Despite a snowstorm, excitement was high at the Warner Brothers premiere screening event for The LEGO Movie on February 1st. CoWLUG was invited to showcase a display of creative builds in the expansive lobby of the United Artists Colorado Mills Stadium 16 IMAX Movie Theater. Let’s take a walk around the tables of the display. Above, as guests entered, they were greeted by mosaics by Jim W., a museum by Todd P., Bionicle creatures by Jeff and a dramatic Sin City layout by Ian.
Rounding the corner as Imagine, Jeff and Lester discuss LEGO themes between crowd surges, two of Mark’s brick-built figs play chess at the back of the table. In the front corner, Ryan’s builds include his Record Store (which makes a very brief appearance in The LEGO Movie,) his ShopBot, and a SHIP built entirely of Modulex elements.
After rounding the corner, guests were color-blasted with Imagine’s Coliseum scene as he guessed it might look from the scant images glimpsed in The LEGO Movie trailers. Since all CoWLUG members participating in the premiere display were also granted access to the advance screening of the movie, we won’t say just how close he got to the actual structure as depicted in the movie – you’ll have to go see it for yourself! Surrounding the structure on the table are a plethora of Cloud Cuckoo Land floating cloud scenes by Ryan.
After the clouds we come down out of the sky into the city with skyscrapers by Duane and city buildings by Lester. The streets are filled with the city vehicles by several CoWLUG members as well as various “vehicle” sets from The LEGO Movie and the black box micro managers which play a part in the movie as well.
As you can see, some of our smaller guests spent time joyfully studying all the details of the builds as viewed from the opposite side of the tables.
A bit of the action between micro managers and the city residents as viewed in front of Lester’s buildings. The largest micro manager in front of the yellow building is a scaled up custom build by Jessica – lest it be said she only organizes the masses and never has time to build.
As we move down the street/tables, Samantha’s colorful lighting illuminates her salon building and delightfully prepares the eye for a vibrant ice cream shop. The public enjoying a cone can watch on as the last part of the city undergoes demolition and construction – a collaborative effort begun by Derek’s contribution of a crane and soon filled with various members’ additions.
Rounding the next corner, the city gives way to a western landscape filled with detailed western buildings by both Lester and Samantha, all which still stand amidst the Imagine’s steampunk Tarantula.
The western landscape really came together with fabulous details – as represented here in more of Samantha’s buildings.
Creative collaboration abounds as we move down the final display side where Reed’s transparent, crystal castle changes colors with cool LED lighting behind motion filled vignettes of tornados and a wind turbine by Todd E. and various sci-fi vehicles by him as well.
Matthew R.’s SHIP presents a commanding segway into the motion packed amusement park, Riverside Park, by Jim M.
Jim’s Riverside Park blurs with all the motion. See how it all runs and makes the viewer dizzy with the activity in his video here. At the center of the amusement park, Donnie dropped in his Joker’s hideout – a perfect addition to the crazed and colorful! See more detailed shots of the entire display at Jim M.’s Flickr photostream.
Greeting guests at the opposite entrance to the theater, Wil upped the dizzy factor several levels with his spiral train layout running two trains at high speeds. Needless to say, it was great fun, even when derailments caused spectacular wrecks.
Many thanks go out to every single CoWLUG member and their families and friends for pulling together a fabulous display and making the trek out in bad weather. A huge thank you goes out to Warner Brothers for inviting us to be a big part of an exciting premiere. We hope we did the day justice for you and all your guests. Finally, the help of the entire staff at United Artists Colorado Mills Stadium 16 IMAX Movie Theater and Regal Entertainment Group is very much appreciated. Thank you!
