Latest news with #Toothless
New York Times
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Watch Hiccup and Toothless Connect in ‘How to Train Your Dragon'
In 'Anatomy of a Scene,' we ask directors to reveal the secrets that go into making key scenes in their movies. See new episodes in the series on Fridays. You can also watch our collection of more than 150 videos on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel. In the live-action version of 'How to Train Your Dragon,' expressions can speak louder than words. That's the case in this early scene from the film, in which Hiccup (Mason Thames) has caught a Night Fury dragon and is conflicted about what to do. He comes from a line of Vikings who kill dragons as part of their warrior tribe, but when Hiccup gets close to the Night Fury, he connects with the dragon (whom he later nicknames Toothless) and can't muster the will to kill the creature. Narrating the scene, the director Dean DeBlois (who also directed the 2010 animated film), said, 'This is one of the scenes that follows quite closely the animated movie. It's a handful of scenes that I wanted to recreate almost shot for shot. But in this case we realized we didn't need a lot of the dialogue that we gave Hiccup in the animated version. So much of it could be played on Mason Thames's face.' DeBlois said he spoke with his actor about the emotional way to play the scene. 'I remember on the day talking to Mason before we started rolling cameras, and I said, 'Don't forget, this is the moment you reference later in the movie when you looked into his eyes and you saw yourself.' It seems like a moment of weakness but this is that strength in disguise that causes Hiccup to be a new thinker that can usher in an era of peace that nobody saw coming.' Read the 'How to Train Your Dragon' review. Sign up for the Movies Update newsletter and get a roundup of reviews, news, Critics' Picks and more.
The Sun
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
How to make remake movies
IN the ever-growing graveyard of 'live-action remakes nobody asked for,' How to Train Your Dragon has defied the odds by not only surviving but absolutely soaring. Directed by Dean DeBlois, the same creative genius behind the original animated trilogy, this live-action reboot dares to ask the question: What if Hollywood got one right for once? The answer? A resounding yes, complete with fire, friendship and more emotional resonance than anyone probably signed up for. Dragons, drama, dream casting For starters, let us talk casting. Mason Thames brings a charming awkwardness to Hiccup, staying true to the character's scrappy, inventive spirit. Nico Parker's Astrid? Fierce with a capital F, making her scenes pop with strength and subtle wit. And yes, Gerard Butler is back as Stoick, because sometimes the universe does give out small blessings. Supporting characters do not feel like afterthoughts either. Nick Frost as Gobber is a riot and Julian Dennison steals scenes as Fishlegs with his signature blend of lovable chaos. Even Toothless, reimagined through top-tier CGI, feels alive in a way that is surprisingly intimate without veering into uncanny valley. Visually majestic, emotionally grounded Purists, brace for it: there are some minor tweaks. But this is not a desecration of childhoods, it is more like a respectful adaptation that understands its roots. From the tone to the narrative beats, this version remains deeply loyal to what made the original fly in the first place. The coming-of-age themes, emotional stakes and dragon-sized scale of the story are all intact, just told with a different brush. Critics will no doubt emerge from their dragon-proof bunkers to say it is 'unnecessary' or 'lacking the charm of animation.' But no live-action remake was ever going to satisfy everyone. What this one does is respect the original while confidently telling the story in a new format. That alone makes it far superior to most of its genre peers (yes, Lilo & Stitch, this is directed at you). From the wind-whipped cliffs of Berk to the skies lit with fire and wonder, the visuals in How to Train Your Dragon are nothing short of breathtaking. DeBlois has harnessed the power of VFX teams to make flying with dragons feel like an actual experience, not just a green screen fantasy. And yet, for all its visual bravado, the heart of the story never gets lost. The emotional core about unlikely friendship, defying tradition and finding strength in vulnerability lands with as much weight as ever. It is a story with wings and a soul. Reboot that does not feel like a cash grab It is no secret that Hollywood loves a good remake... and an easy profit. But this film does not feel like a studio boardroom churned it out. DeBlois' return as writer-director brings a sense of authorial care rarely seen in reboots. The film breathes sincerity. It wants to honour the world it is rebuilding and that care shows in every frame. Plus, giving credit where it is due: the score by John Powell is a returning hero in its own right. With sweeping strings and triumphant horns, the music is just as magical as fans remember now, with even more sonic depth for live-action scale. Whether it is a long-time fan revisiting Berk or someone walking in fresh, the film works across the board. It is thrilling, funny, heartfelt and surprisingly thoughtful for a movie involving fire-breathing reptiles. Non-fans will find themselves swept up in a story that is easy to follow and hard not to fall in love with. Meanwhile, fans can breathe a sigh of relief, this remake does not spit on the original, it roars in celebration of it. Of course, there will be naysayers. Some will say the animated version 'just had more charm'. Others will nitpick the minor character redesigns or wish that one line had stayed exactly the same. But if a remake tries to please everyone, it ends up pleasing no one. Thankfully, this film stays grounded in what matters and flies above the noise. How to Train Your Dragon is an excellent film in its own right. With top-notch performances, breathtaking visuals and a faithful yet fresh retelling of a beloved story, it sets a new bar for what remakes can be. It entertains, it moves and most importantly, it respects its audience, both old and new. The movie teases an epic adventure where two worlds must unite and take flight.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A parent-kid take on seeing 'How to Train Your Dragon': Bring stuffies, snacks and tissues
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers. I'm Suzy Byrne, and I've been covering entertainment in this space for over a decade. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm no hardcore cinema buff. Since I had a child, though, I've made it a point to see as many kid-friendly movies as possible. Maybe it's because I'm a big kid ✔ and I love a cheerful ending ✔. But also, as a busy working parent, is there greater joy than getting two hours to turn off your phone and put up your feet while your child is fully entertained?! So that's what this is — one entertainment reporter + her 10-year-old child + usually friends seeing family-friendly fare, indulging in film-themed treats and replying all, to you, about the experience. Welcome to kids' movie club. It turns out that carrying a Toothless pillow at a How to Train Your Dragon screening is an excellent icebreaker. It made us appear to be experts to a woman in the bathroom who was unfamiliar with the franchise's expanse. It got us back inside the theater after a pre-movie restroom run. ('Why, yes, we are the pillow people,' we told the ticket taker.) It made strangers feel comfortable telling us which parts of the movie made them cry as we left. That alone made it worth the effort of schlepping it on a train and two subways to get there, not to mention how handy it came in when we reversed course and my young movie buddy fell asleep on the way home. The PG-rated film — which is dominating at the box office — gave much to dream about, after all: Hiccup the sensitive hero, magical Toothless and those captivating eyes and what may be living in those Vikings' ragged beards. (Am I the only one who felt the urge to Nix comb all the facial hair?) For our journey to Berk, seeing the film in IMAX was the way to go because the fire-breathing dragons were right there, and the sound was so superb you could hear every wing flap. The theater was about 50-50 on the adult-to-kid ratio. My daughter was elated to be there on a school night. (Yes, school is still in session here.) We attended a prerelease screening, so it was too early to get AMC's Dragon Tamer Snack Pack. (The popcorn bucket at Regal is on another level.) Instead, we went with classic popcorn and Icees. My daughter mixed blue raspberry, the Lilo & Stitch flavor, with watermelon. I was a watermelon purist. 👦🏻🐉🔥🗡️🤕🐟🪽🐉🎓🗡️🏆🔥😬⛓️🔥💧⛓️💥🪽🐲🫣🔥🦿😅♥️🥳 I loved all things Toothless. The Night Fury, with his retractable chompers, is such a striking creature and watching him learn to trust sweet misfit Hiccup (who was the cause of it losing its tail fin) is a good example of forgiveness. I loved the moment they first connected, Toothless letting Hiccup (Mason Thames) touch him on the nose. The regurgitated fish scene made me laugh/nauseous, and it hurt my heart to see Toothless muzzled and chained. Casting humans based on animated characters is tricky, but the filmmakers did well all around. I especially appreciate that voice actors from the 2010 animated film were cast, including Gerard Butler as Hiccup's dad, Stoick — even if he was too hard on his son until he came around at the end. I have zero time for the backlash over Nico Parker playing Astrid. She was great as Hiccup's rival turned love interest. As the credits rolled, my daughter said, 'Heck yeah,' so I feel like the night was a win. 'I loved how two of the trainee dragon slayers were siblings' — Ruffnut and Tuffnut — 'and during training, they always humiliated each other,' my daughter says. 'It was so funny when Tuffnut got bit on the nose by the little dragon and said something like: I'm totally not OK. I also loved Toothless and how cute he was. When he got stuck in the water, I almost cried😭. All the actors were perfect for their parts. Hiccup was really funny! I loved when he used all the dragon secrets he learned with Toothless to beat the others in their training.' Bottom line: 'No need to be a dragon lover to … well … LOVE IT!!!' My kiddo recommends the film for ages 6 and up. There are intense battles and realistic dragons. There's no onscreen bloodshed, but there are injuries, including Hiccup joining many of his Viking peers losing a limb. No bad words stood out. Yes, Hiccup's mom. The backstory is that she was killed by a dragon, fueling Stoick's drive to extinguish them. We didn't cry, but a mother-adult daughter we talked to as we waited for the credits to roll said they did when they didn't think Toothless would make it. Hiccup's remark to Stoick about the Vikings being overweight. It was in the original film and was repeated in this. It's dated. I liked Hiccup and Astrid's friendship and their 'give peace a chance' vision. They shared a kiss or two — actually a punch-kiss, which she initiates — but it was more about them working together, and the romance was not a distraction. My daughter's take? 'Cute.' No further notes. No. We waited (and waited!) for some fun post-credit moment, but there was only a one-second flash of Hiccup's drawing of Toothless. I guess it's a tease that the story continues (a sequel was previously announced for June 11, 2027), but it was a non-moment. We watched the original animated film again after the new one, and it's remarkable how true to the 2010 film this is, including most of the dialogue. That's because Dean DeBlois directed and wrote the live-action movie after codirecting and cowriting the original and then helming the second and third animated films. 'I said, 'If you're going to do it, please consider me as the writer and director,'' DeBlois told the studio, according to Variety. 'I do know where the heart is, and I know this world. I know these characters.' My daughter received two additional invites from friends to see the film in the theater over the weekend. We said yes to one. The feedback was: 'I noticed even more small differences between the original and this one.' But it was mostly about the food: 'Mom, they accidentally brought us two of everything we ordered, so we got an extra Oreo Shake, Icee, pizza, chicken tenders and popcorn. The food kept coming out. It was crazy.' Watching the movie a second time offered a chance to see trailers (since none played during the initial screening). Let's just say my daughter was tickled green to see the Wicked: For Good trailer for the first time. This movie may just set off a summer of dragons for your child. After you see the live-action, you may want to (like us!) revisit the original animated films: How to Train Your Dragon (2010), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019). There's also the Dragons TV series, which ran from 2012 to 2018 (first on Cartoon Network, then Netflix). Even better? If your dragon lover is up for a reading adventure, the films are based on Cressida Cowell's children's book series, with 12 titles to dive into. Checking them out from your local library or scooping them up off your local Buy Nothing group will provide hours of non-screen time for your kid. Bonus rec: It may also open the gates to other popular dragon reads like Wings of Fire and Dragon Masters, both of which are 🔥 right now.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Magical UK park next to 4-mile long beach gets a '10/10′ from visitors and stars in new How To Train Your Dragon film
Plus, five filming locations in the UK you can visit with movie tours, quaint villages and £49 stays PARK UP Magical UK park next to 4-mile long beach gets a '10/10′ from visitors and stars in new How To Train Your Dragon film THE magical world of How to Train Your Dragon has once again hit our screens, but now as a live action film - meaning actual places that you can visit are used in the film. One of those places is Tollymore Forest Park in Northern Ireland. 8 Tollymore Forest Park in Northern Ireland features in the new How to Train Your Dragon film Credit: Alamy 8 Foley's Bridge (above) features in the film Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk Around an hour from Belfast Airport, the park is home to an amazing landscape that viewers get glimpses of in scenes of the film. In fact, Tollymore was used as the setting for the first meeting of Hiccup and Toothless. As Hiccup lifts his dagger into the air to supposedly kill Toothless, the viewer can see extensive greenery behind with tall towering trees. The park features a combination of impressive trees that tower just like those in the scene - particularly the giant redwoods and Monterey pines. In fact, Tollymore arboretum is the one of the oldest known arboreta in Ireland and planting originally began back in 1752, as a Georgian landscape feature. Also filmed in the park is a scene on a bridge, featuring the main characters. This is actually Foley's Bridge, which is one of 16 bridges in the park. The bridge looks mythical and straight out of a fantasy movie - particularly in the autumn when the colours turn to more earthy tones. The bridge has also even been used in Game of Thrones. The forest park also boasts a nature-inspired wooden play area called the 'Big Deer' play area. Top 10 Enchanted Forests & Nature Reserves in the UK The area is designed specifically for children aged four to 11-years-old and even includes a giant timber Fallow Deer structure, a castle turret, a folly tower and a hollow tree. The park also has its own grassy campsite, with 71 pitches from £27 a night. The park has an impressive 4.8 stars on google reviews, with almost 5,000 people leaving remarks on its 'magical', 'stunning' and 'grand' feel. One person said: "10/10 would highly recommend, perfect scenery, perfect coffee hut, amazing walks and amazing for camping with great facilities, also very dog friendly." Another said: "Such a beautiful place. A lovely walk along a river with enough history to make it interesting, and a hermitage I wanted to live in." Eight minutes from the park is Murlough Beach that features 6,000-year-old sand dunes and a number of paths that navigate through the dunes, woodland and heath. The beach stretches four-miles in total, and features both golden sand and pebbles. Above the beach, the mystical-looking Mourne Mountains tower. For those who fancy a longer walk, there is a the Dundrum Coastal Path which boasts views across Dundrum Bay and to watch the coastal wildlife. 8 Tollymore Forest Park also has a wooden play area Credit: Alamy 8 There are plenty of medieval-looking nooks and crannies to explore Credit: Alamy 8 Eight minutes from the park is Murlough Beach that features 6,000-year-old sand dunes Credit: Alamy In Newcastle - the town that sits between Tollymore Forest Park and Murlough Beach - there are also more things to explore if you want to extend your stay. The town is home to Coco's Children's Adventure Playground and Pleasurelands - a small theme park - ideal for kids. There are also a wide variety of shops, cafes and restaurants. The town also offers a great place to stay with many different options including Enniskeen Estate - a boutique natural retreat that even Hugh Jackman has stayed at. If you don't mind a short drive, Castlewellan Park is also nearby with a dramatic lake. 8 The scene where Hiccup and Toothless meet is based in Tollymore Forest Park 8 Other locations in Northern Ireland were used for the film as well The forest surrounding the lake has a number of bike trails and hiking trails too. The new How to Train Your Dragon film features other parts of Northern Ireland including Dunseverick Castle and Giant's Causeway. In the film, Duneseverick Castle is used to represent the Isle of Berk - which is the fictional home of the characters. The castle's ruins provide a dramatic backdrop, along with the cliffs sloping into the sea. Other notable filming locations include the Faroe Islands and studios in Ireland. You can also visit the top UK filming locations from Harry Potter to James Bond for 25p next month. Plus, five filming locations in the UK you can visit with movie tours, quaint villages and £49 stays.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Magical UK park next to 4-mile long beach gets a '10/10′ from visitors and stars in new How To Train Your Dragon film
THE magical world of How to Train Your Dragon has once again hit our screens, but now as a live action film - meaning actual places that you can visit are used in the film. One of those places is Tollymore Forest Park in Northern Ireland. Advertisement 8 Tollymore Forest Park in Northern Ireland features in the new How to Train Your Dragon film Credit: Alamy 8 Foley's Bridge (above) features in the film Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk Around an hour from Belfast Airport, the park is home to an amazing landscape that viewers get glimpses of in scenes of the film . In fact, Tollymore was used as the setting for the first meeting of Hiccup and Toothless. As Hiccup lifts his dagger into the air to supposedly kill Toothless, the viewer can see extensive greenery behind with tall towering trees. The park features a combination of impressive trees that tower just like those in the scene - particularly the giant redwoods and Monterey pines. Advertisement Read more on parks In fact, Tollymore arboretum is the one of the oldest known arboreta in Ireland and planting originally began back in 1752, as a Georgian landscape feature. Also filmed in the park is a scene on a bridge, featuring the main characters. This is actually Foley's Bridge, which is one of 16 bridges in the park. The bridge looks mythical and straight out of a fantasy movie - particularly in the autumn when the colours turn to more earthy tones. Advertisement Most read in News Travel The bridge has also even been used in Game of Thrones. The forest park also boasts a nature-inspired wooden play area called the 'Big Deer' play area. Top 10 Enchanted Forests & Nature Reserves in the UK The area is designed specifically for children aged four to 11-years-old and even includes a giant timber Fallow Deer structure, a castle turret, a folly tower and a hollow tree. The park also has its own grassy campsite, with 71 pitches from £27 a night. Advertisement The park has an impressive 4.8 stars on google reviews, with almost 5,000 people leaving remarks on its 'magical', 'stunning' and 'grand' feel. One person said: "10/10 would highly recommend, perfect scenery, perfect coffee hut, amazing walks and amazing for camping with great facilities, also very dog friendly." Another said: "Such a beautiful place. A lovely walk along a river with enough history to make it interesting, and a hermitage I wanted to live in." Eight minutes from the park is Murlough Beach that features 6,000-year-old sand dunes and a number of paths that navigate through the dunes, woodland and heath. Advertisement The beach stretches four-miles in total, and features both golden sand and pebbles. Above the beach, the mystical-looking Mourne Mountains tower. For those who fancy a longer walk, there is a the Dundrum Coastal Path which boasts views across Dundrum Bay and to watch the coastal wildlife. 8 Tollymore Forest Park also has a wooden play area Credit: Alamy Advertisement 8 There are plenty of medieval-looking nooks and crannies to explore Credit: Alamy 8 Eight minutes from the park is Murlough Beach that features 6,000-year-old sand dunes Credit: Alamy In Newcastle - the town that sits between Tollymore Forest Park and Murlough Beach - there are also more things to explore if you want to extend your stay. The town is home to Coco's Children's Adventure Playground and Pleasurelands - a small theme park - ideal for kids. Advertisement There are also a wide variety of shops, cafes and restaurants. The town also offers a great place to stay with many different options including Enniskeen Estate - a boutique natural retreat that even Hugh Jackman has stayed at. If you don't mind a short drive, Castlewellan Park is also nearby with a dramatic lake. 8 The scene where Hiccup and Toothless meet is based in Tollymore Forest Park Advertisement 8 Other locations in Northern Ireland were used for the film as well The forest surrounding the lake has a number of bike trails and hiking trails too. The new How to Train Your Dragon film features other parts of Northern Ireland including Dunseverick Castle and Giant's Causeway. In the film, Duneseverick Castle is used to represent the Isle of Berk - which is the fictional home of the characters. Advertisement The castle's ruins provide a dramatic backdrop, along with the cliffs sloping into the sea. Other notable filming locations include the Faroe Islands and studios in Ireland. You can also Plus, Advertisement 8 Tollymore National Park is just an hour from Belfast Credit: Alamy
