>How To Train Your Dragon > Toy Story 3

>When the category for “Best Animated Feature” began at the Academy Awards in 2001, DreamWorks Animation took home the prize with the help of Shrek. With the exception of one other win for Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, DreamWorks has come up short to Disney/Pixar almost every year. When Kung-Fu Panda was up against Wall-E in 2008, Jack Black said it best when he said, “Each year I do one DreamWorks project then take all the money to the Oscars and bet it on Pixar!”

Don’t misunderstand my post as anti-Pixar in the slightest. Though I loved Kung-Fu Panda, it didn’t stand a chance against Wall-E. And generally, Pixar is more infallible that DreamWorks as evidenced by Monsters vs. Aliens which I consider their worst since Over The Hedge. No, this article is geared more towards this upcoming Oscars’ category specifically.

It seems the general consensus is that Toy Story 3 is a shoe-in for the win this year. It’s easy to see why. Toy Story was Pixar’s first film, and Toy Story 3 has been the highest grossing film for them yet, earning over $1 billion; more than twice as much as How To Train Your Dragon.

My base argument here is that, although Toy Story 3 was a “good” movie, I don’t believe that it really added anything new to the series. It was merely the same characters on a new adventure. I’m not against sequels, but although the overall time sequence is furthered, the general plot of the movie is not much different from the other two predecessors. Toys that come to life get separated from their owner and must make their way back while dealing with their own personality quirks.

How to Train Your Dragon presented with a new and well-thought-out idea. They created a world in which dragons are a nuisance and feel like a real part of that world. Adding interesting characters that were very well voiced by unique actors upped the plot to a fun and inspiring adventure. I’m always interested when a person can create a new universe of plausibility through details. How to Train Your Dragon has many plot elements such as: dragons vs. humans, familial and communal acceptance, misunderstandings, as well as your token love-story.

This film was also the only one of the past year in which I felt like I didn’t waste money for a 3D ticket. I thought the application of 3D in this film was used to perfection. There weren’t any silly, gimmicky shots. The most memorable scene was one in which the 3D did exactly what it was supposed to do, enhance the scene without drawing attention to itself. In the scene, Hiccup and Toothless have finally perfected their symbiotic flying method and are experimenting by soaring through the clouds. This film single-handedly changed my opinion on the necessity of 3D. I’d all but given up on the effect.

I have a feeling that familiarity and money will put Toy Story 3 at the top, but I hold out hope that a sweet, sleek and unique film might bring home the gold.

P.S. – The Illusionist was boring and exceptionally “French.”