'How to Train Your Dragon'

Took the family to see the new movie from Dreamworks Animation, 'How to Train Your Dragon'. One of the few movies I think the whole family was excited to see. Now my kids aren't exactly kids any more, 18 and 15, but we all enjoyed the movie.  Looks like they have a hit on their hands.

The story was well done and very entertaining. Written by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the same team that wrote 'Lilo & Stitch'. The story has some depth to it and actually carries the movie rather than a starting point for a bunch of visual site gags. You will find yourself interested in what is going to happen to the characters.

The movie is a 3-D movie but unlike some 3-D movies it is used to add visual depth to the movie rather than as a way to 'throw' things at the audience. I was impressed by the amount of detail throughout the movie. It was just apparent on the character models but in the backgrounds as well. The action sequences, like fighting and flying, were very well done. The flying was especially cool. As the technology matures the movies surpass expectations.

I would definitely recommend this movie!

Disney's D23

Disney's D23 is the official community for Disney fans. I was very excited about it a year ago when it was introduced. I didn't even hesitate to join although it was a little expensive. I was very happy when the membership materials arrived and I felt as though as I was part of something special. I enjoy the quarterly magazine and I constantly visit the 'offical' website.

My disappointment with being a member is that I live in Upstate NY and do not have a chance to hop to either Disneyland or Walt Disney World for an event. I was hoping there would be year long benefits that I could utilize when I visit the parks. Instead I have to plan a special visit to attend one of the events. No, don't get me wrong, I think the special events planned by Disney are truly worth attending, it just isn't possible for me.

When my notice for renewal arrived I thought long and hard about it, but in the end I decided to not renew my membership. I can still get the excellent magazine at my local book store and attend the events vicariously through the numerous podcasts and web pages. Hopefully there will still be a D23 community when I make the move to Florida in a few years. It will then be worth it to join as I will be able to schedule the short trips to Orlando to attend an event.

Getting Lucky in a Book Store

Went to an outlet mall the other day with my wife. Every couple of months we take a short drive to the outlet mall in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate NY. There are a few stores we like to hit but it is just as much about spending the day together as it is about shopping. Now I don't know about anyone else but I miss the days when every mall had a bookstore. Seems to me it is all about the big super-sized bookstores today and the malls have lost one of the reasons for me to visit.

Well, we were on the last leg of our trip around this outdoor, mall when I started pointing at the sign announcing the stores in the section we were walking toward. There it was third from the top, 'Book Warehouse.' Not a big, super-sized book store but a small, have to look through every shelf, kind of book store where your chances of finding something you wanted were slim. I like going into these little stores because my luck over the years has tended toward the good side. This day I improved my stats...

We walk into the store and there sitting on the top of the first display is 'Paper Dreams: The Art And Artists Of Disney Storyboards' by John Canemaker. People didn't get out of my way fast enough. I hope I wasn't rude to anyone, but I don't honestly remember. I had been wanting to add this book to my collection for some time but hadn't pushed through my 'thriftness' or cheapness as my wife would put it. I started leafing through the book trying to soak in as much as I could while that debate about spending money raged in my head.

It was then that my wife was tapping me on the shoulder. She had another Disney related book in her hands, 'The Art and Flair of Mary Blair' also by John Canemaker. The day seemed to get even better. I tucked the first book under my arm as I reached out for the book in her hand. Yep, another one from my wish list. It only took looking at a couple of the pages to add this book to the other under my arm. I now saw a third book that I just had to pick up an examine.

The last book I found was 'The Art of Bolt' by Mark Cotta Vaz. Know I don't typically purchase many of 'The Art of...' books, but this one had some really nice images and I thought 'in for a penny, in for a pound.' I do have to admit that I own one other 'The Art of...' books and that is 'The Art of Mulan' by Jeff Kurtti. I had checked out the book from my local library and was so taken by it that when the opportunity to purchase a used copy of the book at a collectibles store I frequent presented itself I jumped on it. Not only is 'Mulan' one of my favorite Disney movies, I enjoy and own a large portion of Jeff Kurtti's books on Disney.

Anyway, back to my lucky day. I walked out of the store with all three books and have them in the queue to read. I spent the other day leafing through each of them and re-affirmed my decision to get them all. Now I have to decide when the timing will be right to make another trip to the outlet mall. Too soon and the stock will not have turned over, but wait to long and I might miss something I wanted. I guess that is the price you have to pay. Maybe it's time to see if the libraries have received anything new...

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Found this picture on my computer today.  It was taken during a trip my wife and I took in November 2008.  It was our during our first Disney Cruise vacation.  We decided to ease into the cruise thing, not knowing how we would like it.  So I scheduled a 4-day land, 3-day sea package.

Hollywood Studios is my favorite park once the sun sets.  I really love the energy and visuals available in the front half of the park. For some reason I also have a fascination with this 'Crossroads of the World' recreation.  Looking back through all my pictures I manage to take at least one picture every trip.  Not sure what continues to draw me back to it.  You can see it as you approach the gate to the Studios and I'm pulling the camera out before I even pass through the gate.

To me it is a great symbol of that area of the park.  The architecture on Hollywood and Sunset boulevards is very compelling.  I sometimes end up sitting on a bench, eating a snack (probably from Beverly Sunset) and watching the people find there way down the streets.  Everyone is usually in a hurry to get to The Tower of Terror or work their way to the back of the park.  Not me though, I'm content to see what is happening up front.

If you are interested in learning more about the studios and what can be found in the front of the park, head over to Studios Central.  This is an excellent site on Disney's Hollywood Studios park run by Matt Hochberg.

Will I Ever Figure It Out

Maybe I got a little cocky after finishing Dragon Age: Origins and the first Mass Effect.  I had ventured outside of my comfort zone of turn-based RPGs and thought I could handle another game along the same lines.  My son's copy of Assassin's Creed II was just sitting there begging for me to try it.  I remembered watching him play the original and thought it was a very cool looking game.  I liked the visuals and the story concept was intriguing.  I loaded the game into the Xbox and headed out once again down the path less traveled (for me anyway).

I liked it.  Another very different game than I was used to but I was having fun.  Played for about 6 hours and was hooked.  I'll admit there were times I had to start an area over after failing but it wasn't frustrating.  I figured out what I did wrong or what I missed the first time and continued.  I also really liked the story and felt I was missing the first couple of chapters.  I went out and bought the first game.  Now, don't get me started on this topic but the reason I had to buy it was my son's habit of trading in games to help buy a newer game.  I wouldn't mind it so much if his sister and I were already done playing.

Anyway, the original Assassin's Creed seems a lot harder than the sequel.  I find myself re-playing a lot due to my inability to make it work.  I'm not really that far into the game.  I realized last night I don't 'get' the fighting mechanism.  Maybe I'm too use to the button mashing from Dragon Age or the rapid fire trigger action from Mass Effect.  The timing required just doesn't seem to get from my head to my fingers.

I won't give up on it.  I want to play this game.  I want to see how the story goes and then continue the sequel I started.  Going to take a break though.  Hopefully when I try again it will 'click' for me.  If it doesn't, Final Fantasy XIII will be out in a couple of weeks or I can go get Mass Effect 2.

Video Games and Difficulty Levels

I finished Dragon Age: Origins over the weekend.  I had a really good time playing the game.  Bioware did another great job creating a world and story that really keeps you wanting to return.  Now I am looking forward to the additional content coming later this spring.  My hardest decision is when to start the replay so I'm back in the groove when it arrives.

Dragon Age was a different kind of game for me.  Typically I stick with the turn-based RPGs like Final Fantasy or the strategy RPGs like Disgaea and Fire Emblem.  I got this game for Christmas with the PS3 and gave it a try.  I had my moments.  Played through some levels numerous times in order to make it through, but overall I was able to play the game.

The question is why do I really play games?  Is it so I can beat them at the most difficult setting? Never tried that, would have given up on games a long time ago. No, it really is for the story, the fun of taking my characters on their journey.  So it really didn't bother me when after a dozen or so tries at a difficult boss battle I decided to lower the difficulty so I could continue with the game.  There was no penalty, there was no big banner proclaiming my deed.  There was just the next scene in the story and I was able to continue.  I reset the difficulty level to normal on pressed on.

Now I'm sure my son would think that I cheated.  And initially I felt that way too.  I had saved the spot in the game just before the battle for a couple of days.  Unsure if I would go back to that point and try yet again to get through the fight.  I didn't.  I continued on, enjoying the story that was unfolding before me. 

It was a minor turning point for me.  I came to realize why I really play video games.  I enjoy a good challenge but I'm not going to ruin the experience because the game gets the better of me.  I try each battle to the best of my abilities but if I have to admit defeat and change a setting to continue, I think I will.  For me it doesn't lessen the value of the game, it allows me to enjoy the experience for what is...  an engaging story that I have some control over.

I'm started Mass Effect after finishing Dragon Age.  Talk about a different type of game for me.  So far I have risen to the challenge.  This just might open up a whole new video game experience for me.