Lego Dimensions: Too Much Fun to be Legal

  
So…I’ve been a huge fan of the Disney Infinity series since I got the first starter set. It just appeals to me to be able to do specific missions in that character’s world, and then to be able to take them elsewhere to cross over with other characters. Having the figures to hold onto is admittedly a huge part of the fun.

  

Lego Dimensions knows that last part too well. They capitalize on that element of toy-in-game by having the player build vehicles, figures, and the portal itself. It doesn’t stop there, either. Each vehicle has two rebuilds which change the vehicle’s capabilities and are earned in-game. It also crosses many universes into one game, both in its main story and in the separate worlds for each individual license. These include Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future, DC Comics, The Lego Movie, Jurassic World, The Wizard of Oz, and more. 

  
The main story involves Batman, Gandalf, and WyldStyle (of Lego Movie fame) getting drawn into a battle against Lord Vortech, who enlists the aid of the Joker, Saruman, Lex Luthor, Mr. Burns, and other villains to bring his evil plot to life. Also, Vortech has kidnapped Frodo Baggins, Robin, and Metalbeard.

Of course, any world that is involved in the through story can be accessed through the main hub, as long as you have a figure from that world, and possibly downloaded the specific content needed. This does get expensive, but it’s insanely fun. Level Packs add another quest for you to enjoy.

If you like Legos or toy-in-game play or both, drop the dough on this one. It’s insanely fun and hard to put down.

My Halloween Essentials

Just to get in the mood, these are my horror/Halloween movie musts:

Halloween-themed movies

Sleepy Hollow
Trick R Treat
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Beetlejuice

Ghost Stories

Stir of Echoes
The Sixth Sense
Monster House
The Gift
Ghostbusters

Vampire movies

Let The Right One In/Let Me In
The Lost Boys
Interview With The Vampire
Fright Night (1985)*

Other

Zombieland
Psycho
Cloverfield
Hellboy

This list will change repeatedly, I’m sure. What do you think of these picks?

*I still haven’t seen the Fright Night remake!

Why I geek – Movie edition

It was June 23, 1989. My friend David had arranged for his mom to take a station wagon full of kids to the movies. This alone was exciting enough to 13-year-old me, as our town had no movie theater, and we had to drive 30 minutes to the nearest one. The trips to the movie theater were few and far between, but they were highly memorable. But this one…THIS one…wow. Someone was smart enough to take my favorite superhero and adapt him to film using the darker stories of the 1980s as a guide. That someone was Tim Burton. The hero was BATMAN.

I believe there were five of us – David, myself, Aaron, Dan, and Clint – plus David’s younger sister and mom, all piled in. I was in the back, being the kid in our group who was picked on the most, and also the most passive. That was okay, because David had bought the official souvenir magazine of the movie, and it was in the back with me. I found brilliance in the use for an armor suit for Batman. I mean, how else was Michael Keaton going to be convincing in the role? I remember geeking hard over the Batmobile. Batman’s car was always cool, but never like this… and the Joker!!! It seemed like brilliant casting, right up until that Ledger guy came along…

We made a stop at the mall. It was like Batman blew up in the middle of the thing!!! T shirts, posters, toys, books…THIS was the beginning of movie merchandising as we know it today. I walked out with a t shirt for me, as well as one for my sister. I think I also grabbed the movie soundtrack…

Then it HAPPENED. I was sucked in from the first frame I saw. Gotham City was so bleak, and it had this gothic edge that was fascinating and creepy all at once. Bruce Wayne was a deeply disturbed man who in many ways never grew up. Alfred was the stalwart father figure. The Joker was a true maniac. Any memory I had of the Adam West TV show was temporarily wiped away! (The less said about Commissioner Gordon, the better!) The action was unique and exciting! The story built to a pounding climax! And Danny Elfman’s score has never completely left my ears since that day…

This started it. Every summer since then, I look forward to seeing if a movie will catch my imagination. This summer looks very promising, what with Thor being a very cool movie, and with several others looking to have potential. If you go to these movies, look for me. I’ll be the guy in the nerdy shirt.

Review: “I Confess” (1953)

Hitchcock possessed a keen, daring imagination. His ability to find new ways to put his protagonists in dangerous situations is truly marvelous. In “I Confess,” Montgomery Clift is the poor soul in question, playing a priest named Father Michael Logan. Father Logan takes the confession of Otto Keller late one night. Otto works in the church rectory, and knows full well that priests must keep confessions in confidence. Keller confesses that he murdered a local lawyer. Logan is obviously conflicted over what he should do, but he honors the confidentiality that he owes Keller. The problem for the good Father is this: he may have enough apparent motive to be a viable suspect himself.

Clift is great here, and he carries most of the film. He is helped by the beautiful backdrop of Quebec, which is a feast for the eyes, even in black and white. The various plot elements, typically melodramatic, unfold very evenly. This, at least to my judgment, is a woefully under appreciated film. If you can find it, watch it! I promise, if you allow yourself to be drawn in, you’ll enjoy it!

Review: Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)

It’s official… I’m a fan of director Michael Curtiz. You know, if nothing else, his most notable film, Casablanca. He was also behind the camera for White Christmas, as well as other collaborations with Errol Flynn, most memorably in their 1938 adventure yarn The Adventures of Robin Hood. I’ve seen Casablanca a few times. I admire its flowing narrative, as well as the palpable chemistry between its leads. I’ve also seen Robin Hood. While the cinematic blueprint for an action movie has been greatly altered since 1938, I truly enjoy that film as well, largely because of the talent and charisma of Errol Flynn. (I’ll admit to seeing White Christmas once and not remembering it because I watched it in a tired state and may have dozed through much of it.) Charge of the Light Brigade was not Curtiz’s best, but Flynn and his oft-paired partner, Olivia de Havilland, lead a very tight cast through an often boring script.

“Charge of the Light Brigade” was an epic poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson while he served as Poet Laureate to Queen Victoria. The historical truth that the film actually depicts is that 600 brave British soldiers rode against a massive army and gave their lives in the name of their homeland. From the brief research I have just done, the events depicted leading up to that point are highly fictional and/or inaccurate. I don’t really care. I’ll admit here and now to not going into a movie for its accuracy, but just looking for solid entertainment, art, or both. Light Brigade delivers on entertainment. In an age when camera work was more limited than what we have grown accustomed to today, Curtiz showed himself to be adept at making the most of what he had to work with. The battles are fast paced, and while to our modern cinema-going eyes they might lack realism, the horrors of war are presented in a few key scenes in what I imagine was the most harsh manner that they were allowed to portray at a time when nobody’s limbs or head could be blown up on camera and when death scenes were limited to a certain theatricality.

I have to take a moment here to discuss Errol Flynn. Flynn’s work really hits home to me how much more of a craft acting in film was in these early days. This is reinforced by the ensemble, including de Havilland (tortured yet poised), Patric Knowles (conflicted and guilt-ridden), and the prolific David Niven, among others. Each actor knows how to relate in a scene, and each actor seems to make the most of the script that they are given. But Flynn, who seems to me to redefine “leading man,” just seems to exude the kind of presence that can’t be taught. Flynn’s Geoffrey Vickers is a relatable sort of man, being thrust into the situation of losing his fiancee (de Havilland) to his brother (Knowles). Though the three do their best, there’s something in the writing of this triangle that didn’t ring true for me. The real story is the conflict between the British army and the warlord Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon), who is typically two-faced, yet still proves to be an interesting character.

The real story takes quite a while (almost 90 minutes) to kick in. After most of the soldiers are emptied from his post, Vickers’ post is attacked and essentially decimated. He decides to override his superior officer and forges an order to send the “Light Brigade” (600 survivors from his army) to attack Surat Khan’s post. The climactic battle is well done, but it’s nothing revolutionary. I felt obligated to see the film through, although I was not as satisfied with the resolution as I had hoped (even though it’s an inevitable conclusion). For fans of adventure, or for Errol Flynn fans, give this a look. Not a great film, but worth your time.

Hitchcock’s How-To: The Birth of the Modern Spy Thriller

Roger: “Mr. Kaplan has dandruff.”

Mother: “In that case, I think we should leave immediately!”

Hitchcock has become a cinematic hero to me in my adult life. His body of work displays some remarkable diversity and extreme innovation on many levels. Such is certainly true of “North By Northwest,” the fourth and final collaboration between Hitchcock and film icon Cary Grant. NBNW is possibly Hitchcock’s least dark film, thanks in large part to Ernest Lehman’s script, which balances drama, humor, and romance in a masterful way. If you feel put off by the darkness or obsessive themes of “Vertigo” or “Psycho” or the horror theme of “The Birds,” then this may just be a good introduction for you to the master of suspense.

Grant is Roger O. Thornhill, a NYC advertising executive who has a highly dysfunctional relationship with his mother. When a simple gesture is misread in a restaurant, Thornhill is mistaken for another man and abducted. After a drunk driving incident, Thornhill is arrested and charged. The harder he tries to clear himself, the further he becomes ensnared in the complicated game of spy vs. spy that seemingly won’t let go of him. Nevertheless, Thornhill is determined to prove once and for all that he is NOT George Kaplan.

As a would-be composer, I would be completely remiss if I didn’t discuss how Bernard Herrmann’s score heightens the drama of this film. The heightened rhythm conveys the sense of urgency in the action sequences – save for the infamous cropdusting scene, which is fittingly without score. Equally fitting is the score used in the scenes between Grant and the exquisite Eva Marie Saint. Rather than overdo the music, where he could have flooded the sonic stream with rhapsodic melodies, Herrmann opts to add a touch of enhancement with a thinner texture. This is a great example of film scoring at its most optimal.

Watching this film reminds me of why Cary Grant is still so revered as a movie star. In NBNW, he exudes such charisma that it seems impossible to root against him. Who would want to, anyhow? Grant meets his match in the form of Eva Marie Saint, preserved here at the height of her beauty, and possessing incredible seductive powers. Her eyes seem to pop right off of the screen. In lesser roles, James Mason makes the most of his villainous turn, while Martin Landau is a suitable henchman. Jesse Royce Landis is comic gold as Thornhill’s sarcastic mother.

Hitchcock brings Lehman’s rich screenplay to even richer life in Technicolor. The production design is nothing short of meticulous. Every location practically becomes a major set piece, from Manhattan to a train to Chicago to a seemingly inconspicuous field to Mount Rushmore. Hitchcock isn’t afraid to indulge occasionally in unusual camera angles or dolly shots to more effectively tell the story. His sense of pacing here is always just right. If more action films were constructed like NBNW, we as a film audience might not let ourselves expect so little of them.

If you have never seen “North By Northwest,” I urge you to seek it out. I own it, and as always would gladly lend it to you. If you haven’t seen it in a while, remind yourself how fun and stimulating it is.

James Stewart for President

With our nation’s 234th birthday occurring last week, I felt compelled to rewatch “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.” A fairly busy schedule on the 4th coupled with the advent of a new full-time job have delayed my viewing of this classic until this morning. I have seen this movie twice before, but it still stirs my soul.

If you haven’t seen it, stop reading immediately and watch it. If you live near me, I will gladly lend you my copy. If not, check amazon.com for a cheap DVD or even VHS.

Frank Capra’s 1939 tale of a simple man who is taken advantage of but fights back with a vengeance is a fine example of great acting from some of the best actors of the era, or any era, for that matter. Claude Rains, whose career covered numerous classic films, is wonderful as a senator of uncertain allegiance. His Senator Paine has a deep tie to Jefferson Smith(Jimmy Stewart)’s past. On the other side of the coin, he’s the main part of a political machine meant to benefit a corrupt profiteer (Edward Albert) from Paine’s home state. This could have been a very cliched villain, but Raines imbued him with a pitiable humanity. Jean Arthur is charming as Saunders, Mr. Smith’s secretary. I would imagine that this role was incredibly fun for her, as there is more than a hint of female independence in Saunders’ character, certainly more than one would be likely to see in any other movie of a similar era. Saunders starts out as a streetwise, cold, and selfish woman, but it’s lovely to see how Jefferson Smith cracks her tough shell with his honesty and blatant optimism. Many of the Capra regulars are present, and make much of their supporting roles. Beulah Bondi is once again mother to Stewart, and she effuses motherly love and pride. Thomas Mitchell, who would later play Uncle Billy alongside Stewart in It’s A Wonderful Life, is light-heartedly fun as Diz, a DC reporter who delights in seeing Smith screw up. An early scene with the governor of Smith’s home state being chided by his eight children for not considering Smith for the vacant Senate seat is wonderfully comical. Guy Kibbee as the governor breaks the dramatic tension often, displaying a rare gift for hilarity and great timing.

I could write for days about the greatness of Jimmy Stewart. We all know his trademark vocal inflections, but this man was a very open and real actor. His Jefferson Smith is polite, soft-spoken, earnest, completely uncynical, and as wide-eyed as they come. In this role, Stewart displays great emotional range throughout, ranging from great elation to being humbled to boiling over with passionate fervor. Seeing his sense of awe as he toured the major monuments of Washington reminded me how great America’s potential is. The first scene at the Lincoln Memorial is especially potent, somehow seamlessly painting a portrait of the USA of 1939 in a relatively short scene. If you’re not moved by this moment, you may not be American. By contrast, the filibuster scene is a rousing inspiration to me. Stewart’s commitment to the scene and to the stubbornness and the unshakable, incorruptible determination that Smith displays is nothing short of breathtaking.

This movie holds up so well partly because of the great writing. The dialogue is sharp, and well-delivered. The entire ensemble finds a very unified rhythm. They fire their lines back and forth like Old West gunslingers. The camera angles are quite ahead of their time. The dinner scene in the governor’s mansion and the filibuster scene are great examples of this striking cinematography.

“Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” reminds me of the aspects of being an American that seemed exciting to me as a child. As I watched attentively, I was struck by how the corruption portrayed here could easily happen today. The lengths that Senator Paine and the man that owns him go to in order to defame Smith is, to me, nauseating. I have no doubt, however, that even today there are Jefferson Smiths out there who will gather their courage and take a stand for the small and the weak when it would be easier to turn their heads. Maybe the result won’t be as dramatic as Stewart’s filibuster scene – after all, Capra isn’t around to stage it – but I hope and pray that they will do whatever it takes to try to champion the lost causes. After all, they’re the only ones worth fighting for.

I don’t enjoy political discussions. Somehow, someone is inevitably blamed for some great wrong.
Watching MSGTW made me long for some sort of attempt on the part of politicians to cross party lines and try to step beyond their own selfishness in order to accomplish something for the greater good. In the meantime, I’m dreaming of what America could still achieve…