Not a Movie Snob - The Lego Movie

Posted on Saturday, February 08, 2014 at 05:00 PM

"The Master"

The Lego Movie

My oldest son is just now at the prime LEGO age (6). He gets LEGO's for Christmas and his birthday, he beelines for the LEGO section when we go a toy store, he uses LEGO pieces meant to build one thing and constructs his own imaginative creations out of them. And I can't walk around the house now without some tiny LEGO piece suctioning itself to the bottom of my foot. Can't sweep the floors without having to pick through the dustpan and save the little blocks from the trash. On the one hand, LEGO's can be a pain in the butt. So small and easy to lose, finding themselves in every corner, every cranny of the house. Coming with instructions that are more or less useless if just a single piece loses its way.

On the other, they ignite imagination, creativity and, for many of us, nostalgia. It seems fitting then that the first big screen outing based on these little plastic playthings would encompass all the imagination, creativity and nostalgia that the blocks themselves do.

Straight to DVD LEGO movies have been around for years. Ever since the video games started coming out. And generally they're pretty bad. Silly stories, poor voice acting and less than convincing animation. I've only watched a couple with my kids and while my kids dig them, they're a little more painful for me to get through. I didn't anticipate this big screen incarnation with a great deal of enthusiasm. LEGO's been around for many years, but in the last ten has invaded nearly every facet of the entertainment industry and succeeded in its ventures more often than not. Well, regardless of how you feel about the brand, about the DVD's, the video games, the clothes.

Know this: The LEGO Movie is amazing. It's gorgeous, it's fun, it's touching and it's hilarious. It doesn't take five minutes for you to start laughing in this film and you won't stop laughing until the very end. I actually haven't laughed this hard in a movie, probably since Bridesmaids. The jokes in this movie come a mile a minute and, accompanied by some clever sight gags and fantastic voice acting, usually hit the mark they're aiming for.

The story's pretty straightforward: a regular joe everyman suddenly finds himself on a quest to save the universe from a diabolical bad guy hellbent on sucking the creativity out of everyone and creating a bland, one dimensional existence. It's really the sight gags that make the story shine, as well as a surprisingly emotional plot turn late in the movie that gives the film its heart.

As well as featuring a bevy of LEGO cameo's (everyone from Gandolf to Milhouse), The LEGO Movie is anchored by a very talented voice cast who are all hilarious in their roles. There are the regular funnies like Will Ferrell, Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Will Arnett, Will Forte and Jonah Hill doing what they do best. But there are also people you don't usually associate with comedic performances like Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman who give some of the movie's funniest deliveries.

After the Oscar hopefuls wave of the fall/winter season dies down, the first couple months of the new year is usually the dead zone for movie releases. The summer blockbuster rush hasn't started, there are no holiday weekends enticing good films to push for release, and the next Oscar race is almost a year away. This is the time of year when the studios usually poop out their less desirable flicks, or release leftovers that were plagued the year before with push backs and false start dates.

Well, The LEGO Movie has ended the dark ages and announced it is officially safe to go back to the movies. December is a ways off (thank goodness) but don't be surprised if this building block adventure sits high on my Best of 2014 list. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go build a spaceship.

Verdict:
The LEGO movie is end to end gorgeous, filled full with laugh out loud moments, wonderful voice acting and a touching story. And all without a single offensive moment. Truly a film for the whole family.

Rating: ***** 

Showtimes: The Lego Movie >