4.5 Starfish out of 5

“How to Train Your Dragons” is an epic tale packed with adventure, action, humor, stunning 3D visuals and beautiful music.  I give it 4.5 starfish, it is as good as Up!  It is a film that I think every child and parent will love to experience.  The movie is about friendship, connection, redemption, and the hidden power of “being different.”

Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest, an animated short, is about Ms. Ingrid Pitt, a young Jewish girl and Holocaust survivor.  When she was 8 years old, Ms. Pitt miraculously escaped the Stutthof concentration camp with her mother, surviving in the forest until the end of the War.  I have the great honor to be invited by Beyond the Forest director and producer Mr. Kevin Sean Michaels and two-time Academy Award nominee Mr. Bill Plympton to be the sole animator for this film.  We must know our past to move on into the future, so I believe it is necessary and important to educate today’s children about the Holocaust so that similar tragedies will not happen in the future.

How to Train Your Dragon Chinese movie poster.

Chinese film industry observers expect that How to Train Your Dragon’s opening will kick IMAX movie viewing into high gear.  There are only 20 some IMAX theatres in the entire country of China.  A Chinese company announced recently that it will partner with IMAX to build 20 IMAX movie theatres in the next few years in China to meet the future demand.

From the advanced press reviews from China, and response from the first day of “How to Train Your Dragon” screening in China, the critics and audience absolutely LOVED this movie (remember in China it’s 15 hours ahead of our time here in California)!  My mom showed me the Chinese websites.  Critics and moviegoers alike raved about the amazing “true 3-D” effects in the Hiccup/Toothless flying scenes (many thought “Dragon” is as great as “Avatar” in 3-D visual effects, much better than other movies with 2D to 3D conversion).

The year 2010 has been a “Perrific!” year for animation films.  I saw not only impressive major studio releases, but also amazing indie films at film festivals and Landmark theaters.

4 Starfish out of 5.

Have you ever wondered why Po, the main character in the original Kung Fu Panda, and prophesied Dragon Warrior and protector of China had a father that was a goose? Well, in this hilarious action-packed sequel to Kung Fu Panda, you will definitely find out! Po discovers his origins in the new film while on a mission to save kung fu.

4.5 Starfish our of 5

Do you know the name of the world’s most visually stunning book?  It is illuminated, called The Book of Kells.  It was produced in the early 8^th century in Scotland.  The book of Kells went on a long and arduous journey, somehow made its way to Trinity College in Dublin, where it resides today.  The rest in Real history!

The Oscar-nominated animation “The Secret of Kells” is a story about a young orphaned boy Brendan, who lives in the Abby of Kells, under siege of the raiding Vikings.  Brendan’s only family is his strict uncle, the powerful Abbott Cellach of Kells.  Although the Abbott loves his nephew, he doesn’t have the right way.

“The Secret of Kells” is an “illuminating” tale about friendship, wisdom, overcoming fear, and discovering your own creativity.  It has splendid visual, haunting music, and amazing storyline built upon historical facts. 

2 1/2 Starfish out of 5

This film is BAD! Johnny Depp tried his best, but his character is simply not very well developed. Also, a lot like what Roger Ebert wrote on “The Green Hornet,” there is too much senseless violence that adds little to the plot.

3.5 Starfish out of 5

I was invited to the red carpet premiere of MARMADUKE at the annual surf dog beach party held at San Diego’s Imperial Beach on May 22, 2010, and interviewed director Tom Dey and voice talents Owen Wilson (Marmaduke) and George Lopez (Carlos the cat).  Dey directed “Shanghai Noon” and “Failure to Launch.”  I asked Dey why he chose Marmaduke from the cartoon to make a movie.  “That’s a good question,” said Dey, “I love the character of Marmaduke.  That’s what I look for when thinking about my next film.  I want to find a character that I will want to spend a year and half of my life working with.  This is a great script and a great story.” I give Marmaduke 3.5 starfish.  It is packed with humor, romance, and action. 

Even though Humphrey and Kate are friends who play together, their status separates them.  So they can’t howl together at the midnight howl or have a litter of pups.

Kate’s duty is to marry Garth, the hunky Alpha-male-to-be of the Eastern pack to make peace between the warring packs.  But on the night of the moonlight howl, Kate and Humphrey are tranquilized by the park rangers (they live in Jasper National Park, Canada), and brought to Idaho to “repopulate” the area.

Four and a half Starfish out of 5!

Do you believe in magic? Do you remember how you felt when you saw a magic trick for the first time? Have you ever wondered what a magician’s life is really like? That is the story behind The Illusionist, a rapturously animated feature film by French animation director Sylvain Chomet about the languishing art of amusement, recently nominated for an Oscar.