How to train your dragon 5*

Book website.

My GoodReads review.

Trailer.

Creators coming out with Croods -- prehistoric brave girl goes gaga over shoes?! Hope as good as this.

DVD
Same gang led by red-hair (sticks up straight) Viking lad Hiccup (Jay Baruchel - still nasal, but better than live in Sorcerer's Apprentice)), heir to Viking tribe, but different plot than Cressida Cowell's book. Book has only boys, Toothless is tiny rude selfish spoiled pet. Onscreen, he rides on enthusiastic friendly helpful BIG Night Fury. Film adds his cheeky crush Astrid (America Ferrara). Best pal Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), plump hefty, pampers his round motherly Gronkle.

Voices in film only are Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig), Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Gobber the Belch (Craig Ferguson), and Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler). Cast, new and old, can be found at special Wiki.

Loved by three generations in my family, I recommend the tale as fun for all ages. Special effects, explosions, flying, silly faces, scary monsters, honor, imagination ...


TV
New adventuress air on TV. Like in animated film, Hiccup limps, is sweet on cheeky Astrid, rides BIG Toothless Night Fury. New voices are includes Ruffnut (Julie Marcus), Snotlout (Zack Pearlman), Gobber (Chris Edgerly), and Stoick (Nolan North). Closing morals are more specific to their situation.

Some episodes continue in two parts. (I thought I'd missed Ep5 resolution, twice, till I watched #6 Alvin (2) online.) Alvin the Treacherous (Mark Hamill) seems skinnier, smarter, elusive rather than fist-in-your-face. thus scarier in the books. I like re-playing and freezing favorite bits on my PC.
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Spoilers:
Nasty old Mildew (Stephen Root) sneakily forces away the pets, destroys the armory, so Berk is defenceless against Alvin's marauders. Why does Stoick (Nolan North) order Alvin's ship burnt? I'd take it for the Berk fleet. Stoick, tribe chief and Hiccup's father, finds his own Thunder-wind voiced ride.

I don't always agree with concluding morals. In Thawfest, Snotlout is strongest, his dragon control weaker. "Keeping the tribe strong" is a leadership quality, but "losing gracefully"? I prefer "Do your best".
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