Most Anticipated Kids’ Movies of 2014

Family-friendly movies are highly popular especially for summertime and sleepovers and the reasons are not far to seek. Most kid flicks are better because, unlike their made-for-adults counterparts, they cannot rely upon sexual content, violence, profanity or controversial topics to lure audiences to theaters and have to deal with rigid content restrictions. At the end of the day, a movie that appeals to families has to have solid acting, writing and directing as well as a well-knit plot that makes sense to kids and parents alike. As we inch towards the end of the year, here is a list of some of the most eagerly anticipated family-friendly movies of 2014. 

1. 

   Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return

   Release date – May 9th, 2014

   The latest installment of the beloved fairy tale is a 3D animated musical based on the series of adventure books of Roger S. Baum. Here we meet Dorothy who has returned to a Kansas that is being abandoned by the townspeople in the aftermath of a devastating tornado. But she suddenly finds herself magically summoned back to Oz where her old friends need to be rescued from a crafty new villain. Young viewers join Dorothy as she embarks on her latest journey through the pretty panoramas of Oz accompanied by new friends and encounters a new set of problems. 
2. 

   How to Train your Dragon 2

   Release date – June 13th, 2014

   How to Train Your Dragon (released in 2010) made movie history as one of DreamWorks’ most successful animated fantasy-action movies and grossed almost half a billion dollars worldwide. How to Train your Dragon 2 aims to outdo its precursor in terms of quality – this is a sequel that promises to deliver a story that’s richer in emotion, humor and action. The movie begins five years after the Vikings and the dragons have buried their animosity and settled down to a mutually beneficial career of racing, adventure and the exploration of uncharted territories. This idyllic world is threatened with the discovery of strange wild dragons that are at the beck and call of the enigmatic Dragon Rider and the result is strife and battle that puts the future of both species in jeopardy. 
3. 

   Muppets Most Wanted

   Release Date – March 21st, 2014

   Disney’s much-awaited musical comedy-cum-mystery follows the Muppets gang as they go off on a grand tour of some of the most exciting destinations of Europe. But since adventure can never be far away, they find themselves unwittingly embroiled in an international jewel heist and lock horns with criminals who bear an uncanny resemblance to Kermit the Frog, sidekicks, prison guards and Interpol agents. Needless to say, mayhem ensues.

Behind the Scenes of How to Train Your Dragon 2

With nearly a year left for the June 2014 release of ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’, fans are eager to get their hands on any information about the movie. Here are a few interesting behind the scenes stories about ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’. 

1. The ‘teaser trailer’ was originally a leak
   No doubt you’ve seen the teaser trailer for “How to Train Your Dragon 2”. Featuring nothing more than a thrilling sequence of Hiccup and Toothless trying daredevil stunts in the sky, the video went viral within weeks of its release. Turns out that the mini-clip was never meant to be a teaser trailer at all! It was originally leaked onto the internet, and DreamWorks then decided to make it official. That certainly seems to have been a good move, because fans are now more excited for the movie than ever.
    
2. Hiccup’s mother may appear in ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2
   In the book ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, Hiccup’s mother Valhallarama is still alive and is considered a great Viking hero. However, since she is often away from home on expeditions, Hiccup never sees much of her growing up. Valhallarama was originally included in the story of the movie ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, and the concept art for the character depicts a stout, smiling woman holding a dragon by its leash. However, she was left out of the final movie in order to focus more on the father-son conflict between Stoick and Hiccup, one of the central pivots of the film. It is now rumored that the mysterious Dragon Rider Valka introduced in ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ is actually Hiccup’s mother. This is based on an interview with Gerard Butler – who voices Stoick – where he mentions that Valka is his wife in the sequel. However, it is unclear whether he was referring to Hiccup’s mother or whether he remarries in the movie. It is worth noting that Valka and Valhallarama do share a few similarities – both are so involved in their missions that they have little time for maintaining a “normal” relationship with other Vikings. Also, both are very good at what they do. However, Valka is depicted as a recluse who has had very little human contact for years.
   
3. ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2 features an alpha dragon, king of all dragons
   Dean DeBlois revealed in an interview that ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ features many new dragons, among them an alpha dragon who is the king of all dragons! Remember the queen dragon Red Death from ‘How to Train Your Dragon’? Well this one is going to be above her in hierarchy and play a prominent role in ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ as well as ‘How to Train Your Dragon 3’! Wait, haven’t you heard..?
   
4. Director Dean DeBlois insisted on a ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ trilogy
   Now that is so exciting, it has to be repeated – a ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ trilogy! When Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation asked DeBlois whether he’d like to work on a sequel to ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, he said he’d do it if DreamWorks was willing to do a trilogy! DeBlois, who is interested in mythology, wants to build a story out of the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ plot and not just put the same characters into a new adventure to cash in on the huge fan following of the franchise. This is also the reason why the characters have grown 5 years older in the sequel. The trilogy will apparently explain why dragons no longer exist in the world. Doesn’t it seem like the more you find out about ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’, the better it sounds? This is most definitely one of the must-watch movies for 2014!

Fire Dragon Stories

Mention dragons and a gigantic, scaly, serpentine, fire-breathing beast is usually the first thing that comes to mind. While there are many other types of dragons known to us (ice dragons, flying dragons, friendly dragons), the fire-breathing variety seem to have topped the popularity charts, leaving their nearest competitors far behind. Known as fire-breathing dragons or just fire dragons, these are one of the most common types of dragons referenced in literature and celluloid. Fire dragons are bedside story staples and have seen many generations of kids growing up on them. Let’s get to know them a little better.

Fire Dragons – The Good and the Bad

European dragons are usually of the fire-breathing kind and most of them are considered malevolent. Pick up any fairy tale with a dragon and you are most likely to find a fire dragon fighting the prince and posing to be a hindrance on his way to find his true love. One of the classic and most popular examples of this kind is found in the fairytale, SleepingBeauty. Known as Maleficient, the dragon in this fire dragon story guards the castle where the princess sleeps and fights hard to stop Prince Phillip from entering and breaking the curse. The vicious fire dragons are generally reticent beings who like to stay cooped in lairs deep in the forests and come out mostly after nightfall.

However, not all fire dragons are all evil. There are many on the other side of the spectrum too. While western mythology usually portrays fire dragons in negative light, the Welsh ones make an exception to this rule. The good fire dragons are known for their brave spirit and are often seen fighting evil for the common good. Welsh folklore is replete with fire dragon stories where the brave fire dragon teams up with the people of the village and fights a common enemy. The story of the fire dragon and the ice dragon fighting atop a mountain is a popular one.

Physical Attributes of Fire Dragons

As far as physical attributes are concerned, fire dragons do not differ much from the regular dragons. They have clawed feet, a long tail, two horns, bat-like wings and scales on their bodies. Most of them are red or orange in color. Though not necessary, the tails of many fire dragons are ablaze even when they are not breathing fire out of their mouths and nostrils. Fire-breathing dragons are also widely known for their fiery temperaments. Fire dragon stories also mention the adult dragon’s roar which is known to be powerful and heard from quite a distance. 

Now that you know more about fire dragons, what do you think - are they your favorite kind of dragons?