makes me dislike the movie she came from even more when you realize that she only has, at most, fifteen minutes of screentime out of a ninety-minute feature film. Sure, Elsa has still become an icon of sorts (rightfully so I might add), and she got to play a more prominent role in some of the short films Disney has released over the years, but that still doesn't change the fact that Disney almost messed up her full introduction. Come to think of it; it might be fair to look upon the first film as an introduction to new characters rather than as an actual movie. Because I desire to see Elsa again, but in a more compelling story. As it turns out, that might be just around the corner. 

Not too long ago Disney released the first teaser trailer for the sequel. While I am still not sure of the potential quality of the film, as many of the people who were in charge of the first film have returned thus causing me to be concerned that they may repeat the same mistakes they made last time, the trailer, rather delightfully, and very surprisingly, gives me some hope for this upcoming movie. 

For one thing, the trailer gives the impression that Elsa is going to be much more active in the story. Which, again, was part of the problem I had with the first film. The first half of the teaser shows Elsa trapped on a rocky island and is determined, for some reason yet to be explained, to make her way across the aggressive waves of the Ocean. Since we already know what kind of person Elsa is, we can easily speculate that she's most likely trying to escape her confinement to help someone she loves. Thereby instantly establishing a sense of tension and relatable steaks. In other words, a damn good introduction. 

Secondly, we can see from most of the images presented in the trailer that this story is likely going to be darker than expected. Not just in presentation, but also likely in tone. While I did just a moment ago complain about the potential lack of quality in this film, given that some of the people involved in the first production have returned, it would be unfair for me to forget that one of them, Jennifer Lee, also worked on Zootopia. Which is not only one of my favorite movies, but is also one of the few Disney animated films to take on a darker and more mature story. It is very possible that the risks which were taken to make Zootopia so universally appreciated will also be present in Frozen 2. Again, this is only speculation, but it seems very likely based on what we have seen so far. 

Thirdly, the story, as listed in the movies IMDB page, says that our heroes are venturing into an unknown part of the land to uncover an ancient mystery. Many possibilities abound for sure, but in any case, it already sounds like a much bigger adventure and is likely to provide some incredible action and visual storytelling. The world presented in Frozen has always suggested that it was full of all kinds of magical and mythological stuff that could be ripe for fantastical stories. While we may not know precisely what that is at the moment, I can say with confidence that I am very excited to see what it turns out to be. 

I would encourage you to check out the trailer yourself and see what you think. You can find a link to it below this article. While I still have my doubts as to whether this upcoming sequel can deliver the goods or not, I am happy to say that this trailer has made more excited for this film than I ever thought I would be. Here's hoping that Elsa gets her chance to shine like the bad-ass that she is this November. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you for reading. 

Frozen 2 Trailer 

The Lego Movie 2 - Everything's still awesome

Released back in 2014, the first Lego Movie was a unique and pleasant surprise. Rather than being the mindless and apathetic corporate feature-length commercial many of us feared it would be, the film successfully surpassed its central product placement intentions and became a more profound and entertaining movie ever committed to cinema. It was a heartfelt and thought-provoking story about free expression, wild imagination, and the absolute value of the inner child within us all. Add to that some relevant commentary on classic movie cliches (in particular the overused "chosen one" trope), and there is no denying that The Lego Movie is one of the most talented, most interesting, and most extraordinary films to ever grace the silver screen...okay, maybe not all of that but it's really close. If you have not yet seen it, I would highly encourage you to give it a shot. I assure you that it is a lot deeper than you might suspect. 

The sequel, as in today's subject, may not entirely be as impactful as its predecessor, but it still manages to be on par with its charm and wonder. Mainly because it chooses to tackle another equally important aspect of our inner child: the true nature of growing up. 

The story takes place shortly after the events of the first film had been wrapped up. The familiar world we grew familiar with has descended into a dark and bleak post-apocalyptic setting after the war against the Sis-Star System. Our ever optimistic hero Emmit (Chris Pratt) continues to enjoy his life with his friends, including his girlfriend WildStyle (Elizabeth Banks). After achieving some semblance of new civilization, a warrior from the world as mentioned earlier kidnaps some of the fiercest and strongest leaders, including WildStyle. Emmit then embarks on a solo mission to save his friends. Along the way, he encounters a mysterious and bad-ass space rogue who agrees to help him on his quest. Meanwhile, WildStyle and company are greeted by the Queen Whatevra Wa'Nabi (Tiffany Haddish) and are tempted to join her seemingly strange and cult-ish lifestyle. Now, Emmit must brave through the scary world to save his friends and, ultimately, learn a valuable lesson about what it really means to grow up. 

Without spoiling anything, as I believe this movie must be seen to be genuinely appreciated, the film tackles an aspect of both childhood and adulthood that plays a vital role in both our ability to be the best person possible and how important it is to work together for a better future. Speaking personally, the story mentioned aspects about growing up which I struggled with and, eventually, came out of the other side all the better. I very much appreciated this movie for sharing and understanding my personal philosophy about childhood and the relevance of retaining the joy therein. 

The animation, as you might have expected, is incredible. When I saw the first movie in theaters, I genuinely believed they had used traditional stop-motion animation with actual Legos. When I discovered the true nature of the animation, I was bummed but also very impressed. The visuals succeed once again in capturing the beautiful aesthetics and realistic movement of the toys they are representing. While the visuals were achieved through digital technology, I remain astonished at how it never looks obvious. Even though I probably would have preferred traditional stop-motion animation, I very much appreciated the level of detail that went into making the film at least look as such. 

This may count as a minor spoiler, but the film does feature a few original songs. Not only that, but it also has characters breaking out into song ala classic Disney films. A practice which was mostly absent from the first Lego Movie. Despite this unexpected addition, it is still executed pretty well, and the songs themselves are pretty catchy and fun. 

Special mention and the MVP award has to go to Tiffany Haddish as Queen Whatevra Wa'Nabi. I love this character! Her design, her voice, her motivations, even her songs. She is the main reason I might download the soundtrack to this movie. I say "might" because I have not yet done so, but the point still stands. She is, arguably, the perfect embodiment of this movie's relevant and impactful theme and message of the importance of collaboration and love. Furthermore, they could not have gotten a better person to portray this character. 

The best aspect of this movie is how hard it works to maintain its own individuality. Most of the time sequels will waste their time trying to recapture the spark that made the first film so successful without realizing that it can never genuinely do so. This is one of those rare films that not only understands the futility of that practice, but actively avoids it, and chooses instead to expand further upon the mythos laid down by its predecessor. Rather than trying to repeat the same story, it expands upon the ideas presented, thereby exploring even more possibilities. In other words, it is on par with the likes of Aliens in that it is a proper sequel. 

This is a beautiful expansion of a remarkable idea. It offers fantastical entertainment value while continuing to provide more heartfelt lessons about creativity and the importance of childhood. If you loved the first movie, then you will certainly get a kick ouf of this sequal. If you haven't seen the first movie yet, pleast do so then immediatly go see this new one. I promise they are both worthy of your time and emotional investment regardless of your age. 

Is this movie worth seeing? 

Yes! 

Is it worth seeing in theaters? 

Yes! 

Why? 

It is a joyful celebration of both the inner-child within us all, and the relevant role it can play well into adulthood. Please don't miss this one. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading. 

Cold Pursuit - A terrible Fargo rip-off

In 1985, a little-animated film titled Starchaser: The Legend of Orin opened in theaters. It was the story of a young kid on a desolate back-water world who finds a Magic Sword, then, under the advisement of a wise old man, finds a rogue smuggler to help him defeat a dark overlord. In case you haven't already figured it out, this film was a complete and shameless rip-off of Star Wars. Not only did the movie go so far as to blatantly copy plot elements and characters, but it also replicated iconic shots from the original trilogy almost verbatim. The worst thing about the whole affair was not only how obviously it was ripping off Star Wars, but how much it did so without understanding what made Star Wars work. Despite having the same fantastical outer space setting, adventurous story, and carbon copies of iconic characters, Starchaser failed to capture the heart of Star Wars by failing to provide likable characters, relatable steaks, and an overarching theme worth our time and investment. I'm telling you this story by the way, because it is way more interesting than Cold Pursuit. Which is, in every possible way, the Starchaser equivalent of this year so far. The only difference is rather than ripping off Star Wars, it's a terrible rip-off of Fargo.

The story takes place in a famous Ski town known as Kehoe Colorado. It follows a Snow Plow driver named Nels Coxman (Liam Neeson) whose son gets murdered by a couple of errand boys who work for a local drug lord. Seeking revenge, Nels tracks down the people responsible for his son's death, working his way up the criminal ladder, aiming to take down the big fish. His actions inadvertently cause tension between the two main crime families in the area, and so begins a nasty and vengeance-driven turf war.

Now, I admit that this story is not exactly like that of Fargo, but everything else about this movie is a blatant attempt to emulate that film. There's the heavy Winter setting, the attempts at dark comedy, the graphic violence, and even the overarching theme of the stupidity of organized crime. Except Fargo not only already delivered that message (very well I might add), but it is also a significantly better movie in every way. If just because Fargo had at least two relatable characters and a better sense of humor (when applicable).

Aside from everything else wrong with Cold Pursuit (which I will get to in a moment), it has no likable or entertaining characters. Every single person in this film is one-dimensional, given no real development, and provides no redeeming qualities of any kind. The main villain especially is so repetitive and played so terribly by Tom Bateman, that by the time his character is finally killed off you wonder why it took so long.

Liam Neeson is a fine actor and usually is entertaining regardless of the quality of the overall movie he's in, but here, he's just a total bore. Aside from empathizing with him over the tragic loss of his son, there's nothing else to his character. There's no profound implication as to what kind of man he is or how he's so willing and able to do the things he does outside of a sudden desire for revenge. He, just like everyone else in this film, is a blank slate with no identifiable or relatable properties whatsoever. While a movie can survive lacking in quality in most areas, no film can survive a terrible main character.

It's worth mentioning that this is actually a remake of a Norwegian film titled In Order of Disappearance from 2014. It also has the same director, Hans Petter Moland. So, what we have here, is another case of The Grudge, where we had a film made in a foreign country, then remade by the same director for an American studio almost shot for shot. At least I highly suspect so based on what I've seen in the trailer. While I can't say if In Order of Disappearance is any better as I have not seen it as of this writing, I can say that this remake has not made me interested in even giving it a shot.

This film has, quite literally, nothing about it that makes it worth anyone's time. It's two hours of people doing the same crap over and over again with no progress being made, all the while trying to mask its lack of texture with unfunny jokes. It is a movie that has no reason to exist other than to keep Liam Neeson in shape for better films to come (hopefully).

Is this movie worth seeing?
No.

Is it worth seeing in theaters?
No.

Why?
It is the cinematic equivalent of "The Nothing" from The Never-Ending Story. It shows up out of nowhere, sucks out any and all joy within you, and doesn't even care.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.