The Lego Movie Spoilers and References

Since The Lego Movie was such an awesome movie, I wanted to talk about spoilers. So, if you have not seen The Lego Movie, be sure to go watch the movie right now and then come back to review and comment. Also, if you are still not convinced, click here to read my review for the film. 

The Ultimate Crossover Movie

How many movies are you going to see that features Batman, Gandalf, Han Solo, Dumbledore, TMNT, and Shaquille O'Neal in the same movie? Seriously, outside of fanfic, The Lego Movie is the only place where any of these things can happen. Interestingly, Warners Bros, the company behind the Lego Movie, is the productions studio behind the Hobbit, Harry Potter, and DC, so getting those franchises is not particularly difficult. However, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a few others are not disturbed by Warner Bros, so I am interested in how they were able to get the rights to use all of those franchises. Even though Lego itself has the rights to the toys, that is entirely different than film rights to the characters, even if they are in toy form. In future films, maybe the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter will play a larger role, maybe with Harry Potter or Bilbo being a main character instead of just Batman. 

The Millennium Falcon!

My favorite and most unexpected part of the entire movie is when the Millennium Falcon just appears out of nowhere! Even though Star Wars is Lego's most successful and popular franchise, Disney owns Star Wars and Disney also knows Marvel, and Warner Bros and DC are their rivals, granted, DC has been kind of a pushover lately. Maybe the deal to use Star Wars was made before Disney bought Star Wars. Either way, getting to hear Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels reprise their roles as Lando and C3PO was so awesome! Keith Ferguson voiced Han Solo, and he has voiced Han in Robot Chicken and MadTV's parodies in the past, so he did a fine job in the brief role. The classic Star Wars music was even used! I might even go as far to say that this is the best Star Wars reference/crossover in any film. Another awesome part of the cameo is that it actually plays an important part of the story!

The Man Upstairs

Despite the movie referencing "The Man Upstairs" with a human hand, I thought it was only humorous way to reference how the Legos were created by people. To my utter shock, however, "The Man Upstairs" is actually Will Ferrell's character in live-action! Thankfully the twist was never hinted at or spoiled since the film's release. In my review, you may remember me referring to a theme that I disagreed with and that is how the movie was almost against model builders. It was not trying to be offensive and I ultimately did not care that much, but it was still kind of odd considering that most of the adult Lego fanbase that create the awesome things for Legoland and such do use glue and such. Speaking of glue, the use of nail polish, glue, and the "Exact 0 Knife" was hilariously clever!

The Justice League

Two years before DC's trinity finally hits theaters, The Lego Movie beats them to the punch with Wonder Woman's first theatrical appearance. Oddly enough, she is voiced by Cobie Smulders, who is known for her role in the Marvel franchise as Agent Hill, so she is yet another actor to play both a Marvel and DC character. Another Marvel/DC crossover is Channing Tatum as Superman, who will now be playing Gambit in the X-Men films. Another fun fact is that Green Lantern is voiced by Jonah Hill, and the directors of the Lego Movie are same ones that directed 21 Jump Street, so we basically have a 21 Jump Street reunion with Lord, Miller, Tatum, and Hill.

Gandalf and Dumbledore

Despite not being voiced by their live-action actors, two master wizards, Gandalf and Dumbledore, make a brief appearance as Vitruvius mistakes Gandalf for Dumbledore and then mispronounces Dumbledore's name. For the first time, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter have an official crossover! Also, one of the realms is called "Middle Zealand," which is an obvious on Middle Earth from the Lord of the Rings, which is filmed in New Zealand.

"He's the hero you deserve"

Towards the end of the movie, Batman tells Wyldstyle "He's the hero you deserve," of course referring to Emmet. If anyone is familiar with Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, this is kind of a reference to Gordon's line "Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now." Also, Bad/Good Cop is voiced by Liam Neeson, who played the main antagonist in Batman Begins, so when Batman fights Bad Cop it is almost like a meta reunion.

If anyone is interested, I might write a post about what I want to see in the sequel? Please comment below and let me know.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

The Lego Movie Review

The Lego Movie, a movie where "Everything is Awesome!" The Lego Movie follows Emmet Brickowski, an unremarkable guy that finds a legendary thing called "The Special," which is the only thing that can save the Lego realms from the plans of the evil Lord Business. 

If I had to choose one toy as my favorite, Legos would win by a long shot. When I was a kid, I had a ton of Legos, and I even made Stop Motion Lego movies for several years, which you can see by clicking here. So, if you played with Legos as a kid (or still do now, or have kids), you are almost guaranteed to enjoy this movie.

Directed by: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, 

Release Date: February 7, 2014

Running Time: 100 minutes

MMPA rating: PG

The Good: 100% entertaining throughout, Clever jokes, Batman is hilarious, Thematically strong, Fun action sequences, All-star voice cast, Unexpected references, Amazing animation, Likable characters, Extreme attention to detail, Shocking plot twist, Unbelievably smart elements, Great soundtrack, Often hysterical, "Everything is Awesome" is awesome, Memorable quotes,

The Bad:

Plot: 9.5/10- The Lego Movie's plot somewhat satires typical movie clichés, while also throwing in some very unique elements. It actually reminds me a lot of The Matrix, in the best ways possible, but it ultimately subverts some of the clichés. Also, The Lego Movie is the first family film to ever truly surprise me. Seriously, there are a few parts of the movie that had me completely floored.

Themes in family movies are about as simple as they come, and even the critically lauded ones like Toy Story never resonate with me. However, The Lego Movie actually hits the mark with surprisingly mature anti-Communism/Fascism themes with everyone being told and brainwashed to always "Follow the instructions," by watching the same TV show, do the same thing, and listen to the same song. Some might interpret it as anti-big-business, but I do not really see it in that way, since free market capitalism and creativity is what the movie is about. However, there is one aspect towards the end of the film that I do disagree with thematically, but it is not enough to affect my enjoyment. Also, the movie does lean towards being a tad sappy for about two minutes, but quickly goes back to being fun.

Characterization: 9.1/10- Surprisingly, there is character development in The Lego Movie with its cast of fun and likable characters. Even the ones that are not given much screen time are fun and memorable. Emmet is the main protagonist, and in many ways he is a satire of the typical "Chosen One" archetype. Wyldstyle is a fun tsundere type character, who has her own character arc. Batman is, well, Batman! He is everything great about Batman, but with a lot of self parody humor, which is great!

Action: 8.7/10- Due to the Lego visual style, the directors could do a lot more with the action scenes compared to a typical PG animated film. There are several entertaining shootouts and chase scenes that utilize the unique quality of the Legos for maximum effect. In the movie, there is even a clever heist scene!

Acting: 9.4/10- Chris Pratt knocks it out of the ballpark as Emmet selling the humor flawlessly.  

Will Arnett is one of the many highlights of the film as Batman giving a positively hilarious performance! Liam Neeson as Bad Cop/Good Cop is very funny throughout. Will Ferrell as Lord Business kills it in his role, and Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius provides the epicness that one expects from Morgan Freeman. Interestingly, Marvel vet, Cobie Smulders, voices Wonder Woman along with Channing Tatum as Superman and Jonah Hill as Green Lantern, all of whom are hilarious in their bit parts. 

Art Style: 10/10- The Lego Movie's attention to detail in the animation is beyond absurd! Literally every tiny detail is animated using Lego bricks of some kind, even the explosions and fire. Imitating the stop motion style, opposed to the completely CGI look of the Lego video games, is brilliant! Everything looks and feels so perfect; I cannot believe the creators pulled it off. In terms of detail, you can see the small seams where the Legos are molded with the Lego hands, and virtually everything is accurate to how Legos are build. Also, the credits looked like actual stop motion, which is awesome!

Soundtrack: 8.7/10- The main score from Mark Mothersbaugh actually has a lot of range from the fun and happy tunes of certain parts of the film, to the more epic ones of the later action sequences; everything works. As for the song, "Everything is Awesome," it is catchy and absurd. After listening to it work and reading about it, the song is actually a parody on fascism and brainwashing, which is incredibly clever.

Humor: 9.6/10- The Lego Movie's humor is the smartest and most clever I have ever seen in a family film. As someone that finds most humor in family films, particularly Pixar, to just not be funny, Phil Lord and

Christopher Miller's humor is spot on. 

The humor is not always hilarious, but it hits more often than not and the jokes come hard and fast. The movie parodies movie clichés, Legos, and other franchises all for hilarious effect. In fact, I have no idea how much a kid would enjoy the movie since a lot of the humor will probably go over their heads. Also, there is one part of the movie that was so utterly unexpected and hilarious that I was in shock for a few moments afterwards!

Humor Percentage

Hilarious: 40%
Very funny: 52%
Mildly Funny: 5%
Not Funny: 3%

Entertainment Value: 10/10- My face was literally hurting after watching the movie because I was laughing/smiling throughout the entire film! The Lego Movie is 100 minutes of pure enjoyment. I could go rewatch the movie right now, no problems.

Overall: 9.6/10- The Lego Movie is fun, clever, smart, and absurdly entertaining. It is not only the best animated film in years; it is one of the best comedies and fun movies I have seen in quite some time, because "Everything is Awesome!"

Closing comments: If you love Legos, you will love The Lego Movie, no question about it. If, however, you never played with Legos as a kid, I have honestly no idea how much you would enjoy the film, so keep that in mind.

Recommended for: Everyone one, Lego fans, Animation fans, Comedy fans,

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Lego Movie Review-Roundup

The Lego Movie is a movie that almost everyone is looking forward to and considering the reviews, it is not going to disappoint! Not yet have I read a negative review from one of my trusted critics and the general opinion is essentially positive. Without a doubt this movie is going to get an Oscar Nomination, and it might actually be in the running for the Best Animated Feature since Pixar is absent and Disney Animation is making a comic book movie, which the Academy hates. I am not sure if I will watch the movie in theaters. It really depends on whether or not my local theater decides to carry it and if I can find time that my college courses are taking up. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 99%: Wow! Normally Rotten Tomatoes is not always the best at determining whether or not a movie is good, but a 99% is just amazing! Literally one person thus far has given the movie a negative review; that is on par with the reviews for the Pixar movies when they actually were good. However, The Lego Movie is actually going to be incredibly funny, or at least I hope so. Please note though, that the Rotten Tomatoe meter is subject to change when more reviews are posted.

IGN.com: 9.0/10- "In the end, it’s heartening that despite all of the licensed characters, The LEGO Movie remembers there’s something much more enduring – and that’s LEGO itself. It really gets to the heart of what the toy is all about and why it has prospered for over 60 years. It’s a film that believes everyone can be creative; that everyone is special; and that imagination is so powerful it can flourish even within a system bound by rules."

Jeremy Jahns: Buy it on Blu-Ray: He liked the movie for the most part, although he had some problems with certain aspects of it.

 Christ Stuckmann: A-: Stuckmann praised the film for making fun of the typical tropes from Hollywood films and that the movie had a surprisingly heartwarming story.

SchomesKnow: 3.75/5 and 4/5- "They could have easily mailed this thing in and just made it for kids, but I thing when you grew up playing with Legos and you are an adult now, you can really have a lot of fun with this film, even if you go by yourself."

Are you going to see The Lego Movie? What are your thoughts on this overwhelming positive reception? Please comment below!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

The Lego Movie Trailer Review.

 

The Lego Movie, a real theatrically released movie about Legos and here is the awesome trailer and Batman is in it! This trailer has a very strong Wreck-It Ralph vibe with all the Lego references. Lego  were my favorite toy when I was a kid and I had a gigantic collection of many of the vintage Legos and anything Star Wars related so this trailer actually makes me very excited. Similar to the reason I enjoyed Wreck-It Ralph so much with all the video game references, The Lego Movie appears to have a ton of Lego references, which is awesome! Normally animated films are not my style, however there seems to be one every year that catches my interest like Wreck-It Ralph did last year, and The Lego Movie will be the animated film for me next year. Something else that makes me excited is that they choose the live-action comedy directing tea, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who directed 21 Jump Street, which I have not seen. However, making an unconventional like that can really work like  Rich Moore did for Wreck-It Ralph because he had done more adult comedies like the Simpsons. Making a usually adult humor director clean-up his humor often creates a really funny film. The voice cast is spectacular, Chris Pratt, who will star in the upcoming Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy film, is the star of the film and I like what his part from the trailer. Just look at the cast:, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Nesson, and Morgan Freeman, seriously top notch casting.

What I find kind of funny is that this is the closest thing we are going to get to a Justice League movie with Wonder Woman making her first big screen appearance in Lego form and the first Superman/Batman appearance ever. Batman will be playing a major part in the story, however the aforementioned probably will not.  

When I first heard about the film I expected something akin to the glossy appearance of the cut scenes in the Lego video games, however it surprised me with a stop-motion-animation type style, which is awesome and makes me actually excited. Before I started this blog my brother and I made Lego stop-motion short films, which you can see here, )also please remember that we made most of them 6-7 years ago so the voice acting is rubbish) and the animation style of the trailer looks amazing. Even though it is computer generated, it looks an awful lot like stop motion.

Overall I think the trailer looks great, it should be funny and packed with Lego jokes. Below are some screen caps. So, what did you think of the trailer? Please comment below.

 

 

Superman, voiced by Channing Tatum, this will be the first time Superman and Batman are on the big screen.

Wonder Woman's first theatrical appearance and it ends up being just a cameo in Lego form. Will she ever get her know movie or, at least, a Justice League appearance?

 Perfect attention to detail, the broken thing on the helmet is great, because that was always the first thing that broke on those guys.

 Major mistake, the few white guys from NBA All-Stars series were pale, not yellow skinned. Why didn't notice this? I can confirm this because I know them.

Best part of the trailer!

 

What did you think? Please comment below.

 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Our Lego Movies.

We have posted our videos before but if you haven't seen them here they are. Please tell what you think.

Death Star Lounge

Cowboys and Aliens spoof with a little Star Wars twist.


 

Bigfoot


Yeti Quest


Pirates


Lego Wars

Behind the sceens of Lego Cowboys and Aliens spoof with a little Star Wars twist.

Jro at Jro-Ven to Insanity requested that we post so of our Lego stuff.

Here is the Lego Cowboys and Aliens spoof with a little Star Wars twist movie.

Here are some pictures of the set we used in the movie if you have any questions please ask.

More Lego pictures are coming soon.

Lego Land Star Wars.

We watch a show called Sand Masters they make sand sculptures and this week they made a Lego Star Wars sand sculpture for the opening of the Lego Land Star Wars.

There's no Han Solo?