Brief Review: The Lego Movie

Above all else, the 1980s Spaceman Benny from "The Lego Movie" stands out.  Not only because of his endearing obsession with building a spaceship (and particularly how that obsession pays off), but because of the character's helmet.  If you are of a certain age, you will remember how the thin bottom of the spaceman's helmet would always crack but never fall off.

Spaceman Benny's helmet was cracked in that very same spot.

It's that kind of loving detail that makes "The Lego Movie" absolutely awesome.  It's an animated action comedy that exists somewhere between the heart of Pixar movies like "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo" and the snark of "Shrek."  It involves the quest of every-Lego-man Emmet and his friends as they try and stop President Business from destroying the world.  Explaining more would eliminate the goofy joy of watching the plot develop.

What the movie does best is capture the imaginative joy of a child playing with a bunch of toys and creating such outlandish scenarios that involve Batman meeting Han Solo and Abraham Lincoln.  It truly is awesome.