The Gang is Back with DESPICABLE ME 4

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to start their own fireworks for the Fourth of July from directors Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage, Illumination and Universal Pictures is DESPICABLE ME 4.

Gru (Steve Carell) is attending a school reunion and runs into childhood nemesis Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara). He is also there thinking he will finally win the Best Pupil Award that he longs for from principal Ubelschlecht (June Squibb). Disappointed once again, he watches Maxime show his newest transformation as a human cockroach. That’s when the Anti-Villain League (AVL) jumps in and they arrest Maxime.

That doesn’t last long and now Gru, wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig), and kids Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan) along with baby Gru are now in danger. Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) packs up the family and relocates them to a safehouse providing each with a new identity. Worrying about the minions, Ramsbottom lets the family know they are under the care of the AVL.

Now Gru is Chet, Lucy is Blanche, Margo is Bree, Edith is Blair, and Agnes is Britney and they are attempting to be a normal family. Gru starts by introducing himself to neighbor Perry Prescott (Stephen Colbert), wife Patsy (Chloe Fineman) and daughter Poppy (Joey King). It is Poppy who stands out as she has a plan and uses Gru’s infamy to get what she wants.

Maxime also has a plan, to get back at Gru by taking Gru Jr.! With all the moving parts, Gru is trying to keep the family safe and once the super minions get involved, well, there is no telling what will happen next!

Carrel as Gru has picked up his iconic vocal mantle and jumped right in with both feet firmly planted in family life. Still part of the AVL, he also has unresolved schoolboy issues thanks to a principle and another villain. There is only one character that sounds like Gru and Carrel does it so well. Wiig as wife Lucy is always so full of fun, light hearted and sees the good in her family. She makes as many silly mistakes as Gru but when Lucy does it – it’s kinda cute. Wiig gives her character a sense of self and family which is so very cool.

Ferrell as Maxime actually sounds like Megamind with a French accent but it works. He has childhood issues and wants Gru to pay. The problem is he is messing with the wrong evil guy. Vergara as Valentina has a small role and it has its moments of laughs.

Cosgrove as Margo is growing up and discovering that her family is everything. Gaier as Edith is set in her ways and happy with herself in all aspects. I love her straightforward attitude. Polan as Agnes has a serious crisis when it comes to telling people her under-cover name teaching kids who watch that the truth is important.

King as Poppy has a streak in her that Gru can relate to but in his earlier years. Now he wants to get away from it but Poppy has struck a deal that he can not avoid. King as Poppy is charmingly evil and its as simple as that, well maybe not that simple when a badger is involved. Colbert as Perry gives us the stuck-up rich guy but the minions take care of that. Fineman as Patsy is that charming southern tennis player who just wants everyone to get along.

Shout out to Coogan as Ramsbottom who loves being the director of the AVL and wants to help Gru’s family. Also, Squibb as principal Ubelschlecht is exactly the educator who knows how to use a ruler!

Universal Pictures just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience in theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

Illumination, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the industry’s leading producers of event animated films. Bringing the DESPICABLE ME franchise, to include Minions, features some of the world’s most renowned talent. To read more please visit www.illumination.com.

DESPICABLE ME 4 is fun, charming, hilarious, and an adventure that can only be had by the minions. The one thing about the franchise is that staying with the formula assures a win because who wants to change Gru, the family or the minions? We love the antics, the growing that Gru is doing as a dad and a husband. Less time in the lab and more time making pancakes is definetly a sign that Gru can be both a crime fighter and a good dad.

It is a long holiday weekend and looking for something the entire family can do, DESPICABLE ME 4 is a fantastic (and cool) way to have time with everyone. This is the film that makes a huge tub of popcorn fun in every way. It is colorful with fantastic animation but, then again, I would expect nothing less from Illumination, director Chris Renaud and Chris Meledandri.

The music from Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams brings the beat and the sweet minion dance moves which is a bonus for us all.

In the end - this daddy is a baddie!

 

ILLUMINATION Presents 10-Movie Collection on Bluray

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from ILLUMINATION and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is an amazing 10-Movie Collection filled with some of the most creative films for family fun.

In 2010, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) are three orphaned girls who introduce us to Gru (Steve Carell) in DESPICABLE ME. He has a plan that will bring about the biggest heist in history by stealing the moon. Getting in his way is his nemesis Vectro (Jason Segel) and with the help of the three orphans he takes in, his plan is on its way. One slight problem is this – he did not plan to have his head turned by the love of these three little girls who see only the good in him. Getting irritated by it all is Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) who only wants one thing, to be an evil scientist with the help of the Minions.

The saga of Gru and the family continued with DESPICABLE ME 2 in 2012. Gru is now working with Lucy (Kristen Wiig) and the Anti Villain League looking for El Macho (Benjamin Bratt). Margo, Agnes and Edith are happy with their family life and with dad Gru. Taking the assignment, Gru and Lucy open a shop in the mall to find out if that is where El Macho is hiding. That is where Margo has her first crush which drives Gru insane but more than that, the Minions have been taken which is adding insult to his migraine of it all. Together they find the bad guy(s) and add an addition to the family!

But that is not the only addition to the Gru household as explained in the 2017 DESPICABLE ME 3 as Gru discovers that he has a brother Dru. In the middle of that is finding 80s child star Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) bringing even more problems to Lucy, Margo, Edith and Agnes (as well as the minions). Dru embraces his new family with a show of wealth that shocks even Gru but all he really wants is to be part of his brother’s life and help him find the bad guys. Maybe even be a little bad once again is something Gru might enjoy with Dru.

Illumination, in 2015, gave MINIONS their own film and after a series of historical screw ups, find themselves gathered in a cave getting a little depressed with their life of no action or no leader. When Kevin, Stuart and Bob leave the cave to find a new master, it is 1968 and they are headed to Villain-Con. Once their they meet Scarlet Overkill, a lady supervillain to takes them to England telling her new recruits that she wants to steal the crown from the Queen. Of course the supervillain turns on her trio and they now know they have to get away from her but not before restoring, in their own unique way, order to the true Queen.

There is a new bunny in town and with the 2011 film HOP we learn that E.B. (Russell Brand), the Easter Bunny’s son living on Easter Island, wants to be a famous drummer. He certainly does not want to be part of the family business. This is good news to chick Carlos (Hank Azaria), the Easter Bunny’s assistant who wants the top spot on the Island. Getting away to Hollywood, E.B. meets out of work Fred O’Hare (James Marsden) hits the bunny on his way to house sit. Talking his way into staying with Fred, E.B. wants to audition for David Hasselhoff and get on his show. Dad sends out the Pink Berets bunnies to find E.B. and bring him home. So, who will become the Easter Bunny now?

Dr. Seuss is going to get a double dip from Illumination with the 2012 film DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX. Young Ted (Zac Efron) lives in a walled city and after falling for a girl decides he needs a real tree to get her attention. Finding one, he meets the Once-ler Lorax (Danny DeVito) who lets the young boy know he speaks for the trees. He convinces him to not cut down any more trees, but it is when he is given the last Truffula seed, it is his hope that he can find a way to make everyone care about the trees. That is not what happens once he gets home and finds that O’Hare (Rob Riggle) is trying to get the town to turn against him. But Tim has once way of making everyone see the truth and see his friend the Lorax once again.

Adding a musical animated film to their slate in 2016 with SING telling the story of Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), a koala who is about to lose the theatre he loves. Deciding to host a singing competition, a poster is accidentally sent out on the wind with a $100,000 prize when all Moon has is $1,000. Going forward, he holds auditions as he chooses pig Rosita (Reese Witherspoon) and partners her with pig Gunter (Nick Kroll), rock porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson), gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton), and mouse Mike (Seth MacFarlane). Elephant Meena (Tori Kelly) fails to audition but gets a chance to work with Moon. Still worried about the money, Moon asks friend Eddie (John C. Reilly) if grandma Nana (Jennifer Saunders) can help. When they have to come together it is music to everyone’s ears!

Also, in 2016 we all got a peek into THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS as Jack Russell Max (Louis C.K.) lives with his human Katie (Ellie Kemper) in Manhattan and is perfectly content. Hanging out during the day with friends Chloe the cat (Lake Bell), pug Mel (Bobby Moynihan), guinea pig Norman (Chris Renaud), budgerigar Sweet Pea (Tara Strong), Pomeranian Gidget (Jenny Slate) and dachshund Buddy (Hannibal Buress) is the good life. One day Katie comes home with an exceptionally large Newfoundland named Duke (Eric Stonestreet) and Max is shocked. Trying to find a way to get rid of him they end up in an alley with Snowball (Kevin Hart), a leader of pets that have been abandoned by their owners. Gidget sends out their friend Tiberius the hawk to find Max and Duke but Snowball has other plans. During all the chaos Max and Duke find a friendship that just might last.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 arrived in 2019 and if having big brother Duke is not enough, more changes are on the way. Katie finds love with Chuck (Peter Holmes) and soon there have baby boy Liam (Henry Lynch). Max doesn’t want to care to much about Liam but the tyke wins him and he becomes uber worried about him which brings medical issues and a cone. Visiting Chuck’s uncle, Max and Duke meet Rooster (Harrison Ford), a straight-shooting dog who tries to teach Max how to stiffen up. Back at home Gidget was to be babysitting Max’s toy Busy Bee and when it becomes lost, he turns to Chloe, Mel Buddy and Sweet Pea to find it before Max gets back. Snowball has become domesticated but still dreams of being a superhero and tries to make that happen when rescuing a white tiger. Using what Rooster told him, Max is going to do everything to help his friends!

What would December be without DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH to bring in celebrating the holidays in 2018. In Whoville the Whos are about to celebrate Christmas, and like the rest of us it is a special time of year except for one person. Up on the mountain living alone with his dog Max is the Grinch.  Cindy Lou Who meets the Grinch as he tells her that if talking to Santa means too much to her she should go talk to him in person. His grumpiness comes from memories of being alone in an orphanage and that is when he decides to steal Christmas from the Whovillians. Getting a sleigh together and making a suit, he takes Max along and puts his plan in action with stealing everything Christmas. Seeing Cindy Lou again they have a talk about her Mother working so hard. The Grinch does not stop his plan and the all in Whoville wake up Christmas morning with nothing. After seeing their reaction of still celebrating Christmas, Cindy invites him to celebrate Christmas with her family which makes all the difference in the world!

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

The Bonus Feature of this collection include: Loaded with Mini-Movies, Music and Sing-Alongs, Interactive Content, Games and More!

Illumination has put together 10 of the most memorable, delightful and funny films with such different stories, characters and fun. Without saying a word all they would have to do is hold up a picture of one of the characters and it would bring huge smiles and shouts of what movie they are from. That is how successful these films have been in family’s lives.

Directors, Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda, Tim Hill, Garth Jennings, Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney should feel so proud of what they have accomplished with these films. Always giving us more to love about them and a perfect reason to spend family time together in a movie theatre. Now, with this 10-movie collection, you can spend quality family fun time whenever the mood strikes. In my house that would be all the time!

From the Minions, to Pets, to the Easter Bunny, Dr. Seuss’ characters and the song of SING, these films bring families together to share in the experience of fun.

In the end – get ready to get your fun on!

DESPICABLE ME 3 Expands the Family Fun on Bluray!

Jeri Jacquin

Get the family together because they family is back on Bluray & DVD from directors Eric Guillon, Kyle Balda and Pierre Cofflin along with Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment with DESPICABLE ME 3.

Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) are on their next mission for the Anti-Villain League going after Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), a once child star who took his role into adulthood. With his keytair and 80’s dance moves, Bratt gets away with a diamond as large as his head!

Returning to the AVL headquarters, Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) announces that he will be stepping down. Taking his job is Valerie Da Vinci (Jenny Slate) and her first move is to fire Gru. Lucy threatens to walk if she follows through with the firing and now both are out of a job. The Minions aren’t happy when Gru refuses to return to villainy and stage a walk out.

Going home to explain it all to Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Nev Scharrel), the parents assure the girls it will all work out. That’s when a stranger shows up and announces that Gru has a twin brother names Dru (also voiced by Steve Carell). Not believing it Gru forces his Mom (Julie Andrews) and he learns the truth about his family.

Packing the family up, they fly to Dru’s luxurious estate and Gru learns more about who his father was. He also learns that Dru wants to be villainous and it’s Gru’s chance to capture Bratt while Lucy works on her Mom-skills. Bratt isn’t about to make anything easy as he has plans for tinsel town.

In their efforts to strengthen their family, Gru, Lucy and Dru along with the girls learn that love of family is amazing and there is no bad guy big enough to break them apart!

Recently at CinemaCon, Steve Carell spoke about his iconic work as Gru saying the DESPICABLE ME franchise is filled with “characters that are funny for adults as well as kids and that’s what has made it all successful”. How did the voice of Gru come to be? Carell says, “I tried voices on my daughter and when I did the voice of Gru they told me that was the one. Gru’s voice was like I flew over Eastern Europe and Dru’s voice had to be different. It had to be very fun, free and giddy in a way”.

Wiig as Lucy is trying her best to be a good Mom and it takes being herself to let everyone know that no one messes with Mama Bear! I just think the character of Lucy is crazy cool. Cosgrove, Gaier and Scharrel as Margo, Edith and Agnes are just girls growing up in a different household that is filled with unexpected adventure and they roll with it.

Parker as Bratt had me cracking up! His shoulder pads, keytar and dance moves along with a balding mullet and bubblegum means he isn’t about to let Gru, Dru, Lucy or anyone else stop him from a little Hollywood payback.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

The Bluray & DVD also includes the Bonus Features Deleted Scenes, Minion Moments, Character Profiles, The Making of Despicable Me 3, Developing Dru, The AVL Files, Freedonia Visitors Guide, Despicable Me TV, “Doowit” Sing-Along, “Yellow Light” Music Video and the All New Mini Movie: The Secret Life of Kyle.

DESPICABLE ME 3 is going to give families over and over again everything they have come to love about Gru, the girls and even the minions. This may not be the average family but it sure is one filled with love, excitement, understanding and fun. One would have thought that completed the family.

Of course not, Illumination expands their family with Dru and a unicorn, well of sorts, which means a double dose of excitement. There are the usual jokes with the minions trying to be jail house rockers but they know where they truly belong. The animation is strong, vibrant and has such creativity that I am always surprised yet not surprised.

Gru and Dru have found one another which means Lucy and the girls have their hands full. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing but if Illumination wants one more story line I have a few ideas that I wouldn’t mind sharing!

So gather up your own minions, fill up the popcorn bowl and cuddle on the sofa with holiday family fun of the family kind with DESPICABLE ME 3.

In the end – ohhhhhhhh brother it’s good to be bad!