Black Friday is almost here, and like most people who love a good deal, you’ve mapped out your plan of attack (make sure this attack doesn’t involve trampling).  You know what you want, where to get it, and Thanksgiving dinner be damned, you’re going to camp out in front of a store or in front of your computer.  While we admire your enthusiasm, we have some suggestions for items you might want to add to your wish list.  And they don’t necessarily have to be for you; they could also be for someone you know.

Adam, Dave, and I have nine items we’d like to recommend: three small items (“Stocking Stuffers”), three moderately priced items (“Under the Tree”), and three expensive items (“Extra Nice”).  More importantly, we each have a charity to recommend since we truly believe it’s better to give than to receive (unless you’re receiving a trip to outer space; nothing beats a trip to outer space).  Hit the jump to check out our 2013 Gift Guide.

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A trio of new character posters from directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s excellent-looking animated film The LEGO Movie have landed online.  We’ve already seen character posters for Morgan Freeman’s mystic character Vitruvius and Charlie Day’s goofy Benny, and now we’ve got posters for Will Ferrell’s villain Lord Business, Elizabeth Banks’ female lead Wyldstyle, and Will Arnett’s Batman.  The most recent trailer for the film was fantastic, and this is most definitely one of my most anticipated releases of next year.  The film opens on February 7, 2014.

Additionally, a new poster for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has been released that pits Martin Freeman’s Biblo Baggins against some pesky spiders.  If you missed the latest trailer for Peter Jackson’s sequel, click here.  The film opens in 2D, 3D, HFR 3D, and IMAX 3D on December 13th.  Hit the jump to check out all of the posters.

The LEGO Movie released two character posters today.  The poster for the Charlie Day character (Benny) is exactly what you’d expect for a LEGO movie: a big goofy smile on the classic yellow figure.  It’s pure joy.  The other poster is indescribably creepy.  Morgan Freeman‘s mystic character Vitruvius stares at you with glowing dead eyes.  Just end with the Benny poster, and everything will be okay.

The story follows Emmett (Chris Pratt), an average LEGO minifigure who is mistaken for an extraordinary person who can save the world: “He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant (Will Ferrell), a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.”  The LEGO Movie opens in 3D on February 7, 2014.  See the posters after the jump.

LEGO is rolling out 17 new sets that tie in with their upcoming feature film, The LEGO Movie.  We’ve got early looks at two of those sets today, along with a collection of minifigures that reveal some of the characters in the animated movie from directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs).  The story centers on Emmet (Chris Pratt), an average LEGO minifigure who is mistaken for the most extraordinary person in the LEGO world and is looked upon to save his people from an evil tyrant named President Business (Will Ferrell).  If you missed it, catch the film’s first trailer here.

Also featuring the voices of Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Cobie Smulders,  The LEGO Movie opens in 3D on February 7, 2014.  Hit the jump to check out some early looks at the movie’s characters and set pieces.

With Disney remaining tight-lipped about developments on their upcoming projects (especially anything Star Wars and Marvel related), we’ve had to resort to some unusual sources of information.  Enter today’s morsel: a brochure from Disney’s presentation at the European Brand Licensing Show.  In addition to announcements for a Star Wars Mobile LEGO game and a Star Wars Digital Library due to launch next year, there’s also an apparent confirmation of the release date of Star Wars Episode VII in the Spring/Summer of 2015.  Oh, and there’s a mention of some upcoming Darth Vader-themed TV specials that might interest you.  Hit the jump for much, much more.

The LEGO Movie looks very entertaining, and like any LEGO property, it’s going to make sure that the selling of actual LEGO toys is involved.  According to The Brick Fan, there will be 10 sets attached to the upcoming animated movie.  While I assume there could be more sets on the way, these 10 sets will probably be the ones on the shelves with the flick opens.  The image for “Wyldstyle Chase/Super Cycle Chase” is online, and you can see our hero Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt) losing some of his composure.

Hit the jump to check out the lists of playsets, their tentative pricing, and the full image of the Wyldstyle Chase set.  It should be noted that the playset names could be considered minor spoilers even though toys aren’t always based off scenes from the movie.  The film also features the voices of Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, and Will Arnett. The LEGO Movie opens February 7th.

The first toy brand I remember getting into was LEGO.  I liked that you could work from the step-by-step instructions or build your own world.  They foster both design and creativity, and the brand has grown by leaps and bounds to eventually include licensed properties, which has been a point of contention among some (they say it diminishes imagination, which is a lot like saying anyone who ever played with licensed toys no longer has any creativity).  In any case, it’s one of the biggest brands in the world, and now it will get an official documentary with Beyond the Brick: A LEGO Brickumentary.  Oscar-winner Daniel Junge (Saving Face) and Oscar-nominee Kief Davidson (Open Heart) will make a big 180 from their serious documentaries to helm the presumably lighter Beyond the Brick.

Hit the jump for more.

Since premiering at Comic-Con a month ago, fans and collectors have been waiting to own Dr. Emmett Brown’s DeLorean from Back to the Future.  Well, the wait is over.  That’s because Amazon has the awesome set back in stock and you can order it here.  If you’re interested don’t wait, because the last time I linked to the set it sold out in an hour.

• LEGO 21103 The DeLorean Time Machine Building Set $34.99
• Features opening doors, fold-up wheels, flux capacitor, time travel display, 2 license plates, Marty’s skateboard as well as extra engine and wheels
• Customize the car to match the movie versions; step on the gas and prepare to travel Back to the Future
• Open the gull-wing doors, just like the real car; fold up the wheels and engage hover mode
• Jump on the skateboard and pull some tricks; build the model that LEGO CUUSOO members requested
• Includes building instructions and exclusive Back to the Future information booklet; car measures over 2″ (6cm) high, 5″ (15cm) long and 3″ (8cm) wide

Ever since LEGO began moving into licensed properties, it’s been easier to give movie trailers a LEGO makeover.  It’s not an easy task, but The Brotherhood Workshop has spent the last two months creating a LEGO version of the recent trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.  Like LEGO trailers before it, this one yet again proves that everything is cuter in LEGO form.  I’m waiting for someone to get to work on The Master.

Hit the jump to check out the LEGO trailer.  The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug opens in in 2D, 3D, HFR 3D, and IMAX 3D on December 13th.

Opening this week is director Rawson Marshall Thurber’s (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) R-rated comedy We’re the Millers.  The film centers on a single, small-time pot dealer (Jason Sudeikis) who ends up in debt to his supplier (Ed Helms).  In order to bring the next shipment of drugs up from Mexico, he puts together a fake family comprised of his stripper neighbor (Jennifer Aniston), an eager teen (Will Poulter) and a streetwise punk (Emma Roberts).  The supporting cast also includes the hilarious Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn.  For more on the film, watch seven clips or read Matt’s review.

The other day I landed a phone interview with Nick Offerman.  Besides making me laugh a number of times, he also talked about what the last year has been like for him, making We’re the Millers, working with the great cast, how often he laughs during takes, the future of Parks and Recreation, filming the upcoming season premiere in London and how the locals treated Ron Swanson.  In addition, Offerman talked about working with Terrence Malick on Knight of Cups, who he plays, and the way Malick filmed his scenes.  Finally, he talked about his work on The Lego Movie and Lake Bell‘s In a World.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to what he had to say.

Since premiering at Comic-Con a few weeks ago, fans and collectors have been waiting to own Dr. Emmett Brown’s DeLorean from Back to the Future.   Well, the wait is almost over.  That’s because Amazon is currently taking pre-orders on “The DeLorean Time Machine Building Set” and it’s expected to arrive on August 12th.  With so many people looking to own this set, I’d advise pre-ordering and not having to deal with finding the set in stores.   Here’s the link and below are the features from Amazon.

• LEGO 21103 The DeLorean Time Machine Building Set $34.99
• Features opening doors, fold-up wheels, flux capacitor, time travel display, 2 license plates, Marty’s skateboard as well as extra engine and wheels
• Customize the car to match the movie versions; step on the gas and prepare to travel Back to the Future
• Open the gull-wing doors, just like the real car; fold up the wheels and engage hover mode
• Jump on the skateboard and pull some tricks; build the model that LEGO CUUSOO members requested
• Includes building instructions and exclusive Back to the Future information booklet; car measures over 2″ (6cm) high, 5″ (15cm) long and 3″ (8cm) wide

I’ve come to the point where I’m starting to assume LEGO will start making toys based on every series I loved as a kid.  First it was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and now The Simpsons is on the way (I will keep hope alive for Fawlty Towers LEGO).  The already-yellow family will begin with a small launch in 2014, but could quickly expand (presumably more of Springfield) if the sets are popular.  “The target audience for The Simpsons are teenagers and adults, but there are also many children who know them,” product manager at Top Toy, Carsten Nielsen, tells DR.dk [via The Brick Fan].  I wonder if that’s going to be a tricky balance trying to appeal to those teens and adults while keeping it kid-friendly.  If the sets are popular, and they expand to some Springfield landmarks, can they really do something like Moe’s Tavern?

There has been some controversy on the LEGO message boards about whether or not it’s age-appropriate for LEGO to make a set based on The Simpsons, but considering that there were recently sets based on The Lone Ranger, a movie where the villain eats someone’s heart, Matt Groening‘s creation seems quite tame by comparison.

Without a doubt, one of my most anticipated movies of 2014 is The Lego Movie.  The reason?  Phil Lord and Chris Miller.  As the directors of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street, Lord and Miller have shown they’re extremely talented filmmakers that also know comedy.  And based on the trailer for The Lego Movie, I’m confident they’ve knocked it out of the park.

Last week at Comic-Con, I landed an extended video interview with Lord, Miller, and Chris McKay (who is co-directing with them).  They talked about their take on the movie, how much creative freedom they have, collaborating with LEGO, what the film’s about, which IP characters they were able to get, the animation process for a hybrid of CG and stop-motion animated LEGO figures, new LEGO sets, the character names, and so much more.  If you’re also looking forward to The Lego Movie, I promise you’ll enjoy this interview.  Hit the jump to watch.

While at Comic-Con this weekend for a presentation in Hall H, co-directors Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Chris McKay spoke to the press about The LEGO Movie, their exciting new 3D computer-animated feature.  The story follows the adventures of Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt), a perfectly average LEGO mini-figure who is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant (Will Ferrell), a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.  The animated comedy features a terrific voice cast that also includes Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie and Charlie Day.

During the interview, they talked about how they adapted the idea, why they wanted the film to feel like a real LEGO set coming to life, how the process was very organic and improvisational and all about having fun and seeing how crazy they could make it, how they assembled the amazing cast, their collaboration with Warner Bros. and other animators, the talent behind some of the DC superheroes that appear in the film, how they created the LEGO look of the film and the LEGO-ness of the characters, their stop-motion method, how they decided which LEGO characters to use, and their personal LEGO favorites.

Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have a knack for delightfully goofy and fun storytelling with their previous films Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street, and early next year they return to the world of animation with The LEGO Movie.  The first trailer was greeted to a positive reception, and Lord and Miller took the stage in Hall H at Comic-Con earlier today to talk about the film and show off some more footage.  They revealed that Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Cobie Smulders have joined the voice cast as DC superheroes, talked about blending CG and stop-motion, how they got LEGO to sign off on the film, and more.

Hit the jump to read my full recap of the Comic-Con panel for The LEGO movie.