The LEGO Movie

Everything is awesome!

Inside the theatre you're welcome to discuss your favorite television shows, musical artists, video games, books, movies, or anything popular culture!
User avatar
Woody
Set blasters to rapid-fire
Posts: 5152
Joined: January 2012
Location: Whenever and wherever I want to be

The LEGO Movie

Post by Woody »

Image
How does this thread not exist yet?

I'm going to see it tonight! \:D/ Who else is SUPER excited? :D
I have been robbed of my rightful secret moderator powers! Vote here to help me get them back!
User avatar
jelly
A Truly Great Noob
A Truly Great Noob
Posts: 9278
Joined: May 2008
Location: Western Canada
Contact:

Post by jelly »

Here's what I wrote immediately after seeing it. (No spoilers, don't worry.)
Why isn't everyone talking about this movie yet?

Just wait. They will be. In a year that is sure to be filled with monumental and revelatory releases, The LEGO Movie will be looked back upon as the Sleeper Hit That Could.

Sure, it's a Big Animated Epic on the surface, even (especially?) recalling a massive entertainment brand that comes pre-built with fond memories and nostalgic nuances, which the film has plenty of fun with. Sure, it borrows familiar elements from Toy Story, The Matrix, The Truman Show and Stranger Than Fiction, not to mention the countless icons of pop culture (LEGO not excluded) that get their moments in the sun ("...that big bright thing in the sky!"). But believe me when I say that this is easily the most witty, self-aware, hilarious and downright important culmination of all those things at once, playing off each other and layering upon itself like... well, like LEGO bricks. The smiles, the laughs, the emotional poignancy, the bigger laughs, the surprising revelations: it all works by drawing on what is familiar. How often do we see something that parodies Batman, The Lord of the Rings, My Little Pony and old Westerns classics without being abundantly cheesy or clichéd beyond belief? Don't get me wrong, the movie has clichés. It can't not. But it plays off of them with such razor sharp intensity that you can't not love every minute of it.

It's possible I'm overselling this film, but the margin would have to be small. Everything here just works. If I were forced to critique it I'd have to admit that I couldn't always keep up with the overwhelming montages of sandbox LEGO fun. It was a joke one minute, someone says something extremely profound the next, but there are also two other jokes being made while that person was talking - it's almost too exhausting. But hey, that's coming from a guy who is typically too 'artsy' to enjoy these types of movies anyway. This is a movie I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone. It's the perfect family movie. It's the perfect movie for anyone who appreciates creativity and think-outside-the-box-ity.

Dare I say it, I think it's a more important movie for adults than it is for kids.

I think my favourite part about this film's existence is that it was surely the culmination of many, many artistic minds, working together with breakneck intensity and allowing for an "anything goes" ideology at all times. This film is well aware of the boundaries, and it either breaks them or points at them and laughs. It gets right to the heart , and it will undoubtedly get to many, many hearts during its theatrical release and beyond.
In short - highly, highly recommended. \:D/
Fallacy of false continuum. // bookworm
Any cupcake can be made holy through being baptized in the name of the Butter, the Vanilla and the Powdered Sugar. // Kait
User avatar
Woody
Set blasters to rapid-fire
Posts: 5152
Joined: January 2012
Location: Whenever and wherever I want to be

Post by Woody »

THIS. Is my new favorite movie.

It's just, wooooooooow. Everything is awesome( :p ) about it.

There will be spoilers here, so definitely do not open this until you have seen this epic movie.
I especially liked the parallel between universes. Ever since they talked about "The Man Upstairs", I was hoping for a human appearance. And the dad being Lord Business. That was pure genius. I really thought it was clever that the Kragl was Krazy Glue. xD And Lord Business's collection of things that get mixed in with LEGO's. "The Cloak of Ban-di-eed. I hear it's super painful to take off. You wanna try it on?" And the Piece of Resistance. Not only is that a great pun, but they totally have you thinking it's a LEGO piece. But it's the glue cap. It's just soooooo awesome. And okay, the prophecy. First of all, I love how they have you thinking that it's this whole thing where Emmet is CHOSEN, and then Vitruvius tells him that he made the whole thing up. But then, the truth comes out. Everyone is the special. Everyone has something unique about them that makes them a Master Builder. Everyone has the ability to be creative, each in their own unique way- no two are alike. And nothing should stop that creativity. That is the message of The LEGO Movie. And I think it's a pretty darn good one.

By the way, I love Bad Cop. xD He's just amazing, especially in the part where he's constantly switching back and forth. They really make you feel for him when Lord Business is gluing his parents in place, and Good Cop gets wiped away... and he said one of the most touching lines of the film:

"I hope there's still a Good Cop... somewhere inside of me." *grabs marker and draws a smile on his head*

Basically, the only downside to this movie is that it makes me feel bad to build my LEGO's by the instructions. :p
So PEOPLES. Go see it. NOW. There is absolutely no reason not to.

This is one movie that I definitely plan on buying on DVD. \:D/
Last edited by Woody on Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I have been robbed of my rightful secret moderator powers! Vote here to help me get them back!
User avatar
Knight Fisher
I fish in the darkness
I fish in the darkness
Posts: 5322
Joined: May 2011

Post by Knight Fisher »

Everything about this movie was awesome.

I have some complaints but overall it was really good.
To LGBT ToOers: The world is so much wider than your family and church. There are accepting people out there.
Image
User avatar
The Top Crusader
Hammer Bro
Hammer Bro
Posts: 22629
Joined: April 2005
Location: A drawbridge over a lava pit with an axe conveniently off to the side

Post by The Top Crusader »

I haven't seen it yet, but I want to. \:D/

Chris Pratt is awesome so it HAS to be good. Plus Legos are cool.

Did Mellow and Ferder direct this?
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

I can’t decide if I want to see this because I don’t know what it is. Can someone who has seen it give me an overview?
Does it have a story? One running plot? Is it a series of independent sketches? Is it just a mash of stuff thrown together?
Image
User avatar
jelly
A Truly Great Noob
A Truly Great Noob
Posts: 9278
Joined: May 2008
Location: Western Canada
Contact:

Post by jelly »

It's a conventional narrative.

Think,

Toy Story 2
The Truman Show
The Matrix
Stranger Than Fiction
Wreck-it Ralph

The movie feels a bit like a mix and match of all those films. ;)
Fallacy of false continuum. // bookworm
Any cupcake can be made holy through being baptized in the name of the Butter, the Vanilla and the Powdered Sugar. // Kait
User avatar
Woody
Set blasters to rapid-fire
Posts: 5152
Joined: January 2012
Location: Whenever and wherever I want to be

Post by Woody »

If you mean the plot, it's about a regular LEGO minifigure(completely ordinary, nothing at ALL different about him, except maybe his uncanny ordinariness) named Emmet who stumbles upon the key to stopping a deadly weapon possessed by evil President Business. When he does this, a group of Master Builders(minifigures who can build things without instructions) think he is one of them, the legendary Special, who is prophesied to stop President Business and save the realm(And become the greatest, most inventive, most interesting, most important person of all times(Finish it in a spoiler if you know the rest of this line)).
I have been robbed of my rightful secret moderator powers! Vote here to help me get them back!
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

Okay so there is a story. Thanks, the commercials were really unclear.

I will probably see this in the next week or two; I hope it’s as good as reported. :)
Image
User avatar
jelly
A Truly Great Noob
A Truly Great Noob
Posts: 9278
Joined: May 2008
Location: Western Canada
Contact:

Post by jelly »

Just saw this again last night. \:D/ Can I say that it's a perfect analogy for life, conflict, creativity and Grand Design? Because I think it is!
Fallacy of false continuum. // bookworm
Any cupcake can be made holy through being baptized in the name of the Butter, the Vanilla and the Powdered Sugar. // Kait
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

Oh my word, I am so glad you two convinced me to see this! Everything about this movie is awesome! (Movie reference is intended, but statement is not made just to use the reference, it’s made because it’s true.) I can’t even process yet how amazing this is; it’s just perfection.

This movie has achieved Wreck-It Ralph status. (A movie that instantly goes to one of the top spots on my list after just one viewing.) And like Wreck-It Ralph, this is a top one across the board, not just in animated movies or movies that are ostensibly for kids. It’s simply one of the best movies.

Also, best credit sequence since Wreck-It Ralph. When watching those are as fun as watching the movie you know you have a thoroughly great one.

I only have one criticism for the entire thing, and it’s pretty minor.
The wizard’s death could have been handled a bit better. The comedy-to-serious switch was too fast for the proper emotion to sink in. Yes it was supposed to be funny, in a way, but it was also serious and you didn’t get that second feeling until a few moments too late, scene-wise.
Image
User avatar
Amethystic
Random Rebel
Random Rebel
Posts: 13261
Joined: April 2008
Location: Somewhere between this world and the planet Xoltac.

Post by Amethystic »

It's tempting to just leave my review as, "Everything is awesome!" But I won't, because that's already been done to death around here. ;)

Anyways, I really enjoyed watching the movie. It was funny and bizarre and meta and visually appealing and awesome, and it will do for OCD instruction-following Lego enthusiasts what the Toy Story trilogy did for kids who lost, sold, threw out, or donated their old toys: make them feel super, super guilty. \:D/
Last edited by Amethystic on Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Image
User avatar
ric
Isaiah 6
Posts: 6801
Joined: April 2010

Post by ric »

It was fantastic. Probably my favorite animated movie in quite a while. And I never was much of a LEGO-user. I'll have to see it again though.

I kind of lol'd at "President Business." I guess they just said, "Well, anti-capitalism is in now, so let's make the bad guy have 'business' in his name!" \:D/
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

ric wrote:I kind of lol'd at "President Business." I guess they just said, "Well, anti-capitalism is in now, so let's make the bad guy have 'business' in his name!" \:D/
I believe it was actually a reference to
something the dad says. I don’t remember the exact line, but I remember that when I heard it I thought ‘That’s what the name means.’
Image
User avatar
Amethystic
Random Rebel
Random Rebel
Posts: 13261
Joined: April 2008
Location: Somewhere between this world and the planet Xoltac.

Post by Amethystic »

bookworm wrote:
ric wrote:I kind of lol'd at "President Business." I guess they just said, "Well, anti-capitalism is in now, so let's make the bad guy have 'business' in his name!" \:D/
I believe it was actually a reference to
something the dad says. I don’t remember the exact line, but I remember that when I heard it I thought ‘That’s what the name means.’
Also,
President Business is supposed to be a sort of representation of the kid's dad, who is apparently some sort of businessperson.
Image
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

Well, yes of course. But even beyond that, as I said I recall it being a specific reference to an actual line. So not only is the character Lord Business a general embodiment of the dad as a person, from his name he is actually tied to something in the dad’s attitude.
Image
User avatar
jelly
A Truly Great Noob
A Truly Great Noob
Posts: 9278
Joined: May 2008
Location: Western Canada
Contact:

Post by jelly »

ric wrote:I kind of lol'd at "President Business." I guess they just said, "Well, anti-capitalism is in now, so let's make the bad guy have 'business' in his name!" \:D/
Haha, basically. And my favorite part is that the LEGO execs were apparently cool enough to go along with the gig. \:D/
Last edited by jelly on Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Fallacy of false continuum. // bookworm
Any cupcake can be made holy through being baptized in the name of the Butter, the Vanilla and the Powdered Sugar. // Kait
User avatar
radgeek
Catspaw Rocks!
Posts: 766
Joined: January 2011
Location: By my husband's side or the pharmacy

Post by radgeek »

I enjoyed this movie even though I feel like the the adds really don't tell you what it is about. It looks like an unoriginal (follow the instructions) plot, but in reality that is just how this special movie is hiding so well.
I have the best signature ever!

ToO mother of Merlin J. Marvin, iluvsns, ric, TKD, Alyssa, Garrett, ID4J and Monty and the other siblings that I've yet to find. ToO sister of Whitty Whit.

In the market for a Reformers Unanimous Signature Banner

Blitz: You Americans are lost. As missionaries, we generally hate stereotypes.
Jelly: Was this meant to be ironic? ;)
User avatar
Woody
Set blasters to rapid-fire
Posts: 5152
Joined: January 2012
Location: Whenever and wherever I want to be

Post by Woody »

BUMP!

I pre-ordered the DVD! \:D/
I have been robbed of my rightful secret moderator powers! Vote here to help me get them back!
User avatar
Catspaw
Care Bear Admin
Care Bear Admin
Posts: 30425
Joined: April 2005
Location: Canada
Gender:

Post by Catspaw »

Fun! \:D/ I want to see it again once it's on DVD, but I haven't decided if I should buy it or not. It might end up being an impulse "Oh, the price is decent, so I might as well" kind of thing. I'm bad for that. ;) It is a really fun movie. I might just talk myself into buying the movie right now while I think about why I probably shouldn't. ;)
Image
Post Reply