Double Feature: Midnight in Paris / Only Lovers Left Alive

 

Midnight In Paris - Nostalgia IS What its Cracked up to be

Midnight in Paris is one of the rare treats you will find in a movie these days, one that is both beautiful and classy while letting your imagination fly. Midnight In Paris is a wonderful movie about a nostalgic screenwriter who takes a vacation to Paris with his fiance and her conservative parents, hoping to find inspiration for his novel. At one point he gets lost in the streets of Paris while trying to walk home by himself and gets invited into a car that ends up transporting him to Paris in the 192Os. Here is where he meets his idols, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, along with a whole host of legends such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Cole Porter and more. The music is just darling, the era is so much fun to watch, and check out Hemingway! Whoa! What a man. haha. Kind of screws up the grading curve in the gender, I must say. Too bad his life didn't end so well.

A night out with Hemingway is always a blast of manliness

This movie was magical for anyone who is a writer and has a love for previous eras in history. Beautifully written and directed by Woody Allen, it has a large swath of famous actors in it such as Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody, Rachel McAdams, Tom Hiddleston, Kathy Bates and more. They all play their roles beautifully and are strikingly well-casted for the people they portrayed. The story line is romantically kind, gentle and nicely done. Even the ending is quite satisfying even though things didn't work out as much as I imagined them to.

The only annoying thing about the movie is Rachel McAdam's character, Inez. The woman is incredibly annoying and stereotypical of a gold digging, materialistic female. Now I know she is basically the catalyst that makes Gil reflect on his life before marrying a woman of this type, but her character really frustrated the hell out of me. Which I guess is a good job to Rachel since that's probably what they were going for. Also Michael Sheen was awesome as the smug, pseudo-intellectual, Paul. He sounds like he would make a great intelligence professional, he's got diarrhea of the mouth. He can't help, but to spill knowledge whether people care or not. haha.

The mystery of the magical street at midnight is an interesting plot device in itself as a motive for transportation into another time. We all have wanted to go to a different world at times and writers are finding unique ways to bring us into that special world. In Harry Potter it was the train station platforms serving as a portal. For this movie, its a transportation vehicle of some sort from that era. For the 192Os it was a lavish 192Os style car, for other eras, I wonder how much simpler the vehicles become? Perhaps they strip down to horses and so on. I would have eagerly loved to be a part of a different era for the night. Especially with such friendly people that want to invite me to parties! Let me get ready to do the Charleston!

Reading the sheeple's opinions on the internets, some have stated that this film seemed anti-American, but I don't think it has anything to do with American sentiment at all. It has to do with learning to deal with the present and being honest with oneself. Hemingway and Fitzgerald were awesome as characters and Dali was just perfect with his line, 'I see rhinoceros!" If you have no idea who these people are, I suggest you check them out before you watch the film or it won't have as strong of an impact on you.

If you are looking for something that is subtly romantic, nostalgic and a dreamer's type of story, this is the movie for you. As a writer, you will love the premise and it delivers exactly what you hoped it would. So if you have time, I think everyone should check this movie out. You won't regret it.

DnD Rating: 9/1O

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Only Lovers Left Alive - The Plotless Vampire Movie That Holds Your Attention

For those that are into vampires, here comes a sexy story that has no plot, but still piques your interest. The story revolves around vampires, Adam and Eve in the backdrop of Tangier, Morocco and Detroit Michigan. When Adam contemplates suicide, Eve travels to him to cheer him up. The two are reunited in loving embrace, but not for long when Eve's obnoxious sister, Ava visits and screws everything up. I guess even vampires have relatives they hate.

The movie is ungodly slow with the passage of time, has no real defining plot, but the characters are interesting enough for you to continue watching. It feels like you are just peeping into their lives and seeing the craziness of what eternity looks like. Adam is a depressed, reclusive musician that drones on about how horrible people are and refers all of them as "zombies" while Eve is more the free, loving spirit that seems to be the only thing that puts a smile on his face. He tinkers with instruments like a backwater scientist while she voraciously reads and has stacks of books lying everywhere in her room. They are lovers separated and yet need each other like two spiritually intertwined addicts.

The Sexy Vampire Couple

This is not the type of movie for everybody and some may not appreciate, nor understand the quality of the story involved. For those that need clean defining lines in a movie, this would be a terrible pick due to how abstract it is. Nothing major really happens and the most interesting thing that does is Eve's sister coming to visit [which at several points I swore Adam was going to murder her in cold blood].

However it is still enjoyable. Tom Hiddleston, who plays Adam, is great in this movie as the brooding, complex vampire. Tilda Swinton also does an amazing job as the patient and sweet-hearted lover. They both seem so chic and cool in their eternal brooding sort of way. They are weird stereotypes of the dark and brooding, hot, rock musician and the hippy Californian that found yoga, tea, and spirituality. Both of them seem to take to blood like heroin addicts looking for the next hit, which is different and interesting as a concept alone considering blood lust and feeding for vampires has always been a carnal thing. Here it seems more like a euphoric addiction that keeps them moving and without it, they suffer and become unmovable.

What is interesting is how much these two have saw over the centuries and the understanding of why Adam is so bitter. Many people he influenced has been persecuted or died over the years. The movie also has a heavy avant garde feel and surrounds itself with the sound of music/creative passion being the heart of the story telling, influencing the feel of each scene. This is a character driven piece and watching the couple in this movie is seductive in itself. They are a naturally beautiful, smoldering couple.

What the story also leaves behind are so many questions. How many vampires still exist in their world? What would they think of the culture of vampires in todays entertainment? How does Adam get money for his music if he is incredibly reclusive and only deals with Ian exclusively? Why are these two separated? What happens if they can't find anymore blood sources? Do they become so weak they start deteriorating? Do they become more animalistic? Does drinking blood compare to a high with drugs or more of a satisfying of hunger? Does Adam and Eve have sex [it was kind of implied...but I'm not even sure at this point]? And is Adam and Eve a coincidental name?

DnD Rating: 8/1O

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What did you think of these movies? Was Midnight in Paris what you expected? What about Only Lovers Left Behind?

Penny Dreadful - Exploring that Dark Depths of the Victorian Age

“The theatre is my drug. And my illness is so far advanced that my physic must be of the highest quality.” – John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, The Libertine

This quote reins true of my appetite for story. I could burn through a thousand stories and be unsatisfied by the meekness of our young writers in today’s world. Not bold enough to express the deepest of tragedies, the victories of life and the struggle of man. 

However Penny Dreadful has delighted me far beyond what I should appreciate. Exceeding my expectations and losing myself in the process. I identify with these characters as torturous and sinful as they are, they are like looking in the mirror and seeing the horror that looks back. The overarching storyline blends well with the individual back stories and themes. Highly interesting characters make you want to know more about their past and who they are. Its like being entranced by a "Penny Dreadful" where one episode is never enough.

Its like the Adams family, with loads more death

Story:

The atmosphere and story is brilliantly done. They make you chase after one goal, but you realize throughout the arc that an even higher purpose exists. What started out as a hunt to save Mina from an unknown villainous monster, ends up being really about saving Vanessa and accepting one's afflictions and guilt from the past. Hints are dropped faintly throughout the episodes, giving more back story for the audience without the need to "tell" them whats up. This is a rare instance of how great the writing is. They show you who these characters are rather than force your mind into one box. They are multi-faceted, complex and have their own pasts, but bond together through strife and fight for each other where it counts most. By no means are they perfect, but their cracks of imperfection draw you in and are the most enlightening and wondrous parts of the story itself.

Characters: 

Vanessa Ives is a woman whose facade is proper and poised, but underneath her possession threatens to consume her in the most vile of ways. She is by far the most interesting character in the show, having a weird perversion that is underneath her skin. She is tormented by the monster that lives inside her, a demon perhaps that just won't leave. She is a clairvoyant that uses her abilities to assist Malcolm in finding Mina and deals with the fate of the cards while being fascinated by dark things.

Ethan Chandler is an American who ran away from his home country to hide out in England from persecution. He is a man who seems to force himself not to care, but has a deep desire to belong. He constantly runs from his past, yet talks about it with  sentiment. He is a victim of a curse, a beast of the night, and he can not allow himself to hurt another. Many believe he is a traditional wolfman [different from the werewolf], while others have speculated he could be a fallen angel. 

Victor Frankenstein is a brilliant, young doctor who is fascinated by the flicker between life and death. Raised on the literature of his days, Victor has a difficult time relating to the opposite sex or others in general. He is sharp in tongue and bold in manner, a man that is pure in his intentions of furthering his knowledge for the sake of knowledge itself. Victor is haunted by a mistake that he can never undue. It pursues him, destroys everything he loves and consumes his waking thoughts. 

What makes him the most interesting are his creations. The first one we see is Proteus, a beautiful, gentle soul who we suspect was once a sailor before he died. Then we also meet his darker older brother, Caliban, who had been abandoned at birth by Victor who was afraid of him. Caliban has a lot of spite and anger, feeling the world owes him much for his mistreatment unlike the gentle Proteus who was nurtured from the beginning. The way Victor treats each creation is an interesting source of drama one would expect out of a parent treating each child differently.

Dorian Gray, a man who lives in a world of beauty, and yet so bored of his life, he continues searching for something more thrilling, perverse and beyond his imagination just to keep from loathing his existence. He finds such an interest in Vanessa Ives, perhaps the first and only person who is enigmatic, hard to read and is not an easy passing fancy. A lot of people online have commented that Dorian doesn't have a point to this series. I think he does. He is the monkey wrench in the hunt for Mina.

Sir Malcolm Murray is a strong, hardy man who boasts about his time in Africa and is pretty much a serial adulterer. After losing his family, he becomes so obsessed to fight for the last thing that is still alive, his daughter, Mina, that he would do anything to get to her. Desperate and heartbroken at the guilt of killing Peter and loathing his wife until she dies, he is the shadow of the boisterous man he once was. Even though he presents himself as a strong figure, he is a danger to those closest to him. 

Sembene is a man who seems to know more than what he lets on. He is quiet, but sticks with Malcolm through thick and thin. For reasons we are still unsure, but he mentions that Malcolm is his responsibility. Sembene starts out as a simple servant in a rich Victorian London home, but he has the heart of a warrior and the vigilance of a protector and key observer in the affairs of Sir Malcolm Murray.

Why I love it:

The show has a story so enigmatic, enrapturing and mysterious it keeps you on your toes. Every ending beckons you to continue, you can’t help yourself to see another and another and another until you consume it all in one swallow. The truth is hard, but the slow burn and powerful uprising of religious sorcery and wickedness can make anyone giddy and weak kneed through this excellent storytelling.

This must be one of those bad hair days, chewing gum maybe?

And we can see why. John Logan has been the writer of many excellent films such as Gladiator, Star Trek: Nemesis, The Last Samurai, The Aviator, Hugo and Skyfall. This writer seems to understand the tragedy and victory of characters and has brought a rare treat on TV, greatness. Probably the best show since Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad hit the scene.

The show follows in the vein of the story of Bram Stoker’s Dracula for the first season. We get to meet a mixture of archetypes, the most well known being Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his creation as well as Dorian Gray [and that mysterious portrait we never got to see]. We also get a splash of Egyptian mythology, a hint of werewolves, and a great big helping of demonic possession. It is gothic horror at its best and like the Penny Dreadful of its days, leaves you hanging for more. You want these characters to live to continue watching their torture like some sick twisted person. It is within this sickness that you realize how powerful and beautiful the story has become, like dark poetry for the soul.

If you want to be hanging onto every word, drawn into the depths of darkness, consumed by insanity and brought back to life, watch Penny Dreadful. Its only 8 episodes, but they are all impactful and beautiful in their own way. A work of art and poetry in this modern age where people are trying to be gritty and outrageous, this show draws you in and leaves you wanting more.

1 Point Sin:

Caliban - Sorry moody meatloaf, but you were the .2 off of my enjoyment. The incessant whining and crying about how brutal man was and how life is unfair did become difficult to like you after a while. You did redeem yourself a bit at the end, but killing the most notorious vampire hunter ever was unforgivable. Nope. 

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DnD Rating: 9.8/1O 

1st Season DVD Date: October 14, 2O14 

If you are interested in reading a Penny Dreadful, check these out at the Gutenberg Project! -Varney the Vampire or the Feast of Blood

Masters of Sex: More then a Feeling

On the hunt for a new show to watch, I was implored to look into Showtime's, Masters of Sex. What I thought was going to be a fun and candid look at the real life story of Dr. William Masters and his research assistant, Virginia Johnson, ended up being a whirlwind drama about their lives, their wins and their losses. Making me feel more than I ever expected to about a show that talks a lot about sex. I think I cried twice in this series...so far. I'm sure there is more tears to come.

Now before you go, "Ah lawd, she's pushing smut now!" The title is simply a clever play of words for the name of Dr. Masters and the study of subject matter. It is also based on the book of the same title. This is a show that may seem raunchy simply by title alone, but it has much less to do with actual sex and more to do with the examination of relationships, vulnerability, the study of sex through science and the struggles of people during such an interesting time in history. The sex is well done and less graphic than what I expected, as well as fairly short as it seems to take a back seat a lot to the story itself.

Characters:

This is typical "happy/angry" look. You get use to it quickly.

Michael Sheen as Dr. Masters is brilliant in his role. He makes you like a character that is hard to like at all. Dr. Masters is powerful, intellectually curious, and can be charming the very few times he cracks a smile. However we often see his cold, biting exterior toward others. He is demanding, ruthless, and sometimes emotionally mute all together. You are dying to know what is going on in his head, but what you do see is a man who has morals. Breaking the rules several times in the show to help others without taking a word of credit for it shows he is a man who deeply cares, but has an impossible time showing it. As the story progresses you see him open up more and become more balanced as a character, a nice personal growth. However you also seem him revert back a few times. Sometimes Dr. Masters can just be a total ass and for some reason I find that increasingly hilarious instead of cruel knowing the characters better.

I'm assuming this magazine is for men....

Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson on the other hand is the opposite, yet curiously similar in certain instances. I think Bill sees in her what he once was, ambitious, optimistic and bright. Virginia comes to him as a secretary, but she becomes more than that, involving herself as an assistant to his work through her strong work ethics and ambition. From there she formed a bond that earned Bill's trust, which seems like a herculean feat in itself. Virginia is also ethical and seems to know when to pull the monster of Bill back or just circumvent his decision all together [severely pissing him off]. She is one of the few people that has the balls to stand up to him when his wrath is flung around. The interesting thing is we get to see Virginia move in and out of a lot of relationships. It seems she is trying to be stable, but she is not quite stable herself in what she wants. There is a parallel between these two, but also a magnetic quality where you want to see them together more.

Of course there is a whole host of other characters of varying degrees of people. Bill's wife, Libby, who we spend season 1 feeling sorry for and less so during season 2 where she had a weird distrust/lust for "colored" folk. Dr. Ethan, who is what we consider the hopeless romantic. Dr. Austin, who is a well known man slut around the hospital and not particularly ashamed of it. Betty, a lesbian prostitute who eventually marries a man that fell in love with her. There are so many different types of characters that it would take a long time to explain them all.

Story:

The real Masters and Johnson on the right.

Even though there are moments that could be stronger or rewritten better, there is a surprising sentimental value to Masters of Sex. The moments when you see the characters without the influence of the outside world are much more interesting then the facade they put on for everyone else. They become more endearing, real, and lovable. Which makes their more vulnerable moments powerful and enlightening to the watcher.

Bill is actually quite charming and strong once you get to know him better. Yet, like the old saying goes, behind every powerful man there is a woman...or two. lol. Bill's character is outrageously controlling, but seems to soften with Virginia as time goes by. The trust these two form is something so far reaching and amazing that you can't stop watching it. Who knows how true this relationship was in the real life of Dr. Masters and Dr. Johnson, but its still a great story.

But this isn't just about these two. The stories of the many others involved in their study have become an important part of the story itself. They are all interwoven between each other like a web of drama and humor, spurring fun and lighthearted awkwardness at the hard to talk about subject of sex.

For New Watchers:

The show takes a lot of time to get into. It takes building of momentum, set up and then you get to see all the joys of what its about. The first 3 episodes are mainly establishment of the era, characters, dynamics and the beginnings of the study. By episode 4, things start to come together and become more intriguing.

Hello there, may we speak to you about our lord and savior?

5-8 are all consuming as you are now completely invested in these characters. Which by the way, are not good, nor bad people, but just people. That is what I love about the show. Nobody is glamorized, they all have their problems.  Once you are past the threshold, 9-12 get a little dry. But the last ten minutes of episode 12 make up for it all when you finally get to see what you knew all along.

Also the actors are very expressive facial and movement wise. I always know a good actor by their ability to create tension through small movements. Its important to watch the show with no distractions since these movements create much more of the story than even the story itself. Masters of Sex is not a sitcom you can do the dishes while watching and its not as fast pace as shows like Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad where every moment is highly charged. But there are a lot of implied moments that give the story a huge amount of depth and hooks you in.

By Season 2, the pace has quickened and the drama begins to heighten in different ways as Bill and Virginia's world become more personal and are separated quite a bit for the first half of the season. The bad part is that the experimentation of the study has hit one stagnation after another. So yet again we are stuck with building up momentum. Probably a downside, but it does get better and yet again we are back for more.

Season 2 is currently in mid-season at the time of this blog post and Masters of Sex has just been reupped for a third season!


Things I Could Live Without:

That's a mighty big tripod you got there, Lester.

1. Time Skips - 

These are not always defined and confuse the hell out of me when they happen. They often happen in the beginning of episodes where time has passed, but we don't realize it. Or sometimes in the middle of the damn show. I mean I understand that maybe nothing seriously important happened, but the fact that they don't define the time skips sometimes is very bad practice. It takes 5 seconds to introduce a time skip....use it damn it.

2. Title Intro -

All intros are important and so is the beginning music. The only downside to me is the very obvious sexual implications of the montage with the ritzy song going with it. I actually liked the simple black and white title of Masters of Sex, until they switched it up by episode 6 where they finally introduced this silly montage. I usually skip through it...its just weird and really makes the show look worse in my opinion.

3. Dry Parts - 

I hate to sound crude, but in my opinion the show gets a bit dry at times or loses momentum. I think they put too much focus on too many characters at once and some people's story is more interesting than others. It doesn't mean the show is bad all around. Its still pretty good, but the writing could be tightened much more into more impactful scenes. Not that all of the scenes don't contribute as part of the whole, but sometimes it does feel like they don't relate very well in my mind.

Its not what you think! Its not what you think!!!

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DnD Rating: 8.5/1O

Season 1 DVD: Currently Available

Guardians of the Galaxy - Featuring your Parent's "Get it On" Music, KOTR, Shameless Humor and Pop Culture References

The hottest movie of the year finally made its debut this weekend and has already surged to the top. So much hype has been pushed around Marvel's new and relatively unknown franchise, that people started to worry that this would be horribly stupid. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The movie totally gives what it sells and a lot more. A great mix of fun, mockery, dirty jokes and beat em up fun, for everyone who is a comic book / space junkie, this is an adventure that really gives the audience everything it needs to enjoy a movie.

Down and Dirty -

Xandarians know what obscene alien gestures look like

A great giant mockery and plethora of contrasts meshed with key elements of a hero's journey, transforming a rag tag, divided group of criminals into the Guardians of the Galaxy. This whole movie literally makes fun of itself and what we expect out of a comic book movie. Its happy, then sad, then happy, then slightly serious, then back to happy. The music often times doesn't fit the mood of the scene and neither does half the scenes in the movie. Even the characters are pretty awkwardly put together. Its almost a joke in itself at how ridiculous the contrasts are and that is what makes the movie work. Its quirky, adventurous, lighthearted, and full of punches. Disney took a grave chance on such a unique story and has won the battle.

The Soundtrack - 

Is literally the most noticible thing in the movie and sometimes it is quite strange. I felt like the whole movie was built around the soundtrack and not the other way around. Although the track picks are quite good, it can confuse the mood of a scene at times. I do think the choices were intentional however to keep the mood light, even in large states of conflict. Even Chris Pratt's rendition of "Ooh Child" when he sings to Ronan the Accuser was thoroughly hilarious. The last thing you want to do when some one is about to wipe out your existence is to sing and dance in front of him. I guess the power of dance does work.

Story - 

Take a picture, it will last longer.

The story was pretty good and easy to follow. The only part that might have been shaky was Gamora's betrayal of Ronan and Thanos. That was pretty big news to me considering she probably had done quite a few bad things for a while. So why now? Unlike the Avengers, I felt the developing bond between the criminals was much better than the automatic copy/paste job they did with making the Avengers work all of a sudden. They had enough time in the story to help each other out and side with common goals to make the final friendship that much sweeter. As Drax said:

"You, Quill, are my friend."

"This dumb tree is my friend. And this green whore is now my..."

*Gamora berates him*

Science -

Nope. I can make believe a lot of things for the sake of fantasy and enjoying movies...but nope. Just nope. Don't bother thinking about science, it will make your brain hurt. But I guess we never watch these things for the science. I was just thrown out of the story a few times when I realized that there was little regard for how they treated space in general.

CGI - 

Drax is totally joy riding in the back.

Very awesome, they pulled off Rocket, Groot, Thanos and all the animated characters and sci-fi forces that made this whole film spectacular. Their color blends, tones, realism and movements were spot on and amazing. I was very pleased with how well developed all of the graphics were, including the contrasting colorization which made the film sublime, but not so unrealistic that it threw you out of the world. In fact, I really felt like I was watching a comic book and could imagine myself turning the page.



Characters -

Amazing. Everyone popped with their own personalities and it meshed well, perhaps better than even the Avengers irregardless of their differences. 

Peter Quill - The immature, smart ass and leader of the group. He seems to be a slick thief and the a hell of a fighter when he is in a jam. Even though he plays off as a player, it seems he does have a soft spot for women. Peter is literally stuck in the 8Os and has never gotten out of it due to being abducted from earth during that time period. He makes obscure references to the 8Os even though nobody understands what he is talking about. Peter also calls himself "Star Lord" and prides himself as the most wanted outlaw in space [even though nobody knows who he is].


Gamora - The assassin with a heart? It seems she has the most belief in Peter than anyone else. Gamora is the "daughter" of Thanos. The last of her race, her family was murdered and she was abducted to be experimented on and turned into a dangerous weapon. Gamora's character is well developed because she is not a damsel and distress type character, nor a highly feminist "hear me roar, I don't need no man" female. The kiss tease was one of the highlights of the film, because it went there...but then didn't. I appreciated Gunn's avoidance of her being the token love interest and went down an entirely different route all together.

Rocket the Raccoon - By far, the best out of the bunch. Rocket is a treat for everyone to behold. He is a raccoon with a gun, how much better can you get than that? His personality, antics and temper is what keeps things interesting. Rocket fidgets with things and creates weapons as he goes along, which would seem appropriate for a intelligent creature such as a raccoon. Rocket is sarcastic, ill tempered and defensive, but has a deep affection for his friend, Groot. Rocket is a little brainiac hellion in a furball body and you will love every minute of his dialogue and antics.


Groot - The walking tree with a gentle heart, selfless and childlike. Until you threaten his friends. Then he will stomp you into the ground. Groot is a wonderful bag of tricks that can only say "I am Groot" to every response. Rocket is his best bud and translator. He seems to protect Rocket with a passion, understands him, and puts up with him. Groot is the muscle while Rocket is the brains. If you think about it, they have a great Lenny and George dynamic to them.

Drax the Destroyer - A fierce warrior that has been on a rampage since his wife and child died at the hands of Ronan. He has no ability to understand humor, expressions or sayings. Even though he is the type of guy you don't want to mess with, there are times he seems innocent. Drax is a strong, loyal, and interesting character that seems a little thick headed at times. He is also fearless, running into battles regardless of his chances of survival.







FUN Facts:

You know you want a telepathic Russian dog to do your taxes

COSMOS: The movie delivered when they brought in Cosmos, the telepathic Russian dog. Unfortunately, they had him as part of the collection and we never got to know Cosmos properly. Maybe next time? In the comics he is supposed to be the Chief of Security of Knowhere and he seems pretty bad ass with his broken English. And if you want to know...the original Russian space dog was named Laika, one of the first living creatures to go into space.





Infinity Gems Watch: All of the marvel movies so far are leading up to the infinity gems and Thanos's take over. So far we have seen 4 gems appear in the movies:

1. The Tesseract - That cube thing that caused a ruckus in Avengers 1? Yeah, that is one of the infinity gems. Its power is space. So as far as we know its safe in Asgard.

2. The Aether - That red airy thing that got stuck in needy Jane in Thor 2 is the second infinity gem. Its power is reality. From what we know, this gem is safe with the Collector [or maybe not anymore].

3. The Orb - The gem in the orb in Guardians of the Galaxy is the third infinity gem in the series. Its power is..well...power. Demonstrated by its infinite destructive capabilities. Its now safe in the hands of the Nova Corp according to the end of the Guardians movie.

4. Loki's Staff - This one is not confirmed yet but its wildly debated that its another infinity gem. Its power is mind [as was demonstrated when Loki took over people's minds in Avengers 1]. From what we know, HYDRA has the staff according to the ending credit scene from Captain America: Winter Soldier. So I expect it to play a bigger part in the Avenger's movie.

If Loki's staff is an infinity stone, there are 2 more gems we haven't seen yet [time and soul] and I will bet anything that we will see another one in the Avengers: Age of Ultron that is coming out next year. Here are some great references if you want to know more:

Marvel Universe - Infinity Gems

Infinity Gems History Explained



Things Ronan Would Spend Time on the Toilet Thinking About:

Super Deaths - 

Every hero has to have a dead or missing somebody, don't they? I don't know a lot of comic hero movies that don't have some weird, tragic back story. So I guess my point is, if your parent is missing/dead/been abducted by aliens/left you when you were 2; you could very well be a super hero. For those of you with normal parents that are still together. Yeah...you. You are super villain fodder when Zod/Thanos/Ultron/Dark Elves/Giant Super Evil invades Earth.

That Walkman -

Is the most indestructible thing since the Hulk's pants. Seriously. What the hell is that thing made of? And how does Peter get batteries to keep it going? Whatever the case is, the people at Apple and Droid need to take a lesson from Walkman so klutzes like me can keep using them for the next 26 years.

While we are at it, that Table is Pretty Impressive Too - 

The Collector's slave girl gets all "Let My People Free!" on everyone and blows up half the building when she touches the infinity stone. That table just resisted everything, damn. Im surprised the Collector didn't die. Whatever that table is made of, I want it to EMP proof my home.

This was a "Hold My Beer" moment for Drax

Drunk Aliens Do Drunk Things - 

Apparently it doesn't matter what race or how big you are, if you are not a drinker, you are bound to do stupid things. I am pretty sure Peter knew what being drunk was, so I can't imagine how he thought letting a gun loving raccoon, a giant tree, and a revenge lusting psychopath have a few....several drinks and thought this was going to turn out all right. The fact that they decided to get drunk right before they met the collector was hilarious considering they were about to meet a super important dude.

Knights of the Old Republic -

Did anyone feel like Xandar had a strong Knights of the Old Republic feel to it? I couldn't help but see Star Wars in that scene and running around with my character in the game. It could be the style and white stone contrast that reminded me of the series, but it was so strange to watch. I was half way expecting C-3PO to come out.

This Movie Had a Case of Emotional ADD - 

The very first scene we get is SUPER DEPRESSING and then all of a sudden out comes the tunes of "Come and Get Your Love" and the movie now wants you to feel up beat and laugh. This type of scene contrasts happens quite frequently and its a little jarring until you get use to it. I think the beginning scene was the most jarring because opening moments do set the tone of the film. The beginning scene was so unnecessary to me it wouldn't have mattered if it existed at all due to it being mentioned a few points in the film for the characters to connect.

Crash! Bang! Boom! - 

At some point, Rocket crashes his ship through the window of Ronan's ship saving quite a few people in the process, but there would have been no way Drax survived the hit he took from Rocket's ship.

LICK MY LOLLIPOP! NOW!

Ronan the Accuser Sounds Awfully Similar in his Opening Monologue to the Mandarin - 

Did anyone catch that vibe? I felt like he was practically saying the same words...almost had the same tone and then finally broke away a bit. And what was the point of murdering some dude with a hammer? I guess its part of being accuser...you get to kill the accused with hammers.

Nobody Notices a Giant Spaceship in Front of the Hospital - 

Aliens come down to Earth to pick up...one puny kid? You know how many fat terrans they can find if they just went down the street? I mean why terran flesh? Don't they realize we are all made of Hardees, KFC, Mcdonalds and Panda Express and that Americans have no nutritional value?

Holding your Breath in Space - 

This is the big nerd in me, but Gunn treated space like water and that is a big no no. So Peter gives Gamora his mask to breathe so she can live and he starts dying himself. Then when they get beamed on the ship, they are suddenly OK? I saw the both of you start to deteriorate, you can't lie to me! I know her DNA is different, and lets state for a second, Peter's is different enough that he can survive long enough in the most outrageous temperatures and conditions in space, but looking this up took 2 seconds on the internet, so shame on you Gunn for letting this BS fly:

       This is Why We Can't Live in Space Without a Giant Suit:

• You would lose consciousness because there is no oxygen. This could occur in as little as 15 seconds.
• Because there is no air pressure to keep your blood and body fluids in a liquid state, the fluids would "boil." Because the "boiling process" would cause them to lose heat energy rapidly, the fluids would freeze before they were evaporated totally. This process could take from 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Your tissues (skin, heart, other internal organs) would expand because of the boiling fluids. However, they would not "explode".
• You would face extreme changes in temperature: sunlight - 248 degrees Fahrenheit or 120 degrees Celsius;shade - minus 148 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 100 degrees Celsius
• You would be exposed to various types of radiation (cosmic rays) or charged particles emitted from the sun (solar wind).
• You could be hit by small particles of dust or rock that move at high speeds (micrometeoroids) or orbiting debris from satellites or spacecraft.

You would die quickly because of the first three things listed, probably in less than one minute. The End. Thanks Google. You Da Real MVP.

And to think, I didn't imagine hillbillies would make it to space

Yondu Udonta is a Space Merle Dixon - 

As soon I saw this guy Im like OMG, Merle, your skin turned blue! I guess you couldn't have a James Gunn movie without Michael Rooker, he was also in his movie, Slither. Apparently Gunn only had Rooker in mind when he casted Yondu. Lucky man! There is life after death in the Walking Dead, and its being the alien leader of the Ravagers!

Face Destruction - 

For as much crap that these guys get put through, everyone makes this out alive and relatively unharmed from extreme internal organ damage, I swear Peter may have cancer of the everything now that he has lived through space and touching an infinity stone. In fact, I think everyone, but Groot might just die before the next Guardian of the Galaxy movie from the infinity stone battle.

Villains Really Need to Cut the Monologue - 

I swear, Ronan, this is like Villain Lesson #1, if you have the good guy in a position of mercy, don't talk for a half hour about how you have won. Just kill them, darn it! Ronan is so atypical of a villain to gloat. I would just  have "gotten on with" the doom and destruction bit since you know, I wasn't really there for my glory, just your deaths. But he had to let them know he won before he killed them. I guess every villain is secretly a pompous rejected rock star inside.

Thanks for Saving Us? - 

I don't know about you but I didn't see a lot of places that was not destroyed by the fight. Not sure what there was to thank about since a lot of people died, buildings crumbled and a giant spaceship crashed in the middle of the city. Also....there were a lot of people hanging around the area Ronan was at. I would be way in the back...trying to plot my escape from the planet as this craziness was going on, not running toward it to watch Ronan burn me out of existence.

Music Life Sentence - 

Did Peter really listen to this soundtrack for 26 years? Shouldn't the tape have shredded by now at some point? And man..he should have opened that package he got from his mom sooner. He could have gotten some new beats at least at some point in his life or just downloaded the entire database of music from Earth every now and then. He had to have wanted to return at some point out of curiosity. Right? Right?

She's definitely jealous of her Beyonce Hair

Sister Bitch Fight - 

At one point the sisters, Gamora and Nebula have their big show down [as we expected], but Gamora is not actually Thanos's daughter, so is Nebula also not his daughter? And why does Thanos just take random women and make them his "daughters"? Is he impotent? I think he is impotent. There you go folks, too much power and a desire to conquer the universe = impotent.




Ronan the Accuser is Thranduil -

Dude, I totally didn't recognize Lee Pace. GREAT JOB on the make up! You even covered up his eyebrows.

Emporer Palpatine, is that You? -

I swear at some point it looked like Emperor Palpatine was talking on screen. I was totally like, dude, stop rubbing it in our face that you purchased Star Wars, Disney. We get it...you are very large and very evil.

They just Played Space Invaders for their Final Battle Scene... - 

When Ronan's flyers were kamakaze bombing into Xandar, the Ravagers posted into the city and pointed upwards shooting them as they came down. They were basically playing space invaders...

Peter's Dad is Special? -

I'm sure comic fans knew this and I know I can just look this up, but I want to be surprised who Peter's dad really is. Is he an Elder? Some type of Celestial being? It was good that they explained that Peter's ability to hold onto the infinity stone had a lot to do with that because I was about to call bull shit seeing how powerful that stone already was.

All of these Characters are Equally Matched? -

This is why we can't have nice things...

Its weird, but all of the characters are equally matched in capability. Granted the better fighters are Drax and Gamora, while Groot is all powerful and heavily convinient to the plot. Peter was still able to get the best of Gamora in their fights, outsmarts Drax in his talks, and seems to be able to control the insane duo Rocket + Groot before they kill him. I figured Peter would be the least capable of the group in fighting ability, but I guess not.

Convenient Arrow is Convenient - 

Why didn't we have that thing on board? Or even on the ground? That whistle arrow killed 2O people and a ship in five seconds. We could have used that on Xandar or against Ronan or really anybody at all. Take your pick, Yondu.

The Entire Force of Xandar Died In One Scene - 

Seriously...I don't know why everyone's so freaken happy. The entire flying patrol force of Xandar just got murdered in this battle. Now Xandar is completely defenseless and has to rebuild. Nobody even acknowledges this. I'm surprised any of these people were left to say thanks to Peter and his crew. There should have been memorials everywhere. That main officer should have been sulking his friends died and that he was the lone survivor because he wasn't up there with them. People forgot a good thousand ships or more died to give the Guardians enough time to defeat Ronan before the ship crashed landed.

Orange Water- 

I really want to know the cleansing properties of that agent orange water they hosed them down with in that jail.

Definitely puppy stealing eyes going on in this photo

Glenn Close Looks Like She Wants To Steal Your Puppy - 

She got that "Cruella de Ville" hair do going on. I thought I was going to have to hug every puppy the next day at the shelter to make sure she wasn't coming to make coats out of them.

What is She Typing? - 

The chick that was typing next to Glenn Close while she was ordering everyone around to protect Xandar. She was furiously typing on one finger and I kept thinking, there is no way she is keeping up with all of the orders on one finger. She must be typing to her boyfriend about how much her job "suxx lol. #livingthedream #XandarAttack #ImTotallyAnExtraInThisMovie"

This Jail Sucks - 

It took the Guardians five seconds to get out of that jail in the most noisy, damaging way possible. Why didnt they seperate these knuckle heads? They knew Gamora was wanted for all kinds of deaths, they knew the raccoon and house plant had broken out more than once before.

Don't know why they didn't separate them and why the sentry tour is literally in the middle of the jail. That's a total bust if they have to run out to save themselves because the Guardians managed to block the guard's only escape route. This jail is designed really poorly.

This...does not look safe at all.

Rocket Boots - 

Star Lord has way better control of his boots compared to when Tony Stark made his. Tony neededstabilizers on his hands to better control the direction of his flight, but Peter doesn't. I do think Peter wins this one.

So...the Collection - 

Now that the collection has escaped...what kind of consequences does that cause the universe?

Whoever Hid the Infinity Stones Needs to be Fired - 

These stones don't seem very well hidden in this universe. If you happen to stumble onto one that's just hanging out in a ruin some where, it seems pretty darn easy to grab. Even if you had no idea how to open it, the beings who do know how to open it will find you. So really these infinity objects were held in pretty shitty easy places to begin with even though they are so dangerous. I guess Elders of the Universe's have shitty millennial intern problems too.


So overall this movie was really fun and a risky dark horse compared to the rest of the Marvel Universe. Contrasting choices and humor vs emotions worked well in some instances and not so great in others. The casting choice was 1OO% spot on. Everything from the make up, the CGI movement, and even the voice acting that breathed life into the most obscure of characters. The movie gives you that beautiful swath of colors, emotions, and character development. A real treat for the audience. We got a great comic book feel without it being too corny or fake, making you forget that there are no such things as talking raccoons and cities based out of floating heads. So come out to the theater and get your love!

Got a burning urge to prove your nerdy pride? Comment below!

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YAY Sparkles!

DnD Rating: 8.5/1O

After Credits: Yes! There is a scene as the credits start and another one after the full credits are complete, so stay behind! Its not really a scene to connect the movie with the rest of the series, but it is an interesting surprise. In case you don't get the final scene...comment and I'll explain.

How to Train Your Dragon 2: Teaching You To Never Listen To Your Parents Since 2O1O

How to Train Your Dragon has to be one of my all time favorite animated movies. Its a unique, beautiful story about a boy and his dragon. The story works so well, Hiccup and Toothless are so amusing together, you can't imagine the series without them. Plus the animation is incredibly well done and easily heartwarming without being cliche. The second film had finally arrived after four years of waiting and it does not disappoint.

The same look a cat makes before it tears you a new asshole

Down and Dirty:

The overall story was well done, the graphics and movie score was beautiful, and we got to explore more of Hiccup's family ties and the world of dragons that exists beyond Berk. The viking town has adapted and quite attached to their new scaly friends and everyone seems happy until they find out a man named Drago is capturing dragons and creating an army.

The action sequences are explosive, the low points are devastating, the humor is within the vein of the first movie, and of course there are more dragon species for us to see. The biggest let downs of the movie are the villain's motives weren't strong enough and seemed aimless. Minor characters seemed to drown beneath the action of the main ones and the story dragged out farther than needed to circle around and give a more punchy ending.

Action:

Train Your Dragon 3 will Feature Dragon Skinny Dipping

There is a lot more action in this movie than ever before. Probably a little too much in certain respects. Two large battle sequences back to back made me feel this movie should have been broken up a bit more. The other thing that bothered me is that creatures and characters did a whole lot of nothing off screen while certain characters were confronting each other.

It seemed like Dream Works had a bit more trouble this time keeping track of everything at once and could only handle one problem set at a time. The biggest fail was the sequence where Stoick and his wife were hiding behind the rocks while the dragon searched for them and Hiccup confronted Drago. While Hiccup was confronting Drago, the dragon seemed to do absolutely nothing for that entire sequence. He could have easily freezed over the entire area his family was last seen at even if he couldn't find them. The sequences were poorly planned when the battles were large scaled, but very well planned when they were on a smaller level of confrontation.

Story:

This story was beautiful, touching, heartwarming and exciting. I was so happy for Hiccup and Astrid being together. I was so happy Stoick finally found his wife. I was thrilled that Toothless made a friend in Cloudjumper and that we got to explore more of the world beyond Berk. However the story seemed to have a bit too much going on. The themes that ran along were far too much to pack into one movie:

This poster is as bad as the story clutter

1. Hiccup finds mom - strong
2. Hiccup fears becoming a cheiftain - weak
3. Hiccup reunites family and quickly loses it - beautiful, but forced
4. Hiccup and Toothless learn to solo fly and catch each other - well planned
5. Drago's conquest to destroy all dragons by controlling dragons, to destroy dragons - weak
6. Love Triangles Galore - funny
7. Hiccup must defend his people and the dragons - strong
8. Eret's contribution to the story - weak and filler

This was a whole lot of whoa for a story and some of these threads were weakened by the overall craziness that was going on. Some tracks took a back seat to the others and were weakened overtime due to never addressed properly. Losing his father was way too quick of a rebound. I understand the movie has to force the characters to move forward, but I would have liked more input to how losing his father affected Hiccup in the ending monologue which seemed so epically happy, it weakened the death of a truly amazing character.

Drago is the Weakest Villain Yet:

Drago's reasoning for attacking everyone was weak at best. First he demanded to become the Chief of all Chieftains so he could "protect" everyone from the dragon threat. When they laughed him out of the room and he set everyone ablaze, he then wanted to eliminate the dragons, because they tore off his arm and messed up his life. However if dragons are gentle creatures, how did this happen? Did he go out of his way to kill these creatures? How does his iron arm work? Why did he take so long to exact revenge? And why bother killing the dragon riders if his whole plot was to destroy all the dragons? Was he just pissy everyone else enjoyed them, but him? I just don't understand what the deal is with this guy. He is creating a dragon army to destroy all dragons. That makes a lot of sense I guess.


Dragons, and Vikings and Alphas, Oh My!:

Eret makes the same face as Jon when he sees naked girls

You Know Nothing Jon Snow -

Eret is voiced by Kit Harington! That's right. Eret is Jon Snow! I'm surprised they didn't make him prettier.

Oh, You're Still Alive? - 

Eret son of Eret pops out of no where after a good long sequence of battle where I have no idea where he was that entire time. Cowering in a corner maybe? So when he popped up with the baby dragon flying scene I was like OH. I forgot about you. Right. I guess you are still alive. You know, because you are the typical bad guy who isn't so bad after all.

Toothless Takes Just Long Enough To Murder Hiccup's Dad - 

Saddest part of the movie, but Toothless did not need to stalk Hiccup to torch him. He was already under full control so he could have torched hm immediately. Surprisingly Dad looked great for some one who just got struck by an explosive blast. You would figure they would need to collect his limbs or at least have all of his hair singed off. He looked like he wasn't hurt at all. I know its a kids movie, but at least make him look extra crispy or something. The Night Fury has the most powerful blast of the dragons, you are telling me this man isn't even some what smoking after that?

Son,  I'm taking the house and your father's money after he dies

That's It? We Cool? - 

So Hiccup accepts mom's apology, check. Stoick accepts mom's apology, check. Well, that was easy. No fighting, shouting or awkwardness. It was like OH HEY you are still alive! This is great. Lets be a family again! OK! This is like a divorce child's wet dream. This rarely happens in real life. How could we not know how THAT reunion was going to end?  These guys were taking a page out of GRRM's books.





Is Ruffnut the Only Available Female in Berk? -

Seriously, where are the rest of the youth? Is Ruffnut the only choice these dudes have? Damn. She reminds me of a trashy goth girl. Go back to reading Anne Rice or something.

The Burial Kit, Never Leave Home Without It! - 

So I know a battle just went on, but it seemed the dudes did a great clean up before they left. Probably the best clean up I've seen since I've been to the French Quarter on a Friday night. So tell me again where did they get these bows and arrows? Where did they get the boat? Or the fire for that matter. I imagined they had nothing to make fire with at that point since no dragons. They may have gotten a small boat from a destroyed ship...maybe some bows and arrows from the ground. It didn't look like Drago's crew left much behind. I know they wanted to show a traditional viking burial, but seemed oddly convenient they had all the right tools for it.

This Battle Makes No Sense - 

Bow before my slave chained tusks! Or DIE!

Drago wants to attack the alpha to take control of the dragons. So he brings another big dragon to fight the Alpha and win dominance. So what are the ships and men there for? If there is a giant dragon hanging around, do we need that much "drawing out" power? Couldn't they have sent a few ships with some men, tossed some fire and rocks and crap and then started the fight? Did we need that much considering those ships could be more useful once their alpha achieves control? There seemed to be no strategy to this fight.

Also they HAD captured dragons. Why weren't they using them more to fight the other dragons from the Alpha? Also why weren't the other dragons that were controlled by the first alpha attacking the second alpha just like the second battle with the second alpha attacking Berk? The dragons were attacking all the ships when it literally didn't matter. I imagine the dragons could sense another larger dragon nearby, right? How could they not? They can track a human from hundreds of miles away, but they can't sense some big scary monster hiding under the water? Why didn't they all rally around the first alpha then?

Dad Dies and Everything is Good - 

I know its a children's story and this has to have a happy ending, but Hiccup just lost his Dad [strangely he was cool about losing his leg in the first movie too]. He took a really short time to get over that. Is Hiccup going to become an alcoholic? I think he's going to become an alcoholic.

Icky, sticky, lizard juice

If it Never Washes Out is Hiccup Forever Gross? -  

Hiccup keeps stating to Toothless his tongue slime never washes out. So is he disgusting or what? I'm surprised Astrid is still dating him. He must smell like dragon puke.

Hes 2O? REALLY? - 

I didn't realize Hiccup was at least 2O years old. That little stubble didn't have the aging effect that the producers wanted to have. And for a boy who came from such a brawny man, I'm thoroughly surprised how thin he is. Yeah, yeah, he takes after his mother. Still, can we give Hiccup some muscle please? I mean he does seem to be doing a lot of physical activity.

The Fat Dragons All Look Alike - 

Seriously...I thought Fishlegs and Gobber the Belch's dragons were the same type. Apparently not. They need to do a better job of distinguishing the fatter ones.

The Village of Berk is Still Alive and Well - 

I could have sworn Berk was gone. All of that ice should have destroyed everyone, but for some reason it didn't. I'm still not even sure why Dragon decided to go after Berk if he already had Alpha control he could have just taken all the dragons away, iced the place and traveled off. Its not like other placed were chieftainless from his first encounter with them.

Toothless Can Fly Without Hiccup? - 

I feel like he's doing it wrong...

It was stated in the first film Hiccup and Toothless are one being. Toothless can not fly properly without Hiccup's harness and directional switches due this tail being damaged. So how is Toothless flying solo and how was he flying with Drago and when he finally snapped out of his mind control..he just falls from the sky? I don't get it.

New Guy Switches Pretty Fast - 

So new guy, Eret son of Eret, is a dragon trapper and has no reason to switch over since Drago is a psycho. He could have saved his hide by bailing out of there as soon as he was able to escape. He didn't need to save the rest. The fact that he switched was...almost irrelevant. In fact, his character was kind of felt irrelevant in the entire breath of the story. He was totally overshadowed by the original characters. It seemed the only purpose he had was to take Skull Crusher and to cause tension between the two boys that were fighting over Ruffnut. If I were Hiccup, I would want to keep Skull Crusher for myself since that was my father's ride.

Drago is An Idiot - 

Why did he bother to let Hiccup touch his dragon, Toothless, while he was riding him. I know he thinks the Alpha's powers are absolute, but I wouldn't let Hiccup even get near Toothless to even reason with him. I would have just hit Hiccup with my stick and knocked him off his dragon.

Crazy Dragon Lady - 

I don't remember how established the elder lady was in the first movie, but she just popped up as the elder lady at the end making Hiccup Chief. That was totally odd considering she had literally no role in this film except the fact that she needs to be on hoarders.

So which quest do I get a chance to pick this one up?

Hiccup is a Nerd - 

Light saber? Really Hiccup? You built a light saber? WE can't even build a light saber. Damn it, I want a light saber!

Skyrim Mask - 

His mom is also a nerd...that mask is totally Skyrim material.

Drago is Cesar Millan and Daenerys Targaryen Rolled into One Character - 

Hookfang gives Drago his best shot and he doesn't even burn at all. Why? I mean he's a villain and stuff, but his cloak couldn't have made him impenetrable, could it? He's like the evil dragon whisperer with the Targeryen power of being immune to fire. Look into my eyes, I am calm and assertive! You will listen to me now dragon!

Dragon Surfing - 

This Was cool as shit to watch, but totally impossible. Way too much balance and keeping yourself up against the strength of the wind. Hiccup's mom has some mad skills as a dragon rider and to step from one dragon to another has got to be the most insane trick I've seen. I don't think the best acrobats in the world would even try this.

Alpha Drinks Coffee Off Screen While Waiting For His Cue - 

So while Hiccup tries to convince Drago to stop the violence. What is the Alpha doing? He's just standing around trying to find Hiccup's mom and dad in the mountain ice? Just freeze that bitch! They did such a good job letting the monsters interact while they chatted, but this was a fail point of the dragon's superior capabilities. It made no sense for him to wait for them to come out. These dragons have a superior sense of smell as was established by the story itself. He HAD to know where they were located.

Toothless Went Super Saiyan - 

I'll get you back Goku and your pet Vegeta too.

Did Toothless mature all of a sudden or what? Never seen the blue glow before. And now a Night Fury is challenging a monster alpha and winning. That's super insane. It seemed after the alpha's tusk broke, he just high tailed it out of there. I thought he had to kill the beast, but I guess the beast just didn't want to fight once he realized no one was controllable anymore.

So how many of these Alpha's exist? Will they ever come back to challenge Toothless now that he is King of the Dragons? Is Berk forever in danger? Guess we will find out in How to Train Your Dragon 3! Now with Hiccup's mom and maybe a little cup?

Fire All the Chieftains - 

If Hiccup's Dad was the only Chieftain to survive, what happened to the other towns? Did they pick new ones? Did they fall apart? Did they scatter into the winds? Did they try to take vengeance on Drago? Why didn't Stoick built an army afterward to take out Drago being the only escapee? He could have massed a huge force with all the towns desiring Drago's head for killing their leader. He had to know this was going to come back to him years later.

Great First Catch - 

Stoic snatches the mask from the water the first go, that was pretty incredible. In fact everyone in this film has an amazing ability to catch shit no matter what the situation. Including Toothless which always manages to catch Hiccup and protect him in a little ball while they crash into things.

Everyone Has Eagle Eyes - 

Everyone notices the smallest details and stuff from far away. How do they do that? I don't even notice this and I was REALLY looking. When the mother noticed that TINY ASS CUT on Hiccup's chin I was like WHAT THE HELL IS SHE LOOKING AT?! I need new prescriptions....

I gots my spines! I gots my spines!

Toothless Discovers a New Trick - 

Toothless was so happy to find his spines he wanted to try them out right away. That shit like made his day. I wonder if Toothless had a mother would she show him how to do this? Retractable spines to give him better turn? Is she saying this actually gives better aerodynamics? Really?

Animal Gesturing - 

The incredible thing about this movie is the animator's ability to mix common animal traits into the dragons. The bobbing head of a bird, the pawing of a cat, the fetching desires of a dog. Toothless acts the most like a cat and sometimes like a dog. While others like Astrid's dragon acts similar to a bird and sometimes a dog.

Drago's Army - 

Where did his army go after the first initial fight sequence between the alphas? Didn't he have a whole group of people with ships, weapons and what not? Did he kill them all? Did he send them home to protect the hide out? What's the deal here? Why weren't they invading Berk and stealing their sheep?

That Fish - 

Hiccup's mom just cuts up the fish and serves it like that? That's it? I thought they were going to let the dragons roast them for a second. I was surprised Gobber just popped the raw fish in his mouth.

Are you done yet?

So overall it was a great movie. Was it as good as the first? In some instances yes and in others no. It was not quite fresh or original as the first, but it still had a lot of laughs, action and great moments of heroism. The story was a bit cluttered than usual, but it did feel like a lot for just under 2 hours so you definitely get your money's worth. You get to see more variations of dragons and the best of all, explore the world outside of Berk. A great and interesting experience that is very similar in feel to the movie Avatar. All the ingredients for a good kids movie while not boring the adult in all of us. If you enjoyed the first one, you will be pleased with the second. And of course...if for no other reason to go...you should always go for dragons!

What did you think of the movie, How to Train Your Dragon 2? Was it as good as the original for you?

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DnD Rating: 9/1O

After Credits?: Nothing after the credits, sorry!