The LEGO Movie

Expectations:
To be perfectly transparent, I don't believe I have been this excited about an animated film since the age of 6, and I am perfectly fine with that! As a person who is fascinated by clever things, The LEGO Movie appeared to be the mecca of clever, which drew me right on in. I don't know if it was the use of superheroes and historical figures or the fact that EVERY SINGLE moment in the trailer contained nothing that wasn't a LEGO, but I just couldn't wait. I probably watch more animated films than the average 22 year old. So, you may think that my excitement for this film is no biggy. However, The LEGO Movie is one of my most anticipated films of 2014, and it has been ever since I saw the first trailer. The only thing that could possibly peak my interest more would be yet another Toy Story movie (which is inevitable). For those of you that enjoy animated films, this review is dedicated to you, because I have regained an understanding of your excitement.

Plot:
The word around the film-watching universe was that The LEGO Movie did a great job of providing laughs and telling a gripping story, that connected on an emotional level. My excitement for the film was grounded in the laughs, but I was quite curious about the film's ability to tell a great story. I didn't really expect it to be that great (at least in comparison to other emotional animated films). Boy, was I wrong! In fact, I heard a ton of people talking about how the film was bringing on the waterworks! I didn't get THAT invested in the LEGOs, but the meaning behind the story was actually really, really clever. The only thing I didn't like about the story was the fact that the end of the film felt like a 90s kids' movie, like Honey I Shrunk the Kids or Mighty Ducks. I won't offer up any details on that analysis, in an effort to avoid spoilers, but, if you do watch, keep it in mind. On top of the great story, there were many, many laughs that were mostly a result of the clever use of LEGOs. It was just hilarious to watch the LEGOs do LEGO stuff... but in a movie.

Characters:
While there were so many hilarious cameos made by LEGO versions of human people, there were some times when I thought they made the wrong decision when determining which characters to focus on. As far as the story went, most of the characters were important and well-used, but there were some that I just wanted a lot more of and did not get. However, overall, the film did a great job of creating good characters...

Negatives:
My least favorite character, by far, had to be Metal Beard, voiced by Nick Offerman. While I tend to like Offerman, there were just very few jokes for the character, and his storyline was the only one that was forced, in my opinion. Another character that I did not care for was the god-like Vitruvius, voiced by Morgan Freeman, who just didn't provide in the god-like-joke department. I wanted to like him, but it just wasn't happening.

Positives:
If you've pretty much EVER read my blog, you probably have a preconceived idea of my love for Jonah Hill, which may or may not be a healthy aspect of my life. In The LEGO Movie, Hill voiced The Green Lantern, who was the most hilarious character, and I had no clue, at all, that Hill was in the movie, until I heard his voice! It was quite a pleasant surprise, and I really wish his role would have been larger. However, it's probably a good thing that it wasn't, because, each time he appeared on screen, I got a little giddy. The most hilarious moment of the entire film was provided by Benny the Spaceman, who was voiced by the always funny Charlie Day. Hill and Day have topped my Above Average comedic actor list each of the last three years, which made for a pleasant surprise when I heard their voices and loved their characters.

Conclusion:
Kudos to whoever had the idea to create a movie made entirely of LEGOs! I can't wait to watch again, so I can see some of the cool, quirky, LEGO-induced moments that I might have missed while being distracted by the storyline. As far as animated films go, The LEGO Movie is sure to entertain anyone who has any sort of relationship with the classic toys and anyone who just likes a good laugh. With a great story, combined with a clever concept, The LEGO Movie is a great start to 2014 movie year, and I can only hope that this film is a sign of a great movie year to come. I give The LEGO Movie 3.48 out of 5 stars.

We're the Millers

 

Expectations:
Aside from watching Will Poulter sing Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls, there was pretty much nothing that interested me about the trailer for We're the Millers. However, the week before, I made my girlfriend watch Elysium with me, and I needed to return the favor and watch a movie for her, because I'm such a romantic. Last year, in my Notscars, I claimed that The Campaign had wasted Jason Sudeikis's funny, but I've come to realize that he just doesn't have very much of it. Honestly, I find neither Jason Sudeikis nor Jennifer Anniston funny at all. Sure, they have been in some very funny movies (Horrible Bosses, Bruce Almighty) and tv shows (Friends, SNL), but they are not funny all by themselves. Also, Emma Roberts just gets on my nerves, and she recently beat up Evan Peters (I'm on Evan's side). Regardless, I was clinging to the fact that Nick Offerman would probably bring some laughs, and, eventually, Will Poulter would sing Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls. I hadn't planned on writing a review for We're the Millers, but, with its staying power at the box office, you may still need to hear my opinion...

Plot:
The entire "fake drug-dealing family" idea that We're the Millers employed was potentially hilarious. Honestly, I could see some of my favorite comedic actors taking on this storyline and making something great. Unfortunately, the concept was stuck with mediocre comedians, which kept the laughs a bit more contained. Also, I didn't enjoy the whole "We're being chased by evil drug lords" concept, especially after witnessing the similar concept driven into the ground by 2 Guns just a few weeks prior. Not only was it stupid, but it led to Ed Helms's funny being wasted, and he is ACTUALLY funny... I promise!

Characters:
The addition of Nick Offerman's RV-loving, sexually-experimental family, the Fitzgeralds, was absolutely fantastic, as they just wouldn't stop messing up the plot. Without the Fitzgeralds, my laughs would have been limited solely to Will Poulter, so kudos to Offerman and Kathryn Hahn for taking on two great roles.

Negatives:
Not only did Jason Sudeikis manage to keep me from laughing, but he also failed to fit in his role of drug-dealing-fake-family-creator, David Clark. I just didn't buy it one little bit! At the beginning of the film, Clark was just a bum, which didn't really fit with what we are used to seeing from Sudeikis, making it hard to take seriously. Then, as the film went on, Sudeikis began acting like his usual self, which we had already established was NOT how he was supposed to be acting, furthering the disaster that was this performance.

Positives:
If you have seen We're the Millers or heard anything about the film, I'm sure you are of the opinion or belief that Will Poulter's Kenny is the character that carries the entire film, which is the absolute truth. I felt bad for Poulter, who gave a great performance in a mediocre film, but I know that he will have a bright future ahead of him. If you watch this film for any reason, let that reason be Will Poulter!

Conclusion:
While I will admit to a bit of laughter throughout We're the Millers, I do not understand how it has grossed well over $100 million. That goes to show you just how powerful Jennifer Anniston remains in this Friends re-run filled world that we live. I mean, come on, We're the Millers has even out-grossed This is the End (the summer's greatest comedy), and it is still rolling, finishing in third place at the box office this past weekend. I guess I probably shouldn't be quite so bitter or baffled... It really wasn't THAT bad. My only hope is that, one day, people will give their money to a good comedy, rather than one carried by Anniston and Sudeikis. I've held it until this point, but, yes, Jennifer Anniston does do her stripper thing quite nicely. Unfortunately for her, however, she's getting a bit old. Don't get me wrong, I was not at all deterred from looking her way. But, had she made We're the Millers fifteen years ago, her stripping probably would have engulfed this review! I give We're the Millers 2.36 stars, along with Anniston's stripping.