"The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part" (2019)

The Lego movies are a uber-meta exploration of ideas using the popular toys as they should be used: with no respect of limits or boxes. They tell a story on multiple levels, and use their stories to communicate a message, as all stories (especially ones directed at children) should.

The first film looked at the value of creativity and imagination, and the danger of rigidity and fear of change. The Lego characters were fighting a battle to keep their world from becoming glued in place, while in the real world a child was having the same struggle with his father’s plans to glue their Lego together permanently.

The second film takes the themes of the first film—where conflict between father and son delivered the message—and looks at the interplay between brother and sister. In a way, the boy must learn the same lessons as the father had. But at the meta-level, in the imaginary toy-land, we get a full-on cross-cultural story. This is all about the fear of the other and misunderstanding creating conflict.

As with so many other films these days, this theme is prevalent because we need to hear it. The powers that be tell us that we need to fear the other; that everyone is out to take away what we have and that only through isolation, hate, and aggression can we hope to survive. This could not be further from the truth.

We have come to the point in history where we know that there are benefits to cross-cultural interaction. Sure, it can be work, but the benefits make that work worthwhile. We may all think we prefer our world to be glued in place—static. But a culture that does not grow and change is a dead culture, and that is the real danger facing the world today.