Tag Archives: Movies

Films and the cinema provide a lot of great inspiration for LEGO builders all over the world. You’ll find LEGO models inspired by everything from Mad Max to Toy Story here.

Busting a Stitch

Stitch is an adorably cuddly alien lost on Earth, and as the weirdest blue teddy bear he’s rather difficult to translate into LEGO. But this bust by Joffre Zheng is fantastic, capturing his expressive eyebrows and ears with ease, while also employing a variety of shades of blue. Joffre says the internal structure consists mainly of Mixel ball joints, which help him achieve the odd angles of many of the pieces, like the quarter circles for the eyebrows.

Stitch

Builder spotlight: Orion Pax and his pop culture extravaganza

LEGO builds of movies and TV are kind of a big deal. Everybody builds something from their favourite media, be it a character, vehicle, location, or a whole scene. Some people do it so consistency and with quality that their creations become icons in the community. This is where builder and LEGO Masters Germany contestant Alex Jones (Orion Pax) comes in. I recall seeing his numerous Transformers builds as early as ten years ago. Since then, he has graced us with a wide variety of wonderful vehicles from movies and TV shows. Not only that, he also built replica objects from the ’80s. And now, Alex shows them all off on his brand new website.

Click to see more of Alex’s builds!

That’s odd, usually the blood gets off at the second floor.

If you’re feeling a bit unsettled but don’t know why, there’s a reason for it. If you’re totally feeling the heebie-jeebies and you do know why, then you, dear readers, are keen to the fact that this is a scene from The Shining. Alex Eylar recreates the pivotal scene in LEGO but got the idea and permission from Reddit user /u/thatbenguy23. (If that’s your real name!) It kind of makes you want to take the family out for a winter retreat at the Overlook Hotel, doesn’t it? Let’s take the elevator up. What can go wrong? While we’re waiting for that elevator, check out this melancholy scene by Alex we posted last May.

The Shining

Will Luxo Jr. ever be held responsible for its malicious letter smashing?

Paulville MOCs is no stranger to our pages, racking up almost as many hit creations as the Emeryville, CA-based animation studio Pixar. This little scene perfectly captures the multi-jointed lamp Luxo Jr and the distinctive company font with long serifs formed by partial clip connections and bit of flex tube.

Pixar Logo

Wondering what the letter “I” looked like before it got squashed by that devious lamp? Paulville’s got you covered.

The prominent minifigure torso in the lamp is the latest Iron Forge seed part being used by builders the world over in the latest free for all round. Our own Ben Stenlund recently used some to great effect as birdhouses.

LEGO sets for Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon revealed [News]

Three LEGO sets for Disney’s upcoming animated film Raya and the Last Dragon have been revealed, thanks to retailer Learning Express Gifts. Raya was originally slated to premiere last November but has been bumped to March 5, when it will release simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+. The new LEGO sets are part of the Disney Princess lineup and feature minidolls rather than minifigures. The sets introduce a number of new elements for designs iconic to the movie, such as Raya’s conical straw hat and her pill bug-like companion Tuk Tuk, and of course, Sisu the dragon. There’s no word yet when the sets will be available for sale.

Click to see more of the LEGO Raya sets

Arvo brothers bring Robocop to life with LEGO – I’d buy that for a dollar!

If you haven’t heard of the Arvo Brothers before, they’re Ramon and Amador Alfaro Marcilla, a pair of Spanish builders who are known for truly amazing LEGO sculptures. Their latest effort pays tribute to the 1987 classic, RoboCop. Standing around 2 feet tall, this towering figure is a dead-on recreation of Peter Weller’s portrayal of the titular character and is filled with intricate and screen-accurate detailing.

The first thing that becomes apparent is that there’s a level of articulation built into this sculpture. The shoulders, elbow, and head can all be adjusted to create a variety of bad-ass poses. The next thing that you notice is the spectacular part usage. There are just a few LEGO studs exposed, enough to let you know what he’s made of, but so few that you’re still required to really lean in to be sure. Curved tiles and slopes are everywhere, smoothing out the shapes and creating a perfectly streamlined set of armor.

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He may be Gandalf the White, but he’s looking rather grey today

Tragically underused in LEGO builds is the immersive, cinematic shot. Sure, it’s vastly easier and faster to build a vignette, or a stand-alone building, but I deeply admire builders who can move their creation beyond plastic bricks and into an entire world filling the frame. Nathan Smith is one of those builders, playing with light and camera angles to put the viewer in the scene in a believable way. Are there many mind-blowing building techniques on display here? No, not really, though that door does look quite nice. But nothing is out of place, with meticulously arranged leaves and crates, and the smooth walls of the citadel allow the lighting effects to shine. And shine they do, illuminating a ruminating Gandalf perfectly.

"Before the Siege"

Love LEGO builds inspired by The Lord of the Rings? Then check out the TBB LEGO Lord of the Rings archives. They’re epic!

LEGO Ghostbusters 10274 ECTO-1: Everybody can relax, I found the car. [Review]

The pandemic has had a pretty grim impact on cinematic release schedules this year. Ghostbusters: Afterlife was originally slated for a July 10th release, but is currently delayed to June 11, 2021. That left a lot of fans pretty unhappy…but LEGO has found a way to keep us busy while we wait for things to return to a new normal. Arguably the most beloved converted 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance of all time, the Ghostbusters ECTO-1 will be available directly via LEGO.com and LEGO Stores starting November 15th. This 2,352 piece set will retail for US $199.99 | CAN $259.99 | UK £179.99. What secrets does this new version of the ECTO-1 hold? Read on and see!

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to read the full hands-on review

This is no mine, it is a tomb

I’ve always loved this scene from The Fellowship of the Ring when the band makes their way into the Mines of Moria only to discover Balin and his dwarves have been wiped out. To me, it’s when the story first really turns an unexpected direction. Nathan Smith has beautifully recreated it in a LEGO diorama that perfectly imitates the scene’s camera angle and even lighting. From the scattered remnants of the dwarven miners, to the light on Gandalf’s magical staff, to the hobbits just barely visible in the doorway, this scene is just what I needed to take me back almost 20 years when I first saw the film.

"This is no mine, it is a tomb"

If Aragorn were running for president, I’d vote for him

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll repeat it, but I love The Lord of the Rings. The books, that is. Simon Hundsbichler must love the books, too, since he has finally finished the third installment of his trilogy, commemorating the climactic The Return of the King. I’ve been waiting for this one for a while, and it does not disappoint! From an incredible microscale Minas Tirith to an imposing Barad-dûr, every bit of this build is packed with great details and clever parts usages. Ogle that oliphaunt from Harad for a while, and admire the lever-arm orcs. There’s even an eagle and fell Nazgûl beast in the air!

The Return of the King

Did you miss the first two volumes? Check out Simon’s The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers builds here. And don’t miss the other great Lord of the Rings builds in our archives, too!

Mortgages are truly horrifying

I’m not the kind of guy who likes to watch horror movies; real life is scary enough, so why should my entertainment be scary, too? I mean, have you ever considered how much money you pay in interest on a 30-year mortgage? Terrifying! Add in taxes and maintenance, and it really does feel like my house is eating me. Now, I realize that Pieter Dennison built this incredible LEGO monster house after watching, well, Monster House, but I haven’t seen it. That doesn’t stop me from being frightened. Seriously, look at the state of those shingles, probably a slate roof that would take more than my left kidney to repair. And that siding needs fresh paint, if not a total tear-off (unless you slap some vinyl siding on top, like lipstick on a pig). And that front porch? There’s no way that railing is up to code. This is true horror, folks.

Monster House

Mad Max’s V8 Interceptor rides again

This sweet ride by Michael Kanemoto is looking mean in a way only classic muscle cars can. The black beast is a LEGO Technic scale recreation of Mad Max’s 1973 Ford Falcon, which is of course heavily modified and redubbed the V8 Interceptor. It appears here as it did in 1982’s Mad Max 2: Road Warrior, with massive fuel tanks mounted in back.

V8 Interceptor

Click to see more of the V8 Interceptor