Good for the goose

THE WILD ROBOT

2024

Written and directed by Chris Sanders (based on the novel by Peter Brown)

Spoilers: moderate

Walt Disney, part LIX: This is my family, I found it all on my own; it's little, and broken, but still good

LILO & STITCH

2002

Written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois

Spoilers: high

How to breed your dragon

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD

The Hidden World is a three-way race between deeply-unpleasant comedy, a mechanically-questionable screenplay, and the sheer majestic potential of animated cinema at the bleeding edge of 2019; it turns out that overwhelming visual perfection can outrun an awful lot of horrible sins.  By the way, can someone get a cinematography Oscar for a cartoon?

2019

Written and directed by Dean DeBlois

Spoiler alert: moderate

Dragons without dungeons, part II: He says "red" a lot during dragon training

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

If the aesthetic problems of the first are addressed and then some, every issue the shaky background mythology could possibly have is trebled and jammed right into your soft, quivering brain.  How to Train Your Dragon 2 is recommended for the audiovisual splendor, and for the occasional awesome character moment that rarely (or never) quite pays off on its promise, and for not too much else at all.

2014
Written and directed by Dean DeBlois (based on the book series by Cressida Cowell)
With Jay Baruchel (Hiccup), Cate Blanchett (Valka), America Ferrara (Astrid), Gerard Butler (Stoick), Craig Ferguson (Gobber), and Djimon Hounsou (Drago)

Spoiler alert: moderate

Dragons without dungeons, part I: Are you out of your Viking mind?

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

It really is one of the best animated films of the 21st century.  Which, I'll note, is a low bar to clear.

2010
Directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
Written by William Davies, Adam Goldberg, Chris Sanders, and Dean DeBlois (based on the book by Cressida Cowell)
With Jay Baurchel (Hiccup), Gerard Butler (Stoick), Craig Ferguson (Gobber), America Ferrara (Astrid), and Frank Welker (Toothless) (not really, but sound designer Randy Thom does a great job, doesn't he?)

Spoiler alert: severe