Escape to the Movies: How to Train Your Dragon 2 - Dragon Training Pays Off

[Seldon2639]

I understand you don't want to waste your money, I do the same. However there aren't any reviews that are going to truly tell you if you'll like something or not. So sometimes I'll go see a movie in the theater just because I want to see it right then, or because I want the spectacle of seeing it on a big screen. However, if I don't end up loving it or even liking it, I don't consider myself deceived. I just consider it an experiment that didn't turn out in my favor, like ordering a new dish at a restaurant and not liking it. By their very nature, movies aren't subject to the "try before you buy" mentality consumer goods have become so open to in recent years.

But that's part of the point of picking reviewers you agree with most of the time. I don't come to this show of Bob's because I want to hear him wax poetic about a movie, I want to hear his opinion because (from experience) I agree with him about 80% of the time. Sometimes movies he likes are ones I'm not a huge fan of, sometimes I don't find his criticisms to be valid (Days of Future Past). But most of the time his recommendation fits with what I'll turn out to like.

And there's a reason media criticism morphed from those kinds of general art discussions and into brass tacks; because the "say something interesting" is less immediately useful to the average reader/watcher/viewer than "if I agree with you most of the time, will I likely enjoy this."

This is especially evident on a site where Bob actually has a "say something interesting about movies and games and media" show.

 

[Amir Kondori]

Once again you're encouraging us to just not see your video's. Now literally when you said "just go see it" instead of watching your review. How about you slap on a quick, one-minute review in front of the spoiler-parts where you discuss things more broadly before delving in to the specifics. Any half-decent reviewer should know how to do it, and you've been around so long you've probably passed half-decent a while ago. I'm positive you'll be able to do it.

He did give you the "quick review" by telling you to go see it. He likes it, he thinks it is worth seeing, that is good enough for someone like me who likes to avoid as much hype and as many spoilers as possible.

If you want more just watch the review. It shouldn't take away from your enjoyment of the film, unless you are like me and like to go in as blind as possible, in which case we are back to "just go and watch it".

"Go see it" isn't a quick review. It's a recommendation.

That is what I meant. Literally the review boiled down to a recommendation for or against. Anything else and you might as well be watching the review.

EDIT: This is certainly not the first time Bob has done this, and it is one of the things I really like about his reviews. I have seen enough of his reviews to know, at least broadly, in which ways are tastes are similar and in which ways they are divergent. So when he gives a recommendation for a film I was already positive on then I know I am going to go see it and I will watch the review afterwards.
If you want a review you should watch the review.

... euh ... not quite. You can discuss large parts of the movie without going in to spoilers. Like, for example, the quality of the story and the strength of the characters. Also how it holds up to the original.

Bob himself says that he does not believe he can say anything interesting about the film without this spoiler. That may or may not be true, but that is his call as a reviewer.
He also says it is a mild spoiler that is in the trailer. So really at this point you either go see the film, because you are interested in it and want to keep yourself on a media blackout, or you watch the review.

 

[Warachia]

Moviebob: It's not my Job to tell you whether or not something is good.
*Video is described and tagged as a review*
Moviebob: How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a great movie.

If you want to be a critic, be a critic, don't be a terrible reviewer hiding under the guise of being a critic, since that's clearly not what you do, and BE CONSISTENT ABOUT IT.

It's like your a little kid trying to pull out any excuse you can as to why people can't criticize you, while you constantly criticize them.

 

[scorptatious]

Just saw the movie.

It was FANTASTIC.

I really can't see any flaws with it, it just blew me away.

Particularly during the the third act:

Spoiler

Hiccup's dad dying, his idealistic morals being shattered, him taking responsibility for his tribe, an AWESOME showdown between Toothless and the Alpha Dragon for dominance.

I enjoyed the first movie, so I was expecting this movie to be at least good. But it exceeded far beyond my expectations.

 

[Vault Citizen]

I've never been annoyed by a spoiler warning in one of your videos but they do tend to mean that I don't watch them if I plan to watch the movie on question.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

Part 1 had some good stuff, largely ticked me off that you still had a really big, really bad monster to deal with. Back then Hiccup should have learned that you can't negotiate with some people.

He was still young then, and the Green Death was more like another one of those Alpha Dragons - a beast of intelligence but ultimately too belligerent to do anything other than avoid or kill. He probably figured that since Drago was man, he could get through to him.

A hard lesson, but its admirable that that film didn't shy from it.

Just saw the movie.

It was FANTASTIC.

I really can't see any flaws with it, it just blew me away.

Particularly during the the third act:

Spoiler

Hiccup's dad dying, his idealistic morals being shattered, him taking responsibility for his tribe, an AWESOME showdown between Toothless and the Alpha Dragon for dominance.

I enjoyed the first movie, so I was expecting this movie to be at least good. But it exceeded far beyond my expectations.

I don't think his morals were shattered. Certainly tempered; he'll probably be less willing to simply go fly off and meet the next enemy face to face like he did Drago. I feel Hiccup is the kind of man who will happily talk peace but also be willing to rain dragon fire down upon those that would threaten Berk. And if he won't, Astrid certainly will.

Spoiler

Man, Stoick's funeral was just beautiful. The music was so sad and all the kids firing arrows to set his ship aflame after Gobber gives his eulogy. Perfection. Stoick the Vast will be welcomed into the Feasting Halls of Valhalla, and surely sit at the right hand of Odin All-Father himself. Vale, Stoick the Vast

Honestly for me this is the only movie I've enjoyed this year as much as I enjoyed Winter Soldier - all the dramatic and comic beats were dead on target; the visual design is just gorgeous and all the different dragons were just so much fun to behold.