Tag Archives: Movie

We used to build LEGO spaceships and wonder at our place in the stars

Going by the latest reports, Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited Tenet will finally hit big screens less than a month. While we still wait, it might be the best time to re-watch another movie by one of the greatest directors of our time. CheeseyStudios suggests the 2014 epic sci-fi Interstellar. His build of The Endurance spaceship is much more complicated than it looks. Note it consists of 12 sections, which means that the angle between them is 150 degrees. Caleb managed to find just the right piece for this task, giant flex joints.

The Endurance

And if you are interested in the design of the Ranger shuttle, note a brilliant use of ninja swords. Thanks to the curved swords, the otherwise somewhat blocky model becomes very recognizable.

Microscale Ranger - Interstellar

A closer look at the LEGO Marvel Avengers 76165 Iron Man Helmet [News]

Last month, toy retailers first revealed an image of the upcoming LEGO Iron Man Helmet that only offered a flat front view and did not showcase the entire model. Now that LEGO has published the official photos and product details, we can appreciate this helmet in a better light including a 360° video spin. The LEGO Marvel Avengers 76165 Iron Man Helmet comes with 480 pieces and will be released on June 21st for US $59.99 and CAN $79.99 and on August 1st for UK £54.99.

Click to see the images and video with the full product specifications

Iyo-Iyo-ooooh Wah Wah Wah

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly…that is some classic Western, right there! Just the first few bars of that catchy theme song is enough to conjure images of a barren desert, of tumbleweeds, and of Clint Eastwood squinting into the distance. This LEGO creation by Miro Dudas</a> is enough to conjure those images as well. You don’t even have to see Clint’s face to know he’s squinting. That’s the genius of Miro’s minimalist approach to some of his work. The forced perspective of the smaller figures are a stroke of brilliance. He even took this photo during sunset to give it just the right feel. We seem to like Western themes here at The Brothers-Brick. I know I do. Now that we got that tune stuck in your head here’s a different version that hopefully you have not heard yet.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I want to play a game

Only one thing pops in my mind with a scene like this, a creepy scene that Jigsaw would put one of his victims in. This one looks a little harmless compared to the more complex contraptions that we’ve seen in the sequels, but a reminder of the classic cult film Saw, that took the world by surprise with a tiny budget and making big headways. This scene by Douglas Hughes, pictures a classic man-tied-to-the-chair movie trope, but what makes it stand out as a LEGO build are the details. They say the details bring a scene to life. The closed-circuit camera, the air vent, that electrical outlet plug outlet, and the old school looking heater all lend the weight to the sense of reality. What’s the story here? Well, for me, reality kicks in for Saw movie is when the director yells “CUT!” and everyone gets a break and grabs a sandwich and coffee, and that’s my secret on how I get through watching a horror flick.

The Interrogation

LEGO Technic 42111 Dom’s Dodge Charger [Review]

Close your eyes and imagine a LEGO set: iconic 1970s Dodge Charger R/T, packed with authentic details. The opening hood reveals a model version of the iconic V8 engine; moving pistons, wishbone suspension, steering system, and air blower. There are even nitro bottles in the trunk. Just like the real thing! Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? According to LEGO, such an exciting set, in this instance, LEGO Technic 42111 Dom’s Dodge Charger, retails for just US $99.99 | CAN $139.99 | UK £89.99. Moreover, the model consists of just 1,077 pieces, which, by all means, isn’t a big Technic set. A medium-sized Dodge Charger in an authentic design for US $100 seems to be an absolute bestseller. But before you order one for yourself, let’s build it and make sure it is as good as we imaged it.

Click here to continue reading…

LEGO and Universal Pictures strike deal for new LEGO movies [News]

LEGO and Universal Pictures have announced a five-year exclusive agreement to develop, produce and distribute more movies based on LEGO licenses. This pact includes all the film rights for previously released titles, so we could see the next installment of franchises like The LEGO Movie as well as new additions to the LEGO film universe.

Previously, Warner Bros. via the Warner Animated Group had produced a total of four movies over a span of 6 years but made the decision by the end of December 2019 not to renew the license agreement with LEGO to make more big-screens titles. While the first LEGO movie was considered a box-office hit, and the total takings from the four movies combined grossed over $1.1 billion globally, individually the later titles (The LEGO Batman Movie, The LEGO Ninjago Movie, and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part) did not bring in the same box office expectations. There was interest from Universal pictures with involvement in LEGO films following their work on the Jurassic Park LEGO miniseries, and now the two companies have finally closed on the agreement.

Here’s the press release from LEGO in full:

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA—April 23, 2020— Universal Pictures today announced that the studio has entered into a five-year exclusive agreement with the LEGO Group to develop, produce and distribute theatrical releases based on its intellectual property and original ideas. The announcement was made by Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, and Jill Wilfert, Head of Entertainment, the LEGO Group.

Capitalizing on its timeless brand, the LEGO Group’s expansion into content creation with titles including The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie, The LEGO Ninjago Movie and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, has grossed nearly $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office. Universal and LEGO have previously collaborated on the television special, Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit and the 13-episode mini-series LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar.

“The LEGO System in Play gives people the ability to build worlds and create stories that they carry throughout every phase of their lives,” said Langley. “To partner with such an iconic brand that remains relevant and is constantly evolving allows for creativity in storytelling. We’re thrilled to start building out the next chapter of LEGO movies together with Jill and the LEGO team as they continue to inspire curiosity and innovation.”

“Universal’s commitment to unique storytelling from diverse voices makes the Studio the perfect partner as the LEGO Group enters this new phase of filmmaking,” said Wilfert. “Donna and the entire Universal team bring a sense of wonder and imagination we share, and we can’t wait to execute on our shared vision.”

Wilfert will serve as producer on all LEGO projects developed and released by Universal. Rideback’s Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich will produce alongside Wilfert on the next LEGO-inspired feature. Lin produced all previous LEGO features.

The LEGO Group was represented in the deal by Ken Kleinberg and Jill Smith from Kleinberg, Lange, Cuddy and Carlo.

 

Relive the Star Wars Trench Run with a LEGO custom build kit [Instructions]

Early on when Jason Allemann from JK Brickworks first revealed and eventually submitted the wonderful Pursuit of Flight on LEGO Ideas. He also recreated two variations, a scene with Santa and his reindeers, and also modification of the scene that captured many Star Wars Fans hearts with the nail-biting Trench Run scene from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

While we’ll never get to see the Pursuit of Flight be made into an official LEGO set, he’s released the building instruction guide and parts for the Trench Run.

Trench Run Pursuit Instructions

You can download the parts and instructions from the JK Brickworks website here, which consists of an add-on guide if you wish to motorise the setup.

Carrey on my wayward son

The 1990s are a golden age of under-appreciated comic book movies. Sure, just about everyone loves the 1992 Batman flick, but what about Mystery Men? Or Darkman? Or, better still, 1994’s The Mask? Based on the Dark Horse comics of the same name, Jim Carrey starred as a wisecracking, fourth-wall-breaking, indestructible anti-hero. Sort of the Deadpool before Deadpool. Pistash has recreated one The Mask’s most meme-able images in LEGO, and it’s just as expressive as the movie version. (Or its animated inspiration.)

The mask

Some standout bits of construction include the use of a zebra-print tile for a handkerchief, and what I think are FreeStyle wheel pins for pupils. And there lots of curved slopes in magenta for the tongue. But I bet you noticed that bit for yourself.

Let’s end with a bit of oddball trivia I discovered while researching this post. I mentioned the Mask’s similarities to Deadpool earlier, right? Well, in 1988 Jim Carrey had a role in The Dead Pool. Eerie foreshadowing or just a stupid coincidence? You make the call.

Lord of the Bricks: Masterpiece Edition

Microscales are fun and always leave me in awe with great parts usage and clever techniques, but this masterpiece by Simon Hundsbichler is jaw-dropping in every way. His build consists of six locations from the Fellowship of the Ring, recreated in awe-inspiring microscale — You don’t have to build big to make a big impact. What makes this literally pop out is the open brick-built book acting as an elegant base, complete with subtle detailing to form the curvature of the spine. I could stare at this for hours and find new things to wonder about. I did manage to spot a hidden Easter egg, with the one ring built into the hobbit-hole. Can you spot Gandalf? (Yes, he’s there alright)

The Fellowship of the Ring

Build James Bond’s Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me [Instructions]

Looking back at the action scenes from the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me make them seem downright cheesy today. Having said that, the reason why the Lotus Esprit is still remembered and loved is just how realistic the way the car submerged and reappeared on the sandy beach. Simple designs are sometimes the key to making things rememberable. Hachiroku24’s take on this vehicle not only looks great from the sides, but also has great detailing on the rear using simple 1×1 plates for its rear tail lights.

Lego 007's Lotus Esprit

Click for full instructions to build your own

Laughing all the way to the bank

There’s no stopping the insanity of the Joker at the box office, with it now surpassing the Deadpool movies to be the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. Though more fan builds will inevitably come, for now this build by Vincent’s LEGO Creation is likely as close as we’re going to get to a minifigure representation of the groundbreaking performance by Joaquin Phoenix, since we all know how LEGO feels about representing movies with that level of violence. However, you never can tell as we’ve seen how LEGO tackles more unconventional topics with convention releases.

Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there? #joker #legomoc #legobuilt #lego

A Shining example of LEGO ingenuity

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Maybe what Jack needs is to take a break and play with some LEGO. Then again…maybe not. Timofey Tkachev brings us a twist on an iconic image from The Shining with “Here’s Johnny!” An instantly recognizable Jack Nicholson breaks through a door…but since the door is made of LEGO, he’s using a brick separator. Because of course he is.

Here is Johnny

There’s a lot to love about the build here. Elephant trunks have just the right shaping for Jack’s eyebrows, and an energy effect wave makes for a great bit of unkempt hair. Tiles are used to great effect, with quarter circle round tiles shaping the nose, and white half circles forming his insane grin. The really scary part of this build, though, is that somehow it just took a single evening to put together. That’s spooky fast!