Now that I’ve seen Toy Story 3, I can’t decide. Dragons was better than I expected, but I expected more from Toy Story 3, so I guess a tie for me.
I have now seen BOTH.
Although Toy Story 3 is better-written and more emotionally-intense, I didn’t connect on it on as personal level as I did for How to Train Your Dragon. So my mind says ‘TS3’ but my heart says ‘HTTYD’. 
Oh, and I voted the second. Dah-duh-duh… I’m dead!
I saw HTTYD for the second time last night, and I saw TS3 for the second time this morning. After seeing them both again (and so close together) I can honestly say I like them both equally. It’s exactly like TDIT said, TS3 is better written, but HTTYD was more entertaining, to me. I loved them both, but I voted for HTTYD, because I figured it would need the support, this being a Pixar fan-site and all 
HTTYD I found had a great, tightly written script. It was tons of fun, with a lot of heart and a great score.
TS3 was good too, with a great script, was also a lot of fun, had heart and a fine score.
But I didn’t connect with the ending of TS3 as much as I’d hoped… Where as HTTYD really surprised me.
So yeah, hard choice, but I picked HTTYD. I loved the connection between Hiccup and Toothless.
I voted for HtTYD. As much as I absolutely loved TS3, I found that I was more engaged in the first one. Granted, TS3 was incredible, and the new characters were definitely enjoyable, but HtTYD seemed slightly faster-paced. What I found with TS3 was that it seemed to vary between fast and slow parts (which isn’t a big problem, because Pixar pulled it off nicely), and the only seriously intense scene was near the end. I’m a sucker for action-adventure type movies, so… maybe it’s just me. 
C-3PO said exactly what I felt as I watched TS3:
Also, I found that I enjoyed John Powell’s work on HtTYD more engaging than Randy Newman’s work on TS3. As much as I love both (seeing as how I want to compose music someday, and they have inspired me so much), I find that John Powell’s work seemed fuller as compared to Randy Newman.
Please don’t bash me for just stating my opinion, guys! I like reading your opinions as well!
I voted for Toy Story 3 because it has one of the best, most powerful and most disturbing scenes I’ve ever watched in any film ever. As much as How To Train Your Dragon was great, light-hearted fun with some moral themes as well, I found the ending to be a bit hypocritical. It deserves a strong eight out of ten from me, and I did really like it, but Toy Story 3 had something special, even aside from Pixar’s better dialogue and characters. Both are brilliant films, though.
Dragon - 6/10. I was actually very impressed with the opening Dragon battle sequence, and the scene where Hiccup takes Toothless into a huge dive in a training run. The characters didn’t have a whole lot of heart, and not much development. Other than, “Hey, I’m a tough kid! Hey I’m a funny guy! I’m a big fat nerd!” not much for the characters. It got pretty damn boring at parts. But it was entertaining, and better than Monsters Vs Aliens, Shrek the Third, and other crap Dreamworks has spit out recently.
Toy Story 3 - Infinity and Beyond/10. By far the best part three in history, and the best animated film, even better than The Lion King or other Disney gems. Hilarious gags, with memorable characters, epic action, and absolutely touching and weep-until-you’re-out-of-tears ending 30 minutes. Friggin best film ever. Pure emotion, love, family, and just so much more. This blows every other movie out of the water.
I’ve finally chosen. I pick Toy Story 3, because I cried three times.
Seconded. In fact, TS3’s ending was so drawn-out, it was almost unbearable. But yes, both films have touching and poignant resolutions that bring the story full-circle.
Me too, I kinda felt Toy Story 3 was a little depressing and oppressive for my taste. There’s a very real sense of mortality that hangs over the whole film that doesn’t really lift me into a ‘feel-good state’ of euphoria, whereas there were many of such moments in Dragons.
Wall-E is an equally ‘dark’ movie, but there was always that message of hope and the ‘Define Dancing’ sequence more than made up for the doom-and-gloom of the opening sequence. But for TS3, I kinda felt that there’s a bittersweet finality to it, and that it is inevitable.
In a way, this is like the ‘At World’s End’ of the Toy Story franchise; overtly melodramatic, too many side characters, and confusing story threads all over the place. Not to say it’s a bad thing, if you can keep up, that is (and for the record, I did like AWE). And of course, there are some pretty dark moments in Dragons, too, but they don’t linger or feel palpable as much as TS3.
This too, I concur. I mentioned before, but this is the first time I felt there wasn’t anything particularly remarkable about a Pixar soundtrack, save for the Spanish Buzz remix. While there were plenty of memorable tracks in Dragons, when usually I wouldn’t give a hoot about Dreamworks soundtracks.
Again, I would like to reiterate that I love both movies, and if possible, everyone should see them as many times as possible. Never has there been such terrific competition between the two studios since KFP and W-E were released back in '08!
I liked both movies, but i´ll say Toy Story 3.
“How to train your dragon” is pretty good, but i found the story a bit cliché[spoil] a boy who is the worst viking in his town, everybody hates him, suddenly meets a dragon, and everybody loves him, etc.[/spoil] I am not saying it is bad, though, but i have seen this plot lots of times.
However, Toy Story 3 story is pretty good. Even if the first part of the movie was pretty boring, it gets better later. And THAT ENDING ;_;
HTTD was a great movie, but nothing compared to toy story 3, it wasnt as heartwarming and i feel the story to be a little cliche, besides toy story 3 has one of the best endings i ve ever seen.
Toy Story 3, I was genuinly moved by that film, but How to Train Your Dragon didn’t come close to this for me.
I agree with Leon K Fox. Both were great movies, but I liked Toy Story 3 better because I was emotionally moved by it. But then again, I grew up with Toy Story, so it was more emotional.
This debate makes me cry. ;A;
I don’t like comparing apples with oranges! Or TS3 with HTTYD, for that matter! They’re both good at different aspects.
TS3 mostly won me over for the massive amount of fanservice (don’t get funny ideas, I’m referring to the references to TS1 and TS2) while HTTYD did so for being one of the first Dreamworks films that made me genuinely feel for the characters. So it’s a tie. Tie tie tie, neener neener neener! xP
I agree with Badger, it’s a close tie for me. I was disappointed by TS3 because upon further reflection, it felt a little melodramatic and really yanked too hard on the heartstrings towards the end (a few of the less serious audience members even laughed, but I kept my cool and didn’t join them, although I remarked that [spoil]Andy’s farewell glance[/spoil] felt a bit odd to my mates later on). But it is a darn good ‘prison escape’ film with all its intricacies, and the plot was more complex. I also loved seeing all the characters again (they’re like old friends I grew up with) along with the new ones voiced by Timothy Dalton, Bonnie Hunt, Jeff Garlin, etc.
On the other hand, HTTYD was the one that resonated with me. Maybe it’s the ‘nerd trying to fit into society’ or ‘love the enemy’ themes. Maybe it’s the fact I connected with the characters more, even the secondary ones from Hiccup’s gang. Maybe the adventure and what’s at stake felt more grander and epic. I just felt a deeper connection with this movie unlike anything I’ve experienced since Wall-E. The soundtrack was also more remarkable and distinctive. And the ending moved me more and felt less ‘forced’ than the one for TS3 (the sacrifice was greater, yet they moved on to the rousing conclusion instead of overstaying their welcome). The downside is that it has a familiar storyline (although I don’t consider that a valid ‘minus’ in my opinion) and the scriptwriters couldn’t resist one or two anatomical jokes.
So both movies have their good and bad points. Personally HTTYD edges out by ‘this much’ over TS3 for me this year, but I’m not going to dismiss one over the other.
Toy Story 3 didn’t feel overly melodramatic to me at all, in fact the seriousness of that film (combined with the attachment I already had for the characters) made me genuinely care throughout every scene in that film since the stakes were so much higher compared to previous Toy Story films.
I’ve stayed away from this subject for a while for fear of getting overly defensive, so thank you, TDIT, for putting all my thoughts into words. Usually I wait in these kind of discussions because I know someone like you will usually say exactly what I want to say, but can never get out properly.
Personally, and sort of along the lines of what TDIT already touched on, I just didn’t connect with TS3 as much. I cried, but only during that bit with Andy and his mom at the end - and not over the toys. Not because I didn’t care about them, but I couldn’t connect emotionally… because they’re toys. (Sentient robots are different. No but really, I’ve never been able to emotionally connect with the characters in the TS trilogy.)
In HtTYD, there was something just so beautiful about two worlds coming together, when for three hundred years they had been opposing forces. Realizing that what is believed to be evil is not really at all. And in my opinion, the ending was just this fantastic blend of heroism, emotion, and reality. (Let’s just say [spoil]Stoick’s reaction to thinking his son is dead gets tears out of me every time.[/spoil] I’m a sucker for father/son relationships, anyway. That, and [spoil]when Hiccup finally climbs out of bed.[/spoil] TS3 just didn’t have the same stabs of emotion, and as TDIT said did in fact seem a bit melodramatic.)
But yes. I second every word of TDIT’s post, because I couldn’t have said it better myself. And I agree with Badger as well… this discussion makes me cry, too. It’s almost an unfair argument, because each has it’s own beautiful qualities.
little chef
Toy Story 3 had plenty of emotional moments, the very dark furnance/incinerator scene alone had me in tears, thinking that the characters I had loved since childhood could potentially be about to die in a rather horrific manner not to mention the ending.
I totally agree with you on that, Leon- TS3 is the most intense and heartbreaking film of the entire trilogy. It’s just that the epilogue was too overdrawn and painful for me… I mean it wasn’t exactly excruciating, but I thought it laid on the ‘tearjerking’ a little too thick towards the end. Maybe if I watch it again I would bawl for real, but for my first and only viewing so far, I was so emotionally-drained from all the previous scenes (especially the climax) that I was flat-out numb for the conclusion. It just felt like a long soap opera (though a very, very good one) that just happened to have a few exhilarating and funny moments in it. The sense of wonder and epic adventure from films like Wall-E and Up were sorely lacking in this one, though it was probably due to the setting and storyline constraints.
To use an analogy, it’s like comparing Die Hard to Raiders of the Lost Ark. TS3 lacks the scale and scope of Up, but makes up for it in more ‘potboiler’ scenes.
Also, the villain [spoil]wasn’t allowed redemption[/spoil] and [spoil]like most Pixar baddies, was punished fittingly at the end[/spoil]. The villains in HTTYD ([spoil]Stoick and the Vikings[/spoil]) were able to see the mistakes in their actions and eventually make amends for it. The [spoil]Green Death[/spoil] doesn’t count cos’ it’s largely unsentient and only appears at the end after acting as a largely omniscient antagonist.
Thanks for the compliments, little_chef. I just speak from the heart. At least, I try.
I too had tears in my eyes during the scene with [spoil]Andy’s mum[/spoil], because I know how it feels like to [spoil]leave your family and live your own life in college[/spoil] (cos’ I did the same thing!). That moment alone squeezed my heart harder than the ‘really-really-long goodbye’.
I also agree that the themes in HTTYD are more profound and universal, ironically because of the plot conventionality. Same goes for LOTG, it’s the almost mythic structure of the classic ‘Hero’s Journey’ that really touched fans of the movie. TS3 also had grand themes like moving on while never forgetting time spent with your loved ones (it’s a little like Up in a way) and standing up to totalitarianism and all that, but it didn’t grab my heart like HTTYD did. Again, this is probably due to different personal experiences and worldviews. I have encountered prejudice and being a social outcast in high school, so maybe that’s why I love HTTYD so much. Someone who has lost a loved one or who has moved away from a close friend probably would find something special in TS3 instead (which I have also experienced, but not on as deep a scale as the former).
The great thing about good movies is that they all speak to us in one way or another, through their stories and characters.
Well they’re only toys, they can’t exactly soar through space or lift up into the sky, and considering the obvious limitations they gave it a great sense of adventure I feel, in fact one that exhilarated me far more than Wall E, though not quite as much as Up.
[spoiler]And Lotso to me was Pixar’s best villian, he was one of their more evil antagonists but also their most sympathic one, in fact the most sympathetic I’ve ever seen in an animated film despite his evil nature. (essentially leaving toys to die in the room where the youngest kids play, to get broken and send to the rubbish tip, and we all know what happens there, most toys probably wouldn’t have made it past the shredder)
Plus his cute almost Care Bear esqe appearance ironically made him seem so much more sinister, at least to me. The villains in HOTD left me rather empty, personally.[/spoiler]