This past week, someone reminded me of the Maya Angelou quote of “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”  This thought has been simmering in workplaces and in the public consciousness for a while now. It is a warning that has teeth. Many years ago, there was someone right off the bat who was fairly evil but I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. That was my mistake. A costly mistake. I have learned since then to not only pay attention to such a warning sign (because I always did pay attention to said signs) but to actually listen to and do something about it.  When I watched The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part this weekend, I found myself thinking about Maya Angelou’s warning.  It certainly seemed, at times, to be imparting such a message. However, the message seemed to morph more into when people show you who they are believe them until you realize that it was all a facade or a misunderstanding.  Even when Lucy notes that she was getting some super evil vibes from the Queen, we were not to totally believe that. But, honestly, none of this matters. The movie is just not about this at all. It is about siblings who play differently with the Legos.

I must say I liked the first Lego movie better than this the second part.   I found this movie a bit forced and too aware of itself. I didn’t care for how it so often reminded us that this was all happening within the minds of the kids. My son, however, loved this movie. He is ten years old and found it super funny. And so did the 50 other kids in the theater. There were some funny bits in it especially for adults who have seen the Die Hard movies. What I did enjoy were the songs. Go figure. The first Lego movie annoyed me greatly with that “Everything is Awesome” song. This second movie grabbed my ear attention with some cool, catchy beats and earworms, including its “everything is not awesome” song and its “Super Cool” end of the movie song by which the credits roll.

“Everything’s not awesome
Everything’s not cool

Whoa, I think I finally get Radiohead

Everything’s not awesome
But that doesn’t mean that it’s hopeless and bleak“

At the end I enjoyed watching the movie with my son who danced and laughed throughout the film. And that is why I went to watch it to begin with. Hearing him laugh and giggle is my everything.