Give me a break

How To Train Your Dragon was just the break I needed from all the boredom and pre-exam stresses I've been sustaining these past days. It so happened—as it always does—that I suddenly had the inkling to do something else, so I got out of the depressing shell that was my room and headed straight to the cinema.

A masterpiece from Dreamworks, the movie is hilarious yet insightful, in just the right combination, in all the right places. No wonder I had to restrain myself from loudly speaking to myself in public—I think I said words like, "Oh, man, that's really funny" or "Aww, that's just so . . . sweet"—because that's how well this movie rolls. It gets into you.

The story is set in a mythical Viking world called Berk. I like how it's described, "It snows for six months, and it hails for three." True enough, the place looks bleak, but it appears scary when fierce-looking dragons begin flying all over the place, eating the cute-little sheep grazing on the meadow. The Vikings—muscular, bearded men, with Scottish accents—fight these beasts to the death. They've been doing so since the beginning of time.

In the backdrop of this testosterone-induced display of valor enters the character of Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), the complete anti-thesis of the ideal Viking man. Ironically, he is the son of the chieftain. His father doesn't know what to do with him. He's too weak to even carry a weapon, let alone face a dragon and defeat it. But Hiccup wants to belong, and so he tries hard to be as brave as he can be, to gain acceptance and respect in the community.

While his father is out on a hunting trip, Hiccup finds a wounded dragon in the woods. He realizes he doesn't have the strength to kill it. He discovers that the dragon, which he'd later name Toothless, is just as afraid as he is. The two become friends, and this interaction gives him insight into the mysterious dragon world.

The scenes that follow are strikingly beautiful. The soundtrack is soulful. And the animation itself is a work of art.

There's so much to say about the film. The story is simple, but it cuts deep into one's emotions. Personally I love it because it reminds me of the happy days of my childhood: those times when I felt invincible, when I thought I could do anything. It's hard to get over that movie experience.

I'd say it's the best movie of the year I've seen thus far. Please do yourself a favor and watch it.