Movie #5 of 100: "The Lego Batman Movie"

Movie #5 of 100: “The Lego Batman Movie”

Overall Thoughts:

Everything about Will Arnett’s Lego Batman was cranked up to 11 in “The Lego Movie,” and in his own standalone film, the filmmakers only amplified the absurdity.

That, perhaps more than anything else, is what made this movie memorable for me. Instead of going the dark and brooding route for dramatic effect, the film made light of that idea in this movie, giving the character a bit of goofiness that worked well in the larger context of the Lego universe.

The movie also does a great job of not getting too bogged down in standard superhero tropes, and instead focuses on the real motivations that drive the characters involved. Why does Batman really refuse to allow anyone to help him, or get close to him? Why does the Joker continuously try to defeat Batman and destroy Gotham (and, why does he ALWAYS get away?)

The film tackles those questions and a whole lot more, and does so in really inventive ways that move beyond simple parody or spin-off techniques. It is an original piece of filmmaking that delivers the laughs and gives some good old-fashioned fun.

The various nods to other Batman films were also worthwhile, and the movie even features jokes about Batman’s “rivalry” with Superman for good measure. That willingness to poke fun at the Batman mythos, even as the live-action films are pushing in darker and darker directions for the Caped Crusader, is an essential part of the movie, and a welcome move back toward some of the campiness that made the Batman of the 1960’s and of the Tim Burton-era memorable.

Favorite Performance:

Will Arnett and Michael Cera, who played Robin in the film, shared some remarkable chemistry on-screen, but the show was really dominated by Zach Galifianakis, who turned in one of his better performances as the Joker.

Whereas the Joker has been pushed in even more psychotic directions thanks to Heath Ledger’s remarkable portrayal in “The Dark Knight,” Galifianakis’ turn in the role moved him back into a comedic role, but also explored the deeper emotions of the movie villain. It was a fascinating twist, and one that mined a lot of narrative gold as the movie went on.

Favorite Scene:

There were two scenes in the film that really stood out, and the first occurred within the first minutes as Batman encountered an entire Rogue’s Gallery of his greatest……and not so greatest enemies.

The homage to Batman’s history of villains was a top-notch nod to fans of the Dark Knight, including the appearance of little-known baddies like the Condiment King, whom I vaguely remembered from the Animated Series that was so popular in the 1990’s.

The other scene that stood out thanks to its complexity was the scene where Batman and Robin go to the Fortress of Solitude. During the scene, Batman finds out that the Justice League is hosting a massive party that he wasn’t invited to, and the mixture of awkward attempts at socializing, as well as his hilarious exit from the party, both made for a memorable mix of levity and sadness.

Stars: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Movie #4 of 100: "Incredibles 2"

Movie 4/100: “Incredibles 2”

Overall Thoughts:

The internet is full of gushing praise for just about everything Pixar does, and while this movie didn’t quite live up to the original for me (more on that later on), I still though it was a really entertaining and thoughtful film.

The main premise of the film, with Holly Hunter’s Elasti-girl taking on the role of main family superhero felt a bit derivative of the first movie, in which Mr. Incredible was doing undercover hero work under the guise of a “straight job.”

This time, the whole idea behind bringing Helen Parr back into the hero fold is to try to get laws banning superheroes overturned, and Bob Odenkirk does a really nice job as the business executive trying to make that happen. That element of the movie was much more interesting, and definitely was fleshed out with all of the positives and negatives fully vetted on screen.

The main selling point of the narrative, as many others have surely mentioned, is Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) having to deal with being Mr. Dad instead of Mr. Incredible. Learning how to juggle the responsibilities and the roles of a father, therapist, and cheerleader, for his kids gave the movie some of its finest emotional juice, and the writing and execution of that portion of the story were both top-notch.

In terms of the villain and stakes, the movie certainly delivers. The idea of a Screenslaver-type character feels appropriate in an age where we’re all addicted to the little computers in our pockets (and felt like a bit of a personal attack for me, since I watched three movies on the day I saw this film), and the motivations behind the character made for a compelling antagonist.

My complaints about the movie center around how Helen Parr’s “job” mirrored the role of her husband in the first film, and a much smaller quibble: that Dash Parr didn’t seem to get as much of his character fleshed out as his sister Violet and brother Jack Jack did. That can probably be at least somewhat explained by the fact that he got some narrative baggage in the first film (not being able to participate in sports, and rebelling against the notion that he had to keep his powers secret), but it still would have been nice to have seen that thread stretched out a bit further.

Favorite Performance:

Nelson’s performance as Mr. Incredible was top-notch, as it was in the first film. His transition from the bread-winning hero to the behind-the-scenes rock was a compelling development in the story arc of the family, and his earnest attempts to help out his children, and his wife, during a time of transition both at the familial and societal levels made for a great watch.

I also have to shout out Catherine Keener, who brought a lot of heft to her role as Evelyn Deavor. Odenkirk obviously steals a lot of scenes because of his upbeat and high-volume dialogue, but Keener provided a fantastic counter-weight to him and made for an ideal sibling, all things considered.

Favorite Scene:

The contrast between Bob Parr’s dedication to helping Dash with his math homework, where he was wildly dedicated and ultimately successful, and his complete and total failure in helping Violet get a date with her love interest was absolutely stellar. When taken together, those scenes perfectly encapsulate how life can hand you a massive success with one hand and then slap you with the reality that you’re not perfect with the other.

Naturally, the scene in which Jack Jack gets to show off his powers for the first time was both dazzling visually and just an hysterical scene in general. The tension that the audience feels as it becomes increasingly unclear whether the infant’s “adversary” will survive the encounter only adds to the effectiveness of the scene.

Stars: 3.5 out of 5