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.

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.

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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!

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.

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.

Click to see more of the V8 Interceptor

Look at this stuff. Isn’t it neat? Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?

If you don’t recognise it, the title is a small excerpt of Part of Your World from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. (It’s also something I’ve never heard an adult fan of LEGO say when describing their collection.) Builder Konoyaro used the Disney movie as an inspiration for this creation and it looks stunning! The best part about this has to absolutely be the vibrant colours. Konoyaro used a lot of parts introduced in the Friends and Elves sets for the coral reef. Look how cute Sebastian and Flounder are on this scale. Small but still very recognisable. The award for best part used goes to the knit caps used as a shell bikini top. And I am really curious to how posable this figure is. It looks like it has joints in all the right places.

On the shores of the sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-Earth

The bittersweet ending of The Lord of the Rings is a scene that impacted many readers and viewers such as myself. It is the last we see of our beloved heroes after so many trials and tribulations in their story. In this scene, our heroes join the elves on a boat departing Middle-Earth to “a far green country under a swift sunrise.” Many see this as an allegory for death and the journey beyond, whether it be heaven or something else. Like Bilbo, I like to think of this in a more optimistic way: a new adventure in an unfamiliar land. JNJ Bricks captured the moment in the Grey Havens right before their departure in a striking, immersive LEGO scene.

The minifigures of Frodo, Gandalf, and the hobbits stand in the foreground, out of focus and facing away. The elves wait by the boat, ready to take them on their journey out of the completely brick-built harbour. LEGO parts make up everything in this scene, from the water to the sunset sky between the cliffs. My favourite detail, the arches, and towers across the water look just like the movie, despite being so small. The boat, being grey, is distinct enough to not blend into the background. The accuracy of this scene invokes the same emotion in me as I experience while reading the book or watching the movie. Now I am in the mood for some of Tolkien’s poetry…

Dr. Phibes has great vibes

Tons of horror movies are hitting the box office these days, but if you’re ever looking to opt for a classic, it’s worth taking a look at The Abominable Dr. Phibes. This 1971 British dark comedy horror film is the subject of Mark Hodgson‘s latest LEGO build. Set in 1920s London, the film’s set design features some gorgeous examples of Art Deco throughout, most notably the grand ballroom of Dr. Phibes’ mansion which has been recreated here. The campy color scheme is well-replicated in Mark’s build. The bubblegum pink, olive green, and purples are spot-on to the original colors of the set design. And as we ascend the staircase, the mechanical masked musicians fill the air with ominous jazz and Dr. Phibes serenades us at the organ. Just like the opening scene of the film, everything in this build screams DRAMA!

Translucent pink 1x2x5 bricks in a cascading formation surround the organ and the lights beneath add an enchanting neon glow to the scene. The translucent black curved windows add a dark overcast feel in the background. Two dead trees and stuffed owls perch on each side of the center stage, fitting the macabre theme. The arch bricks and macaroni tiles throughout the build make this a solid Art Deco build and captures the likeness of Dr. Phibes’ ballroom.

In the mood for some more spooky builds? Check out our archives for some more horror-themed creations!

Water, water, everywhere

This summer, I’ve had watercraft on the brain. Moana’s Starlight Canoe is the latest LEGO build by Letranger Absurde that follows my stream of reality shows I am currently addicted to watching. Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck Sailing Yacht are in heavy rotation. This fantastical route inspired by Moana, the 2016 Disney film, is a nice change of pace. Letranger Absurde does another solid job at modeling her figures with realism, adding stylish details of the character’s dress. This is the sixth installment in her Once Upon A Time series that recreates iconic scenes and characters from the annals of Disney (i.e. The Little Mermaid and Snow White). Building a real-life canoe is a feat unto itself. So the recreation of the bamboo deck along with other wooden-like textures gives off the appearance of a watercraft ready to take on the elements. The kicker in the canoe’s rigging is the string of beige battle droid arms supporting the mast. I’m already over my head in nautical terms. Ahoy!

Check out more cool creations by Letranger Absurde (vitreolum).

Eastwood’s lucky day

There’s never a shortage of Back to the Future and Back to the Future Part II nostalgia. However, for the 30th anniversary of Back to the Future Part III, the 1990 film gets its due respect in a LEGO remake of Doc Brown’s timely rescue of Marty McFly from Biff Tannen and his goons. Brick Grayson is the creator of this memorable western scene. The Hill Valley Courthouse (1885) is shown under construction with a wooden scaffold covering the facade. The Biff minifigure is holding the rope, while Marty (a.k.a. Eastwood), hangs at the other end. Standing near the top left of the construction site is what seems to be Marty’s great-great-grandfather Seamus McFly, wearing a derby hat. The Marty McFly from the future is wisely sourced using the cowboy torso from the series 18 CMF, along with the addition of pink arms to contrast the maroon-colored pants. The printed fringe shirt worn by Marty McFly also lines up pretty close to the LEGO version.

Check out Brick Grayson’s previous BTTF III scene from Marty’s wild west escape.

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.

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.

One meme to rule them all

It’s got to be one of the most popular memes on the internet. There’s Eddard Stark at the Council of Agent Smith in Rivendell, uttering the unforgettable “One does not simply MOC into Mordor.” Or at least that’s what a LEGO version of double-oh-six would say, right? (A MOC is, of course, an original LEGO build, “My Own Creation”; and wonderfully, it rhymes with walk.) Swap out the Mordor bit and you have a universally applicable meme for difficult things. Fancy your hand at meme-ing this build by Big Stannis? The builder has captured the exact moment of the utterance, so perhaps we need to make this version go viral in the LEGO world. All the little details are there, from the cuffs to collar, and don’t miss that hair with ears poking out. Rounded ears, of course, since he’s not blond Will Turner. And right after you finish publishing your meme, Rudy will run out of wherever he’s hiding, eager to be included on the team for at least one game of ring toss.

Visiting this temple will be sure to bring some heartache

Some movies really tug on your heartstrings, getting you deep in the feels. For nerds out there like me, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom might tug on some heartstrings, too–or at least Mola Ram does. Ha. When I look at this LEGO model built by Henry Tilney, I certainly get the feels. What’s not to like? There is a great representation of some mining carts going down a roller coaster (clearly placed in the film for that amusement park tie-in), and there is Indiana himself, the eminent archaeologist/grave robber Henry Jones, Jr., perched beside a pit of lava. Hopefully he doesn’t end up burning up! Topping it all off is a camel, which doesn’t feature in The Temple of Doom that I recall, but certainly can be found in the final installment of the Indiana Jones trilogy, The Last Crusade.