The Lego Movie

What I will first say about The Lego Movie is the fact that it did live up to the hype and good reviews that it was given. The animation was really cool and interesting because it really matched with how Legos are assembled in reality and the plot really does appeal to both kids and adults.

While this film is mostly geared towards children, there are messages and satire in this film that adults can take away from it too. Though the some of the messages in this movie are a bit cliched, the movie times them well enough where they fit right in with the story and adds a sort of powerful effect to what is going on in the film. There is also a large amount of satire and messages that poke fun on American society as a whole, whether it be from the quick scenes of overpriced coffee or the larger message of conformity and control that stand out in the beginning of the film but also plays out throughout the entire plot. This movie can be read on many levels, which is what sticks with me still to this day.

The plot as a whole is interesting, following an ordinary guy named Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt) who suddenly discovers that he is the central figure in a prophecy to stop the evil Lord Business (voiced by Will Ferrell). The humor and jokes throughout the film can be found as funny to both kids and adults and the characters in the film are all unique and very fleshed-out.

My only critique is the sometimes dizzying animation. I did go see this in 3D, and the effects weren't anything special. I really liked how the animation was a form of stop-motion, fitting really well with how Legos can be assembled or taken apart. There are points though, when this animation can get a bit nauseating, especially in 3D. There is one scene that takes place on open ocean, were it did at a point did make me feel like the animation was a bit too much for my eyes to take in.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film. The plot, though it was a bit cliched at times, was really fun and it was really interesting to be able to view the plot on so many different levels. The animation, though it was a bit dizzying at certain points in the movie, was really cool and matched really well with the idea of how Legos are used. I would really recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good movie to see with kids or something that is unique from most movies currently out there.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj4GeCk5SBk

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2

I really enjoyed the first film (see my review below, or click the "Cloudy" tag at the bottom of this review to see both reviews), so I was pretty excited to see the sequel. This film basically picks off right where the first one ended, but it does back up a little so that way you can quickly catch up to what is going on.

While I did enjoy this film, I will say that the first film is better. The sequel does use the same humor that was found in the first one, and this film really takes creativity to the max. The effort that was made to create all of the food hybrids really add a fun vibe to the movie. Kids will definitely enjoy this movie because of all the cute animal hybrids, the silly characters, and the pretty simple villain.

Overall, while I did enjoy this movie, the first one is definitely better. I liked how the plot of the sequel easily transitioned from the first and developed from there. I think that those who liked the first will like the second, but not as much. I would definitely recommend watching the first one because while this movie does do a quick backtrack of what happened in the first movie, the first film gives you an idea of what humor is used and what the characters are like. This will allow you to decide whether or not you want to watch the sequel. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a kids movie to watch and anyone who enjoyed the first film.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw6dECrl-BE

A Kid in King Arthur's Court

I remember enjoying this movie as a kid, so when I saw it for 25 cents at a local sale, I decided to buy it. I recently watched it to remember what it was like. To be honest, this movie was really silly and I couldn't stop laughing at it. Kids would definitely enjoy this more than I did, I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. The only thing I would say that people my age would definitely appreciate is the fact that Daniel Craig and Kate Winslet are both in it.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLtmLy1Vzkc

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

I just recently went with two good friends of mine to see this in theaters. All three of us are big fans of the books, so we were hoping that it would be a lot better than the first one. Based on being a reader of the books, this movie had the majority of the plot points in the book, they were just rearranged or partially changed to fit the story. This movie also introduces the main villain, Kronos, in this movie, and unlike the first movie, it follows the storyline of the danger of Kronos being able to rise and possibly destroy the world. There were changes made to fit the movie better, such as the prophecy being changed from 16 to 20, which makes sense because the actors playing the main characters are all around 20. Other changes were disappointing, but most of those have to do with the climax of the movie, so I won't ruin it. But based on just seeing this movie and not comparing it to the book, the movie is just an average sequel. Personally, they made it too much of a "feel-good" sort of movie. On the plus side, most of the characters were well-acted. As a fan of the books, the characters of Clarisse and Mr. D were particularly good. Overall, I found this movie pretty so-so, so I would wait until it comes out on dvd to check it out. I would recommend it to those who are looking for a much better adaptation of the Percy Jackson series than the first movie and anyone who is looking for a movie to watch with kids (though there are some scary parts, but not too bad) and anyone into fantasy movies.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6aYjbpBm-E

Rango

I just watched this over the weekend with my sister because she had never seen it before. I really enjoyed this movie the first time when I went to see it in theaters, and I still enjoy it ever time I watch it. It's such an interesting idea of a movie, and a weird one too, because it combines the themes of a Western with characters that are all animals. If you may be interested in this movie, just make sure you are prepared for a strange main character (voiced by Johnny Depp), and some really strange jokes and humor. Other than that, I would say definitely check it out. I would recommend this to those who are looking for a movie to watch with their kids as well as anyone who is looking for something a little different than the average animated movie.

Oscar Winner: Best Animated Feature 2012

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OOfW6wWyQ

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I haven't seen this movie in full in a decent amount of time. I still really enjoy it, and it is always fun to see the first Harry Potter movie when all the actors were so young. I was a big fan of the books, and it's really cool to see everything on screen. The first film followed pretty well with the first book and it's fun to watch whether you're young or old. I would recommend this movie if you enjoy the books and if you like fantasy films, as well as if you're looking for a good family movie.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbdM1db3JbY

Wreck-It Ralph

This is my third time seeing this movie, but it was the first time for my parents. I really liked everything about this movie, and it was really cool to see video game characters like Sonic the hedgehog and Bowser from Super Mario Brothers in certain points of the movie. When I first saw this movie, it was because Skyfall was sold out and my friend and I decided that we would go see Wreck-It Ralph because it looked really good and we were 30 minutes away from home, so we were like: might as well go see something. My sister, who was also with us, did not want to see it, but she didn't really have a choice. She actually ended up really liking the movie, and came to watch it with my parents and I yesterday. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys video games and anyone who wants to see something that's good for the whole family.

Oscar Nominee: Best Animated Feature 2013

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87E6N7ToCxs

Despicable Me 2

I went a couple days ago with my sister and one of her friends to see this sequel, and we weren't disappointed. It is pretty entertaining, but I say it's pretty much even with the original. If you have not seen the first one, I would recommend watching it before you go see the sequel. While the characters are the most important part of the plot, a lot of the movie is also dedicated to the minions. Though there is that small bit of separation between the minions and the main characters, the minions are still very entertaining. I would recommend this movie if you liked the original as well as if you want something that can appeal to both children and adults.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwXbtZXjbVE

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Just watched movie again today and I still really like it. It's such a unique and creative movie, and a perfect one to watch for both Halloween and Christmas. This is my favorite Tim Burton movie, and I could watch it over and over. All the songs are fun to listen to and all the characters are really unique but fit into the Halloweentown world. I would recommend this movie to someone who's looking for something different and interesting and to someone who doesn't mind the songs that appear every once and a while. It also really appeals to all ages.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qrB9I3DM80

Despicable Me

Another one of those movies that I have watched recently because my dad had never seen it before. I really thought this film was creative and hilarious, and the minion characters add the extra oomph to make it more entertaining. What also make the movie really entertaining for all ages is not only Gru's extravagant mission to steal the moon but also the progression and understanding of all the layers of his character. This movie is so unique and fun, I could watch it repeatedly. I recommend it to anyone who wants to watch something simple yet entertaining that's good for the whole family.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZY_XRjABs

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Just recently saw this movie again while on vacation because my dad had never seen it (even though I've owned the movie for like 2-3 years). I find it to be a really funny movie and I really like the jokes that are made throughout the movie.There are also moments where there are quick one-liners said that you may only hear after watching the movie more than once. Overall it is just one of those movies that I could watch repeatedly and enjoy every single time.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPH0ct2oXBg