DESPICABLE ME 3 REVIEW

Gru meets his long-lost charming, cheerful, and more successful twin brother Dru who wants to team up with him for one last criminal heist. 

Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, and Trey Parker

Directed by: Eric Guillon, Kyle Balda, and Pierre Coffin

Written by: Cinco Paul, and Ken Daurio

  When “Despicable Me” hit theaters in 2010, Gru (Steve Carell) started out as one of the world’s best villains. It turned out that only the love for three little girls could change his evil ways. Now in “Despicable Me 3,” he finds himself working for the good guys, and trying to stop evil villains like his former self. However, after some hard times, he’s tempted to go back to a life of crime by an unexpected person.

   The movie opens with the introduction of Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), and his mission to steal a giant diamond. Bratt is a former 80’s T.V. star turned evil villain because he can’t get over his show being cancelled. Only in an animated film could a villain like this exist. He wears a terrible 80’s purple outfit, and uses bubble gum as a go to weapon of choice. The only thing truly good about him is the 80’s music that plays when he has dance offs with Gru.

  When Gru fails to capture Bratt, he’s fired, but is more concerned with how the girls will take the news. Before the girls get too worked up by it, Gru finds out he has a brother and is invited to visit him. The family makes a trip to meet Dru, who is a much more successful version of Gru but just as awkward. To Gru’s surprise, Dru want him to return to the family roots, and be a villain again. What makes the brothers entertaining enough is that Dru knows nothing about being a good villain, and Gru has to carry them on their mission to steal back the diamond.

  Unfortunately, the minions play a minor role this time around. Yes, Gru is where this franchise started, but they add so much more to the comedic value of the films. Early on, most of the minions want Gru to return to his evil ways, but he refuses. This leads the minions to walk out on him, and get into some trouble of their own. As expected, the minions go on a pointless journey that just leads them back to Gru. Probably their best moment is when they’re in jail.

  “Despicable Me 3” will entertain the young audience it’s intended for. If the audience can’t get enough of Gru, they certainly will with the addition of Dru. The girls are still cute, and cause a little trouble of their own. The action is just enough, including a fun ending scene. Bratt will make kids laugh, and some of us older people dance in our seats. However there’s nothing that makes this more than just another sequel, which is short on minion action. With that, I give it 2.5 stars.

  HorrO

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS REVIEW

 A terrier named Max regularly invites his friends to hang out at his place while his owner is gone, but his quiet life is upended when said owner also takes in Duke, a stray mutt whom Max instantly dislikes.

Starring: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, and Kevin Hart

Directed by: Yarrow Cheney and Chris Renaud

Written by: Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio, and Brian Lynch

  First and foremost, it’s never a bad idea to present the lovable creature in your movie as a baby. Recently Disney did it with Dory in “Finding Dory,” and “The Secret Life of Pets” begins by showing its lead dog Max as a puppy. When the audience sees this adorable puppy they are instantly going to fall in love with him, especially with all the silly things he does. They are also going to see the bond he’s built with his owner Katie.

 Their bond is tested when Katie decides to bring home a new dog, Duke. Duke looks like the dog version of Mr. Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street, and is definitely different from Max. That difference ultimately leads the pair to be separated from Katie, and on their own adventure in the city. The two make an entertaining tandem, but surprisingly aren’t the comedic stars of the film.

 That goes to the other pets particularly the bunch trying to find Max and Duke. This bunch includes a few other dogs, a cat, bird, guinea pig, and hawk. They’re lead by Gidget, who’s extremely motivated to find Max because she’s really in love with him. She starts off kind of quiet, but ends up being the feisty shining star of the movie.

 There’s another group of animals that are also pretty funny. They’re animals who happen to dislike pets, and the humans that make animals their pets. This is a pretty interesting concept for this group of creatures. They’re lead by an absolutely crazy bunny named Snowball. He  provides some great wacky moments when he crosses paths with Max and Duke.

Early in “The Secret Life of Pets” there are cuts of all kinds of dogs doing hilarious things when their owners leave, as many have seen in the trailers. This sets the stage for many more crazy things done by both pets and the animals who dislike pets. Max is a likable main character, but this movie thrives when there are more pets and animals together. Overall, audiences will like this movie, but pet lovers may love it. They also might keep a closer eye on their pets. A pet lover myself, I give it 3.5 stars.

  HorrO