I saw a double feature at the post theater, so you get 2 movies today :) Well, really not a double feature, nothing official, just two movies I wanted to see, back to back. Despicable Me and Inception. For some reason, Zach didn't come along...
Anyhoo: First up on the list was Despicable Me.
Plot: Gru is a criminal mastermind living in suburbia, the house with the black paint and dead lawn as stark contrast to the white picket fences of his neighbors. His status as a super villain is threatened by a younger, up-and-coming baddie. In order to regain his place as the world's greatest super villain, Gru, aided by his army of minions, is planning to pull of the heist of all time (stealing the moon). As part of his grand scheme, Gru uses a trio of orphan girls as pawn, but finds himself profoundly changed by their presence in his life.
Yes, this is a kids' movie, so the plot wasn't anything to be surprised about. And for CG movies recently, Pixar has set the bar so high on movies which entertain on multiple levels, that when a movie's 'just average,' it seems so much lower in comparison. Still, much fun to be had here with Gru and the girls. The fun is in the dialogue writing, not the plot. Lots of funny jokes for the kids, and plenty of ones tossed in for the adults too (for example: "Bank of Evil: formerly Lehman Brothers").
A lot of the humor comes in the scenes and backgrounds of the movie, like the Lehman Brothers joke. So many subtle jokes thrown in there: the minions DJ on Gru-Ray Discs, the couch made out of an alligator, the newspapers on Gru's walls, the massive Venus Fly Trap houseplants, the decorations in Miss Hattie's office... And especially as the girls' influence starts redecorating Gru's home - the pictures on the wall, the fridge, pink all over! Just a lot of visual humor as well as the conversations.
Favorite voice casting (practically a cameo): Julie Andrews as Gru's mom. She's supposed to be warm and soft and caring, right? It's Julie Andrews, for crying out loud! I love that she's the mean, kickboxing granny!
Steve Carell and Russell Brand are both great, too, as Gru and his aged assistant, Dr Nefario. Gru, even with his accent, takes advantage of Carell's wonderful deadpan sort of humor. So awkward!! And the ancient Dr. Nefario just cracked me up. Brand is just a funny guy, and so versatile!
Have to add, too, the music is pretty fun. The opening song I was humming for a good couple days after the movie. And honestly, since then, it'll pop into my head whenever I'm "having a bad, bad day." Good job, Pharell (way to go, another PAHS grad!)
And don't forget the line that has become the movie's tagline "It's so FLUFFY!" Since seeing the film, I have yet to talk about my cat's fluffiness without saying it in that tone of voice :)
A lot of the humor comes in the scenes and backgrounds of the movie, like the Lehman Brothers joke. So many subtle jokes thrown in there: the minions DJ on Gru-Ray Discs, the couch made out of an alligator, the newspapers on Gru's walls, the massive Venus Fly Trap houseplants, the decorations in Miss Hattie's office... And especially as the girls' influence starts redecorating Gru's home - the pictures on the wall, the fridge, pink all over! Just a lot of visual humor as well as the conversations.
Favorite voice casting (practically a cameo): Julie Andrews as Gru's mom. She's supposed to be warm and soft and caring, right? It's Julie Andrews, for crying out loud! I love that she's the mean, kickboxing granny!
Steve Carell and Russell Brand are both great, too, as Gru and his aged assistant, Dr Nefario. Gru, even with his accent, takes advantage of Carell's wonderful deadpan sort of humor. So awkward!! And the ancient Dr. Nefario just cracked me up. Brand is just a funny guy, and so versatile!
Have to add, too, the music is pretty fun. The opening song I was humming for a good couple days after the movie. And honestly, since then, it'll pop into my head whenever I'm "having a bad, bad day." Good job, Pharell (way to go, another PAHS grad!)
And don't forget the line that has become the movie's tagline "It's so FLUFFY!" Since seeing the film, I have yet to talk about my cat's fluffiness without saying it in that tone of voice :)
Overall: 4 of 5. Much fun, and laughed out loud several times at the theater. Not deep and emotional as well as entertaining (i.e. not Pixar) but still a good afternoon flick. This would be a welcome addition to the silly kids movies which still continue to populate my movie collection :)
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