Actually, everything is not awesome. Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of the greatest actors of our time, has died. I hate that he died, and I hate how he died – an apparent drug overdose. He could play a scumbag so convincingly in one movie, you could smell the depravity oozing through his pores, and in his next movie, create a persona so likable, you couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role. He was a true chameleon of the screen. Thoughts and prayers for his family.
Lego Movie
Now on to something that is awesome: “Lego Movie.” When I saw the trailer, I thought it looked dumb. The dialogue sounded like it was written by a 7-year-old on a Kool-Aid buzz, and the story seemed to be stock material: A Nobody is actually the only Somebody who can save the universe, so embarks on a journey in which he discovers the Hero within. Blah, blah, blah.
Boy, was my first impression wrong. “Lego Movie” is not only a great movie for kids, full of fast moving action and humor, it’s a thoughtful, clever film adults can enjoy, too.
Imagine you’re seven years old again, and you have a box full of Legos poured out in front of you. If you can remember the experience of building crazy, wacky things, and smashing them together, and making up a zany story as you go along, then you have an idea of the memories “Lego Movie” brilliantly replicates.
The movie also looks amazing. Although computer animated, the world in which the film takes place appears as though it was built out of millions of Lego pieces, and the character animation uses quick, staccato movements and held poses – just like real Lego creations would. Visually, the movie is a jaw-dropper.
The kids in the showing I attended laughed all the way through – and there’s not a single burp, fart, or butt joke in the whole thing! The adults laughed, too, as the film’s humor skews older than most PG animated movies. Eighteen hours later, the theme song – “Everything is Awesome!” – is still in a loop in my head. I can’t wait to see it again.
Robocop
I saw the original “Robocop” once, when it was originally in theaters, and I remember liking it. It’s a true ‘80s classic, with great action, humor, and biting social commentary, as well as plenty of the R-rated gore and debauchery director Paul Verhoeven seemed to enjoy in his heyday.
Now a new “Robocop” is in theaters. No matter how you look at reboots, remakes, or redos, they’re a cash grab. However, I’m not opposed to them if their makers are respectful of the original and make the story their own – and the creators of the “Robocop” redux have accomplished just that.
The bones of the story are the same: A Detroit cop is gravely injured and will die, but he’s resurrected as part man, part machine, and let loose on the streets of the city to fight crime. In the remake, Gary Oldman is the scientist who brings him back to life with his cutting edge research; Michael Keaton is the mega-rich businessman who funds the technology through his company Omnicorp in the hopes of releasing his “product” nationwide.
Here’s what I liked: the script and the dialogue are smart, and while the characters are stereotypes, they’re well-drawn stereotypes. Even secondary characters like an Omnicorp tactical advisor who hates the idea of putting a man in a machine has some nice scenes. The acting is also good; Oldman, Keaton and the rest of the cast, including Joel Kinnaman (“The Killing”) as Robocop, play it seriously, which keeps the movie grounded. I also enjoyed the movie’s jabs at the inhuman nature of commercialism and the undue influence of the media on public opinion.
Things I didn’t like: The action is the film’s weak point, which is unfortunate. It was shot too close to the actors and, like many movies these days, is a blur of shaky images. Also, the ending lacks punch. Even as the film was playing, I had far more interesting fates for the bad guys in mind.
I’m split on the movie’s emotions. A scene in which Robocop calls his wife for the first time since the accident is a tear-jerker; other scenes, including one in which he returns home to see his son, feel flat.
Still, for the first time in 2014, there are two new movies in theaters worth seeing. Finally!