What songs might a dragon have on his ipod?

I just recently bought concert tickets to one of my favorite bands. To use all of the regular feeling words like ‘excited, ecstatic, and thrilled’ seems like playing down how I really feel. I know I’m not the first person to react that way. There is something about music. This thought led me to dragons, as all things often do (you know how obsessed I am about them). I wonder what they would have on their iPod if they were 21^st century creatures. That is what has led me to this pointless/amusing research that you will now feast your eyes/ears upon.

I’ve had to imagine what personality the dragon would have – will be be a punkrocker, will he be a jazz and blues sort of dragon etc. Maybe his girlfriend has a say on what goes on the playlist? Eventually, I gave up and tried to make this playlist as randomly as I could, hoping to fit different genres as well. I’ve also sought out my favorite versions of these songs, for variety’s sake. Without further ado, here are my top 5.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo OST -  Immigrant Song

Peter, Paul & Mary -  Puff The Magic Dragon

Yeah Yeah Yeahs -  Dragon Queen

Imagine Dragons – Radioactive

Alicia Keys -  Dragon Days

What does your dragon ipod playlist contain?

How to Train Your Dragon 3 – What moviegoers can expect

DreamWorks’ How to Train your Dragon 2 received its share of critical and commercial acclaim, although it didn’t quite fulfil the high expectations raised by its predecessor despite being one of the top-grossing animated movies of the 2014 summer movie season.  

Image Source - http://www.schoolofdragons.com/how-to-train-your-dragon/

What it certainly did was whet audience interest in the How to Train your Dragon franchise and I for one am definitely looking forward to How to Train your Dragon 3, whose release has been pushed back a year from summer 2016 to summer 2017.  That has disappointed a lot of fans, myself included, but at least it shows that DreamWorks is confident about the future of the franchise.

About How to Train your Dragon 3 (HTTYD 3)

According to reports, the third and apparently final part of the trilogy follows Hiccup as he takes on the mantle of village chief after his father’s passing. The voice talent includes A-listers Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Jay Baruchel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig and T.J. Miller.

Many moviegoers will be shocked to learn that there are no dragons in HTTYD 3 – hard to imagine as that is. Unsurprisingly, Hiccup battles feelings of helplessness and inadequacy after succeeding his father, the redoubtable Viking chief who has always set high standards for his only child. After a long time, Hiccup faces a life without dragons, including his own best friend and ally Toothless. The final part deals with powerful emotions and the bittersweet reality of a Viking world without dragons.

How to Train your Dragon – What Next?

But ardent fans of the HTTYD franchise needn’t remain heartbroken for long. I’ve heard rumors about a possible How to Train your Dragon 4 down the line but that remains a matter of speculation. Writer/director Dean DeBlois has not discounted the possibility of a fourth instalment in the blockbuster Vikings-dragons saga, which is likely to be (if it is ever made) a self-contained stand-alone movie that takes the action forward from where its predecessor left off. But I’d better not jump the gun at this point until we have something concrete from the makers of the film.

I’m not too happy about having to wait for another year and a half for How to Train Your Dragon 3. Thanks to the growing buzz around the movie, the second sequel sounds like a highly interesting departure from the story. 

5 Great Hollywood Movie Cast Ensembles

Every film buff’s dream is to see their favorite director and actors team up to produce some of the greatest on-screen moments. Here are some of the Hollywood movies with the best ensemble casts for the movie buffs out there! (I'm leaving out my favorite dragon movies because, well, change and stuff! :D)

Image Source -  https://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/3906743418

The Dark Knight

Let’s answer a few quick questions before choosing Dark Knight as one of the movies with one of the best ensemble casts in Hollywood. Which is the character that lingers with you for years after watching the movie? Is it Joker or Batman? Most would agree it’s the ruthless, maniacal Joker who fills you up with abhorrence. Close on Joker’s heel is Harvey Dent who co-led the gritty crime thriller. An Oscar is proof enough of late Heath Ledger’s unparalleled show of talent and it’s widely known now that Joker is counted among one of the most terrifying, psychopathic villains in recent times.

Madagascar

Even though it’s an animated flick, the Madagascar characters and their antics made it the pioneer of ensemble casts in Hollywood animated movies. Imagine this – Ben Stiller (Alex), Chris Rock (Marty), David Schwimmer (Melman), Tom McGrath (Skipper), and Andy Richter (Mort) lending their unique voices to the Madagascar characters and bringing about their personalities in impeccable style.

Ocean’s Eleven

Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh has always been known for his star-studded flicks. Ocean’s Eleven is perhaps his most critically and commercially successful ensemble cast till date. Though Hollywood has had its share of ensemble-cast disasters like Southland Tales and New Year’s Eve, Ocean’s Eleven spells otherwise.  George Clooney’s and Brad Pitt’s real-life friendship transformed into perfect screen chemistry with Matt Damon sneaking in with a bombastic comeback! But, as they say, no story is complete with an equally charismatic villain. Andy Garcia’s Terry Benedict was the icing on the cake and Ocean’s Eleven is one of the most widely loved ensemble cast movies in Hollywood.

American Hustle

Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, and Jennifer Lawrence – doesn’t it already sound like the most perfect cast on the earth! David O. Russell’s fondness for big names like Christian Bale made him team up with the star again in this suave mafia movie. Along with intentionally outlandish style statements, strong acting performances made American Hustle a great movie. Bale and Adams served as dual protagonists while Cooper’s Richie DiMaso lent the movie some of its funnier moments.

Finding Nemo

This is another animated movie that ranks high when we talk about the best ensemble casts in Hollywood. The touching story of a father (a timid clownfish) setting out for his son who has been captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney definitely needed deep, expressive voices to support the animated characters. Albert Brooks beautifully expressing Marlin’s emotions, Ellen DeGeneres supporting Dory’s congeniality, Alexander Gould bringing forth Nemo’s helplessness, and Willem Dafoe portraying the Tank Gang member’s leadership skills are what make the movie and its cast a special one!

It rains happiness when your favorite casts come together! Which are your favorite movies with an ensemble cast?

Real Life Locations in Animated Movies

Like How to Train your Dragon, many of the movies and games draw inspiration from real locations that are then painted vividly with stunning graphics that lend them a magical fairytale quality. 

Here are some of the countries and cultures that have been portrayed in movies and games.

Madagascar

Madagascar as the name suggests is a movie set in Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean with tropical forests and lemurs, but the story starts in Central Park and the streets of New York. In the Madagascar game, kids can actually choose locations like the Times Square and Venice while playing. In the movie sequels, the characters explore the world beyond Madagascar – Africa, Europe and Asia.

Up

In the movie Up, we follow Carl in his search for a giant bird to Paradise Falls, which is modeled on the Angel Falls in Canaima National Park, Venezuela. Kids can enjoy the beautiful tepui or table-top mountain found in South America in this movie.

“My Spirit of Adventure” by Peter Lee is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Rio

The movie Rio begins in the exotic jungles of South America. As the movie progresses, kids travel along with the macaw Blu to Minnesota and later to Rio de Janeiro where Blu explores the city from the magnificent Christ the Redeemer statue to the Carnaval de Rio de Janeiro where he gets to see the parades and samba dancers. In Rio, the city throbs to vibrant Brazilian music.

“RIO - THE MOVIE” by Thomás is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Lion King

The Lion King showed the African savannah and wildlife in its full glory. The wildlife in Africa includes lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, meerkats and more. We also learn about the circle of life.

Ratatouille

Paris has time and again been glorified in movies and its charm was not lost on the makers of animated movies. The city’s food culture is depicted in the movie Ratatouille as the movie revolves around Remy, the rat, who is aspiring to become a chef. This wasn’t the first animated movie which was set in Paris. We also saw the city in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In Beauty and the Beast, we see the other side of France; the setting was inspired by Alsace.

“Ratatouille: Remy admiring Paris” by Fernando Galeano is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Kung Fu Panda

We get a taste of the Orient in Kung Fu Panda which is set in ancient China. Kung Fu is a Chinese martial arts form. The palaces we see follow the traditional architecture prevalent in ancient China. The movie highlights the spectacular landscapes and there is plenty of noodle soup to go around!

Brave

Vast stretches of sky and land, and aloof castles welcome us to Scotland in Brave. The movie stays authentic as it portrays the Scottish Highlands and the culture – from bagpipes, kilts and Tartan plaids to the Scottish accents.

“Brave Movie” by Michelle O'Connell is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Big Hero 6

The soon to be released Big Hero 6 promises to be as exciting as its animated predecessors. It is based in the fictional city of San Fransokyo and the architectural elements depicted in Aunt Cass’s Café are straight off Frisco’s streets.

So the next time you are trying to teach your kids about geography and their attention is wandering, just find the right game or movie to pique their interest!

3 Unforgettable Dragons in Dragon Games

Dragons have ruled our collective imagination for centuries. Some are fearsome creatures that kidnap little children and devastate entire villages; others are cuddly pets that can be trained to work and play alongside humans. Dragons are everywhere - from ancient myths and fairy tales to medieval tapestries to modern films, books and, in the last few years, dragon games, both video and online. If you’re a gamer, you know how exciting it is to pit your wits against these reptilian monsters and vanquish them. Check out these 3 charismatic dragons that will make you fall in love with the game that features them.

“Dragon Fire” by Dennis Jarvis Licensed under CC BY SA 2.0

Spyro the Dragon

Probably the most popular dragon in the world of gaming, Spyro the titular protagonist of Spyro the Dragon, The Legend of Spyro appeared in 1998 and no game dragon has been able to steal his thunder since. Spyro is a feisty young punk who can efficiently dispatch thieves, gigantic gnorcs, sheep on stilts and sundry opponents to their doom. But Spyro is no ordinary dragon; his puny body is a rich purple with medium-sized orange wings, Mohawk hairstyle and large curved horns. Looks aside, Spyro is lovable when he’s being himself – a cocky, stubborn brat who’s happiest when helping others. Spyro’s enduring popularity proves that a strong dragon character can long outlive the dragon game that first featured it.

Sapphiron (World of Warcraft)

If battling powerful dragons gives you a high, Sapphiron is more than a match for you. This terrifying blue dragon lived in the frozen heights of the mountains of Northrend but until he was killed by Arthas. Brought back from the dead, Sapphiron becomes an undead frost wyrm and guards Kel Thuzad’s hideout against enemies and trespassers. In his dragon avatar, Sapphiron was a highly powerful medium who could channel the spirits of deceased dragons but his powers get a substantial boost when he is resurrected from the dead. And if fighting with a zombie dragon equipped with occult powers doesn’t scare you, nothing ever will!

Toothless (How to Train your Dragon)

The How to Train your Dragon movies and the game based upon it were a runaway hit and so were the characters. Toothless the only Night Fury in existence wins hearts with his unflinching loyalty to best friend and human protector Hiccup. Toothless is head and shoulders above your average dragon – he is highly intelligent, intuitive and an extremely capable fighter who never backs down even when confronted with bigger and stronger opponents. Modesty is not his strong suit, however. This endearing dragon knows his strength and is not above showing some attitude when he feels like it. HTTYD is a fun dragon game and Toothless has a lot to do with it.

Dragon games are all about complexity, playability and freshness. These dragon characters make sure you’ll go back to the game even if it wasn’t so great.