THE LEGO MOVIE | BLU RAY REVIEW & GIVEAWAY
GOD I LOVE THIS FILM – EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!! I reviewed this back in April and am watching it again tonight on Blu Ray – but thanks to our friends at Roadshow Entertainment we have 5X copies to giveaway on Blu Ray (woot to that). This is one you want to watch over and over and over again – so much humour you will pick up on multiple viewings 🙂 Find out below, after the review, how to win a copy!
REVIEW FROM APRIL:
THE LEGO MOVIE – the new film phenomenon that is going to destroy the box office the world over is finally out, very bloody late in Australia I might gripe, but it was worth the wait – I could have waited for eternity to finally see this epic epic sublimely superb piece of film that can only be described in one very fitting word (besides the 17 used so far :)) – AWESOME. THE LEGO MOVIE is out now, is rated PG and runs for an awesome 101mins. We got special awesome treatment for this one, invites to the Australian premiere, the best 3D glasses ever and I now have an Emmett keyring and fond memories of a superb day at Event Cinemas Bondi (best popcorn in Sydney).

REVIEW BY JASON KING
I do not know where to begin in explaining THE LEGO MOVIE. It is like you are a child again, but also still an adult, and you have the hugest box of Lego ever and one killer imagination. If I view it from an adult’s perspective, getting really really stoned and finding that same box of Lego and just getting lost in the world of hysterical imagination. The film follows Emmet Brickowoski, a generic, normal, boring piece of Lego who is happy with life, nothing phases this guy, like ever. Through circumstance he becomes “the special” and the normal , generic, boring piece of Lego no kid would probably ever want bought has to save the world from the evil Man Upstairs aka Lord Business aka President Business. It is about how everyone can be special and the way the film is told is a masterpiece effort.

We got to attend the premiere and have the most amazing time, in our cinema we watched with a large contingent of people from Animal Logic, who actually animated the film and we got to meet the head honcho from Lego and one of the directors from the film, Chris McKay, watching with these people in the cinema was an experience in itself and you could see the abundant pride and happiness they had for this awesome piece of work. This plays out in the film and in all the characters. It also highlights the film, in the words of the head of Lego (wish I could remember his name, sorry), as the greatest product placement in film of all time. You do know Lego is written on nearly everything Lego? And every detail in recreating these pieces is taken – there is not one thing overlooked and a huge trick on the audience, it could nearly pass as stop motion using real Lego, nay nay my fay friends, everything is digitally created using the best technology in the world for animation. It is just AWESOME!
Perhaps this is the new Toy Story but lose most of the serious bits, add abundant humour squared and then add not 20 characters but about 200. It is gold, it is endlessly filled with characters who the writers all gave their own story and personality that can only truly come from the minds of babes or, in this case, what I imagine were these four awesome guys, the writers, Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, 1000 pizzas, 200 joints, 100 bottles of sugar soft drink and a free endless credit at the Lego shop. They make everything hilarious, then crazy and then freaking out of control, the cover it in endless action and have some of the most twisted humour I have seen on film in years – and for this I LOVE THEM ALL.

Not much needs to be said – everything in awesome!!
The cast is awesome –
Chris Pratt as Emmet Brickowski, Will Ferrell as Lord Business, Elizabeth Banks as Wyldstyle/Lucy, Will Arnett as Batman, Nick Offerman as Metal Beard, Alison Brie as Princess Unikitty, a unicorn kitten hybrid, Charlie Day as Benny, a “1980-something space guy,” Liam Neeson as Bad Cop/Good Cop, Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius, Channing Tatum as Superman, a DC Comics superhero who is one of the Master Builders, Jonah Hill as Green Lantern and Cobie Smulders as Wonder Woman.
So so hard to pick a favourite, but probably Princess Unikitty or Benny – they are both the most insane, sorry, mentally challenged, pieces on the Lego board. Batman will make you cry with laughter the most 🙂
In addition, there are so many cameos your head may explode. I do not want to explain them all as some of them are damned nice surprises.

This pop culture film is now a cult piece of colourful awesome. It is must see for everyone and has some superb themes about cooperation, stepping out of the norm, embracing the weird, creativity, embracing the inner child, having fun and most importantly never growing up. The film wins on every level and is already pre-ordered on BLU RAY – if you can a definite MUST in 3D and expect to leave in a happier mood than you entered. EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!
JK’S POP SCORE:
KERNEL ADAM’S POP SCORE:
KERNEL NICK’S POP SCORE:
KERNEL JOHN’S POP SCORE:
KERNEL BEN’S POP SCORE:
KERNEL CLAIRE’S POP SCORE:
KERNEL DARA’S POP SCORE:
With special thanks to ROADSHOW ENTERTAINMENT to win one of the 5x BLU RAYs of THE LEGO MOVIE you need to either like and share this post on Facebook or retweet/ favourite it on Twitter, you then need to answer the following question.
Firstly, just an FYI on how to increase chances of winning a salty comp; commenting on the review generally holds you in better stead of winning as opposed to just comp sexing
WHAT IS THE BEST ANIMATION OF ALL TIME AND WHY? Mine would probably be The Lion King because it is just so epic, filled with abundant values and still blows my mind!
If you do not have Facebook and Twitter then you can still enter, leave your entry below and email me at jkdigitaldesigns@gmail.com telling me you don’t have social media
Prizes will be awarded based on skill and selected purely on the thoughts of the judges, said judges being the Salty Kernels, more likely ME.
The prizes will be sent in the next week or two. Good luck! Oh, and minor housekeeping – huge apologies for overseas readers, this competition is only available to Australian residents.
Hi Jason, I’m not as “awesomed” by “The Lego Movie” as you are, maybe because by the time I finally got around to seeing it I’d read too many superlative reviews so it just didn’t wow me as much as I expected (I made some comments at http://filmreviewsfromtwoguysinthedark.blogspot.com/2014/02/gloria-winters-tale-and-brief-mentions.html) but I do agree that it’s big fun, especially in 3-D. Ken
There’s your problem Ken 🙂 NEVER read a review of anything until you have seen it – I used to do it all the time but I just never want my opinion tainted by the thoughts of someone else. There are three of the kernels who share each other’s pop scores with each other as soon as we come out of a screening but rarely exchange thoughts – only difference is if one of them is writing the review and I am editing it – but generally I am rarely going to see that movie at a cinema as it has been covered then and so many more to see.
I can’t hear anything bad about Lego – I thought it was a perfect film akin to a newer, more fun Toy Story minus the melancholy emotional heart 🙂
Ah, if that were my only problem! In general, I share the wisdom of your advice about seeing a film fresh before being tainted by the opinions of others but I don’t see nearly half of what’s available because of time and money considerations so I do depend a good bit on reviews as to what I want to be sure and avoid (although that’s not always viable either, as I’d have never seen either half of “Nymphomaniac” if I’d listened to the comments by my local San Francisco critics or in “Entertainment Weekly,” thereby missing an amazing experience). Ken
I was just about to read your review but thankfully I read the comments first –
I will come back after I have seen the movie. 😉
Hahaha nice one Peta 🙂 enjoy it
I have high expectations with The Lego Movie especially since the hype and all. But, just like Ken Burke, I am not as “awesomed” either and even my little brother think so too. But my friend thought it was a cute movie and better than what she expected. She’s a “divergent”! However, it was entertaining and we had fun for sure! And that song… That song that they sing lingers in my head!
fell in love with the classic lady and the tramp lovers all over the world copy the romance scene eating spaghetti but who could not enjoy the movie finding nemo also the kids of today are so lucky with whats around for them
I love the Lion King, but the first graphically amazing movie I watched being old enough to understand how animation works (it also one me a contest in debating) would have to be one of Pixars classics, A Bugs Life. Just simplistically brilliant 🙂
OMG, that photo of you with the Emmet glasses – awesome!!
We were fortunate enough to see this as a special screening too (at Watergardens shopping centre as part of a prize I’d won), but that was only a couple of weeks ago, so the Lego movie is still pretty fresh in our minds (not to mention the awesome catchy songs!!) I really enjoyed this movie and so did my three daughters and hubby.
I don’t think I could choose a favourite animated movie as there are so many I adore for different reasons. Lion King, Rio, Finding Nemo, and Despicable Me (both 1&2) are all really, really good.
I too often make the mistake of reading reviews prior to watching a film and usually inadvertently spoil some major aspect of the plot; it’s infuriating but I can’t seem to stop myself.
The best animated film, in my humble opinion, would be Toy Story – Like many recent children’s films it has a subversive element that appeals to adults but still manages to retain its innocence and doesn’t fall back on juvenile humour like many of its contemporaries.
I took my child to the cinema to see this (major Lego fan!), kind of expecting that I would just have a snooze for two hours, in preparation for all the Lego items he might start pestering me for at the end of the movie. So when it turned out to be such a funny and entertaining movie, with jokes working on adult level as well as for the kids, I was very happily surprised. Like your review said, total product placement, but still – it worked…and it would probably be hard to make a Lego movie without, you know, Lego.
So many favourite animated movies in our house, but the one I always come back to is “Up”. Nothing can reduce me to a blubbering mess so quickly as the Carl and Elly montage near the beginning, but the film has a beautiful message about moving on and following dreams. That said, it would be a lot further along that sentimental scale than even Toy Story, so I get that it is not for everyone!
I thought Toy Story had great animation as it felt so real and I imagined my toys really were coming alive every time I left the room
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast – the Ballroom scene is so stunning you forget it’s animated and classic adult humour lines like:
Beast: I want to do something for her… but what?
Cogsworth: Well, there’s the usual things: flowers… chocolates… promises you don’t intend to keep…
Beautiful, tender & funny this is Disney at its best
My daughter and I went to see The Lego Movie on the big screen, and like the Salty reviews above, we both loved it. It definitely appeals to all – no matter your age. Virtually everything about this movie is awesome – except perhaps the frequency with which the song plays. We’ve already hired and watched the movie again now it is on DVD. We were hoping that hubby might join us in a viewing at home .. but no such luck … yet!
In terms of best animation of all time – that’s a tricky one. Our whole family loved ‘Up’ – Carl, Russell, Kevin the bird and Dug the talking dog. We also love classics like Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmatians – yes we are a family of dog lovers! But for all time best animation, I’m going to have to side with you JK and say ‘The Lion King’. Yes it has abundant values, terrific animation, but what makes it shine above the rest is the music. When our daughter was in grade prep, her class did songs from ‘The Lion King’ in the school’s end of year musical. Now when I hear ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King’ or ‘Hakuna Matata’ I remember my daughter dressed up as a bird singing and dancing around on stage with her classmates. Love, love, love it!
Im with you Jason Everything is Awesome about this movie i loved it but even better all my kiddies ranging in age from 6-16 loved they all sat still and glued to the screen for the whole movie i repeat all of them! With 4 kids this is not an easy feat but thats the power of Lego age is no barrier (i’m also guessing that is how they got so many big names to voice the characters) even my mum loved it this is definately a movie that has to be owned on Blu-ray.I also had a similar thought about the joints,pizza and sugar drinks thing as you and had to laugh to myself when i read that.My favourite animated movie is Alice in Wonderland i love the weird and wonderful and like Alice i am always curious i can never watch it to many times so this makes it the best for me but on merits of animation alone i have to say the Toy Story franchise these movies are unbelievably well done and make you feel like the toys really are alive.
The best animation of all time?! Wow, big question.
When asking the Google gods for help to remind this tired mind South Park came up a number of times. If they had stopped after a few seasons they may make the top 5 but it was all downhill after they put Christmas and Poo together.
I am going to say two films tie for top place with me – My Neighbour Totoro and Frozen.
My Neighbour Totoro is such a magical film, I love everything from the dust sprites to the catbus. The animation itself is stunning and a true piece of art.
I love Frozen because I love the music, I love the sister storyline and I love how much my daughter loves it. It is a film that has brought us so much joy together. 🙂
It’s not the most conventional choice but for me it’d have to be Spirited Away; it introduced me to Studio Ghibli and showed me that Anime could be so much more than Mechs and genital tentacles. Whimsical and magical, Chihiro’s journey through the surreal landscape is so gorgeously animated and seriously puts most digital animation to shame. This film opened up a whole new avenue of animation for me and that’s why this esoteric classic is my top choice.
As a parent my favourite animation was the one that kept the kids quiet on a Sunday morning. Lion King was one of their favourites so it was one of my favourites too.
UP is one of my all time favourites its sweet story, endearing characters and great one liners ” but its a talking dog! ” and ” Squirrel “… In saying that will always be a lIon King fan, I still have the entire series 1 of Lion King cards from when I was a kid even a ” Foil Mufassa ” Jealous much?
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron – by Dreamworks. This is a beautiful movie with real and I mean real animation and lovely soundtrack. Set in the Wild West it covers the story of a Cimarron Stallion and young Indian native and the encroaching white man and railway. Lots of action and weepy bits – this movie simply doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.
Another Lion King fan here. I was 17 years of age when it came out and “borrowed” some young children so I didn’t appear lame going to a kids movie. I still play the soundtrack in my car on my way to the gym in the morning – good morning savannah, lets kick butt! My kids watch it now and yes, even all these hundred times later, I still cry like a baby.
My favourite has always been Toy Story as I can watch them over and over again, 1,2 and 3. Best of all always with my kids as they love all 3 too, so we laugh and cry at all the funny parts together.
My favourite would be Shrek as the whole family loved it when it first came out and we have it on DVD to watch again every now and then. So funny.
Charlotte’s Web. The 1973 version. I have watched it so many time I have memorized the entire film, as well as the songs. The voice actors do a terrific job (UNCLE ARTHUR!) and it doesn’t try and hide the issue of death and loss. Plus the fairground scene with is not only hilarious but one of the best songs from the film.
I have to agree the Lion King
‘Frozen’ is Disney’s best movie since it’s renaissance era. I was a huge fan of Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘Snow Queen’. My favourite fairy tale.
Sea sick… well nearly whilst watching Toothless fly over the ocean. The animation in How To Train Your Dragon was pretty darn good, so that gets my vote today!
All time favourite animation, now that’s a difficult choose, I’d go for the Shrek movies, love the value of not having to look a certain way to be the best you can be!
I thought that the LEGO movie was awesome, however How To Train Your Dragon is my most favourite animated movie of all time…
My favourite would have to finding nemo! It’s amazing! I can’t wait for Finding Dory.
Fantasia was the first animated movie I can remember seeing. I still love it today, especially the scene with Mickey and the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
Thanks for the awesome competition guys! I was incredibly surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. I can’t honestly say I was expecting a brilliant film from a movie that’s based on a plastic toy brand, but that’s what I got.
Btw, my favourite animated film is Toy Story. Coming in close behind are Aladdin, The Lion King & Fantastic Mr Fox, but in my opinion none of them come close to the sheer filmmaking progress displayed in the film. It’s got an abundance of clever wit and humour, but never holds back on the darker and more emotional elements, successfully making it a film perfect for the enjoyment of all ages.
P.S. I’d once again like to thank you for hosting this great contest. It’s fantastic that you give back to your readers with great competitions like this, it sets you apart from other film websites. So thanks a lot, and best of luck to all who entered!
Most addictive song to date… everything is awesome! Thanks Lego movie
I loved Up! Loved the message in that story!
Frozen – ‘Smow’ joke, even for a Disney movie, this kicks ‘Ice’!
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Not only because it represents the height of claymation but the attention to detail in subtle sight gags is incredible. Kudos to Nick Park and the team too for the film’s distinctly northern England setting and accents as opposed to concessions for the US market. So many great lines including PC Mackintosh’s “If you ask me, this was arson! Aye, somebody ‘arson’ around!” and Reverand Hedges’ “Mrs Mulch?” at the sound of that huge belch in the church. As an aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the Lego movie but that meant I couldn’t use the line in review that it was “wrong on so many levels.”
I would have to say Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, it takes me back to my childhood. I realised this recently when I was watching Disney on Ice with my 3 kids sharing the love of a Disney classic how timeless this movie will always be to me and the memories it holds.
Howdy All – THIS COMP IS NOW CLOSED.
Thanks for all that entered – seriously the biggest comp we have one – I had to close it as too many entries to read through 🙂
I am sorry I will not be individually replying to all the wonderful comments and entries – actually a few I have not seen and are now on the list.
COMP WINNERS:
Michelle V
Alma G (please email me at jking@saltypopcorn.com.au your postal address please)
Renee German (please email me at jking@saltypopcorn.com.au your postal address please)
Peta N
Melanie W
If you missed out do not worry – many many more coming. Best way to stay on top of them is to follow us on Twitter or FB or email notifications – you can sign up to all of that on the HOME page.
Have an AWESOME DAY!!
Thank you!!
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