If you’ve opened TikTok anytime in the past few months, you’ve probably noticed something: 2016 is back. The chokers, chevron patterns, and mustaches-on-everything aesthetic, all of it returning like a cultural boomerang.
While the internet is busy resurrecting the era of galaxy print and Unicorn Frappes, the Askew Student Life Center (ASLC) has decided to take us even further back to 2014. On Friday, Jan. 30, they screened The Lego Movie, a film that was everywhere in the mid-2010’s.
The ASLC, located right in the heart of campus, has always been students’ go-to spot for free movies, late-night screenings, and fun themed events, but this week’s pick feels intentional. Whether or not the ASLC meant to tap into the nostalgia wave everyone is feeling, they couldn’t have chosen a better moment to bring back a movie that everyone loved as a kid.
The Lego Movie premiered in 2014, right in the middle of the carefree, colorful, optimistic era that shaped so many of our childhoods. It was a massive hit, grossing over 460 million worldwide, becoming one of those movies people couldn’t stop talking about.
Beyond the numbers, this movie captured the 2010s perfectly through its chaotic humor, bright visuals, and creativity. It was the same energy that fueled early YouTube and the cringe-but-free culture of the time. Watching it now feels like opening a time capsule.
For so many of us, this movie is such a nostalgic memory. I remember seeing that movie in theaters with my family and obsessing over the promotional LEGO cups that came with Happy Meals during that time. With 2016 edits taking over social media and people romanticizing the simpler times, the ASLC’s screening is the perfect moment to maximize that feeling. Even though The Lego Movie came out a couple of years before the peak of 2016 culture, it fits right into that era and is a reminder of a time when everything felt a little more colorful.
The ASLC didn’t just show the movie, though. Starting at 6 p.m., they hosted LEGO building competitions and LEGO Bingo. It was such a low-stakes, carefree event that you could grab your friends and go to either the events, the movie, or both!
The main event began at 10 p.m., and in case you’re unfamiliar with the plot of this popular film, The Lego Movie follows Emmet, an ordinary LEGO minifigure who suddenly finds himself at the center of a prophecy to stop an evil business leader. It’s fast-paced, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt, with themes about creativity and individuality. Along with that, the voice actor list is full of fan favorites, featuring Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, and more.
Even if you couldn’t make it to this particular screening, the ASLC plays a wide variety of movies throughout the semester, so it’s always worth checking their schedule. One thing to keep in mind: since the theater is free, popular movies tend to draw big crowds. So, plan to arrive a little early to help guarantee you get a good seat without too long a wait.
In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, there’s something comforting in revisiting a movie that radiates pure joy. Maybe that’s why the revival of 2016 is so strong right now, with people craving a moment of simplicity, color, and fun. Now, for one night, the ASLC gave us exactly that.
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