Despicable Me 3 is double the fun when Gru meets his twin brother Dru

Movie Title:  Despicable Me 3

Grade:  B

Rating: PG, 90 minutes

In a Nutshell:  This is the 3rd installment in the Despicable Mefranchise (4th if you count Minions).  It's not as good as the first two, but it's still silly fun for families.

The detailed animation is absolutely outstanding. The movements, colors, textures, voices, water, and facial expressions are incredible.  The physical humor is adorable.

Uplifting theme: 

• Family

• Kindness
• Imagination

Things I liked:

• I’m a twin, so I was excited to see Gru’s twin.  If you’re one too, be sure to go to the annual “Twins Days Festival” in Twinsburg, Ohio at least once in your lifetime.  It’s awesome and hilarious.  Steve Carell has always done an excellent job with Gru's lovable accent and now he adds a double who has a voice that is similar, yet different.  Well done.
• The 80’s villain “Balthazar Bratt” voiced by Trey Parker is really funny.  I love his dance moves retro style.  Watching him do aerobics on that exercise ball made me laugh out loud.  Complete with a Michael Jackson cassette tape and bubblegum-launching shoulder pads, he steals every scene he is in.  I love the detail of his bald spot.  Dance battle!
• Pharrell Williams did most of the music, making for a foot-tapping soundtrack.  The cutest musical moment for me was when the minions sing "Papa Mama Loca Pipa" in the "Sing" competition.
• I love Jenny Slate’s voice and think she’s perfect in animated movies.    
•  The lovely Julie Andrews gives us a cameo voice talent of Gru’s mom.
• Other voice talents include Russell Brand, Steve Coogan, and the SNL favorite Kristen Wiig.
• The Cheese Festival had some fun features, like that slide grater people went down on a chunk of giant cheese.  Ha ha
• I’d like a magical unicorn to help me do math too. 

Things I didn’t like:

• As a mom, I don’t appreciate that the advertising tagline is “It’s good to be bad.”  Really?  That’s what you want to teach our kids?  One of the Minions holds up a sign that says, “Be bad!”
• Some themes could have gone much deeper.  Instead, there are a lot of story lines going on, so the movie just doesn’t have time to explore them all.
• The movie never reaches a truly emotional moment like Pixar is so brilliant at doing.
• You’ll chuckle, and maybe even a lot, but probably not belly-laugh.
•  The finger-snapping Minions are still cute, but moving dangerously close to the annoying Jar Jar Binks status.  In fact, they get crude and violent in this film.  Not cool. 

Funny lines:

• “Heist music!” – Balthazar Bratt
• “Dance fight!” –  Balthazar Bratt
• “Son of a Beta Max!” – Balthazar
• “I saw a unicorn once.” – guy in a bar

“Was it fluffy?” – Margo (Miranda Cosgrove)

“It was so fluffy I thought I was gonna die.” – guy

“Sqeeeeeeee!” – Margo
* "Yes, Molly Ringwald.  I will take you to the prom." - Balthazar Bratt

Tips for parents: 

• You see Gru’s naked back side.
• The minions stick out their tongues and say, “Pffffth” often.   Fair warning: your little ones may think that’s hilarious and want to imitate it.  They're also going to want to hunt for a real unicorn. Squee!
•  Animated violence and destruction.

Need to catch up on the first 3 films in the series?  You can find them cheap on Amazon, just in time for Amazon's annual Prime Day!
Despicable Me

Despicable Me 2

Minions

@trinaboice 

Cafe Society charms Woody Allen fans

Movie Title:  
    Cafe Society

Grade:   B

Rating:   PG-13, 85 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Woody Allen is a master at quirky characters and conversations.  In this dark comedy about love, regret, and existentialism, old Hollywood and Manhattan glamour drip with nostalgia.

As Bobby Dorfman says, you will be “half bored, half fascinated.”   

Uplifting theme: 

• “Live every day like it’s your last and someday you’ll be right.” – Evelyn’s mom
• “I guess some feelings never die.  Is that good or bad?” – Bobby Dorfman
• Regret, longing, love.

 Things I liked:

• The talented cast includes Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, and Blake Lively, and Rad Taylor.
• The end will leave you thinking about the love that got away in your own life.
• You get to see beautiful homes, theaters, clubs, and even famous celebrity homes.
• This is the third time that Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart have worked together in a film.  Their chemistry is evident and they both deliver spot-on performances.  I love Jesse Eisenberg in everything he does.  Turns out, he's perfect for Woody Allen material too.
• The stylized music in the very beginning does a great job of setting the tone and enveloping you in the time period throughout the entire movie. 
• It pokes fun at the superficiality of society life, but it sure makes being rich look fun.  (wink)

Things I didn’t like:

• A lot of movie critics say this movie is “charming.”  I’m sorry, but I do NOT find adultery charming.
• It’s very “Woody Allen.”  If you like his style, you’ll enjoy the movie.  If not, it’s more of the same.

Interesting lines:

• “Unrequited love kills more people in a year than tuberculosis.” – New York writer
• “Dreams are dreams.” – Vonnie (Kristen Stewart)

Funny lines:

• “First a murderer, then a Christian.  What did I do to deserve this?” – Evelyn
• “Too bad Jews don’t believe in an afterlife.  They’d get a lot more customers.” – Evelyn
• “Socrates said, ‘The unexamined life is not worth living’, but the examined one is no bargain.” – Leonard (Stephen Kunken)

Tips for parents:   

• Children will be completely bored.  It really is a movie meant for adults.
• There is an awkward conversation with a prostitute.
• Some mobsters knock off a bunch of people.

Alexander's movie isn't the greatest, but it's not terrible, horrible, no good or bad either

Movie Title:  Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

PG

80 minutes

Grade:  B

In a Nutshell: 

Based on Judith Viorst’s beloved 1972 child’s book, this slapstick and warmhearted family film is a simple illustration of how messy all of our lives often are.  It’s somewhat cathartic to see that you’re not the only one in the world who struggles with endless diapers or beat-up cars or busy days run amuck.

It’s not the greatest movie you’ve ever seen, but it’s also not terrible, horrible, no good, or bad.  The movie is harmless and clean fun for all ages.  

Uplifting theme: 

• Alexander wraps it all up in the end with this wise advice: “You gotta have the bad days so you can love the good days even more.”
• There is no such thing as the perfect day or the perfect family for that matter. What’s truly most important is our family and enjoying this journey we call life.

Things I liked:

• Steve Carell charms with his wit and comedic talent.  Jennifer Garner is believable as a loving, hard-working mother.  Ed Oxenbould does a good job as Alexander.
• Baby Trevor is adorable.  I hated seeing him cry.  Did they poke him or something?  I mean, how do you get a baby to cry on cue? Trevor was played by twins Elise and Zoey Vargas.
• The source material is only 32 pages long, so creating a movie around it could be a daunting task, but Rob Lieber’s script stays true to the zany feeling of the book.
• I loved seeing Dick Van Dyke.  What an iconic, beloved actor.  He’s looking great still!  It's too bad that they have him reading a book that says "taking a dump" a bunch of times.  He's too classy for that.
• Celia (played by Bella Thorne) is an egocentric, spoiled girlfriend who the audience I sat with loved to hate.

Things I didn’t like:

• They invented the word “Fommy” to mean a stay-at-home father who cares for the children like a mommy.  Kinda dumb. 
• There are a few scenes that fall flat, but the overall manic pacing of the film pulls you along for the ride.
• I would love to have seen more of Megan Mullally.
• Why is it everyone has to say the "P" word all the time now in movies and on TV shows?  (male anatomical body party)

Funny lines:

• “Who’s this kid Parker?” – Ben Cooper (the dad)

“He’s this really cool kid with a hot tub and ADHD.”  - Alexander

• “Another bad party can ruin your rep forever.” – Paul Dumphy
• “Sorry we’re late.  We had a little diaper drama at Trader Joe’s.” – Ben
• “I’m hashtag blessed, you know.”  - Anthony
• “Don’t blow my dickereedoo!” – Alexander

“Then what’s it for?” - Anthony

Tips for parents:   

• This is a feel-good movie that will make you want to pull together more as a family.  That’s what families are for, right?  There should be one place and one group of people in this world who can be a refuge from the storm in your life: your family. 
• It’s not a bad idea to teach your kids how to get gum out of their hair…the correct way.
• The sister does all kinds of fun tongue-twisters your family can tackle.
• Young kids can learn all about Australia, Vegemite and kangaroos for their next school report.
• There are some "Thunder from Down Under" male strippers at the end.  They don't actually strip, but they begin to before the parents realize what they're doing and then stop them.
•  

Don't waste your time and money on Anchorman 2

Movie Title:  Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Grade: D for dumb

In a Nutshell:  Full of offensive stupidity.  I have a pretty good sense of humor and love to laugh, but this movie falls short of the cast’s talent and is a complete waste of money and time.

Uplifting theme:  Idiots can redeem themselves?

Things I liked: The slow-motion sequence in the rolling van.

Things I didn’t like:  Offensive on so many levels.  I really hated this movie.  Can you tell?

Funny line: I heard the audience laugh at terribly dumb things, so….

Things to look for:  A different movie to watch.

Tips for parents: DO NOT go.  DO NOT take your children.  Offensive jokes about race, sex, infidelity.  Bad language throughout.