The Reviews Factory

This is a wonderful motion picture. Perhaps Dreamworks, in their frantic need to push the movie to every demographic, has lost sight of the film itself, but abysmal marketing efforts aside, “How to Train Your Dragon” is a rousing success; a soaring, endearing adventure feature that plays smart and fierce. Now stop giving your money to Tim Burton’s wheezy imagination and see something with genuine magic. An actual, effective, multi-dimensional wonderland.

On the island of Berk, a community of Vikings spend their days training for war against waves of aggressive dragons. For pipsqueak Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), life as the son of stern leader Stoick (Gerard Butler) demands that he join the dragon-killing squad, but he just doesn’t have the heart for it. Discovering a fallen dragon that’s missing part of its tail, Hiccup befriends the rare creature, using his artisan skills to help the sleek black beast off the ground. Nicknaming the dragon “Toothless,” Hiccup discovers he has a way with the so-called enemy, taking to the air with his new friend. Unfortunately, his gift reveals a secret nest of dragons to Stoick, who leads the people of Berk into war, leaving Hiccup and Toothless racing to prevent a needless catastrophe.

Loosely based on author Cressida Cowell’s 2003 book, “How to Train Your Dragon” reworks the core elements of the story to fit a majestic feature-film playing field, with colorful, bushy Viking characters and a sky filled with fire-breathing dragons. That’s not to suggest the producers have dumbed down the material; on the contrary, the film is filled with images that maintain the promise of threat, turns of fate that actually have a bodily effect on the characters, and eye-popping skylines of combat. Directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders (“Lilo & Stitch”) serve up a substantial escapade that should excite audiences of all ages.

“How to Train” is persuasively sharp in the action department, but it possesses a generous heart as well. The core of the film spotlights the relationship between Toothless and Hiccup, and how they develop a lasting bond that teaches the value of curiosity. Admittedly, the picture is a formulaic hero’s journey typical of any animated feature, but the emotive voice work from Baruchel and the playful rendering of Toothless help to lift the crushing weight of familiarity, bypassing various kiss of death clichés that slip into view. Butler also stuns with his work as Stoick, at last allowed to brandish his natural Scottish accent to bellow mightily as the king of Berk. It’s a magnificent vocal expression of leadership and frankly, some of the best acting Butler has ever done.

There’s a smattering of young comedians (Jonah Hill, Kristin Wiig, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse) here to thwack the film’s funny bone, which feels like an unnecessary distraction considering how fluidly the film pulls off the central relationships. America Ferrera nabs a satisfying supporting turn as Hiccup’s warrior queen crush, and Craig Ferguson stretches his acting muscles a touch playing a wisecracking Scotsman who’s in charge of training the kids of Berk in all matters of dragon warfare.

The voice work elevates the material, but the animation grabs hold of the senses. Working with steady elements of fire and flight, “How to Train” looks stupendous at times, putting its 3-D sprucing to exceptional use as the camera follows Toothless and Hiccup into the air, soaring erratically amongst the clouds (the chills are encouraged by John Powell’s majestic score). Character and dragon designs winningly straddle the line between exaggeration and storybook, highlighting marvelous facial detail on Hiccup as he runs through the gamut of emotions while astride his winged pal.

“How to Train Your Dragon” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but the movie achieves a sustained note of integrity and charm that’s all too rare in the family film gene. Absent the Pixar syrup and, for the most part, the Dreamworks slapstick, the picture breaks through as a distinctive triumph that respects the potential of CG-animation, encouraging genuine awe and plenty of smiles as it fills the screen with high-flying splendor.

Chief warrant officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is cool and competent as he goes about his job of tracking down WMDs in the newly "liberated" Iraq. Frustration is setting in, however, because all the sites he has been sent to secure are empty, and casualties have been absorbed in the process. Bureaucrat Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear), who represents the Bush administration in Iraq, argues that the WMD intelligence is correct, the result of detailed information provided by the mysterious informant "Magellan." CIA operative Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) disagrees, and privately informs Miller that there won't be any WMDs at the next site, either. Brown is correct. Meanwhile, an Iraqi called "Frankie" (Khalid Abdalla) approaches Miller's unit with information about a high-ranking member of the Republican Guard arriving at a nearby house. That individual is General Al Rawi (Igal Naor), the "Jack of Clubs" in the Iraq deck. Both Poundstone and Brown want Al Rawi found, albeit for different reasons. As Miller's investigations intensify, he finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being hunted by fellow soldiers. When he asks Brown if they aren't all on the same side, he is tersely rebuked: "Don't be naïve."

Although Chandrasekaran's book is attached to the movie, Green Zone is not an adaptation. Greengrass and Helgeland have used information from Imperial Life in the Emerald City as background information but the book and the movie are entirely different. One key variant is that while Chandrasekaran is unafraid to name names and point fingers, Greengrass has opted for fictionalized alter-egos. Still, it's not hard to figure out who represents whom, at least insofar as the main characters are concerned. It has been speculated that Roy Miller is based on Monty Gonzalez, Poundstone represents Paul Bremmer, and Wall Street Journal reporter Lawrie Dayne (Amy Ryan) is a stand-in for The New York Times' Judith Miller.

Greengrass has crafted Green Zone as a high energy thriller. The level of tension starts out high and rarely lets up during the course of nearly two hours. In many ways, the basic story is an old fashioned staple of the genre: the noble man discovers that he is surrounded by corruption and seeks to unearth the truth. Although Miller is clearly the hero and Poundstone and his cronies are the villains, there are more shades of gray than pure black-and-white.

Greengrass' in-your-face style is mostly an asset, with the hand-held camera shots ratcheting up the urgency and amplifying the sense of chaos that blossoms in firefights. There are times, however, as in the action sequences that comprise the climax, when the moving camera and fast editing make it difficult to discern everything that's happening. In this, Green Zone reflects The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, although the visual tapestry is more coherent. Greengrass' visual aesthetic is a melding of the high octane approach applied to the two Bourne films and the quasi-documentary style of United 93. John Powell's score is utilized to amplify the atmospherics and sustain the suspense.

Damon's prior appearances as Jason Bourne make him credible in this role. There's never a disconnect to see him in this heroic, action-oriented part. His clean-cut good looks and open demeanor make it easy to trust Miller, who becomes our guide into the murky and corrupt world of political gamesmanship. Greg Kinnear, who can play the nicest guy in the world as effectively as a snake-oil salesman, oozes malice fueled by idealism. Brendan Gleeson provides that rarest of rare cinematic creatures: a trustworthy and honest CIA operative. Khalid Abdalla, who appeared as one of the hijackers in United 93, plays Miller's reluctant translator who struggles with divided loyalties.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of Green Zone is the manner in which it interweaves fact and fiction into an engaging whole. Although the production is explicitly critical of the Bush administration, that's not the point of the movie. This is a kinetic thriller and the years of hindsight between the invasion and today allow us to view Miller's discovery through a sharp lens. Green Zone will satisfy those who enjoy political thrillers and those who prefer something more action-oriented.

This light and frothy romantic comedy gets 2010 off to a good start. This entertaining movie is what people like to see on date night.

After her four-year anniversary passes without a marriage proposal, Anna (Amy Adams from “Julie & Julia” and “Enchanted”) decides to take matters into her own hands. She follows her cardiologist boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott from HBO’s “Tell Me You Love Me”) to Ireland to invoke an Irish folklore tradition brought up by her father (John Lithgow from “Dexter” and “3rd Rock from the Sun”). The tradition is that if a woman asks a man on Leap Day, Feb. 29, to marry her, he has to say yes.

Bad weather forces Anna’s plane to land on the other side of Ireland. Fate places her in the orbit of Declan (Matthew Goode from “Watchmen” and “Match Point”), a handsome and surly Welsh innkeeper. Because of financial difficulties, he reluctantly agrees for a hefty fee to drive her across the country to Dublin.

This movie nicely blends amusing slapstick pratfalls with passionate romantic fireworks.

Adams is a charming, red-headed beauty who has a knack for physical comedy much like Lucille Ball. Goode is the tall, dark and attractive stranger that women yearn for in their erotic fantasies. He fits into the suave and debonair mold usually reserved for Hugh Grant.

Anna and Declan bicker and get off on the wrong foot. Circumstances force them to pretend to be a couple. Their inevitable attraction for each another can’t be denied once they share a first kiss.

The movie includes scenes involving cooking and Irish folk dancing. It kindles the warm feelings derived from finding the perfect soul mate in life. The movie is slanted toward the female perspective on matters of the heart. It shows that chivalry is not dead when it comes to a man showing respect for a vulnerable woman.

This crowd-pleaser even has an unexpected twist ending.

The palpable chemistry between the two leads makes the cross country journey delightful fun and well worth taking. The movie raises the important question of what you would take from a burning building if you had only 60 seconds to decide. The value of companionship and someone to love tilts the scales over material possessions.

The movie was shot on location in Ireland, providing a backdrop of eye-pleasing scenery. Kudos are well-deserved for this sweet, pure and innocent cinematic treat effectively directed by Anand Tucker (“Shopgirl”) from a script penned by the screenwriting duo of Deborah Kaplan (“Made of Honor”) and Harry Elfont.