Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids
May 13, 2011
Universal
Comedy
DVD
B-

When I first saw this movie, it made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me consider walking out at the really gross food-poisoning scene.  My reaction on watching it for I think the fifth time was not as extreme in any regard.  I still think Kristen Wiig does a good job, as star and co-writer, of capturing a particular kind of woman who's messed up her life but not as much as she thinks.  Also, it is nice to see female friendship, in various forms, put at the center, even if the subject is ostensibly a wedding.  This does mean unfortunately that the men are really short-changed, some of them not even getting lines.  I certainly would've liked to have seen more of Chris O'Dowd's nice Irish cop.  And even some of the women have unresolved plot threads, including Wiig's own.  (Does she start another bakery or what?)  That said, Melissa McCarthy comes close to stealing the movie in what I recall as her first significant big-screen role.

Wilson Phillips appear as themselves, and Chynna Phillips was the love interest Cindy in The Invisible Kid.  Nancy Carell was the Health Clinic Counselor in The 40 Year Old Virgin but is less memorable here as Helen's Tennis Partner, while Joe Nunez was Man Buffing Floor there and is Oscar the Security Guard here.  Jessica St. Clair, who plays Whitney at the bridal salon, would be Deena Schuster in Wanderlust.

How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon
March 26, 2010
DreamWorks
Children's, Fantasy, Action, Comedy
DVD
B+

Chris Sanders co-wrote Aladdin, while Will Davies co-wrote Flushed Away, so perhaps it's not surprising that they do well here, directing as well as writing.  What is surprising is that this movie is actually better than either of those.  It's not due to the source material, since this is clearly another example of the movie being better than the book.  The Cressida Cowell series has ugly illustrations and forgettable characters.  This movie is visually stunning and the characters are endearing, because of rather than despite their imperfections.  Also, it's a rare action movie where the relationships are more important than the battles.  We watch as our young hero Hiccup improves how he relates to his father, his potential girlfriend, and of course his dragon.  And, yes, the movie is funny, but it's also poignant.  I found the sequel somewhat disappointing, and the TV series doesn't interest me, but here they got everything just about right.

David Tennant, who voices Spitelout, was Barty Crouch, Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but of course had meanwhile hit it big as Dr. Who.  Jonah Hill's rise was not as dramatic, but he had become better known since his appearance as the eBay Customer in 40 Year Old Virgin.  Kristen Wiig, who voices Ruffnut, would be Annie in Bridesmaids.

Sometimes dragons are just scaly cats, and sometimes they're your vehicle to Heaven.