8. The LEGO Movie

Release Date: February 7th, 2014

Directors: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller

Non Will Ferrell Cast Members: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman.

First Time I Saw It: On HBO GO several months after it was released.

Why I Love It: I’ve been a huge fan of Lego sets ever since I was a young kid, always trying to think of new ways to create and build with the pieces I had. I was skeptical when the movie was first announced, my mind flashing back to the terrible Lego Bionicle movies the company made in the mid-2000s. However the writing and directing duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Clone High, 21 Jump Street) were able to create an original story that works not only as one of the funnier comedies of the past five years, but also serves as a fantastic tribute to the Lego sets which helped shape millions of childhoods. The film is a testament to the imagination of children, where anything is possible thanks to the unlimited number of ways Lego sets can be constructed. Coupled with cameos from almost every conceivable media franchise thanks to the licensing deals of Lego, The Lego Movie proves to be one of the most enjoyable and endlessly re-watchable movies in recent memory.

Signature Ferrell Moment: (MINOR SPOILERS) Although Ferrell does most of his work in the movie voicing the villainous Lord Business, he is able to give us a truly touching moment when the film switches to live-action near the end. As we find out the events of the movie were actually being acted out by a little boy using his father’s massive collection of Lego sets, Ferrell enters as the boys father and scolds him for messing with his meticulously crafted and constructed sets. Ferrell, upon seeing that the mini-figure for the evil Lord Business was clearly modeled after himself, realizes that his devotion to having his Legos perfectly set up was stifling the imagination of his son and decides to break them all down in order to join with his son in mixing and matching Legos to create whatever they can think of. It ends the film on a heartwarming note that emphasizes the way Lego sets can fuel everyone’s imagination as well as help parents and children share a common interest. – Justin Matchick

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