The Lego Movie
Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Starring Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, and a shit-ton of other people
I know, I've kinda painted myself into a corner with the title and attitude of this blog so far. I've pigeon-holed myself (snicker) as a curmudgeonly malcontent who hates all films while claiming to love the art form. I should especially hate crass commercialism in the form of a movie all about a toy line. But -- and I courageously say this now to the whopping three people reading -- fuck that noise. I can't be pissed off about every one of them, because dammit, I love movies!
The Lego Movie is fantastic. It's fast, funny, and just fun to watch. Go see it. Now. In the theater with other people. It's worth your time and money, and you'll enjoy it so much more as part of a live audience.
I'd love to say more about it, but given how many of my "friends" have yet to see it (I'll drop the quotes when I see ticket stubs), apparently I still have to avoid spoilers. And half the fun of this film is letting its lunacy unfold in front of you.
I mean, I suppose I can say something without giving away details. Most of the jokes in the movie, and jokes account for about 95% of it, are beautifully timed gems. There's a few running gags in the film, and the directors hit them exactly right. The gags didn't get stale, and they always knew the perfect moment to call one back for a surprise extra laugh. Don't chat with your neighbor, don't chew loud foods, don't fucking blink, or you'll miss something good.
Also, this movie, the one made of Legos, called The Lego Movie? The one where all the water, explosions and fucking everything are made of CG Legos? I'm not 100% on this, but I'm pretty sure nobody in the whole film ever spoke the word "Lego". It didn't occur to me while I was watching, only days afterward. If I'm right, though, great call on the part of the filmmakers. Another production team might have used it everywhere, shoving "Lego" in places it didn't even make sense. The way they do with words like "Smurf", or "Wahlberg". Keeping "Lego" out of the dialog allowed the world to feel like its own place, where the characters didn't define themselves by the toy brand, and that helped them feel more real, more like characters unto themselves. Well played. Class act, those director guys.
So, seriously. Go see it NOW. Everything really is awesome.
There, that wasn't so bad! I can be positive now and then. Well done, everyone! Bang-up job!
Yep.
...Okay, if I have to give one negative, I'll go exactly this far: in the opening scene of the film (not a spoiler!), Morgan Freeman sounds like he just woke up. After being drugged. As if the only reason he was in the film at all is because the producers abducted him off the street and kept him doped up in the sound booth. But it's all good after that. Really. He has a scene later on, the nature of which I can't mention because of goddamn spoilers that you don't deserve to avoid because why haven't you stopped reading to go watch this movie yet... and in that scene he's hilarious.
And to be fair to Mr. Freeman, the guy's old. Like, really, really, fucking old. He'll die some day, and probably fairly soon.
Jesus...Morgan Freeman is going to die.
I gotta go think for a bit...
Damn.
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