More than a glorified product placement piece

Rating: 7/10 (20 January 2015)

The Lego Movie was one of 2014's biggest blockbusters bringing over $257 million domestically, so the chances are you have seen this already. But if you were reluctant as I was, you may still be thinking about it as award season rapidly approaches.
As the budget for the animated movie is reported to be only about $60 million, it is no doubt that sequels, prequels, and related projects are rapidly in the works at Warner Brothers, proving once again that there is vast market for good, family-friendly movies.
Wait, did I say "good?" Well, much to my chagrin, I did wind up liking the movie more than I had expected. The animation is outstanding. The voice casting is spot on and quite diverse – Chris Pratt, Liam Neeson, Elizabeth Banks, the 3 Wills (Forte, Arnett and Ferrell), Tom Welling, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Morgan Freeman, among many others. The story, while not original, has enough twists to keep it interesting for young and old. But be warned, the theme song "Everything is Awesome" is just catchy enough that it will stick in your head more than you want or are willing to admit.
As with most good movies aimed mostly for the young audience, this movie keeps the grown-ups interested with a non-ending stream of insider references. You do not need to catch the director's knowing winks to the audience to understand the story, but it is enjoyable to see how many they sneak in.
In short, you can safely watch this with your children without fear of wasting their time or yours. You can even watch it if there are no children in the audience.