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In this Dreamworks animated fantasy from writer/directors Chris Sanders and Dean DuBlois (the team behind Lilo & Stitch), Jay Baruchel voices a pre-pubescent Viking named Hiccup who lives in an oceanside village where everyone is a dragonslayer. But after Hiccup accidentally downs a dragon of the deadliest kind, he opts to help the wounded creature instead of kill it — and names it Toothless. This is when How to Train Your Dragon becomes a winning ‘boy and his dragon’ love story with an exciting third act that pits Vikings and dragons alike against an even bigger, more deadly foe.

While the script centers around the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless, there’s also a strained father/son relationship developing simultaneously. Gerard Butler (300) plays Hiccup’s father, the leader of the Vikings who worries his scrawny, peace-loving son will embarrass him. America Ferrera voices Astrid, a tom boy who competes with Hiccup in the dragonslaying arena, but who ends up being the first to side with him and his new peacemaking philosophy. She’s also a love interest, of course. Talk show host Craig Ferguson gets a lot of humorous screen time as Gobber, a peg-legged mentor to Hiccup and his peers.

Dreamworks Animation’s character animation is a bit clunky compared to Pixar’s work, but everything else about the 3D animation (the design, lighting, and texturing) is exceptionally well done. Renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins served as a visual consultant, and this shows in the dynamic color palettes. The script is taut, but never rushes over its grace notes. It balances humor, heart, and thrills in a way that should appeal to viewers of all ages. This isn’t a cloyingly sentimental family film — it earns every dramatic moment. Sanders and DuBlois prove masterful with well-choreographed (and sustained!) action set pieces, too. (It’s especially eye-popping in 3D.) The icing on top is composer John Powell, delivering what his perhaps his finest work — a powerful score that elevates the fantasy and deepens our connections to the characters.

With the voices of Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, and Jonah Hill.

Oscar Nominations: Best Animated Feature Film, Best Score (John Powell)