speakerzboomin Reviews

The Lego Movie (2014)

A Brilliant Piece Of Cinema

[10/10 · 8 February 2014]

The Lego Movie is one of the greatest animated films in years. It's funny, unique, heartwarming, emotional and satirical; this movie has everything. It's so much fun, and could you ask for much more?

The Awesome: Everything Is Awesome! (pun intended) The voice acting by Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson and more all step up their game to deliver great performances. The animation is flawless, with a cute quality that screams Lego. The humor is spot on, with jokes so fast paced and lively that younger viewers could find it hard to keep up. I kept up fine, and man was the humor amazing. Also, the emotional turn near the end works perfectly, bringing the story full-circle in a tender and sweet way.

The Terrible: Nothing really, umm no end credits sequence? Even that is pushing it.

Overall, The Lego Movie is an absolute blast. It's highly recommended to anyone who wants to see not just a great animated film, but a great piece of cinema in general.

This review is from my profile on Letterboxd: http://letterboxd.com/silentdawn/

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

A Solid And Well-Done Film, Not A Masterpiece

[6/10 · 27 January 2014]

The Shawshank Redemption was a film that I have heard so much about. Many of my friends have hailed it as their favorite film and one of the greatest films ever made. Now, being someone who isn't easily pleased; I went into The Shawshank Redemption with reservations.

Coming out of the film, I realized that it made me feel warm. I know that's a weird saying but it's a comfort film. A lot of people love it because it leaves you feeling happy and hopeful; not disturbed like Chinatown or frightened like Halloween (1978).

Shawshank is sentimental, joyful and has one great ending. Yet, the film feels so "safe"; leading the audience to a bittersweet and somewhat forced conclusion.

Overall, The Shawshank Redemption is a good film; it just doesn't take risks. Shawshank feels just fine in its little comfortable cinematic world.

If people enjoy that type of film, that's fine; I just think a film that takes more risks (2001: A Space Odyssey or The Tree Of Life) should be deserving of the top spot of the IMDb Top 250.