How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... How to Train Your Dragon!

Original image located here. Accessed 11th July 2025

I will admit that I was something of a latecomer to the How to Train Your Dragon movies - but no matter: I still wound up adoring them. I equally enjoyed watching Race to the Edge. I even jumped  aboard the HMAS Hiccstrid. 

Of course, I had no plans to watch this - if the frosty reception of the Disney remakes is anything to go by - but Kiera had other plans and dragged me to it. Still, my cynicism remained: How can Live Action improve the animated splendour of the original?

I will say this: It's beautifully shot, the cast are all great, the designs are fantastic, the excitement is still there, there is a clear commitment being put into it and the strength of the source material still resonates. 
But there is still a slavish loyalty to the original: there is no need to make any improvements and there's nothing the animated original didn't do better. Furthermore, I think the original had more personality.

So yeah, it's a rollicking adventure movie but I still can't see what the point of it all was.
Mind you, if you told me that this was ploy to secure composer John Powell an Oscar then I'd believe you,
Can't wait for the Live Action remake of Shrek though...

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th March 2025

Well I've been putting this one off long enough. I was reluctant to see this one as I still have the scars from seeing the previous efforts that bore the DnD brand. But I did hear that this latest one was actually really good. Certainly that sounds like an against the odds victory but it was enough to grab my interest.

I guess comparisons with the Guardians of the Galaxy movies are hard to avoid: It's not just the idea of taking an IP that shouldn't work and actually making it work - it's also ramping up the comedy, presenting absurd situation after absurd situation, and having an group of personalities bouncing off one another. However it is the latter that should make this a natural fit as that's what a DnD session is: Multiple players working off on another as they build a narrative. 
And the makers behind this realised this and ran with it. And that I found myself enjoying this a lot confirms the wiseness of such a decision. Certainly I could see various instances that hint towards the mechanics and spirit of DnD but the whole thing was delivered with humour, cast interplay, creativity and action that anyone not familiar with this tentpole of geekiness could get on board. 
Also props to Hugh Grant who looks like he was having a lot of fun. 

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

And this week's Friday Night movie has been... The Adventures of Baron Munchausen!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th April 2023

I said I will be watching more movies from the mind of Terry Gilliam so here we are. Thing is, I have a bit of a history with this one: When I was younger, I heard it was one of the biggest box office flops of all time. Then one day, when I was 11, it was on TV so I watched the start of it. But for whatever reason I never got around to watching the rest of it. Well, today that changes: I will sit through this movie all the way to the end.

You know I have seen some weird movies in my time but this one manages to stand out from the rest purely because it revels in it's weirdness. And having seen Brazil earlier this year, it is interesting to compare the two movies as both take a playful approach to the distinction between fantasy and reality. The only difference is that this movie is a lot more humourous (and therefore owes the greater debt to Gilliam's background with Monty Python).
I certainly get what this was going for in that being a rebel against a society that preaches facts, favouring imagination over truth and living a life of wonder over reason. Subsequently, i can think of more than a few people who would hate this movie. XD
So yeah, this one is creative indeed, showing that, once again, the eighties were a fertile time for fantasy movies and Terry Gilliam is at the top of his game.

Brazil

And this week's Friday Night movie has been... Brazil!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th March 2023

Lets talk about Terry Gilliam for a moment.
For me there are two sides to Terry Gilliam. One is the member of Monty Python. the other is the filmmaker. And while I am certainly familiar with the former, it is the latter that is alien to me. From the outset, Terry Gillian is a filmmaker that makes bizarre movies that tend to be box office flops.
Still, I have seen two films of his: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (which is still funny no matter how times I've seen it) and 12 Monkeys (which baffled teenage me). So let us take a look at one of Terry's best known movies then, shall we?

Watching this movie it soon becomes clear that this is not the most comprehensible thing in the world. The plot is indeed confusing and semes to take many hard turns that it is difficult to keep up.
But really let's be honest: the film's strengths are in it's visuals, conveying a dystopian society loaded with jabs at bureaucracy and an oppressive atmosphere. The art direction is incredible, what with towering cityscapes and many crazy devices of varying usefulness. There certainly is a business to this film with a lot going on and little details that are one can't help but pick up on them.
So yeah, what this movie lack in plot engagement it more than makes up for it in creativity and some truly dark humour. It's like 1984 if George Orwell took a lot more acid
Perhaps I should explore more of Terry Gilliam's oeuvre....

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2)

And this week's Friday night movie has been...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2)!

Original image located here. Accessed 27th November 2020

And so here we are: the endpoint of a journey that took ten years to complete (although for me it took eighteen). We have seen these characters, not to mention the actors and actresses playing them, grow and age over that time. On the whole, it is impressive that this film series manage to pull off a continuous story being told over a decade - Okay sure the story in question was already established in written text but it is difficult to imagine current movie franchises as they are had they not followed the path the Harry Potter movies made out. Indeed, it's not much of a stretch (at least in my mind), to picture the MCU looking over Harry Potter's shoulder and taking notes.

As for the movie itself, i was expecting a conclusion that would leave a crater of sizable portions and that's exactly what i got. Clearly the first Deathly Hallows movie existed just to get some of the character moments out of the way so we can see the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort. And what a confrontation it is: The siege is spectacular, the sight of Hogwarts following said sage is indeed a shock, the long-awaited final confrontation is something to behold and it's nice to see various faces form the preceding movies make a reappearance.
However for all the spectacle, my favorite moments in the movie are, ironically, the quiet ones (example: "You've been so brave sweetheart"). I have spoken previously how it worked for the last movie but here it strikes gold, being able to warm the cockles of my cold, jaded heart.

And so, we reach the end of this particular movie serial. I may have been skeptical when i started but these movies did win me over. Granted the movies may be a mere glimpse when compared to the richness of the source material (or so i have been told) but now, the fandom sure makes a whole lotta sense.
So here's to you, Harry.

Oh and House Ravenclaw forever.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1)

And this week's Friday night movie has been...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1)!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th November 2020

Last week i observed that there is nothing wrong with serials taking the occasional step back and addressing a more smaller-scale/personal story. The only difference between this and the Half Blood Prince however is this pulls it off more successfully.

In all honesty, this movie surprised me: I was expecting something apocalyptic, considering the build-up with Voldemort, but what I got was the opposite: I got to see Harry on the run and having to confront the possibility that he, along with Hermione and Ron, is out on his own and just what a terrifying prospect it can be. I can imagine seeing these kids tramping through the wilderness may seem dull but that's kind of the point: It's an effective use of conveying isolation.
And such a mood reaches it's height with the graveyard scene - for me this is, so far, the apex of this series. It is well done and proves that being quiet can be damn effective.
Also who would have guessed that the music of Nick Cave would work in a Harry Potter movie?
Still, this movie is still intent on building up to a major conclusion. And I can imagine it's going to be something spectacular - after all, how could it not?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th November 2020

It is interesting to revisit this movies over a decade later. Because I can do it on my own terms and be as far removed from the hostility this series initially attracted as I wish. Of course, a disgusted fanbase grumbling about an adaptation is nothing new but as the years went on, this hatred eventually died down. So I have to ask: Do the Harry Potter fans still hate the movies? I suppose
a) the fact that the movies all came over the course of a decade wore the haters down
b) the Potter fans grew older and wiser
c) the realization from the fanbase that the movies were drawing in new interest
d) the knowledge that we should be grateful that these movies gave us Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe
e) the haters moved on. To Game of Thrones (probably).
Can anyone confirm this?

As for the movie itself, I will admit that this is perhaps the weakest entrant in the series so far. Sure it all looks nice and we get some interesting character moments but far too often Half Blood Prince comes across as meandering and slow paced - which seems to go against the grain of what came previously. I don't object to serials taking the occasional step back and address a more smaller-scale/personal story but not if they make two and a half hours a slog to get through.
HOWEVER! I am willing to forgive this tedium purely for the final half hour. Oh my goodness, is that a rollercoaster of a ride. Atmospheric, frightening, exciting and heart-wrenching, it is proof that when these movies score a hit, they can knock it out of the park.
Ultimately though, I can't shake the feeling that the slower pace of this entrant is a buffer for what's happening next which, as is my understanding, is going to get nasty.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th November 2020

Seems Chronicles of Narnia isn't the only fantasy serial I have neglected...
Funny thing with the Harry Potter movies: I started them but I never got around to completing the series entirely. So for this November, i will rectify this situation. Granted I've picked a bad time to do this but hey, I'm not one to leave a job unfinished.
Now previously I couldn't remember if I have seen Order of the Phoenix before but I watched it anyway: Largely to refresh my memory.

However it is difficult to assess this movie on it's own as a) it's part of a serial and b) it's the first of four movies headed by the same director, David Yates. Still, this was a lot of fun. And it has the same wonder, adventure, scares and humor that won me over when i saw the first movie back in 2002 (!).
Also it is handy to be reminded why people hate Dolores Umbridge so much.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th September 2020

And so, following from Prince Caspian last week, we arrive at the followup. Can't say i read the book, as opposed to the other movies, but I do remember this segment from the BBC adaptation quite vividly. So maybe that may yield a fresh perspective?

Once again the strengths of this movie series are evident: Plenty of imagination, stunning locations, impressive special effects, an adaptation that somehow achieves the difficult balancing act between being faithful and putting a new take on the material, and a cast giving their all & injecting their characters with plenty of personality. I think it's fair to say that this is the point where the movies stopped looking over the shoulder of the Lord of the Rings movies and started down their own path.
Also the idea of Eustace being a steadfast sceptic in spite of being transported to a high fantasy world is an idea that has plenty of mileage.

However, there is no getting around it: This is the endpoint of this particular movie series. It is indeed disappointing as there was a lot going for this serial and was, so far, shaping up to be the strongest adaptation of the Chronicles of Narnia - how fitting it is then that the final image in the movie is a door closing. Which means now that the rest of the books in the series (four for those keeping score) will remained unfilmed, the series will remain incomplete and the entirety of having the whole series adapted remains out of reach.
All hope now falls to the proposed Netflix adaptation to carry the baton but somehow I doubt it can match, let alone surpass, this effort.
Besides, I doubt I can accept Aslan being voiced by someone who isn't Liam Neeson

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th August 2020

I've always had a soft spot for the Chronicles of Narnia. Sure, it may be easy to dismiss it for it's simplicity and it's heavy-handed Christian allegory, but for me, it was one of, if not THE, first exposures I had to high fantasy. And I have since never looked back. They say 'get them while they're young' and it certainly worked for me.
I did see the first movie in this (now unfinished) saga but, for some reason or another, I never got around to seeing the rest of it. Well, now is a good as any to rectify this situation.

It may be easy to sneer at this movie for it wishing it was the Lord of the Rings trilogy but it still has enough to make it capable of standing on it's own two feet. I loved the battle scenes, the creativity in use, the visuals, the presence of Peter Dinklage, the character development (sadly this is the last we will see of Susan and Peter) and the dialogue and the effort being put into to adapt what is one of the lesser titles in the Chronicles.
It does seem like a high-fantasy-movie-lite but ii does it's job and it does it well.

The NeverEnding Story

Recently I watched the NeverEnding Story for the first time in a long time.

Original image located here. Accessed 29th September 2019

Geez, when did I see this last? I had only seen this once before and it was when I was in primary school, either in year 1 or year 3. Still, I do recall this being one of my earliest exposures to fantasy. As such, there is a lot from it that I remember quite vividly: I remember Rockbiter; I remember Falkor; I remember two sets of Sphinx statues (one gold that shoots death rays, the other blue that crumbles); I remember the trauma-inducing fate of Artax and, of course, I remember that unforgettable theme song in all its eighties-synth glory.

Looking back at it now through the perspective of nearly thirty years, I see some things I don’t recognise in the form of the Gmork and the climax where Atreyu meets the Childlike Empress. Furthermore, looking at the movie through the perspective of an adult, I have to admit that the film that the film still holds up with the use of puppetry, practical effects and the strength of its ideas. I have previously stated that the eighties fantasy movies tend to look a lot more grungier than their post-Lord of the Rings cousins and this is no exception.

However, one thing that strikes me about the Never-Ending Story, particularly through an adult perspective, is that it doesn’t look like a High Fantasy movie. If anything, I can’t help but notice but Fantasia looks kind of…..well…barren. The population is sparse, there is little to no sign of civilisation, and Atreyu’s quest seems to be going from location to location with stretches of empty-looking distance in between. Rockbiter, Nighthob and Teeny Weeny are shown as messengers for regions that are never shown and the Childlike Empress is the only sign of authority which makes me wonder just how much authority she actually has. Okay granted the film-makers of the time most likely didn’t have the budget to produce a living, breathing world (like Lord of the Rings) but we are told that Fantasia is a dying world – and yet shown at the same time that Fantasia is kind of empty. I swear, I can’t be the only one who noticed that the Southern Oracle is shown to be situated right in the middle of nowhere.

In fact, as strange as this may sound, I’m getting a Legend of Zelda vibe from this movie. Allow to me explain: When I played the original Legend of Zelda I realised that we have a protagonist, Link, traversing across a dangerous and sparsely populated world in order to help out an unseen monarch (Princess Zelda). The idea was a strong one and enough to make me wonder that if Hyrule is in the state it was, what kind of power Zelda had. Of course that maybe me trying to find a truth that wasn’t there to begin with but it’s the same wavelength with the Never-Ending Story. Indeed, I can’t help but think that whether the Never-Ending Story informed my perception of Legend of Zelda.
But at the end of the day, this movie still has wonder, inventiveness and holds up quite well over three decades later. And hey, who wouldn’t want to ride across the skies on a luck dragon?

Willow

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Willow!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th May 2019

Said it once and I'll say it again: The eighties were a fertile ground for fantasy movies and, given the passage of time, sport a more grungy/fascinating look in a post-Lord of the Rings world. And with rumors circulating that Disney wants to do a sequel of this IP I guess now is a good time as any to take a gander at this movie.

Hooo boy has this movie not aged well. Okay, sure any degree of high fantasy in a movie is better than none and there are some interesting ideas at work. But the special effects are indeed dated and look hideous - moreso considering this is from Lucasfilm/Industrial Light and Magic, whose experience in special effects have been better both before and since.
But ultimately, who is this movie for? To me, one gets the feeling it was made for an older audience than children but at the same time, it does come across as being somewhat cringe-worthy/condescending for both teenagers and adults.
Not bad but not that great either

Big

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Big!

Original image located here. Accessed 12th April 2019

I've always liked Tom Hanks as an actor and here he doesn't disappoint. Sure he might have won Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump but this is perhaps the best role I've seen him in. He really sells being a kid in an adult's body. Sure the rest of the movie is funny but Tom's performance is the pretty much the engine that is driving this movie.

On a personal note however, this movie did strike a chord with me, upon seeing this character. You see, I have spent the past eighteen years being an adult - or at least trying to be one. Seeing an adult acting solely on a childlike innocence does indeed remind me of me at times and the people I have met. The type of people who resemble adults but don't shy away from acting like kids (lets be honest here: Who wouldn't want to play Heart and Soul on a giant keyboard?).
In recent years I have gotten my act together and become more of an adult - even when other people may balk at such a prospect (hence the phrase "I can't adult today!"). Even if i may indulge in some youthful enthusiasms, at least I take comfort in the knowledge that I am no more winging adulthood than everyone else

Mortal Engines

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Mortal Engines!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th December 2018

I knew little about this movie going in. But it was only after I saw this movie that i became aware it's actually based on a series of children's fantasy books - I think the mention of Scholastic Publishing in the opening credits may have been a giveaway.

I have to admit that there is a lot of creativity at work here, there's some decent art direction and the opening scene is incredible. But in the end, the movie is a rather empty experience. Get past the flashy effects and, like a lot of other movies, there's not a lot else. The protagonists are dull, the commentary is on the nose and everything's running at a pace so rapid you'd think it was frightened that the audience will fall asleep.
Special mention however must go to Shrike. He is flat out the best character. He is the most interesting character having a level of tragedy and complexity that would've done Shakespeare proud. Why isn't the movie about him?

The Shape of Water

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....The Shape of Water!

Original image located here. Accessed 26th January 2018

I was disappointed with this movie: I went in expecting to see an adaptation of the historical fiction novel of Sophia Degraves, the wife of the man who founded the Cascades brewery. But what i got was a movie wherein a woman has sex with a fish.

Okay seriously, get past the peculiar premise and this movie is indeed a touching one. i was dreading that this was going to be one of those 'ordinary person romances unusual partner' movies (ie Oh My Goddess and Twilight) but somehow that was not the case. it's great to see the kind of people who are misrepresented in mainstream cinema doing great things but somehow i feel this movie is more than that. But really, this movie is all about the bizarre marriage between the beautiful and the grotesque. In addition, it is not about the journey but the execution.

I've heard people call it a weird movie but i didn't think so (believe you me I've seen films weirder than this). I thought it was a very beautiful movie.

 And hey, Thane got lucky XD

The BFG

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....The BFG!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th November 2017

I have had a love for Roald Dahl ever since my primary school teacher read his stories to myself and the rest of her first year class. So i had high hopes with this one. Sure the adaptations of Dahl's work haven;'t been that great but having Spielberg handle this one showed promise.
Interestingly enough, this movie flopped in the US - which has led many to declare Spielberg's day as a box-office drawcard has come to an end. As fan of Dahl, such a frosty reception is puzzling - or perhaps people these days are more likely to associate the letters BFG with DOOM.

As for the movie itself, I enjoyed it. It was visually interesting, inventive and I enjoyed seeing how things work in BFG's home. There may have been some awkward moments with the script, what with the issue of snozzcumbers, pacing issues, BFG not being that friendly at first and the absence of the Jack the Giant Killer joke. But in the end, of all the adaptations of Dahl's work, this is one of the better ones.

Beauty and the Beast

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Beauty and the Beast (2017)!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th July 2017

Hooo boy, how this one made me cautious in my approach.
Let it be known that Beauty and the Beast is my favourite of the Disney Renaissance so I wasn't exactly eager to see this new version. What was wrong with the original that warranted a second go (besides a cash grab?). Still I was open to the possibility of being surprised.....

I think it's fair to say that this movie will be one of those that will polarize people: The kind that attract detractors and supporters who will defend it with unusual fervor. Me? Well I didn't think this movie was a complete disaster, but i came away underwhelmed.
Okay, so sure the movie was visually interesting and the art direction was engaging and some of the new stuff worked (I particularly liked that Harpsichord) but there's something about this movie that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

You see, one selling point of this movie was that addressed some of the plot holes of the original. Not a bad choice but there were times when i felt like it was the sole point of the movie. Or, as another critic put it, it was like the movie was written by someone on the internet who wanted to say "I'm Smarter Than a Disney Movie!" - and in that case, you're still being patronized to. Thus, in the haste to correct the plot holes, it seems the script forgot to work on some of the more important elements. Consequently some of the more important parts (ie Belle's imprisonment and Beast letting Belle go) come across as abrupt - and this movie is longer than the original!

I'm also not fond of the Beast either: He seems far too much of a jerk and looks far too much like a satyr than that wonderful creation of the original. But the original was purely a creation of 2d animation so the question remains: What can you do in live action that hasn't already been done better elsewhere?
So in the end, it's not a disaster but I'll stick with the original thank you very much

Return to Oz

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Return to Oz!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd June 2017

Said it once and I'll say it again: The Eighties were a surprisingly fertile time for fantasy movies and they look very different to the movies made in a post-Lord of the Rings world. But in the case of Return to Oz, this is the one that has a rotten reputation, being disowned as being nightmare fuel for many a young child and a bastard offspring for a much-beloved family movie.

Me? I thought it was great! Sure I'm speaking from the vantage point of being an adult, but I thought the movie was inventive, creative and the practical effects look great. The sets were something to behold as well.
All of which would be enough to grant a pass from me, but I'm just pleased that, unlike the gazillion adaptations of Wonderful Wizard of Oz, someone decided to go beyond the first book. In a fourteen book series.

Excalibur

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Excalibur!

Original image located here. Accessed 12th May 2017

I admit I have an interest for fantasy movies in the eighties because they strike me as looking more gritty and grungy than the fantasy movies made in a post-Lord of the Rings world. I will argue that the eighties produced some solid fantasy movies (ie Labyrinth, Conan the Barbarian, Never Ending Story and this) with a unique look that has never since been replicated.

As for the movie itself, this was a decent retelling of the stry of King Arthur and indeed setting a benchmark for future adaptations. Ever since I was a young lad I'd always associated King Arthur with the stories of heroism that made them famous - so it is indeed a surprise to see this adaptation boasting lots of grittiness, blood and sex. No way around it: Excalibur is King Arthur viewed through the lens of eighties Low fantasy and is all the better for it.
Special mention must also go to the use of music with O Fortuna and Siegfried's Funeral March
Plus it's fun to see a young Gabriel Bryne, Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson and Helen Mirren.

Conan the Barbarian

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Conan the Barbarian!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th August 2016

Once again, this is a movie that i finally see having only experienced the effect (as opposed to the cause). I know that Conan the Barbarian is a benchmark of heroic fantasy; I know that this movie, along with the artwork of Frank Frazetta, played a major role in bringing Conan to a wider audience than previously; I recall seeing the sequel Conan the Destroyer when i was ten (or thereabouts) and, later, the cartoon Conan the Adventurer; I know Conan inspired similar IP (Golden Axe anyone?). But in spite of all that, it's only now that I've seen this movie.

As for the movie itself, I'm likening it to the evil twin of the Lord of the Rings movies: It is cheaper, nastier, dour, reliant on a different approach to SFX, has a lot of bare flesh, offers a scenario that is far from heroic and thrives on being something of a power fantasy.
Still, this movie is easy to see how it made Arnie a star (that is until The Terminator) and the score is incredible to say the least. And as a Low Fantasy it works rather well.
So in the end, it's a nasty piece of work but the good kind of nasty. If that makes any sense