The LEGO Movie Assembles More Than $200 Million in Global Box Office

BURBANK, CA – February 19, 2014 – Audiences are connecting with “The LEGO® Movie” in a big way, driving the first-ever full-length theatrical LEGO adventure past $200 million in worldwide box office, less than two weeks after its record-breaking release. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“The LEGO Movie,” from Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and LEGO System A/S, made its North American debut on Friday, February 7. It took in an opening weekend gross of $69.1 million, making it the largest February opening for any animated film and the largest opening for an animated Warner Bros. release. It has since gone on to earn a total of $146.3 million at the domestic box office, and still building.

The film has also launched its international engagements in a number of European, Asian, and Latin American markets, including the UK, Spain, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Korea, Brazil and Mexico, earning $60.4 million to date, for a combined worldwide box office total of $206.7 million, and climbing.

REVIEW The LEGO Movie

The LEGO Movie is by far the best looking commercial for the LEGO brand EVER and it also came in packaged with a movie which is very cool.

The film features the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Bree and a whole lot more (including three cast members of the 21 Jump Street reboot film). It's the typical story of mistaken identity and finding the hero within you. Typical stuff that will be an eye opener for kids. If you'd be looking for a deep storyline, The LEGO movie ain't for you. That being said, it's still a pretty enjoyable movie both in 2D and 3D. 

Chris Pratt is Emmet, a basic construction minifigure who has suddenly become the prophesied "Master Builder" who will save the Lego world from the nefarious Lord Business/ President Business. He has to stop Business from using the 'Kragle' which will end everything good and wonderful about their worlds. Pretty generic movie plot.

GOOD 

- It's a quirky film, I'll give them that. You just can't pass on the chance to see a movie featuring all sorts of licensed characters coming together albeit in LEGO form. Gandalf, Batman, Shaquille O'Neal and even the Ninja Turtles make cameos somewhere in the movie.

- The humor is OK. The film has several chuckle inducing moments and a few "laugh out loud" ones but it'll take some getting used to pop culture references to get some of the stuff thrown.

- Visuals are appealing for both kids and adults alike. There's something about the LEGO movie that will make you want to pickup a LEGO set and build, build, build!

- The soundtrack is awesome. Everything is awesome. Lonely Island.

- Voice acting done are nice. Morgan Freeman as Vetruvius and Chris Pratt as the bumbling but lovable Emett is one of the best quality I've seen as early as now. Alison Brie's character here is also adorbs to the 10th power. Oh and there's also the 'cameo' of 22 Jump Street stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. .

- I was rooting for Liam Neeson as Bad Cop. The guy has some issues and he's also a very well-written villain. Plus throughout the movie he's got some sweet rides and superior weaponry as well.

- The inclusion of the surprise bit redeemed the movie. It's the major reveal AND a nice appearance of one of the cast. Very nice family values imbued in it. That was actually well-thought of. Good job producers and director!

BAD

- Under utilizing Will Ferrell was a bad idea. Sure he's Lord Evil and he's got a huge OCD for perfection and  weaponized glue but he's not effective as a villain. Where's the Mugatu? I was expecting a Mugatu-esque performance but that wasn't executed.

- For a movie that's 'General Patronage' it's got a lot of violence. Lego's getting blasted, getting their heads cut off, getting glued and a whole lot more... Brick violence kinda throws the film off by a few degrees.

- I had such high hopes that the 3D here would be magnificent but it's a dud. Not impressed, not happy. You wont be missing anything if you see the film in a regular theater.

VERDICT

3.5 out of 5 LEGO Bricks

Special thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures. THE LEGO MOVIE is NOW SHOWING! 

The New Posters for The Lego Movie Looks Adorable

As early as now I'm marking the date - Feb 6, 2014 which is the release date for Warner Bros. Pictures' THE LEGO MOVIE.

Here's they go.

The lead characters of Warner Bros.' original, 3D adventure comedy “The LEGO Movie” get solo posters of their own which have just been launched online.

The characters receiving the special treatment are Batman (voice of Will Arnett), Benny (voice of Charlie Day), Emmet (voice of Chris Pratt), Lord Business (voice of Will Ferrell), Vitruvius (voice of Morgan Freeman) and WyldStyle (voice of Elizabeth Banks).

The first-ever full length theatrical LEGO movie follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 6, 2014, “The LEGO Movie” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Pacific Rim Pilots as Dogs and Cats

Something cute for the fangirls and fanboys (or what I call THE HORDE) of Guillermo Del Toro's PACIFIC RIM. The Pacific Rim pilots envisioned as dogs and cats. 

Raleigh and Mako

The entire project was done by Mari Moreno (marimoreno.deviantart.com) and I'm totally mystified with this art set.

Check out the other Jaeger pilots below:

Stacker Pentecost, pilot of Cayote Tango

Sasha and Aleksis, pilots for Cherno Alpha as Siberian Huskies

The Crimson Typhoon triplets as cats

Herc and Chuck Hansen, Striker Eureka as Dingoes mate

Follow Mari on her Deviantart and on Tumblr to see more amazing art.

Oh and as a bonus, here's Newt (Charlie Day) with cuddly baby Knifehead kaijus. 

Pacific Rim Review

Pacific Rim is a movie that no self respecting anime/mecha/sci-fi fan should miss. It's got all the workings of a truly great and entertaining movie.

Guillermo Del Toro once again proves that he is a master of his craft with this heavy metal brawler of a movie. On one corner you've got the invading forces, the Kaiju, wanting to remove humans from the face of the Earth. To counter this, us humans created the Jaegers to combat the kaiju and ensure our future.

On the story: Storywise, this one literally lifts up some key moments from just about any mecha anime/series we've ever seen. The nearest I can think of when it comes to this is the anime series Shinkon Gattai Godannar. Pilot goes on hiatus after tragedy, but is recalled to active service, meets new partner and potential girlfriend. Enemy suddenly gets stronger, show of courage and fortitude, wins the day. People who are looking for more than anything beyond the plot/trope I just mentioned will surely be lacking.

The story has a couple of plotholes but it's something that can be overlooked, after all, this is a movie about giant robots fighting giant monsters from beneath the sea.

On the cast: Del Toro did not cast any big name for the film. And after seeing it, I can understand why. He's not out to reel in fans of big Hollywood stars, they only second fiddle to the real stars of the movie which were non other than the Jaegers.

Only gripe (which could be a major issue depending on what type of moviegoer you are) is that it's really hard to actually RELATE to Charlie Hunnam's Raleigh Beckett. Yeah he's Mr. All American right but the moment he goes on drama mode, you're mind starts to wonder.



Idris Elba as Stacker Pentecost however is another issue. The man is all for brooding and stoicism. Love the accent and the catchy one-liner he delivers towards the end of the movie. The inclusion of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star Charlie Day was also an inspired number as he gives some of the funniest lines in the film.

I have to give it to Rinko Kikuchi who really shined in this movie. She's frail looking but kicks ass the moment she needs to do so. Sad though that she and Hunnam never had an existing chemistry; which also ended up looking very confusing onscreen. Are they friends? lovers? Something in between? Or is Beckett simply looking out for Mako Mori (Kikuchi) on a brother-sister kinda thing.

And then there was Ron Perlman who plays blackmarket guy Hannibal Chau; his was Hellboy minus the red makeup and the gun (although he's still in red). He had some great moments in PR as well but what really bugs me is that fact that his role is a somewhat an extended cameo, a 'hey there' to Del Toro fans who stood with the director.

On the visuals: THE VISUALS WERE SPECTACULAR. The Jaegers were dirty and messy and it's just perfect. Much like how Metal Gear director Hideo Kojima stated in his tweet barrage, The kaijus were terrifying and seeing 'Knifehead' in Alaska took me back to the first time I saw the T-Rex in Spielberg's "Jurrasic Park". Everything was designed to look so gritty, heck even the Bone City in Hong Kong looks beautiful.

The whole visuals are beautiful gets magnified fifty times over once the fighting in the ocean floor or in a busy Hong Kong street. There's a lot of stuff going on but you'll be transfixed. I know I did.

Again, I cannot stress how important it is to see this film on an IMAX screen. It's not because of the 3D but because it truly becomes BIG when you see it projected in a huge ass screen.

Finally, I loved the touches of anime in this film. It was very evident that they knew what people loved about those Mecha Romance trios such as giant swords, one-liners before a finishers, breathtaking fisticuffs.

Overall, I think the film was superbly crafted and well paced. It had a couple of blips but if you truly love grand robot movies (which is very rare even in Hollywood standards), then you really should catch the movie. 

Pacific Rim is now showing nationwide and it's distributed locally by Warner Bros. Philippines. If you're still hesitant, here's trailer # 3 for the film to reel you in. 

Five Good Reasons to See Pacific Rim

Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim is about to hit theaters in a few days so I wanted to write something as to why it's important that you see this movie which stars Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman and Rinko Kikuchi.

1. Guillermo Del Toro directs

Master director Guillermo Del Toro put his heart into this project. And whenever Del Toro puts his heart into a project, you can bank on it being great. Look at the two Hellboy movies plus Pan's Labyrinth. Heck just read my review of Mama and you'll see that all his works are stunningly beautiful in one way or another.


2. There's Kaiju or Giant Monsters in it

Honestly, will you ever even doubt for a second that a movie which will feature half a dozen or so 'kaijus' or giant monsters is not worth seeing. Hell, we all lined up to see J.J. Abrams' Cloverfield despite the fact that we only have a total of 15 minutes worth of 'widescreen' footage of the monster? Pacific Rim is a movie of gargantuan proportions and destruction. Not worth seeing? Not bloody likely.

3. Giant Robots are here to cancel the apocalypse

Sure calling the mechs "jaegers" might not be as hardcore as a different name but hey a giant robot is still a giant robot. And  they have pilots to control their actions. Also from a production/ technical standpoint, the mechs that they use in "Pacific Rim" are well designed and visually appealing. Not so horrendous as those B-movie robot films from the 90s. Oh and the word "jaeger" is German for "hunter"; so how's that not badass?

4. Stars of their own caliber. 

People may argue that actors like Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam and the rest of the movie won't draw in crowds in theaters like say Brad Pitt and World War Z. But you can't go and argue that these guys and gals have their own crowd. Elba's a staple in a lot of superhero movies, he's not yet the stereotypical black guy in the movie so that's good. Charlie Hunnam is kicking butt in "Sons of Anarchy" which is enjoying a good run on TV. His co-star on "Sons" Ron Perlman is also in this flick. The same goes for  comedian Charlie Day and actress Rinko Kikuchi.

5. Hideo Kojimo among others swear by the movie.

Metal Gear boss man Hideo Kojima did an eight round tweet session after seeing the movie. Here's what he said:

Other celebs who swear that this movie is epic include: Kanye West, Emma Watson and more.

Catch "Pacific Rim" when it opens July 11. Distributed locally by Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines. 

Monsters University Review

Reviewing Monsters University courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Philippines. Opens June 29 and featuring the voices of Billy Crystal and John Goodman as Mike and Sully respectively.

It's a return engagement to the world of Sully and Mike Wozawski this time however, we take a step back to that time before the events of Monsters Inc. to find out the origin of Mike and Sully's friendship as well as how they actually got to where they are.

In the grand scheme of things, Monsters University is the first daring risk that Walt Disney and Pixar has taken. They've always been known for making sequels but never a prequel. Did they pass the mark? Did they actually do good in this type of feature film story telling? The answer is yes.

There's a lot of cute moments here in Monsters U that will appeal to folks of different ages. It's also chock full of meta stuff, which is amusing considering that all that plus more is wrapped in such a movie. Still after all these years, I'm also still impressed with how Disney managed to cast it's traditional magic in this new movie.

The characters are also evenly matched to their voices; Serenity's Nathan Fillion comes into the film as Johnny the Jaw, Sean Hayes [of Will and Grace] as Terri, Charlie Day as Art and Helen Mirren as Dean Hardscrabble all fit the characters to the T.

Being that it's a prequel, nothing earth-shattering or career ending happens here. No villain dies and Randell Boggs [played by Steve Buscemi] is still alive and still the laughing stock in one form or another. 

As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of metas that come into play in this movie. One of the most recurring ones happen to revolve around Mike and how he pines to be a scarer, no, the top scarer for Monsters Inc. Of course that doesn't happen in the first movie as its actually Sully who becomes that. While Toy Story delved around friendship and acceptance of what you are, Monsters University focuses more on friendship and growing up together. It's an evolving friendship as seen in the relationship between the two main characters.

Another great thing about Monsters University is the gags. It starts slow but by the time we get to see the big scare fest, you'll be chuckling not only at the antics of Mike and Sully but also with the other OK (Oozma Kappa) members such as Art and Terri & Terry. 

Major props to the production crew for giving us a couple of easter eggs in the movie. Oh and to answer your question, YES, THERE IS ANOTHER POST-CREDIT SCENE and you do not want to miss that.

Overall, Monsters University is a great movie to catch this weekend. Be sure to bring the kids and make it a family bonding moment. Oh and I also advice you to watch it in 3D as it gives more life to the already lively gang of would-be scary monsters. 

Special thanks once again to Walt Disney Studios Philippines. Catch Monsters University as it is released today (June 26). 

More Robot and Kaiju Destruction for the New Pacific Rim Trailer

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures kicks things up a notch with the new trailer for the Guillermo Del Torro helmed Pacific Rim starring Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Idris Elba, Charlie Day and Ron Perlman.

The new trailer shows us the origins of the Kaijus, a more intact battle scene between the gigantic Jaegers and the Kaijus. This also features some neat underwater scenes and a closer look at the monstrous alien invaders from the sea. Anyway, enough talk check out the WonderCon trailer for Pacific Rim after the cut.

Familiarize Yourselves with the Giant Robots of Pacific Rim with the New Posters

Last week, it was revealed that Manila will figure in Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ “Pacific Rim” as one of the world cities attacked by sea monsters known as Kaiju. Now, the studios have released the images of gigantic robots known as Jaegers which man created to fight the Kaiju.

The five Jaegers being introduced are Russia’s Cherno Alpha, Japan’s Coyote Tango, USA’s Gipsy Danger, Australia’s Striker Eureka and China’s Crimson Typhoon.

News Bits for Pacific Rim with Viral Video and Jaeger Blueprints

Haven't checked on the news bits for Warner's "Pacific Rim" so imagine my pleasant surprise when I did find some new info. Take for example, these fine looking blueprints for the "Jaegers" the robots tasked to fight the kaiju menace...

Here's Gipsy Danger....

.... followed by the obviously Russian Cherno Alpha...

.... the very Yankee Striker Eureka... 

...  Plus the Japanese Coyote Tango.

Also in the list is a quick viral video featuring the very first Kaiju attack in San Francisco...



So as you can see from the opening scene, it looks like the US managed to snag the skeletal remains of a kaiju...

If you look closely at the video, you may also scratch your head at this...

Yeah what the heck was the creature that hit that building? Anyway here's the official synopsis from Warner Bros.

From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ epic sci-fi action adventure “Pacific Rim.”

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Oscar® nominee Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) is directing “Pacific Rim” from a script by Travis Beacham (“Clash of the Titans”). Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Mary Parent are producing, with Callum Greene serving as executive producer.

The film stars Charlie Hunnam (TV’s “Sons of Anarchy”), Idris Elba (“Thor”), Rinko Kikuchi (“The Brothers Bloom”), Charlie Day (“Horrible Bosses”), and Ron Perlman (the “Hellboy” films). The ensemble cast also includes Max Martini, Robert Kazinsky, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Diego Klattenhoff, and Brad William Henke.

Del Toro’s behind-the-scenes team includes Academy Award®-winning director of photography Guillermo Navarro, production designer Andrew Neskoromny, editor Peter Amundson, and costume designer Kate Hawley.

Slated for release in Summer 2013, “Pacific Rim” is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures. The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.