The Lego Movie

"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" became more enjoyable over time and I was hoping that "The Lego Movie" would be the same. The potential was certainly there. The first time I saw this movie, I had a difficult time keeping up with the animation. After multiple viewings, things were easier to follow but the show was a little less fun as a result. The story of this film is a good one and the voice talent was very entertaining. The best characteristic of this movie was the animation. The goal of the filmmakers was to keep you guessing on whether the film was stop motion or CGI. They succeeded just fine because they fooled me.

If this was a fully stop motion animated film, it would be the most complicated film ever in the genre. The animation is so reflective of the stop motion style that "The Lego Movie" comes across as equally impressive. We ask ourselves subconsciously how this movie was made and that in turn adds to the entertainment value. The fast-paced animation and complexity that directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are known for likewise stimulates the senses. The animation in "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" was also fast in its pace but we are in an even higher gear with "The Lego Movie". For first time viewers, it may be one gear too high. This is the most apparent blemish in an otherwise very well made film. There are jokes and gags that you miss the first time in the animation and set design. Speaking of that, the humor in this film was very genuine. A lot of it is cliché but the filmmakers took the important steps to make everything feel original. What is even more impressive is that I saw very few gags that were also used in "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs". There was a great use of running gags and cameos as well in "The Lego Movie". The story of the film follows the well-known "Hero's Journey" story pattern as illustrated by Joseph Campbell. Most blockbuster original films follow this story motif such as "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings". "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" was a story of hopes-and-dreams and I feel that it resonated more with audiences than the story of "The Lego Movie". Still, Emmet's tale is enjoyable to watch and there are humorous references to similar stories like "Star Wars" and "The Matrix" trilogies. Even though this story pattern is very popular, it is original enough in this incarnation because of the use of Lego. There are also similarities between Emmet and Flint from "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs". Both characters have the default emotion of happiness and have a lot of energy. Emmet starts out as an ordinary guy but we are led to sympathize with him. The Piece of Resistance is obtained as an inciting incident and Emmet is called to adventure by a teacher/mentor, in this case Vitruvius. Emmet knows that he isn't special but he is able to use the special abilities of his friends. The twist plot point impressed me during the climax. The story of the movie may not be perfect but I feel that the twist ending justifies everything. There are many movies with this story motif that are fun to watch many times over but in the case of this show, the film was still good but not as enjoyable as your first time. Because the visuals were the focus of the film and because the ability to follow the action the second time around is easier, "The Lego Movie" may be just a one-time experience for some. Still, I am one of the many voices that say this movie was snubbed by the Academy. This show only got one nomination for Best Song (no question as to what song that was). "Everything is Awesome" gets stuck in your head but unlike other annoying songs, you can tolerate it longer. What everyone is upset about is the fact that "The Lego Movie" was not nominated for Best Animated Feature and I am upset as well. I think it was much better than "The Boxtrolls" for example.

The cast members are also a noteworthy part of this film. Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks created some great leading characters. This wasn't the first film I saw with Pratt in it but I nevertheless consider 2014 as being the year I was introduced to him through this show and also by way of "Guardians of the Galaxy". Will Ferrell's roles were very well performed and Liam Neeson was also impressive. Until recently, I haven't been aware of Neeson's comedic abilities. Charlie Day was a great choice for Benny and he has a great moment in the climax. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill played well off one another (even though they probably recorded their lines separately). The cameos, as mentioned, are pretty hilarious. Chris McKay of "Robot Chicken" was the animation supervisor & editor and his work I feel played a part in this film's success. Now that I have seen two movies by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, I can tell that they have a witty sense of humor and a love of face-paced animation. Both apparently voice characters in this movie. The spirit of Lego is felt as you watch because the movie is creative and has originality. I laughed many times and was impressed by the animation. I thought it actually was stop motion for the longest time. "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" has a better story however in my opinion. Also, "The Lego Movie" works when you see it for the first time but may loose its appeal upon multiple viewings depending on the viewer.

3.5 Stars out of 5