Review: The Lego Movie

By this point in time, I think it is safe to say Lego has become an extremely recognizable name. With its colorful, complex and creative sets which range from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings and construction sets to model planes. Going beyond that, the opportunity to create and shape the square, multicolored building blocks is massive, leading to people making some impressive and awesome works, a fine example being a man who built a fully scaled World War Two era battleship. It now almost goes without saying while Legos are meant originally for children, adults can find as much or even more excitement and creativity within these small pieces of plastic. A movie, then, was all but inevitable.

With Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, both the directors of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, at the helm of this stop-motion and colorful film the chance of success was a good one, as the humor brought by Dan and Kevin Hagemen was wonderful as it was diverse. Bright and energetic, the story follows the character of Emmet Brickowski, an average and otherwise unremarkable construction worker who has a massive optimism that knows no bounds. Emmet finds comfort in following the rules and instruction laid out for everyone’s daily lives by the President of the world, and summary antagonist, Lord Business. Emmet finds his live changed, though, when he accidentally stumbles upon an ancient relic, the Piece of Resistance, making him the prophetic “Special,” a being said to have the ability to stop Lord Business’s plan to forever change the world.

With the Piece of Resistance, Emmet finds himself hunted by Lord Business’s Lieutenant, fittingly named Bad Cop, and his legion of robotic soldiers/cronies. But Emmet is not alone, as he joins with the Master Builders, people with the ability to take pieces from everyday objects and rebuild them into something else entirely. This ability is best illustrated when Emmet is first saved by the figure of Wild-Style by taking parts and pieces from a back alley to build a massive motorcycle. And while these Master Builders are impressive, Emmet is not at first as the audience soon learns that he has never had an original thought in his life due to his constant following of instructions and rules, something the Master Builders abhor.

This is, unfortunately, a story of an average man who is thrust into a conflict he does not understand or is not up to, only to have him eventually rise to the occasion through the power of belief in himself and ultimately triumph. That is a standard children’s movie story, but what make it great in the delivery and substance of the comedy and other aspects of the story. The gags and jokes used throughout the movie were simple and straightforward most of the time, but their timing and use were beyond excellent, and many times bent me over in my seat laughing. No one gag was used too much or not used at the right time, granted it is not highbrow, sophisticated humor, but its use was spectacular to the point where everyone, young and old, can appreciate it.

The story also has some touching moments as well, as the relationships grow throughout it. Emmet eventually learns to believe and trust in himself and those around him, as he deals with a loneliness he never knew he had and expectation he cannot live up to. All is forgiven, though, at the movie’s climax, where Lord Business puts his plan into action. Everyone rises up to try and stop him, but his forces prove too powerful, leading to a final showdown between our lovable but slightly clueless protagonist and all-powerful villain. The battle ends not on the usual slaying of the evil lord, but rather a touching moment of realization, resolving everything in a single, peaceful and almost loving epiphany.

The story, while not revolutionary at its core, is extremely creative and clever. The best way I can think to describe it is that it is a Lego movie rather than a movie with Legos. The theme of instructions versus creativity is one which rhymes with Legos well, as all the sets come with instructions, but the true fun comes from building what you want, being creative. The obvious comparison in the Lego Movie would be between the instructions of Lord Business and the creativity of the Master Builders. Other fun notes would be how the movie uses some named characters, most notably being Batman. The gags and jokes the writers use with Batman are hysterical, all of which relate back to the man himself, as well as other movies made about him.

Chris Pratt, known for playing Andy on Parks and Recreation, brings an enthusiasm and charm to his performance as Emmet that fits the character entirely. His constant optimism and cheer translates so well to Emmet, making his performance stand out as one of the best in this movie. Morgan Freeman also brings his best in his performance of the leader of the Master Builders, Vitruvius. Being the leader, he also happens to be one of the best builders, taking on the role of mentor for Emmet as he tries to join the ranks of the Master Builders. Will Ferrell, too, is great as he plays the role of Lord Business, sounding suitably commanding, imposing and like a classic bad guy would, which just adds another layer of comedy to his performance. Elizabeth Banks from Hunger Games also does a great job as the voice of Wild-Style, being cheeky, strong and funny all at the same time. Will Arnett’s Batman is great, being dark and cynical, but also sometimes clueless and incompetent. Seeing that is not what Batman is known for, it makes his character all the more hilarious. Finally, Allison Brie plays the character of Unikitty, an overly happy unicorn-kitty who refuses to feel any negativity at all costs. Needless to say after all this, every member of the cast brings their A-game, leading to an overall performance that is just great.

So, where does this leave us? The Lego Movie is a great film. It is funny, clever, touching, creative and fun ride throughout. This is an excellent example of how creativity can come from anywhere, and given enough time, love and attention can become something great. I can say that this is the best movie I have seen all year, and while not all movies have come out yet, I think this has a good chance to be the best movie of the year. In the end, the greatest praise I can give a movie is that I would see it again. And I would absolutely love to see The Lego Movie again.

Roast Chicken with Herbed butter recipe

8 Tablespoons of butter

2 Tablespoons for chopped dill, tarragon, chervil or any other herbs you want in combination

Salt and Pepper

1 Three to four pound chicken

½ Cup of white wine or water (plus more if you need it)

Optional

Chopped parsley, or whatever herb leaf you want, as a garnish

1 Clove of garlic

How to Make

            You should first start by pre-heating the oven to about 450 degrees Fahrenheit. From there you should combine the butter with your selected herbs, plus some salt and pepper. You can use a food processor, a fork, or whatever you feel comfortable using to combine them, but note you only need to use half the butter. This is a lot easier if you soften the butter in a microwave first.  Now you should separate the chicken skin from the meat to get the butter-herb mix in there. Do not try to separate all the skin, just where you can, you do not want to tear any of that wonderful stuff. You may also want to spread some in the chicken cavity as well as on top of the breasts (seasoning with more salt and pepper of course).

            You should now put the rest of the butter in the pan you are going to roast the chicken in, and place that in the oven. Do not put the chicken in yet, we still have at least one or two more things of prep work to do. Once the butter has melted, if you are using the ingredients, you can add the garlic clove (smashed) and the white wine to the pan. I like to put some celery stick and pieces of carrots down on the bottom of the pan to create a natural rack, but you can do what you want here. Either way, place the chicken in the pan, breast side down and roast for about 20 minutes. After that you should turn the chicken over and spoon some of the butter in the pan over it. After about ten minutes, the chicken should be starting to turn brown (roast for longer if this is not the case), from there you should baste it again and turn the heat down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, take the chicken out and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then serve.

Reaction

            Chicken is a really nice base protein to work with, simply because it can absorb a lot of different flavors. Combine this with the excellent flavors that fresh herbs can bring to a dish and it is a winning combination. The herbs, I found, mixed well with the flavor of the butter, and since I chose to use garlic in this, made the chicken that much better. There are a few ingredients in cooking I swear by. One of them is garlic, and the flavor it brought here was tremendous, so I highly recommend using it in the butter and the sauce. And as a side note, I would not limit this herb butter to just this dish.

            As anyone would expect, using such ingredients as butter and herbs, the chicken absorbed the flavors wonderfully. If you watch the chicken enough, and cook it right the meat will be moist and juicy, adding its own flavor to the mix. But as with most roast chickens, the start of the show was the skin. Crispy, crunchy and full of wonderful, herbed filled, buttery flavor, there was nothing to dislike other than there only being so much to eat. And considering that it locked in that flavor for the rest of the chicken was an added plus.

            Overall, this was an excellent dish. It is not a full stand alone meal, however, as it does not provide enough to be eaten solely by itself. Some boiled green beans would easily be best with it, as well as some rice. In the end, if you have the time and patience with this dish, it will come out great.

Macallan 12 Year Single Malt Scotch Whiskey

            I personally think that one of the many beauties of Scotch Whiskey is the amount of diversity this spirit has. What I mean by that is that there is almost like a tree for it: two main types, Single Malt and Blended. Then in those categories there are many styles like Islay, Highland, Speyside and so on. Each one of these has their own distinct style and taste, for instance Islay is more known for being smokier and has more peat, while Speyside has more sweetish flavor. Another good region is Highland, which has a more fruity and smooth taste. A good example I find for an excellent Highland Single Malt is Macallan 12 year aged. Aged in Sherry oak casks from Spain, I honestly think that this is a fine piece of what Highland Scotch Whiskey is.

Nose

            Once more, I am not a very good judge on the aroma of many spirits. But with the Macallan, I found a lot of the scents it advertised to be very present. Macallan claims that their Whiskey’s aroma contains hints of vanilla, some ginger, fruit, sweet sherry and smoke. The Scotch does contain a very sweet smell, a mixture of the sherry and vanilla. It is a comfortable sweetness, and not too heavy in the nose. Of course, I cannot find any of the ginger. There is a hint of smokiness to the nose, and in combination with the sweetness it reminds me of tobacco. While that may turn some off, I should note it is not a cheap tobacco smell, as with cigarettes. Rather, it is a scent of fine pipe tobacco, something I find to reek of quality, care, and a lot of comfort.

Taste

            Being a 12 Year Single Malt, a lot of times I have found that having a nice smoothness to it is nice, but not always the case. But once more with the Macallan, it is surprising in its smooth and comfortable flavor. Again, Macallan claim that the flavor contains a rich note of dried fruit mixed with sherry sweetness. And once again, Macallan delivers on this promise. What I found nice was that the notes of sherry and dried fruit (both powerful and rich flavors by their own rights) were nicely balanced. No one flavored dominated here, but both stood out on an equal footing, creating a nice mixture.

            Behind the flavors of fruit and sherry is another thing Macallan advertised with its 12 Year: Smoke. Aged in sherry casks, this flavor (in my opinion) was an unavoidable addition to the Scotch. And like most Scotches, the smoke is a welcome thing. Unlike an Islay Scotch, the smoke is not an overpowering flavor, rather a subtle background note that adds to the overall experience. Smoke in Scotch is something I am very used to, and enjoy very much, especially when I have to look for it, because by searching for one flavor I enjoy the others more. Think of it as an opposition that others are marked again, or rather a base control. When one flavor is put against an opposite, it stands out more, and that is the case for the smoke in the Macallan. The one note that I cannot find in the Macallan is the spice that is supposedly matched with the smoke. Maybe it is because I am looking too much for the smoke, or that it is too subtle a note against the smoke. Either way, I think the Macallan works fine without it.

Finish

            Being brief about the Macallan’s finish, it is a fine and pleasant one. It leaves a sweet and smooth aftertaste, retaining much of its dried fruit flavor. The smoke, already a background flavor, diminishes even more, but with the fruit being so nice, that is hardly a minus. Once more, the spice is non-existent, as well as the other advertised flavor: sweet toffee. That aside, the finish is wonderful.

Conclusion

            Macallan is a wonderful Highland Scotch Whiskey. The best word I can think to describe it is comfortable, because so many aspects of it are. Its aroma reminds me of a cozy, warm living room with a wood fire sizzling in the corner. The taste, rich with dried fruit, is not an unwelcome one, being sweet on a smoky backdrop. The finish does what all finishes should do: make you just want to sit there for even longer and sip it. This is an excellent Scotch, and for 12 Years old, its quality is something brilliant. If you want to try a good quality Highland Scotch, look no further.

Ardbeg 10 Year Single Malt

            The first time I had Laphroaig Single Malt whiskey was only mid- to late-December of last year, and I was hit by the massive amount of peat this scotch has. This is the staple of Islay style scotch: smoky and peaty. This was Laphroaig Quarter Cask, aged 10 years, and the peat surely (to some people) is overwhelming. I, personally, have learned to love the taste, as the smoke and peat add a depth of flavor to the whiskey that few other drinks can match. So, when the opportunity arose to try another Islay scotch, I literally jumped at the chance and decided to try Ardbeg, 10 year aged.

Nose

            I must admit that when it comes to the aroma of whiskeys, I am not really the man to talk to, as I usually only have one nostril unclogged at any one point and it is usually slightly stuffy. That being said, for the Ardbeg one smell can easily be identified right off the bat: Peat. For those who do not know, peat generally has a more smoky aroma with a slightly earthy scent to it. That should easily give a clue as to how the scotch will taste--as with all food and drink the dominant aroma tends to be the dominant taste. Ardbeg’s website describes the aroma as “smoky fruit…peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate.” If you look for it, I am sure the chocolate is there, but I mainly smell the peat and fruit.

Taste

            Once more, Ardbeg’s website gives a lengthy description of the many tastes their 10 year scotch contains. From lemon to “…sizzling cinnamon…” to buttermilk to even liqourice root. I will not shy away from admitting that I was unable to taste most of these, which could be chalked up to my nose being stuffed or just that my tongue is not trained well enough to find these individual flavors. What was immediately stood out to me was the obvious: the peat. I was expecting it to have a flavor similar to the Laphroaig, a massive amount of peat, but I was surprised. While the peat was present, it was not overwhelming, allowing me to taste the other flavors present in the whiskey, such as the other fruity flavors and slightly spicy pepper tones.

Like Laphroaig, I had this over ice, but unlike the Laphroaig, I did not have to wait for the scotch to get watered down before tasting the other flavors. From the start, I could taste the Ardbeg’s peat, but I was also able to taste a sweetness with it as well. I would not call this the lemon taste it advertised, rather more a berry-like taste, but a mild one. Either way, this was a wonderful mixture, as the smoky peat and sweet fruit combined to make a deep and interesting blend of flavors. I enjoyed this very much, especially coming from only a 10 year aged scotch. Moving forward, I must talk about what was one of the most surprising things about Ardbeg: how smooth it is. Currently, one of my favorite scotches is Glenfiddich 15 year aged. The Ardbeg is a smoother scotch than the 15 year, something that surprised me as it is 5 years younger. I consider this a mark of quality.

Finish

            I will not speak at length on Ardbeg’s finish. It is a pleasant finish, smooth, easy, with less peat and more fruit. The aftertaste it leaves is one I do not mind at all, as all those excellent flavors meld nicely together. Personally, I find the finish makes want to drink the Ardbeg more.

Conclusion

            Ardbeg is a nice quality, well made and overall great Single Malt. It is smooth and it is tasty, and from a 10 year, that is a great deal. While I could not taste or smell a lot of the advertised flavors and aromas, that did not stop me from enjoying this scotch. If I had to rate this one, I would easily give it a 9 out of 10. If you have the chance, I would easily recommend you give it a shot. But I will warn you, if you do not like peat or smoke, you will not like this. If you do, what are you waiting for?