New Movie Releases Reviewed in 7 Words Each
Made in Dagenham (limited) - English... Important... But not Harry Potter... Pass.
The Next Three Days - But I haven't finished with today yet.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows - Part 1 - Should be magical. (No I won't apologize.)
It's not quite irony, but one should find humor in the fact that Made in Dagenham, a film about women in England fighting for equal pay, will largely lay forgotten for Harry Potter, a film based on a set of books by an authoress who has accumulated more money than many small countries. I do want to see the Dagenham, one day. It's got a pretty decent cast, and the story interests me. But Harry Potter was made for theater watching. It can't help it.
Course there's also The Next Three Days. It doesn't look that bad, but I have a problem with Russel Crowe. I used to really like him, then he went crazy, and then worse still, boring. I can still enjoy him in a film, but his name has the effect of turning me off initially.
![How to Train Your Dragon (Single Disc Edition)](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B002ZG97YM&tag=thenrevi-20)
Last Friday I had an animated marathon. Started off with
How To Train Your Dragon. I wanted to see it in
![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenrevi-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002ZG97YM)
theater, but just didn't have the time. It was even better than I thought it would be. In some ways it reminded me of
Eaters of the Dead, a
Michael Crichton book that's a blend of Viking history and Crichton's take on
Beowulf. If you haven't seen the movie, it follows Hiccup, a young Viking out to prove to his father that he's up to the task of slaying dragons. Along the way he befriends a dragon that he himself has injured. He then slowly begins to, as the title suggests, train the dragon. The casting of
Jay Baruchel as Hiccup is inspired. He adds a depth to the character that kind of reminds me of Wart from
The Sword in the Stone. It's a fun movie with lots of laughs.
9 out of 10
![Toy Story 3](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B00275EHJG&tag=thenrevi-20)
![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenrevi-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00275EHJG)
Next up was
Toy Story 3. I was going to see it in theater but ended up seeing something else. As I can't remember what it was, I'm guessing I made the wrong decision. All the beloved characters are back (unless you loved Bo Peep, cause... she dead). The drama this time surrounds Andy's leaving for college. The toys find themselves headed to a daycare center which is ruled by a pretty close to carbon copy of the villain from TS2. While I loved the film and thought it was better than the second film, the fact that it reuses so many themes and gags from the other two, feels less like connecting the series and more like unimaginative scripting. Given the quality of the overall film and the fact that one gets to see such well loved characters back in action, it's a small complaint.
8 out of 10.
![The Iron Giant (Special Edition)](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B00009M9BK&tag=thenrevi-20)
Finally I capped off the evening with my favorite animated film,
The Iron Giant. It's a movie that I've
![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenrevi-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00009M9BK)
watched way more than I'm willing to admit to. The story is simple: A giant robot crashes on earth and a boy saves his life and befriends him. The themes blended well with my earlier viewing of How To Train Your Dragon. I always enjoy the feel and style of the artwork along with the old pulp science fiction tone it sets. I love the cast.
Harry Connick Jr. as the hip junkyard proprietor is comic gold and
Vin Diesel as the robot, takes me back to a time when I thought he had potential. And you won't often hear me saying this but I truly enjoy
Jennifer Aniston's performance as well. It's a beautiful, emotional, and very funny film. If you haven't seen it, heck even if you have, get it and watch it. You won't be sorry.
10 out of 10.
Have a great weekend everyone!
I'm ashamed to admit that I own IG yet never have cracked it open to view it. BTW...I agree, Made in Dagenham is going to totally be overshadowed by Hogwarts and Slitheren.
ReplyDeleteTold you How to Train Your Dragon rocked.
ReplyDeleteAnd The Iron Giant is an underrated gem.
copyboy-do yourself a favor and crack that baby open. It doesn't have to be a special occasion but it will turn into one.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll skip HP, I missed that boat a long time ago. But I will give the Iron Giant a try. Maybe I can find it on Netflix. - G
ReplyDeleteLoved the Iron Giant and Toy Story 3. I've only heard good things about the Dragon one too. One day, I will enjoy it as well.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Harry Potter. Nerd. ; )
Nothing in the group appeals that much to me. I will probably see HP just to see how they wrap it up...
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing good stuff about How to Train your Dragon. Haven't seen that one...but want to.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm probably the only person on the face of the earth who doesn't get into Harry Potter. Pffffft.
Fantastic review - as per usual with these.
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty funny/ironic (the brits are into that right?) about Rowling/that film. Funny stuff.
Also the Vin Diesel line was great.
got my tickets to see Harry tommorrow, can't wait
ReplyDeleteMy wife and her two girlfriends are going to see HP next week for Thanksgiving (suckers!)...I am going to watch football, so I guess I'm thankful for Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteI will catch toy story 3 on dvd and wanna see HTTYD too...my kind of mythical/fantasy stuff...Hp of course and I do like these so called unknown brit /world movies...they r interesting, some of them...
ReplyDeleteI love ur reviews...to the point except when it comes to Horror. ;P
You make me want to go see movies.
ReplyDeleteI saw "Welcome to the Rileys" last weekend and liked it!
sweet reviews!
ReplyDelete