Movie Review: "The Lego Movie" Is Wild, Crazy, and Loads of Fun.

The Lego Movie

Directors: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Cast: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, Will Arnett, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, and Morgan Freeman.
Rated PG for mild action and rude humor.

Legos were a big part of my childhood. I could sit, build, and play for hours. Naturally, when I heard that one of my favorite toys would serve as the inspiration for a feature length film I was thrilled. But then the thought came to me, "what if it sucks?" This is a project that could have easily turned into a thoughtless piece of garbage with the sole purpose of selling a product. Luckily, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (the duo behind Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street) cared enough to give The Lego Movie witty humor, satire, and a story that actually has a moral.

The 2nd Annual Todd Awards (2013) - Nominations

The 2nd Annual Todd Awards

-Nominations-

Here we are again to celebrate yet another wonderful year at the movies. Some may remember my awards for last year, some may new to how and why I do this. While I respect and admire the Academy Awards, I do not always feel they represent film fairly and adequately. The Todd Awards are an attempt to recognize some of my favorite films of the last year and the different aspects that made them great, including both blockbusters, indies, and the heavy hitting dramas. These nominations (and eventual winners) are all based on my own personal taste and liking. They are not meant to please everyone, but if you care to know that stood out the most to me throughout 2013, then this is the best way to do so. Also, I have yet to see every film released in 2013 so please forgive my ignorance towards films unseen. I will also include films that technically were released in 2013, such as limited releases, but did not reach nationwide audiences till early 2014, films like Lone Survivor. With that in mind, let's get on with the nominees for The 2nd Annual Todd Awards:

Movie Review: "Frozen" Is Pure Disney Excellence.

Frozen

Directors: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, and Alan Tudyk.
Rated PG for some action and mild rude humor.

Disney Animation continues its hot streak with its latest release, Frozen. Following the success of Wreck-It Ralph and Tangled, Frozen contains the same charm, but also includes that special Disney magic that was commonplace among the Disney Renaissance films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. This achievement is largely due to the absolutely incredible music and songs by Tony Award winner Robert Lopez and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

Movie Review: "Jack Ryan" Entertains, But Lacks The Influence Of His Creator, Tom Clancy.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, and Kenneth Branagh.
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and intense action, and brief strong language.

Jack Ryan is late author Tom Clancy's most prominent character. He has been brought to the big screen by the likes of Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October), Harrison Ford (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger), and Ben Affleck (The Sum of All Fears). Now, after more than a ten year absence, Jack Ryan is back in action in the form of Chris Pine. Shadow Recruit is an attempt to explain Ryan's origins and potentially reboot the dormant franchise.

Movie Review: Spike Jonze's "Her" Creates An Intriguing Future With A Strong, Yet Subtle Performance From Joaquin Phoenix.

Her

Director: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Chris Pratt, and Scarlett Johansson.
Rated R for language, sexual content, and brief graphic nudity.

Director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Where the Wild Things Are) creates a wholly unique love story that takes place in the near future, one that is entirely plausible, and in all honesty, very likely. Joaquin Phoenix, once again, proves that he is one of the strongest actors working today and Scarlett Johansson brings some real emotion and complexity to the voice of Samantha.

Movie Review: "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" Showcases Ben Stiller's Potential As A Filmmaker

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Shirley MacLaine, Patton Oswalt, and Sean Penn.
Rated PG  for some crude comments, language, and action violence.

Ben Stiller sure has come a long way as a filmmaker and he takes his biggest leap with his latest project: bringing James Thurber's classic short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, to the big screen. There is some some truly picturesque cinematography throughout the film with a nice story of a dreamer who dared to be adventurous.

Movie Review: "Lone Survivor" Successfully Depicts Intense Warfare With True Acts Of Courage.

Lone Survivor

Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, and Eric Bana.
Rated R for strong bloody war violence and pervasive language.

Director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom) has chosen to adapt the true story of a failed US Navy SEALs operation that occurred in Afghanistan in 2005 as told by the one man that lived to tell the story, Marcus Luttrell. This film contains some of the most intense and realistic scenes of modern warfare. What is depicted on screen is both brutal and tragic, yet the brotherhood that these heroes share is inspiring.