The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies Movie Review

When it was announced that Peter Jackson was making a screen adaptation of The Hobbit, I knew right off the bat that it would be a completely different experience than his Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings films.  Anyone who has read any portion of either The Hobbit or The Fellowship of the Ring can tell that The Hobbit is written for a younger audience and is meant to be enjoyed in a different way than Tolkien’s epic trilogy. They are different types of stories, and should be evaluated separately. For this final installment in the Hobbit trilogy, Jackson has dialed up the action with some epic Middle-Earth warfare.

Maleficent Movie Review

Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my favorite Disney movies. Ever since I was a young kid, I loved the music, the characters, and especially the epic battle at the end. Because of this, Maleficent has always been one of my favorite villains of all time. I loved the mystery behind her, and how she was so pissed that she wasn’t invited to an infant’s birthday party that she set a curse upon the child. She was pure evil, and once it was revealed that she had the ability to transform into a dragon, I was completely sold.

Because of the love that I have for the original film, I was interested to see this new release dedicated entirely to my favorite horned enchantress. However, I soon found out that the Maleficent in this film isn’t quite as threatening as the sorceress in the original.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 Movie Review

What is it that makes a great sequel? More specifically, what is it that makes a great sequel to a beloved animated film? Pixar certainly nailed the formula with the Toy Story sequels, creating what many consider to be the best trilogy of children’s films ever to be released. Others, such as The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride and The Secret of Nimh 2: Timothy to the Rescue fall short, and don’t reach the exciting heights of the film that came before. I am happy to report that Dreamworks’ latest release, How to Train Your Dragon 2, falls squarely on the Toy Story side of that line, and in many ways surpasses the film that came before it.