How to Train Your Dragon and Despicable Me (2010)

I avoided “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Despicable Me” in theaters for no other reason than I was bored with CGI animated films. My error. From Dreamworks, “Dragon” is not just a great animated film, it’s a rousing adventure yarn that made me feel 10 again, when I saw “The Never-Ending Story” and wanted a furry, white dragon all my own. Here, a boy (Jay Baruchel) befriends a sleek dragon in an ancient Viking town where every resident fears the beasts as accursed flying killers. “Dragon” soars with beautiful writing, a wildly fun music score, and wonderful characters. Mind-blowing fact: Cinematographer Roger Deakins consulted on the amazing visuals. “Despicable” is a flat-out satirical comedy in spirit with a classic Mel Brooks comedy for the first-grade set. Steve Carell is marvelous as an old European-accented evil mastermind who goes all soft over three orphans as he schemes to steal the moon. It’s deviously funny and smart, but not mean-spirited. The onscreen crimes are hilarious. Dragon: A Despicable: A-