My Review: Despicable Me 2 (8/10)

"That's right, baby! Gru's back in the game with cool cars... gadgets... and weapons!"

There might not be that much of an interesting story in this sequel, but I have to admit I had a blast with these lovable characters and laughed throughout the entire movie. I don't think I laughed as much with any other movie all year so I have to say this is the funniest film of the year so far. It has several clever lines and I was glad to see all these memorable characters back. Once again the minions steal the show along with Agnes who is as adorable as ever. There were also some new characters that brought some freshness to the sequel. I can understand why some adults might not have liked this film because it is predictable and has some very stupid moments, but I know kids will have a great time. They will love this sequel because the minions have more screen time and they steal the funniest scenes. I couldn't help but laugh at all the funny and adorable situation, and perhaps hearing the kids laugh at the theater made me appreciate the comedy even more. This is a very family friendly film which reminded me a lot of the old comedy from the Looney Tunes. I could sit through this film many more times without hesitating because it is a very easy watch. I think I'd even prefer to see this over the first Despicable Me, but they were both great and funny films. 

In this sequel we see how Gru (Steve Carell) is adapting to family life as he has put his villainous life behind him. He seems to be enjoying his life as a single parent to Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher). Everything seems to be going well for him as he has his minions working on a jam business. Meanwhile a secret Arctic lab has been stolen and the Anti-Villain League decide to contact Gru for his expertise in order to catch the person responsible. After recruiting Gru they team him up with Agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) and together they begin to look for suspects. Gru is convinced that the villain is Eduardo (Benjamin Bratt), who used to disguise himself as the villain known as El Macho, but he has been presumed dead for years. During their investigation, Gru's minions are being kidnapped, and the question remains as to who is the person behind all this.

I really enjoyed the animation from the guys at Illumination Entertainment and thought the 3D worked nicely. I really loved the underwater scene and thought it was really breathtaking. There were some great animated moments, but the lovable minions are the ones that steal the show with their funny voices and mischiefs. I also liked the addition of Lucy who despite being a bit wacky seemed like a perfect fit for Gru. I had a great time and I'm sure kids will love this extremely entertaining movie.

My Review: Despicable Me (7/10)

"We stole the Statue of Liberty...the small one, from Las Vegas!"

Considering Despicable Me 2 was coming out this weekend I finally decided to watch the first film and I wasn't disappointed. Despicable Me is a lot of fun with some memorable characters and some really funny lines. The story is involving enough for adults and kids to enjoy it alike, and Steve Carell has done some magnificent voice work with his character. I had a great time with this film and was instantly delighted with the animation and the storyline. Despite having some great characters, I think the minions completely stole the show and deliver several laugh out loud moments throughout the film. Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud have directed an entertaining enough film for me to want to go watch the sequel at the movies as soon as possible. This is a great family-friendly film that is better than Pixar's latest three movies so they should begin to worry with this strong competition. The characters in this film were just so much fun to watch on screen that it makes it impossible for anyone to walk out of the movie without a smile on his or her face. I had a blast.

The film stars a super villain named Gru (Steve Carell) who has a very long and pointed nose along with skinny legs. After discovering that a pyramid in Egypt has been stolen by another villain, Vector (Jason Segel), he decides to do something greater out of jealousy. He plans to steal the moon, and in order to do so he first has to shrink it with a special weapon. The only problem is that this weapon is in hands of  Vector. So Gru comes up with an idea involving adopting three orphans and using them to get into Vector's fortress in order for him to get the weapon back. Thus he adopts the adorable girls: Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher). Everything seems to be going according to plan as his workers known as the minions and Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) are preparing everything for the great day, but the only problem is that Gru's heart begins to be softened by these sweet girls. He realizes he still has to face his greatest challenge yet. 

Despicable Me is without a doubt a family pleaser. If you have kids you will want to go see this movie with them because the entire family will be entertained. It is funny and smart, a combination that is difficult to find these days. The premise also felt original and despite a few moments it never felt formulaic or cliche. This is what I would call a very cute film, and these days cute sells to audiences. I'm kind of upset I didn't get to see this film in 3D because the animation was excellent and it really did feel like a Pixar film. I may not have been as emotionally engaged as I was with Up, The Lion King, or How to Train Your Dragon, but this was still a lot of fun and I felt like I was being tickled like a 5 year old. Now it's time to go watch the sequel!