Crisp Criticism: "How to Train Your Dragon 2", "The Fault in Our Stars", "The Trip to Italy"

by

Julien Faddoul

How to Train Your Dragon 2 ***

5 years after the events of the first film, the Riders of Berk must deal with a new threat to the dragon race and in the process discover more phenomenal things about them.

Radiant, ravishing animated-film that pleasantly feels independent from its predecessor. It substitutes that film’s soulfulness and humour for serene wisdom. Visually, it is a true beauty to behold. Who could ask for anything more?

wd – Dean DeBlois   (Based on the Book by Cressida Cowell)

pd – Pierre-Olivier Vincent

m – John Powell

ed – John K. Carr

p – Bonnie Arnold

Cast: Jay Burachel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrara, Kit Harington, Djimon Hounsou, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, TJ Miller, Kristin Wiig

The Fault in Our Stars

Two sick teenagers have a romance.

Love Story (1970) for the moderns, trying to have its cake and eat it too by belittling the conventions of teen-romances while indulging in them to the same extent. Human logic is continuously passed aside in favour of sap.

d – Josh Boone

w – Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber   (Based on the Book by John Green)

ph – Ben Richardson

pd – Molly Hughes

m – Mike Mogis, Nate Walcott

ed – Robb Sullivan

cos – Mary Claire Hannan

p – Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey

Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Willem Dafoe, Lotte Verbeek

The Trip to Italy **

Two comedians, six meals, six Italian restaurants.

The same mix as before: Impressions and insults are traded, but this time in Italy. Funny but bland.

wd – Michael Winterbottom

ph – James Clarke

ed – Mags Arnold, Robbie Gibbon, Paul Monaghan, Marc Richardson

p – Melissa Parmenter

Cast: Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan