Monday, December 28
The Lego Movie
42 Days of Summer #6 (yes, we're out of timetable order, whatever)
42 Days of Summer #6 (yes, we're out of timetable order, whatever)
Directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Chris McKay
Written by Dan Hageman, Christopher Miller, Kevin Hageman, Roy Lee
Starring Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Will Arnett, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, and with a whole bunch of other people
2014, 101 minutes
What the hell happened here? With three directors and four writers and being clearly nothing more than a cynical marketing ploy, this should have been a train wreck. Maybe it would keep the kids quiet for ninety minutes so mommy could get some me time with a stiff gin and tonic, but you couldn't expect more than that.
The Lego Movie blows the doors off all expectations by delivering something that is smart, fun, and sincere, fast-paced, well-directed, and if it doesn't entirely make sense then for almost its entire 101 minutes it doesn't give you enough time to notice.
For a film about and composed of plastic bricks, it is endlessly inventive and visually stunning. While the movie is almost entirely computer-animated, every scene is planned out as though it were to be built out of real Lego blocks. I don't know if that restraint improves the movie itself or if it's just one sign of how much care went into the production, but it's clear that the production team failed a cynicism check and ended up caring deeply about what they were making.
The story almost doesn't matter in the whirlwind of inventiveness, but very quickly, Emmett Brickowski (Pratt), a Lego construction figure so everyman-ish that no-one actually remembers him, falls down a hole in a construction site and encounters the Piece of Resistance, a mysterious artifact that will allow a rag-tag group of freedom fighters to stop the plans of Lord Business (Ferrell) to destroy the world by unleashing the power of the Kraggle.
When the Lego Police show up to arrest him, led by Bad Cop (Neeson), Emmett is rescued by action girl Wyldstyle (Banks) and... Lego magic happens.
Almost everything about this film is awesome, including the score.
Three bricks out of four. Recommended.
Oh, and one more thing: The Lego Movie is a better Batman film than Batman Begins. Suck it Christopher Nolan.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at
06:05 PM
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1
Sounds like you're pretty much target audience for http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4116284/ then 
Posted by: Artee at Monday, December 28 2015 07:36 PM (5blmT)
2
I was probably the only person who didn't actually like The Lego Movie. It's very pretty, granted. But the story was... um... limp? I didn't care about the any of the characters, and actively detested Batman. The cameo was oh-so precious, except the actor involved is on my short list of "avoid at all costs".
On the whole, I understand why people liked it. I just didn't.
On the whole, I understand why people liked it. I just didn't.
Posted by: Wonderduck at Tuesday, December 29 2015 10:17 AM (zAcee)
3
I didn't like Batman in this; I liked that Batman was a horrible person.
The cameo didn't work for me; I thought the movie would have been stronger without it. But I did like the invasion right at the end that the cameo set up.
The cameo didn't work for me; I thought the movie would have been stronger without it. But I did like the invasion right at the end that the cameo set up.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at Tuesday, December 29 2015 11:39 AM (PiXy!)
4
I also liked the moral of the story, which was: Corporatism is bad! No, wait, corporatism isn't all bad. Blindly following the rules is bad. Be yourself. Except, no, wait, don't be yourself, you suck. Be a team. But individually. And ignore the rules, except when you shouldn't. You're great! Buy more Lego!
Posted by: Pixy Misa at Tuesday, December 29 2015 11:47 AM (PiXy!)
5
As for the other characters - they're all flawed. Emmett and Lucy are selfish, Vitruvius is an old fraud, the master builders in general are jerks and quitters, and Uni-Kitty is batshit insane.
I liked that a lot.
Can't say anything bad about 1980s Lego Space Guy, though. He's awesome.
I liked that a lot.
Can't say anything bad about 1980s Lego Space Guy, though. He's awesome.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at Tuesday, December 29 2015 12:08 PM (PiXy!)
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