Trolls (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 92 minutes
Directors: Walt Dohrn and Mike Mitchell
Writers: Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (screenplay), Erica Rivinoja (story) and Thomas Dam (based on the Good Luck Trolls created by)
Cast: (voices) Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Russell Brand, Christine Baranski, Gwen Stefani, John Cleese, James Corden

Trolls is now showing in the United States and is to be released in Australian on December 1. Distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Like it's protagonist, Trolls is a crazily colourful explosion of sparkling optimism that is a whole lot of toe-tapping fun for the whole family.

Based on the dolls that were at their height of popularity in the 1990's, the trolls are a community of happy little creatures with crazy hair who live in the safe haven of Troll Village away from the hideous and troll-eating Bergens. When one of their parties becomes a little too loud, their cover is blown and several trolls are taken away to fulfil the wishes of King Gristle (voiced by Christopher Mintz-Plasse). The brightest and happiest of all the trolls, Poppy (Anna Kendrick) decides to venture behind enemy lines to rescue her friends and she decides to take her polar opposite, the pessimistic Branch (Justin Timberlake) with her. The two unlikely partners in crime take a journey which results in the two learning more about life and the real world off each other than they ever thought possible.

Trolls is definitely not a film for the extreme pessimists of the world with it's over-the-top, but pleasant mantra of happiness. It is a particularly simple film that doesn't say anything more than what is being said out loud, which is that happiness is always inside you. Of course this works well for the younger members of the audience, but the film is also enjoyable enough for adults not to crave anything deeper. Yet, again, some adults may find the film a little too overly optimistic for their liking and this is something that will vary according to the individual.

Directors Walt Dohrn and Mike Mitchell do not take the happiness theme lightly. Trolls is designed to have whole families leave the cinema with big smiles on their faces. Visually, the large majority of the film resembles a rainbow that has exploded, which is not a bad thing as Trolls really is beautiful to look at with it's amazing use of colour and all things pretty such a glitter bombs, cupcakes and long multi-coloured hair.

Then there is the uplifting musical score by Christophe Beck and executive music producer Justin Timberlake. Anyone who has heard the catchy Timberlake song "Can't Stop The Feeling" would have guessed the tone of the film without having to see it nor hear the rest of the soundtrack. The cast, which includes Timberlake, Anna Kendrick and Zooey Deschanel, have remarkable vocal talents which are on show with wonderful renditions of songs such as "True Colors", "The Sound of Silence" and "Hello".

There is no doubt that Trolls is definitely the most colourful and excitable film of the year. While some may find the film absolutely adorable, others who don't like feeling as though happiness is forced onto them will find it cringe-worthy.

7/10

Editor's Choice: St Trinian's (2007)

Year: 2007

Running Time: 97 minutes

Director: Oliver Parker and Barnaby Thompson

Writers: Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft (screenplay), Jamie Minoprio and Jonathan M. Stern (additional material), Ronald Searle (cartoons)

Cast: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Gemma Arterton, Talulah Riley, Lena Headey, Russell Brand, Kathryn Drysdale, Tamsin Egerton, Paloma Faith, Juno Temple, Lily Cole, Lucy Punch, Holly Mackie, Cloe Mackie, Toby Jones, Celia Imrie, Jodie Whittaker, Mischa Barton, Stephen Fry

There is only so long you can go as a film reviewer before you feel that you absolutely must tell the world why you love one of your guilty pleasures.

St Trinian's is perhaps my biggest guilty pleasure. It is the movie I put on when I don't know what I feel like watching. It is the film I watch when I need a bit of a laugh. It is the film I watch when I want to see all these great actors in one place. It's the film I watch when I just want to have some fun and not be challenged in any way shape or form. It's may not be the best made film and it won't feature in any "Best of" lists, but this doesn't detract from the enjoyment it gives me and so many other people. Does this make St Trinian's a cult classic? It could well do. Honestly, I don't think I will ever get sick of watching this film over and over and I have no shame in saying it. Nor do I think I will ever stop quoting Tasmin Egerton's lines over and over.

Before I go into detail about why I love this film so much, here's a quick run through about St Trinian's. St Trinian's is an English boarding school for girls, but not just any girls. The naughtiest and unruly girls. By their own definition, they are the defenders of anarchy. As for the teachers, they are the teachers who can't find a job anywhere else. Headmistress Ms Camilla Fritton (played by Rupert Everett) is known to the area as the one who lets her girls run wild and do whatever they want, yet she believes she is looking after her girls who have nowhere else to go. Yet, St Trinian's is about to make some changes, starting on the day which Ms Fritton's estranged brother, Carnaby (also played by Everett) brings his bullied daughter, Annabelle (Talulah Riley) to St Trinian's. Head girl, Kelly Jones (Gemma Arterton) is on hand to welcome Annabelle and after introducing her to all the cliques, reveals that the First Year's are taking bets about how long she will last. The girls over hear a conversation between Ms Fritton and the bank manager and find out that their school is in dire straits financially and may close down. The girls take matters into their own hands and hatch an extremely elaborate plan to save their beloved school.

So why do I love St Trinian's so much? The film, based on the cartoons by Ronald Searle, opened in 2007 to mixed reviews. It has a 5.6 rating on IMDb and 31% on Rotten Tomatoes. This doesn't sound enticing at all at the moment, does it? Yet, there is so much to love about it.

When I went to the Australian premiere of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters in January this year which Gemma Arterton, I overheard a fan say to her "You were great in St Trinian's!" and she replied, "Thankyou. It's a real girl power film".

And that it is. The audience for St Trinian's may predominantly be female for this reason. Obviously the majority of the cast is female (even Rupert Everett is playing a woman for the large part of the movie) as it is set in a girls school. Even though this is a school for bad girls, the characters maintain the image of being unruly without crossing the boundaries into them being described as crude or inappropriate. Although they speak of bombs and explosives, they are not particularly violent either. They are more just mischievous than anything else, and it is welcome for them to be so. St Trinian's is very much the English brand of comedy. If you are not a fan of British comedy, this is probably not for you, yet it is perfect for those that are. The girls antics throughout the film are very, very funny and the script is hilarious.

And the masterplan they hatch! Brilliant! It is so elaborate, colourful and fun. They combine the competing in a televised school game show with a heist in order to save their school and although it may be predictable, is just great fun to watch. The soundtrack is also extremely foot tapping and head bopping.

Yet, I think it is really the actors and their  characters who make the film. What separates St Trinians from other comedy films and particularly those with a lot of characters, like this film has, is that there is a great deal of character and character development. So let's take a look at the players who make this film what it is.

Rupert Everett

The role of Miss Fritton was played in the earlier St Trinian's films (released in 1954 and 1957) by Alastair Sim. But what must have Rupert Everett thought when hewas approached to play both a male and female in the 2007 St Trinian's? No matter what he thought or what it sounded like, it works! This isn't a case of Everett playing a man in drag either, you completely forget after awhile that Miss Fritton is actually a man! The love story between Fritton and Colin Firth's Geoffrey Thwaites is over the top, but a riot when you do remember that Fritton is a male. One of the funniest parts of the film is when Geoffrey see's her/him for the first time in years and the vision of Fritton in her bright pink running suit is accompanied by "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" by The Four Aces. For all of you playing at home, here is a little bit of trivia courtesy of IMDb, the character of Camilla Fritton is modelled on the Duchess of Cornwall's image and mannerisms.

Colin Firth

Love Pride & Prejudice? Will love St Trininan's. The film is absolutely covered in references to Colin Firth's role as Mr Darcy Austen classic. When appearing on the hockey pitch again, his emergence is reminiscent of that of Mr Darcy appearing at the end of Pride & Prejudice. Miss Fritton's dog, who Geoffrey is the cause of it's demise, name is Mr Darcy. There are also quite a few references to another film of Firth's, The Girl With The Pearl Earring. In one scene, there is a classic line by Antonia Bernath's Chloe who when looking at the painting says "Wow, you can so see why Colin Firth wanted to shag her".

Lena Headey

While these days Lena Headey is most well known for her role as Cersei in "Game Of Thrones", we saw her play a polar opposite character in St Trinian's. Perhaps the most well behaved character of the film, Miss Dickinson is a far cry from Cersei Lannister. She is the goody-goody newest teacher of St Trinian's who is dying to see the girls take part in School Challenge. Headey has been around for a long time and is an extremely versatile actress. This film shows off her versatility in a character who is meant to be boring in behaviour compared to the others, but is still such a great character with a whole lot of character.

Russell Brand



Russell Brand plays Flash, another character who made his first appearance in the earlier St Trinian's films as played  by George Cole. Flash is the girl's crime consultant if you will. St Trinian's is essential viewing for any Russell Brand fan as the type of comedic dialogue he uses is very much his own. Brand's Flash is very much a superstar to the girls, as he is in real life. Perhaps his funniest scene in St Trinian's is his meeting with Carnaby Fritton in his art gallery when he is pretending to be an elusive and gay art dealer.

Talulah Riley

Talulah Riley is the perfect leading lady as Annabelle Fritton. She has the ability to play the bullied schoolgirl convincingly before switching to play a true St Trinian. She is a completely different character at the beginning of the film compared to at the end and that is a true example of the evolving of a character. She never stops changing throughout the film. Like Firth, Riley also provides another Pride & Prejudice reference as she played Mary Bennett in the 2005 film. Riley also appeared in the sequel, St Trinians 2 where Annabelle is named head girl.

Gemma Arterton
For the now globally famous actress, this was her breakthrough role. Gemma Arterton played head girl Kelly Jones and was absolute perfection. Many still credit this as being Arterton's best performance to date. She is undoubtedly the leader of the girls and is absolutely convincing as it. She, like Riley, has complete star power in St Trinian's.

Tamsin Egerton
Tamsin Egerton plays Chelsea, the leader of the Poshy Totty, a group of girls who run a chat line and all claim to have slept with a member of the royal family. Chelsea is believed to be the tarty airhead, but there are signs throughout the film that suggest otherwise. Egerton is wonderful in this role and is one of the most memorable characters. She delivers some of the funniest lines of the film and her final scene of School Challenge is pure gold. She is gifted with perhaps the best line of the film when she says "You want to steal...Scarlett Johansson?"

Paloma Faith
Paloma Faith plays St Trinian school girl, Andrea, who is the face of the Emo clique. Faith, who is nowadays better known as a successful UK pop/jazz singer with signature flaming red hair, is seen in a completely different light here than how we are now used to seeing her. She is also great fun to watch as she is more disturbed than actually an angry Emo chick, but also changes throughout the film to become a little less Emo in attitude.

Lily Cole
Another star who we see in a completely different light in St Trinian's than we normally see is supermodel, Lily Cole. Cole plays Polly, the leader of the Geek clique of St Trinian's. Absolutely convincing, until the scenes where you see he standing next to he co-stars and she is towering above them with her 5'10" frame.

Holly and Cloe Mackie
I love these two girls! Twin sisters who play first years, Tara and Tania are referred to by Arterton's Kelly as "Winchester's answer to The Sopranos". They are wise beyond their years, but also a whole lot of first year trouble. The girls were only ten years old when they appeared in St Trinian's and were absolutely hilarious. You know it shouldn't be adorable, but it is here when in a little ten year old voice you hear "You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"

So, as you can see, there are dozens of reasons to love St Trinian's. I'm sure there are people out there whose personal taste will allow them the find dozens of reasons to dislike it, but everyone has their rerun guilty pleasures. Whatever film it may be, there are reasons you will always love it.

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Year: 2013
Director: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
Cast: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand, Steve Coogan, Miranda Cosgrove
Now showing in Australian cinemas
To be released in the UK on the 28th of June and the USA on the 3rd of July 2013

 Despicable Me fans can now breathe a sigh of relief. Despicable Me 2 is in no way an insult to the first film.

The second film carries on all the fun, laughs and entertainment that the first film gave us, with a few little changes according to what fans loved from the first film. The main change being that those crazy minions have a greater presence in this film. There shouldn't be too many complaints about that.

After Gru (Steve Carell) is cured of his villainous ways in Despicable Me, we find him at the beginning of this film still completely besotted by his three adopted daughters, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes ( Elsie Fisher). He has adapted to fatherhood well and is living a low key life, which is quite the opposite to his days as a villain. That is until Agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) shows up in his front yard trying to convince him to join the Anti-Villain League (AVL). Gru takes some convincing, but he eventually decides to help out the AVL find a new villain who is creating mayhem. The unthinkable happens for this one time bad man though, he may have found his match in Agent Wilde.

Despicable Me 2 is great for the same reasons that Despicable Me was. Both of the films have a wide appeal in that their attraction isn't restricted to a particular group of people. It isn't your typical clichéd film in that the protagonist is not a particularly charming character nor is he easy on the eye. Gru may not be a villain anymore, but he still looks like one and can also have the attitude of one too.

The screenplay, written by Ken Daurio and Chico Paul, is very good and very different from the first film, while still having the basics right. When Daurio and Paul were writing the screenplay for Despicable Me 2, they must have seen how well the minions were received by all in the first film because they feature a lot more in the second film (and in it's promotions). They feature more in the actual plot than they did before and there is some hilarious scenes with them right at the end of the film.

The wonderful thing about the actors who supply the voices in Despicable Me 2 is that they are truly in actor mode and are not just speaking in their own voice. Both Steve Carell and Russell Brand's voices are almost unrecognisable as Gru and Dr Nefario. They both truly become their character and show there is a lot more to giving an animated character your voice rather than just reading your lines. Kristen Wiig is also good, not for the same reasons as Carell and Brand, but rather because she is able to portray emotions through her voice and it would seem like she had a great amount of fun being  Lucy Wilde.

It is not a necessity to see Despicable Me before you see Despicable Me 2, but it is recommended so that you understand the characters a bit better. There isn't a great deal of character development as it is assumed you know who the main characters are and how they got to be who they are. There really is no spoken connection to the film before, so it is preferred you would see the first film before this one.

Despicable Me 2 is very funny and entertaining and one of the best animations you will see this year.

Does anyone want to petition for a Minion Translation Dictionary?

8/10


You may have also seen Steve Carell in......
Despicable Me as Gru
The Way, Way Back  as Trent

You may have also seen Russell Brand in.....
Despicable Me as Dr Nefario
Rock Of Ages as Lenny

You may have also seen Kristen Wiig in......
Bridesmaids as Annie

Rock Of Ages (2012)

Rock Of Ages

Year:  2012

Director: Adam Shankman

Cast: Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Malin Akerman, Paul Giamatti

Before I begin my review….

                Every time I review a musical (which I admit, isn’t too often these days), I always find it harder to do so than your typical film.

                As I left the cinema after watching Rock Of Ages, I was trying to figure out why it is. I’ve came to the conclusion that it is because you have to be careful that you are critiquing the movie and not the musical. So you can’t really say how good the story is in a movie review because the story is the product of the stage musical, not the movie. You also can’t criticize the characters because the characters are also a product of the musical. You can of course change bits and pieces of the stage play to suit the big screen and that’s really what you have to do because a stage musical and movie musical are two different ball games. Stage musicals involve a lot more “over-the-top” performances so people in the nose bleed section can see the facial and bodily expressions. If you are as over-the-top in the movie, you get bashed by the critics for over-acting.

                Yet, you really can’t change too much because fans of the musical feel ripped off when something they enjoy or a character they like is changed for the big screen. It’s much like adapting a movie from a book. Fans of the original like things to remain as close as possible, which is fair enough really. Although change can be good to make things work as opposed to making things flop.

                Most of that is beside the point of what I was going to say. Reviewers such as myself have to be careful to just review the film musical and not the stage musical at the same time. I’m  not a theatre reviewer, yet that maybe an idea. Who doesn’t love a good musical?

                That was a rhetorical question.

Review

                It’s the film to excite every rock n’ roll fan and 80’s enthusiast.  Glam rock arrives to the big screen in spectacular fashion with Rock Of Ages.

                Based on the Broadway musical which debuted in 2009, Rock Of Ages is a whole lot of fun with a great soundtrack and has been very well adapted for the screen. Rock music lovers will be in heaven hearing all their glam rock favourites sung by actors they would have never thought would be in a million years.                      

                It is 1987 and rock n’ roll is alive and well on Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard at The Bourbon Room. It is the place dreams are made of for Sherrie (Julianne Hough) and Drew (Diego Boneta), two hopefuls searching for fame and love. However, it may not be for much longer with their financial difficulties and threats from the mayor’s wife, Patricia Whitmore (Catherine Zeta-Jones) to bring it down. Lead singer of Arsenal, the infamous Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) may just be the one to save The Bourbon Room.

                First and foremost, Rock Of Ages is just plain fun. The great thing about this musical is that you don’t need to have seen the stage musical or be a fan of it to know the music and be toe tapping. The music is widely known in society and is very well adapted for the movie. Even if you are not a rock music fan, there is still a lot of fun to be had. Rock music fans will enjoy it that little bit more though.

                The film has been very well adapted to the big screen from the stage. There are segments in the film that could not have been achieved on stage as well which enhance the characters stories, such as that of Dennis (Alec Baldwin) and Lonny’s (Russell Brand) flashbacks. The set’s used also take advantage of the bigger performance space to bring more to the film than is possible on stage, such as Stacee Jaxx’s massive dressing room and the feeling of actually being in The Bourbon Room with its stage, bar and dance floor.

                The direction of Adam Shankman is to be commended. From the beginning when you see the beginning credits start and “Paradise City” playing in the background, you feel like you are about to witness an extravaganza and it makes you eager for the movie to get started.

                In saying that, the film doesn’t really have a feeling of amazing achievement of the characters through it when they are breaking through in their careers. The ending isn’t really as inspiring as you would like, but it isn’t by any means bad. It just feels as though final number may have had a bit more to give.

                The two lead actors in Rock Of Ages, Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta are good choices for their roles. However, it is clear that Hough’s background is more in singing and dancing than in acting. She can be a tad boring at times, and isn’t really the type of girl you would expect to be obsessed with rock n’ roll music. There is no denying she has a good voice, but seems a bit out of place in The Bourbon Room. However, if this is the way Sherrie is supposed to be on stage, then she should be that way in the film as well.

                Tom Cruise completely steals the show as Stacee Jaxx. He is completely believable as the 80’s rock sex symbol and it would not surprise you if someone told you that he really was a rock star in the 1980’s. He looks the part and his mannerisms, such as his walk, are perfect.

                Catherine Zeta-Jones also does well. She is very funny as the mayor’s wife and it is great to see her on the big screen again.

                Alec Baldwin is very, very funny in his role. It’s a very different role for him, but he is extremely likable and his chemistry with Russell Brand is great. Brand, as always, delivers some stellar lines throughout the film.

                There are not enough film musical’s going around these days, and Rock Of Ages is the film musical for those who are not usually fans of musicals.

7.5/10 

References
The Internet Movie DataBase
About.com
El Brooklyn Taco

Arthur

Year: 2011
Director: Jason Winer
Cast: Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Greta Gerwig

In My Own Words
It always takes a bad day followed by a visit to the cinema to remind me why I love movies so much. It doesn't matter what it is going on in your life, while you are in a cinema, you forget everything which is going on outside and lose yourself in the film. The world of film provides ua all with an escape and with all the crazy things that are happenning in our lives and in the world at this point in time, an escape is something we all need at times. When you need that escape, I really love the movies which are out in the cinemas at school holiday time. There is always a comedy or an animation or two to watch which will always put you in a better mood once you make the trip to the movies. It doesn't even matter whether the film is half decent or not, just as long as it isn't is light and fluffy and fun.  Last night when I got home I found myself in a bit lower a mood than usual and I put on "The Country Girl" with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly. Now forgive me, but this was the first time I had seen "The Country Girl" and it was a lot sadder than what I thought it would be. My mother rang me while I was in the middle of watching it and got mad at me for watching a depressing movie which would only enhance my bad mood! Quite clearly I should have made the trip to the cinemas last night to see "Arthur"! However, even after seeing it today, I feel like a new person! It really is amazing the power a film can hold over you by way of escapism.

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
Once again, we approach another remake with caution. "Arthur" was originally made back in 1981 with Dudley Moore as Arthur, Liza Minnelli as his love interest and John Gielgud in his Oscar winning role as Hobson, Arthur's servant. 30 years later, Arthur is now Russell Brand, who resembles Moore only in his haircut for the film and Hobson is now Arthur's nanny and played by Helen Mirren. While the 1981 "Arthur" was worthy of 4 Academy Award nominations and 2 wins, the 2011 version can be described as just good enough. It's fun, but just a bit too silly to be completely hilarious. Sure, there are definitely some laughs but it is a case of seeing the funniest parts in the trailer. Arthur is a child trapped in a 30 year old's body. He loves his toys and spends the money he has inherited from his parents on such extravagences as parties with numerous women and booze. In order to get him to calm down and act like an adult, his distant mother decides to give him an ultimatum, marry Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner) or say goodbye to the millions. This happens at the same time that Arthur meets free-spirited Naomi (Greta Gerwig) who he immediately falls for. Arthur is faced with the biggest decision he has ever had to make, marry a woman he feels nothing for and keep his millions, or keep the girl of his dreams and lose all the money.

"Arthur" is a case of Russell Brand playing Russell Brand. He mixes up the roles which he plays in the movies he partakes in, but they are not a great stretch from each other. In all honestly, Brand will probably never be an accomplished dramatic actor, but he still doesn't do too badly in the dramatic scenes. The chemistry between him and Helen Mirren on screen strengthens throughout the film, as it should be. Unfortunately, the strength of the chemistry between Brand and Great Gerwig on screen is extremely weak and they physically do not look right together. On her own, Gerwig actually does do a very good job as Naomi and she is just delightful with a great amount of character.  In this film, it does feel that Brand has had to tone down his sense of humour to fit in with the film's PG rating. At the beginning of the film, after about 5 minutes it almost feels as though you are going to start to find Brand's Arthur extremely annoying, but by halfway through the film he has actually became quite likable. His character does seem to be extremely overdone in proving that he has a childlike mind. You can see why the director, Jason Winer has made Arthur this way as to make a point, but it is so overdone that Arthur just seems creepy.

However, the script does allow for Arthur to have some very funny dialogue, even though a lot of it is in the trailer so it doesn't seem as funny the second time you have seen it. The script does tend to miss out on some pivotal moments of Arthur's development, particularly towards the end. "Arthur" does tend to get really qute silly at times, but there really is something in this film for everyone.  The best thing is, Winer has made "Arthur" his own and it really is different from the original. Yes, it is not as good as the original, but it is a different film. Gone is the massive Arthur laugh from Dudley Moore and it is replaced by Brand and his own Arthur. The decision to make Hobson into a nanny rather than a servant does work as well as it adds to the immaturity of Arthur's character. The decision also to make Naomi into a tour guide who is running from the police because she doesn't have a license makes her more endearing and perfect for Arthur'sa love interest, rather than Linda (who was played by Liza Minelli) who was running from the police as she was trying to steal a tie for her father.  A remake that isn't trying to be the original is always worthy of praise.

"Arthur" is a good film for the holidays. It is entertaining enough, doesn't require the use of too many brain cells and is a bit of fun. It does border on the funny/silly border, but has something for everyone no matter how frustrating it can be at times.
5.5/10

Despicable Me

Despicable Me
Year: 2010
Director: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
Cast: Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, Julie Andrews, Jason Segel

In My Own Words
After the hard week I had had, this movie was exactly the medicine I needed. There is something completely uplifting about animation. I know that not all animation is uplifting, but the animation aimed at the younger audience which is also made so that older audiences can enjoy it. Rest assure, if I have had a hard day at work, you will normally find me at home afterwards watching a movie like “Lilo and Stitch” or “The Princess And The Frog”. Movies like this will also bring a smile to my face. When you are suffering from the stress of the grown up world, what’s better to escape than being entertained by the purity in G rated animation films?

The great thing about “Despicable Me” is that before you see the film, you can look at the poster and you have no idea what the movie is about. The promo’s give away nothing about the film which is a great marketing technique. It increases the public’s curiosity of the movie and therefore increases the audience! The most curious part for me before I saw the film was that this film was super successful....and it was an animation purely about a villain! Animation is known for bringing us cute and cuddly characters who overcome the ugly villains, not being purely about an ugly villain! How could something so unattractive be the star of a hit movie? The same thing was thought about “Up” when it was released last year, how could an animated film about an old man and an overweight kid look attractive on the big screen? “Up” was a huge success, and so is “Despicable Me”. There is a lot more cuteness in this film than would be expected. One of the best parts about seeing this film, was when my partner was the only one left laughing in the cinema after everyone had finished laughing at a particular part, because he just couldn’t stop. Priceless.

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
There is nothing despicable about “Despicable Me”. It is one of the funniest animated films to be released in years. Not only is it very funny, but it also extremely clever, original and well written. There are not many film makers who have been brave enough to make an animated film where the lead character is a villain, and an ugly villain at that. However, directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud have done a fine job at turning an ugly character that would usually be disliked into a star. Once best villain in the world, Gru (Steve Carell) knows he is losing his touch after a new villain, Vector (Jason Segel) steals the Egyptian pyramids. Challenged, Gru decides that he is going to aim higher and steal the moon. Of course, a villain must overcome several obstacles in order to get what he really wants. And as one may expect, he is in danger of becoming a good guy in the process.

Apart from being just a tad predictable, “Despicable Me” is very well written. The jokes are very clever, but just simple and easy at the same time. The story is also very creative and played out in an interesting way. There is never a dull moment throughout the film and this is one of the few animated films which has been released in 3D and it has been able to enhance the entertainment value. It is definitely worth seeing “Despicable Me” in 3D as the film makers give the audience plenty of surprises and it just adds to the fun of the film. The graphics are fantastic. It is not an overly emotional film, but there are some moments in which will pull at your emotional strings. Even though there are not any cute and cuddly fuzzy creatures such as talking dogs or cats, there are some hilarious characters such a Gru’s yellow minion friends which are definitely worth talking about after the film.

It is often hard to critique an actor for a voice part, but credit must definitely be given to the players in this film. Steve Carell, Russell Brand and Kristen Wiig are excellent in their parts. The best part about these actors taking part in “Despicable Me” is that they are not merely just lending their voice, but they are making the characters real. If one did not know which actor was which character, they would have a very hard time figuring out who was who, or they wouldn’t even be able to guess that that actor even had a part in the film. Even Jack McGrayer of “30 Rock” fame has a small part in the film, but it is incredibly hard to pick who he is.

“Despicable Me” is the must see animation of the year. It brings a smile to your face and it is incredibly hard not to find this film funny. Great talent went into making every part of this film and it is an absolute winner.
9/10