The Lego Movie (2014)

Thick as a Brickowski

It is not often that the phrases "scatterbrained" and "quickly paced" are put into my reviews as a positive for the movie; however, "The Lego Movie" made these work, and I personally loved it for that. I can't really get into many of the reasons why this film was a great as it was (spoilers and all), but the writing/directing team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller made a great flick about the power of imagination and the joys of fitting in while standing out. In the film Chris Pratt plays Emmett Brickowski, a nobody construction worker, who finds himself as "The Special, the leader of a rebellion against President Business (Will Ferrell), after finding a hidden relic from that was foretold in a prophesy. 

Pratt does a great a job, but is hardly the best of an impressive voice cast including Morgan Freeman as the Wizard training Brickowski, Elizabeth Banks as the badass Wyldstyle, Will Arnett as a cocky Batman, and, of course, Liam Neeson as a cop with a dual personality (aptly named Good Cop/Bad Cop). My favorite voice performance goes to Charlie Day, who gives an amusing turn as Benny, the spaceship obsessed 80's astronaut. I really liked so much about this film: the writing, the animation, Mark Mothersbaugh's energetic score, the movie's ability to constantly parody itself, that I could maybe go on for quite some time. So I will simply say, that any film that forces me to give credit to Will Ferrell, is going to be a great film. 

Grade: A

3D: Not necessary, but certainly not a hindrance

Easter Egg: Sort of. They play the song from Batman's car over the end of the credits.

Starring: Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson 

Director: Phil Lord and Christopger Miller

Writer(s): Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

RT: 100 min

Rating: PG