Feature Presentation: The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part starring the voices of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnet, Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, Charlie Day, Maya Rudolph, Will Ferrell, Jadon Sand, and Brooklynn Prince

Warner Brothers/Warner Animation Group, 2019. Rated PG

Synopsis: When Lego Duplo invaders from outer space decimate the world as they know it, Emmet, Lucy, Batman, and their friends find themselves surviving in a Post-Apocalyptic wasteland with little hope of rebuilding. When Lucy, Batman, Unikitty, Spaceman, and MetalBeard are kidnapped and taken to the Systar System, Emmet must once again summon his courage and rescue his friends before the 5:15 wedding that will usher in the “Ourmamageddon”.

Filled with tongue-in-cheek humor, catchy songs that will get stuck in your head, and lots of movie homages, The Lego Movie 2 is a well-rounded sequel with a surprising amount of heart. On its surface, yes, this is a kid’s movie, but the range of the jokes and the message it sends about working and playing together hits home with more than just its target audience. Emmet (Chris Pratt) is still as optimistically naïve as ever, spreading the notion of awesomeness all around Apocalypseburg (a nod to the Mad Max universe and Planet of the Apes) as the movie opens. Lucy/Wyldestyle wishes Emmet were not so optimistic; but when she is carried away by invaders, changes her tune and comes to realize that his somewhat childish approach to things has its benefits. There is an amusing moment in which Maya Rudolph’s character steps on a Lego when trying to break up a fight between her children to which most viewers – especially parents – will be able to relate. The film seems to focus in on a theme of working together and showing kindness instead of acting out, which was well-executed, even if it did take its time getting there. Fans of the first film and even those who did not will find something to love about this fun and creative brick-built world. Now, if I could just find a way to get this catchy song out of my head…

Feature Presentation: The Lego Batman Movie Review

The Lego Batman Movie starring the voices of Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jenny Slate

DC Entertainment/Warner Bros./Warner Bros. Animation/Vertigo Entertainment, 2017. Rated PG

Synopsis: When Gotham’s bad guys surrender themselves, it looks like Batman might be out of his post as vigilante crime fighter. Once heralded for his heroics and bravery, he’s even more broody than usual now that there’s no criminals wreaking havoc. Plus, there’s this kid he adopted at a city gala for the police commissioner’s retirement that he isn’t sure what to do with that he’s maybe sort of hoping he can send back to the orphanage. So when Joker hatches a plan to break the city apart (literally), it’s going to be up to Batman, Alfred, Robin, and Barbara Gordon to save the day.

I love that Will Arnett is reprising his role as Batman because he is able to bring a distinct humor to a traditionally much darker character. Granted, this is  family movie, but it’s still refreshing to see Batman’s more childish side – something that is prevalent throughout Lego Batman. The film makes reference to all of Batman’s previous movie and television appearances: Alfred makes note of Batman’s many ‘phases’ and there is a bit at the end in which words like “Bam!”, “Pow!”, and “Biff!” appear in the air as Batman and Robin are fighting (spoiler: it’s a reference to the 1960s Batman television series with Adam West). These may go over the heads of younger viewers, but for those of us that have followed Batman in his many incarnations will get a kick. Viewers will also be amused to note that Siri (the iPhone personal assistant) is the voice of Batman’s computer and she seems to have developed a little bit of a personality to offset Batman’s sarcasm. I also loved Michael Cera’s Robin/Dick Grayson because he is such an innocent overachiever. He, like Batman, wants love and attention, but since Batman seems to be afraid of having a family and letting people in, Robin is there to show him some unconditional love. Alfred is still the most awesome butler ever and his ability to ‘handle’ his adopted son/employer is a bit of a running gag as well. But I think what really sold me at the end was the element of friendship and friends being the family we choose – there’s even a catchy pop song to that effect at the end to rival “Everything is Awesome”. It’s sure to entertain viewers of all ages.