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. 

Smaug - The Greatest Dragon

Photo Courtesy – Chris Hamby

My dad used to read us the Hobbit as a bed time story. It was our favorite and I’m not sure it worked very well in terms of lulling us to sleep. Dad couldn’t read a story without enacting the scenes and the more we reacted, the more elaborate his acting. Our favorite scenes of all were the ones with Smaug in them. What. A. Dragon!

Having been a fan of the character for so long and seeing it come alive on screen was surreal. Usually, fans of the book versions of the story are often unhappy with the movie adaptations but Smaug, he is something else. You only need to look at the audition tape of Benedict Cumberbatch to see they’ve picked the absolute right person to play the part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiQQC8pVuV8

For those of you who are unaware of Smaug, he is a fearsome dragon that invaded the Dwarf town of Erebor in the Middle Earth universe created by J.R.R. Tolkein, infamous for his trilogy, the Lord of the Rings. Smaug has been living on top of all of Erebor’s wealth and treasure for over 150 years when a group of 12 dwarves decided to go on a quest to take the kingdom back. They seek the help of the powerful wizard Gandalf who, in turn, recruits the hobbit – Bilbo Baggins. And before I start rewriting this classic, I suggest you read the book or watch this movie. Their latest poster still gives me goosebumps!

Photo Courtesy – SciFi Now

Smaug is easily my favorite dragon of all time. But is he the best? I don’t know a dragon that can come close but I leave this open to debate. Before we begin though, let’s consider what George RR Martin, of the Game of Thrones fame, has just said – “Drogon could never beat Smaug in a fight”

Do you agree? 

4 Dragon Board Games for Wholesome Family Entertainment

Photo Courtesy – Louis Oliveira

We’ve watched the movies and played the RPGs and we think dragons are the most adorable fantasy creatures ever! But if you think your kids spend way too much time playing those admittedly awesome online dragon games, it’s time to drag them away from the screen. Here are four board games that will make your family game night a playful success. So hold on to your seats – dragon-themed board game bonanza ahead!

Dungeons and Dragons Wrath of Ashardalon

Publisher – Wizards of the Coast

No. of players – 1 – 5                                                                                                   

Suitable for ages – 10 and above

The second in a series of 3 D&D games, Wrath of Ashardalon invites players to become intrepid adventurers as they embark on this cooperative dungeon crawling game. As you enter deep into a dungeon, you must overcome a variety of premade or community-made quests, in the guise of a thief, rogue, wizard, warrior or cleric. Each quest has a different scenario and goal; and this keeps the players engaged until the end.

Players must fend off monsters that block their path as they turn over new tiles to seek out new dungeons to explore or go further into the already explored parts. New monsters are continually added to keep complacent players on their toes. You earn treasure and experience points for every monster you kill, besides moving up levels and increasing your skill-set. Cooperative play is essential for staying alive, killing the monsters and achieving goals.

If you’ve ever played D&D, you’ll feel right at home with its board game version!

How to Train your Dragon

Publisher – DreamWorks

No. of players – 2 - 4

Suitable for ages – 4 and above

The fantasy world of the ancient Vikings comes alive, complete with feisty Vikings and fire-breathing dragons! In the harsh climes of Berk, fighting and slaying dragons is a rite of passage for Viking teenagers and the dragon training center is the high school from which they must graduate with flying colors to earn the respect and admiration of their peers.

The game is in the form of a 6-piece puzzle, a race against time in which each player is assigned a color. Players must roll the die and follow the instructions given on the space in which they land. The goal is to reach the center of the board and each move will take you closer or farther away from your destination. The player who manages to “train his dragon” first wins the game.

So if you were looking for a fun Christmas gift for your child, you can’t go wrong with How to Train your Dragon!

Iron Dragon

Publisher – Mayfair Games

No. of players – 2 - 6

Suitable for ages – 12 and above

If you always wanted a dragon to drive you around, this crayon rails board game brings your fantasy to life with dragon-driven locomotives, elves, trolls and fairies. Players must connect at least seven major cities and collect 250 pieces of gold and build a railroad empire in the process. You can earn money by delivering fantasy goods such as gems, wands, spells and wine. This money can be used to build a more extensive rail network, upgrading your trains and hiring more employees. Players interact only to compete for routes, as only one player can own one route. You can use crayons to draw your rail lines on the beautifully illustrated board making this one of the most elaborate crayon rail games published by Mayfair Games.

A wonderful blend of fantasy, reality and reality, this fun dragon game is perfect to teach youngsters some basic money management skills.

Dragon Valley

Publisher – Diamond K Games

No. of players – 2 - 4

Suitable for ages – 12 and above

The Kingdom must be defended against marauding dragons, orc armies and aggressive goblins and Barons are the last hope of the King! Are you up to the challenge? Players become Barons and must organize the King’s Aid into troop caravans, build impenetrable defensive towers and use their special abilities in order to reduce their enemies to rubble. But waging war is a delicate job where you must keep your various groups of Aids – archers, blacksmiths and warriors -  on an even keel lest your feudal rivals become too powerful. A wise Baron must use his allotted Aid wisely by upgrading his troops, buying siege equipment and building strong defenses.

A word of warning – Dragon Valley is not for the faint of heart!