It's not easy being a super-villain nowadays. First, you have to come up with a dastardly plan to take over the world. Then you have to manage your army of minion helpers and deal with rival villains who want to steal your thunder. With all of this, who has time to raise a family?
That's the basic set up for a charming new animated family film, “Despicable Me” which thrives because of a funny screenplay, a winning central performance as the bad guy from Steve Carell, a little 3D action, and some vibrant animation design to keep the tiny tots interested. On top of all of this, we get a minion army of bright yellow helper mutants. They are adorable, and I suspect that they will become much sought-after plushy toys before everything is said and done.
Carell plays Gru, a super-villain struggling to get a little respect. His bumbling minion army of mutants are more trouble than help, and the guy who invents his tools is hard of hearing, so the weapons he produces aren't always exactly what Gru had in mind. Obviously, it's hard out there for a bad guy.
After he's embarrassed by a rival villain (Jason Segel), Gru decides to pull of the mother of all heists — he will steal the moon! But first, he must deal with a trio of young orphans who demand that he read to them at night, take them to ballet class and basically act like a caring parent. In all the superhero movies, it's not often that we get to see into the villain's family life. It makes for an engaging story, and obviously, one that offers plenty of opportunity for feel-good, pre-family messages.
Who says that Pixar is the only studio that knows how to make quality family animation? “Despicable Me” does everything right and should prove to be a family favorite for years to come. I'm not sure if it's worth the extra bucks to see this in 3D, but that minor financial consideration aside, “Despicable Me” turns out to be an adorable film.
Movie reviews by Sean, “The Movie Guy,” are published bi-weekly in “The Port Arthur News” and weekly on KFDM-TV. Sean welcomes your comments via email at smcbride@kbcitv.com.
Movie Guy
Related Photos
-
“Despicable Me” from Universal Pictures directed by Chris Renaud. Courtesy photo
Discussion
Adorable ‘despicable’ super-villain
- Movie Guy
-
-
The “Men in Black” are back
“Men in Black III”
Columbia Pictures
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Emma Thompson Jemaine Clement and Michael Stuhlbarg
Rated PG-13
2 Stars -
Is Sacha Baron Cohen losing his edge?
The Dictator
Paramount Pictures
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, Jason Mantzoukas and John C. Reilly
Rated R
3 Stars -
Depp’s oddball character can’t bring ‘Dark Shadows’ into the light
Dark Shadows
Warner Brothers Pictures
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jonny Lee Miller and Chloe Grace Moretz
Rated PG-13
2 1/2 Stars -
‘Avengers’ team up for great summer fun
The Avengers
Marvel Pictures/Disney Films
Directed by Joss Whedon
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston and Samuel L. Jackson.
Rated PG-13
3.5 stars -
'Think' sells it — the book, that is
“Think Like a Man”
Sony Pictures
Directed by Tim Story
Starring Steve Harvey, Gabriel Union, Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Taraji P. Henson, Romany Malco, Kevin Hart and Chris Brown
Rated PG-13
2 1/2 Stars -
‘Titans’ sequel not much better the second time around
“Wrath of the Titans”
Warner Brothers Pictures
Directed by Jonathan Liebesman
Starring Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Edgar Ramirez, Toby Kebbell, Rosamund Pike, Bill Nighy, Danny Huston and John Bell
Rated PG-13
2 Stars -
‘Mirror Mirror’ is the fairest, and funniest
“Mirror Mirror”
Relativity Media
Directed by Tarsem Singh
Starring Julia Roberts, Lilly Collins, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane and
Rated PG
3 Stars -
‘Hunger Games’ leaves you hungry for more
The Hunger Games
Lionsgate Films
Directed by Gary Ross
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks, Wes Bentley and Donald Sutherland
Rated PG-13
3 Stars -
Big laughs down on ‘Jump Street’
21 Jump Street
Columbia Pictures
Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Starring Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube, Rob Riggle, Nick Offerman, Brie Larson, Dave Franco and Ellie Kemper
Rated R
3 Stars -
Camera trickery can’t save mediocre horror flick
“Silent House”
Open Road Films
Directed by Chris Kentis and Laura Lau
Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens and Julia Taylor Ross
Rated R
2 Stars - More Movie Guy Headlines
-
Patz Suspect's Sister: I Went to Police in 1980s
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
