How to Train Your Dragon

2010, Rated PG, 98 minutes, Directed by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders,  Written by, William Davies, based on the novel by Cressida Cowell, Produced by Kristine Belson & Tim Johnson, Original Music by John Powell

With: Jay Baruchel (Hiccup), Gerard Butler (Stoick), Craig Ferguson (Gobber), America Ferrera (Astrid), Jonah Hill (Snotlout), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Fishlegs)

For whatever reason, I seem to have developed a June pattern for animated children’s films. I suppose it has something to do with the summer feel and remembering the wonderful days of summer childhood. Whatever the reason may be I had the opportunity to see How to Train Your Dragon in theaters. The movie, which takes place in a land of storied Vikings and mythical dragons, is a mostly entertaining film with great visuals and a decent cast.

Toy Story 3

2010, Rated G, 103 minutes, Directed by Lee Unkirch, Written by Micheal Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkirch, Produced by Darla Anderson, Original Music by Randy Newman

With: Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Ned Beatty (Lotso), Don Rickels (Mr. Potato Head), Michael Keaton (Ken), Wallace Shawn (Rex), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Estelle Harris (Mrs. Potato Head), John Morris (Andy), Jodi Benson (Barbie), Timothy Dalton (Mr. Pricklepants)

Thirteen years after Pixar launched the animation world into a new era with Toy Story, we once again enter into the world of Andy’s toys, Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang. And the great part is, the 13 years that elapsed in real time, is the same amount of time that has elapsed in the Toy Story world. Toy Story 3 has a great premise, stunning visuals, and pure nostalgia that will excite any viewer. While the plot is slightly, dare I say, old hat, watching they toys come to grips with their future roles after Andy leaves for college is yet another great adventure into the world of Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang.

$9.99

2008, Rated R, 78 minutes, Directed by Tatia Rosenthal, Written by Etgar Keret and Tatia Rosenthal based on short stories by Etgar Keret, produced by Amir Harel and Emile Sherman, Cinematography by Richard Bradshaw, James Lewis & Susan Stitt, Original Music by Christopher Bowen

With: Joel Edgergon (Ron), Leon Ford (Stanton), Claudia Karvan (Michelle), Anthony LaPaglia (Jim Peck), Ben Mendelsohn (Lenny Peck), and Geoffrey Rush (Angel)

$9.99 is a stop motion clay animated film about the residents of an apartment building in Sydney, Australia. Like a real life apartment building, the characters in the movie have their own lives and their own story. This of course makes perfect sense as the script is based on a series of short stories by Etgar Karat. The problem is that this makes the movie disjointed and jumpy.