Beyond the Brick: A Lego Brickumentary

Of course, there are some viewers out there who will see this "Brickumentary" as being just a 90-minute commercial for selling LEGO products. But, on the other hand - This enjoyable documentary goes well-beyond what some may think. And, with that, it actually delivers a very entertaining story that goes further than just being product plugging. Anyway - Watch "Brickumentary" and see for yourself. And, if you're like me, then, I'm sure that you won't feel at all disappointed with this presentation.

I grew up in Belgium, and as a young kid in the 1960s, LEGO was one of my primary toys. I must've spent hundreds of hours playing and building LEGO stuff. Then I passed on the love for LEGO to my young son here in the US 30 years later. When I found out that, if not parallel with, then certainly as a result of the smashing success of the (CGI, not brick-made) "Lego Movie", a documentary was being made about the LEGO phenomenon, I couldn't wait to see it. "A LEGO Brickumentary" (2014 release from Denmark and the US; 93 min.) opens with seeing 3 LEGO minifigs on a space ship, and the narrator (Jason Bateman) telling us he'll explain later what that is about. Soon after, we get a LEGO 101 on the company's roots and history. But it's not too long before we finally get what we all came to see this for: bigger, better, ever more imaginative if not out-right exotic LEGO creations. Along the way, we get the LEGO celebrity fans (Ed Sheeran singing his hit single "Lego House", NBA player Dwight Howard, etc.). Co-directors Kief Davidson and Daniel Junge decide to keep things very light-hearted. There is only the slightest critical comment about LEGO, and even there, it's turned into a plus for LEGO (how the company turned things around financially by listening better to its customers). The best part of the movie comes in the second half, when the co-directors look at the possible therapeutic effects of playing with LEGO, and also where a Danish university math professor examines whether he can come up with a formula for finding how many different positions just 6 or 7 LEGO bricks can be used/interlocked. In the end this film is nothing more than an unabashed love letter to LEGO. It's pleasant (to see the LEGO creations) but it's also devoid of any critical tone, and hence there is also no strong narrative that pulls you in, reason that I rate this 6 stars. The movie opened just this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The early evening screening where I saw this at was not particularly well attended, which really surprised me. Given the strong brand that LEGO is and the very positive response to The LEGO Movie, I would've expected more people for that on its opening weekend. If you are a LEGO fan, you should definitely check this out, but you should also keep your expectations modest. If you are not into LEGO, I'd suggest you check out something else to see.

A Lego Brickumentary (2014) *** (out of 4) Jason Bateman narrates this somewhat long-winded by highly informative documentary about the history of LEGOs and why everyone loves them so much. The documentary covers how the company got started, the early troubles with fire and then goes into detail about how the company evolved over the decades to become a global phenomenon. We get interviews with fans, master builders as well as people who have a dream job of creating new models. If you're a fan of LEGOs then you'll certainly love this film as it really does tell you everything you need to know about the company and its fans. The documentary does a very good job with the history but it also gives you a good idea of what they plan on doing in the future including how they got fans involved with what they come up with . We get to see some of the amazing large creations that superfans have come up with as well as some of the fan-made movies.

So heartwarming and beyond enjoyable especially for being a Lego lover since I was little! Beyond happy they mentioned autism, so much good about this documentary!

I love how they pretend they came up with the idea of these self locking plastic bricks then sue anyone who copies them. In fact, they stole the idea from a British company called Kiddicraft then made out that they invented the bricks. All of legos first designs are a complete ripoff of Kiddicraft. Then after years of ripping them off they buy the British company out and try and wipe all history of them. Don't get me wrong, I love Lego and it's great what they have turned the company into but they should show some respect and give the original inverter some credit. Without Kiddicraft, Lego would not even exist.

'A LEGO BRICKUMENTARY': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five) A documentary film, on the beloved construction toy 'Lego'. It was directed by Kief Davidson and Daniel Junge; the duo also wrote the movie, along with Davis Coombe (all three filmmakers have experience with multiple other documentary flicks). Actor Jason Bateman narrates the film. I found the movie to be just a little too boring, and uninteresting; Lego fanatics will probably love it though. Lego is a plastic construction toy; that began in Denmark, in 1949. Since then it's became one of the most popular toys around the world. The juggernaut has spawned multiple cartoons, video games, movies and six amusement parks as well. This documentary examines it's history, over the last 66 years; and why so many people have became so obsessed with it. The film has plenty of great, informative, info (on the subject), I guess. It's just not told in a very entertaining way; and if you're not a huge fan of Lego, it's not that interesting either. I have multiple brothers, and friends, that really love the toy though (a lot); and they'd probably really enjoy this film. Not many others will though. Even Jason Bateman narrating, as the voice of a Lego figurine, couldn't save it for me; and I love Jason Bateman. I love 'THE LEGO MOVIE' though! Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/3D-Xa6uhK5U

LEGOs are a whole thing nowadays. Well, if I'm being honest, and I like to be honest, it's been a thing for quite a while now. There are annual conventions. There are subcultures devoted to building from a kit or building freeform fun or to particular collectible sets. It's a toy that's as attractive to adults as it is to kids, and it doesn't show signs of slowing down. Now, when I was growing up, there weren't very many LEGO sets. The space one was considered a Big Deal around my house. The LEGO guy had an astronaut helmet! And there were all kinds of pieces you could use to build a wacky spaceship, directions be darned. In fact, I don't remember ever following directions for a LEGO set. We'd just pick up pieces and see what happened. Nowadays, though, there are thousands of themed sets, from Harry Potter and Star Wars to the old classics like pirate ships or the aforementioned astronauts. And with the huge success of The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie, and the LEGO Ninjago Movie, it's hard to see the product's popularly dwindling anytime soon. This documentary touches on everything LEGO, from its old-timey beginnings as an amusing pastime for the kiddies to the marketing behemoth it's become. We learn how LEGOs are used in a New Jersey school to help autistic children communicate. We learn that people have used LEGOs to make actual, usable, real life things like houses and cars. We learn that LEGO can even be used as an art medium. We learn, too, that the LEGO company itself evolved from being a typical create-from-within corporation to one that gladly welcomes the ideas and visions of its customers, even holding contests to get new ideas for LEGO products. This Brickumentary is a fine film. There are plenty of human-interest stories, as one might expect, and more than one will jerk at the ol' heart strings. And, as noted above, there are also several real-world applications on display. When's the last time you saw a toy being used by adults to produce practical results? Probably half past never! Sure, it's a huge commercial. There aren't many warts on display, no disfigured minifigs. But that's okay – the universal appeal of the toy made me happy to learn more about it. If you're looking for a tell-all, keep walking. But if not… this film fits like, uh, two interlocking bricks, or something.

Greetings again from the darkness. Toys can be fun, educational, relaxing, challenging, and yes, even profitable. No toy exemplifies all of these characteristics better than LEGO. Co-directors Kief Davidson and Daniel Junge go "Beyond the Brick" (the film's original title) as they explore the history and community of these fascinating plastic pieces. Founder Ole Kirk Christiansen (of Denmark) began as a maker of wooden toys, but in 1947 he discovered a plastic molding machine which, within a couple of years, revolutionized his company and the toy industry. The company is still family-owned and is now a $4 billion company and the second largest in the industry despite competing in only one category of toys. It's a remarkable business case study, and an equally remarkable study in social impact. If you own LEGO pieces from 1955, they will still work with the bricks and pieces being produced today … planned obsolescence is not part of the LEGO business strategy. The film introduces us to the designers, the master builders, and the community of LEGO aficionados known as AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO). We also learn of a LEGO language filled with acronyms that permeate the competitions, fairs, and conferences. In the early 2000's, the company posted its first ever loss, but quickly rebounded by listening to their loyal customer base and making the necessary product changes. Last year's award-winning animated THE LEGO MOVIE has stimulated even more interest in the tubes and studs … as well as permanently stamping our brains with the "Everything is Awesome" song. Jason Bateman narrates the film – as a minifig – and adds a splash of color and visual acumen to the story telling process. It's important to note that visuals are a key factor in some of the breathtaking creations of the brand's most committed devotees. This includes the work of one who re-creates classical artwork for a gallery in NYC, and a stunning life-sized model of the Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter in Manhattan. We also see how LEGO plays a role as Autism therapy for kids, and even for mock-ups at NASA. The LEGO community is most impressive. They actually participate in suggesting and designing new products, and the online network of LEGO stop-action short films act as a combined marketing strategy and challenge to other users. LEGOLAND doesn't draw much attention here, but the loyalty and creativity of the customers is quite something to behold. It's a reminder that the smartest companies collaborate with (rather than dictate to) their customer base … but most can only dream of this deep LEGO relationship with AFOL.