How to Train Your Dragon really surprised me. This isn't to say I thought it would suck, but I certainly didn't expect it to move me the way it did. In this CG animated feature from directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch), Jay Baruchel voices Hiccup, a young viking who wants to make his fearless father (voiced by Gerard Butler) proud. The problem is, Hiccup isn't interested in following in his dad's footsteps. The idea of becoming the ultimate dragon slayer simply doesn't appeal to him, especially after making friends with a Night Fury--the most dangerous of the species. Oh how I wish I had gone to see How to Train Your Dragon in Imax 3-D. On the other hand, a good movie is a good movie no matter what dimension you're watching it in. There's been a lot of talk about the breathtaking dragon flight sequences in this picture and they are spectacular, but there's a lot more to this wonderful film. There's a little something for everyone in How to Train Your Dragon. Personally, I was most affected by the tender bond that develops between a boy and his dragon. There's a simplistic, E.T. inspired friendship that evolves here and I really adored it. At the risk of sounding too cheesy, the bond at the core of this movie reminds me of a bond I have with my cat so in a strange way, I identified with what was happening on screen. True, I don't experience breathtaking flights of fancy with my cat, but you get the point.

Props to the entire film making team for not only fashioning a movie that touches on a wide range of topics (including not judging a book by its cover, and the greatest challenge of all - parenting), but for having the courage to deliver a really gutsy ending. Through wonderful animation, stellar vocal work, terrific writing, and an imaginative array of magical creatures, How to Train Your Dragon emerges as outstanding entertainment for the entire family.