09.04.17
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Logan Lucky

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Logan Lucky follows two brothers who attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina. This film marks the end of Steven Soderbergh’s short-lived retirement from filmmaking, and I’m glad to say he hasn’t lost his steam since back before he retired. Here, he makes every shot and set feel lively and every scene feel engaging and exciting. The cinematography feels very stylistic and the editing of country and rock music as well as sounds of cars revving make the film very enjoyable to watch and well put together. The writing is tons of fun as well, with some hilarious dialogue and humor put into the film that is brilliantly done. This film has humor that not many movies has to offer, as most comedies nowadays have large budgets and forced and predictable humor, but here, the humor is clever and not always expected. Although the style and humor in this film are outstanding, my favorite part of the film was easily the cast, and the characters they play. Channing Tatum is terrific in a delightful and well-written leading role, and Adam Driver, who has gained fame for playing the main villain in the new Star Wars films, Riley Keough, who has shown lots of talent in films like this and It Comes at Night, and Daniel Craig, who seamlessly trades his British accent for a Southern one, are all hilarious and pleasing in their main roles. The supporting cast, including Seth Macfarlane, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterson, and Hillary Swank are also fantastic. All these characters, even if some of them are complete assholes, are compelling and entertaining to watch, so well put to screen by the talented actors who were very well cast. Even the smaller roles are given very fun and amusing moments. The movie doesn’t try to be something huge or groundbreaking, as the plot isn’t something that will blow your mind as it’s something that’s been done before. It draws similarities to Soderbergh’s heist film Ocean’s Eleven, which he even references in this film, but this still feels like something new and refreshing if you look at the characters, acting, and style that isn’t offered by all films nowadays. The story gets somewhat confusing at the end and could have been a little more clear, but that didn’t make me ignore all the entertainment that this movie has to offer. If you simply want a fun time at the movies, I couldn’t recommend this more.

I had a blast watching Logan Lucky, thanks to Soderbergh’s direction and a wonderful cast. It’s not one of the best movies that’s been released this year, but I think more comedies should have the brilliant energy and humor that this film has. If you’re looking for a movie to keep you entertained, you’ll be lucky to watch this one.

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08.26.17
by

Good Time

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After a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, Constantine Nikas (Robert Pattinson) embarks on a twisted odyssey through New York City’s underworld in an increasingly desperate-and dangerous-attempt to get his brother out of jail.

Good Time has gotten lots of buzz ever since it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, but I was ultimately let down by what I got here. A24 is known for releasing masterful films with distinctive and creative styles, but the directors’ vision here didn’t work for me. Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Jason Leigh are both great in their roles and carry their scenes very well. Pattinson disappears in his role and Leigh is able to make her scenes interesting, but the overly shaky cinematography and choppy editing toolots of the interest out of the film. Some scenes are written well, and the movie is written as a nonstop ride of sorts, but the film never stops to show us why the characters are doing what they’re doing or why they’re in these situations. The film makes too many cuts throught scenes that could have been more interesting of the camerawork wasn’t so handheld and distracting. The retro score is also edited badly into the film and even annoying and unnecessary in some scenes. We are never given time to feel for our characters or understand why we should root for them, and some of these characters barely served a point. There are lots of scenes that are supposed to be human conversations to make us care for our characters more, but none of that really got me engaged. The intensity in the final act didn’t keep me thrilled at all, and the ending is extremely predictable. By the end, even as the credits roll over the final scene, we are left with nothing to think about or reflect on about what this movie offered. It starts out as a film about brotherhood, and by the end not even the writers know what it’s about. I love crime movies and I think this movie had lots of potential, but despite the critical acclaim, the great acting, and a few well-written scenes, Good Time was ultimately forgettable and failed to live up to the promise of its title.

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08.15.17
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Detroit

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In Kathryn Bieglow’s latest film, she takes on the 1967 Detroit riot that shook the city forever. Bigelow has done a great job taking on true stories before, like the Iraq War in The Hurt Locker and the assassination of bin Laden in Zero Dark Thirty, both of which are great films that had me excited for this one. Here, Bigelow’s directing does not fail to stand out. She’s the most successful female director in Hollywood and it’s not hard to see why. The story is depicted mostly in the events of one night, in which the police raid of a motel generates horrible results. Although the setting is mostly small, these scenes are powerful and have lots of meaning in them. The cast is great, including Star Wars‘ John Boyega and especially Will Poulter as a ruthlessly racist white cop, but the real star is newcomer Algee Smith, who plays a musician who is emotionally scarred after the horrifying events of the film. He demonstrates lots of talent through his expression of fear and humanity in the movie. The first 45 minutes are slow and messy, as the historical concept is first introduced, and then we are given many characters to follow without any plot being brought forward until after this long first act. The directing was always great, but the writing in this first part could have been improved, and Barry Ackroyd’s style of quick cuts and handheld cam doesn’t quite work here. However, once the intensity kicked in, the writing became much more interesting and I was on the edge of my seat. The depiction of the excessive violence that the police unnecessarily used on the blacks in this time is painful to watch, and not just because you know it really happened, but because these situations still happen today and nothing his really changed since those violent and awful times. The scariest thing about Detroit is that the theme in the movie not only stands for the time period and the city it takes place in, but what is happening all over the country even today, and that change must be made. The ending is frustratingly realistic but has a point to prove and a state to make, one that will stay with you and hopefully inspire us all to move toward peace.

Kathryn Bigelow has made another great true story with Detroit, a difficult and realistic but moving feature that although not one of the best films of the year, it’s one of the most necessary. It takes on important themes like racism and violence, and is a moving history lesson that has a relevant message to both the past and the present.

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08.03.17
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The Big Sick

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The Big Sick is the true story of actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani, playing himself in the main role. He wrote the film with his wife Emily V. Gordon (played by Zoe Kazan in the film), and this tells the story of their relationship and how it was complicated by Emily’s sickness, as well as Kumail’s Pakistani culture.

Neither comedy nor romance are up there on the list of my favorite genres, although I’m not saying I don’t like those genres, because I really do. However, most films in those genres nowadays tend to feel recycled and often the same. However, movies like The Big Sick that try to reinvent the rom-com genre (or one of the genres alone) and stay way from the usual tropes, but still remain a film for the mainstream audience, really intrigue me. The rave reviews have gotten me interested and I sure wasn’t let down considering what this film had to offer.  The story is touching and I was interested with the fact that Kumail starred in a film about himself and a story that was personally important to him. It’s not a groundbreaking true story in any way, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s just a smart story about love and relations between cultures. Its modern relevance and terrific humor make it a treat to watch from smart to finish. There was hardly a dull moment, and although a subplot involving Kumail’s stand-up career and his friends could have been developed slightly more and wasn’t as engaging as the rest of the film, I wasn’t really ever pulled out of the film during its 2-hour runtime. Kumail is hilarious and heartwarming and carries the film wonderfully. Of course someone can deliver a great performance as themselves, but he was able to bring something from himself that audiences can connect to and enjoy about his own personality. The way he tells his story is so much fun, and the script from him and his wife is sincere, humorous, and emotionally effective although light-hearted. Zoe Kazan is well-casted as Emily, Kumail’s wife, and she had great chemistry with him as well. An important scene with her character didn’t completely convince me like I hoped in terms of her acting, but most of the time she was able to bring some heart to the screen. There’s also some big names in the film: Ray Romano and Holly Hunter as Emily’s parents. Both of those actors are great, especially Romano, who is hilarious and a fun character to watch and connect with. Hunter is also impressive and the chemistry both the actors have with Kumail on screen is very well done, considering it’s a huge part of the film. By the end of the movie, I was left thinking about the small yet important story that managed to bring a smile on my face, even though the story doesn’t quite wrap up like expected, and this movie proved that you don’t need a huge budget or plot to have a great film that people can connect and have a good time with.

I overall loved the culturally relevant autobiographical true story The Big Sick had to offer, as well as the acting, humor, and terrific writing. This has something in store for all audiences, and one of the more touching films in theaters right now, if you’re looking for a great comedy that has something that will stick with you beyond the laughs.

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07.31.17
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Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

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In Luc Besson’s sci-fi adventure set in Alpha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets, special operatives Valerian and Laureline must find a dark force that is threatening the city and safeguard the future of the universe. There is clearly a large amount of ambition in this film that we don’t see in many movies today, and Luc Besson had a huge vision of this universe he adapted to the big screen from a French comic book series. The CGI effects in this movie are excellent, and many shots are incredible to look at. The setting of Alpha, which has planets with many different looks, is brought to life beautifully and feels like something out of a Star Trek or Star Wars movie, and so is a magnificently looking scene towards the beginning which feels almost like something out of Avatar. However, when put together with the pratical sets and effects in the film, which are minimal, that’s when the visual appeal often comes off as messy, since it’s so easy to tell what’s real and what’s fake. The action gives some great entertainment, especially when put together with the visuals, and Besson also knows what music to use in certain scenes, including some of my favorite songs like “Space Oddity” and “Stayin’ Alive”. The part the film struggles most with is the plot. The story starts off fine and somewhat exciting, but eventually more plot points get thrown in until it gets too convoluted to enjoy. I wasn’t expecting much from the trailers but at least I was able to get some entertaining sequences. I liked Besson’s approach to the world building and visual environment of the film, but the script fails to bring anything humurous or original like it tries to be. There is a plot twist thrown in towards the end of the movie that I saw coming from miles away, and although I understood the message Besson tried to convey with what is actually happening in the film, the villain reveal was extremely predictable from the moment I saw that character on screen. The original comic books inspired the look and feel of the classic 1977 Star Wars, and this movie actually had good potential to become another great intergalactic film franchise in that same genre, but with the underwhelming writing and poor critical and box office performances, I highly doubt that will happen.

The main characters of Valerian and Laureline could have been wonderfully thought of protagonists, and I bet they are that way in the source material. Unfortunately, we are given no backstory on who these characters are and how they met, and the chemistry between the two lead actors is weak, as the romantic development between them and the development of them as the “buddy cop” duo of the film is unimaginative and hard to care for. Cara Delevingne was well-cast and delivered an amusing performance as the badass female character who has lots of heart, but Dane DeHaan is miscast and failed to deliver in the titular role. He gave the role his best, and he’s not a bad actor, but the role didn’t suit him as I didn’t feel like I could connect at all to the character with the lack of emotion he brought. Rihanna thankfully didn’t have a big role in the movie, and although her character has a fun concept and a cool scene in which she’s introduced, don’t expect this to be too big of an improvement on her awful performance in Battleship, in terms of acting. There’s also a certain well-known actor in the movie that the trailers did a good job of hiding, and although he’s more talented than all the other actors in the film, he’s completely wasted in a small and forgettable role. This movie tries to be huge, as this is both the most expensive European and independent film ever made. That may sound like this movie promises big things, but it’s ultimately crammed and although often entertaining, I did not find myself too impressed by Valerian, besides for the great CG-visuals.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets has tons of great ambition and visual effects, as well as some very surprisingly entertaining scenes, but the plot and cast distract from the good this film has to offer, and make this movie an uninspired, although somewhat delightful mess that will only truly satisfy those looking for good action and terrific visual appeal.

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07.22.17
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Wind River

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In Wind River, the directorial debut of Taylor Sheridan, writer of Sicario and Hell or High Water, an FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) teams with a town’s veteran game tracker (Jeremy Renner) to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation. Both the past films written by Sheridan did not fail to impress me, as both were masterfully written and very engaging.  Wind River sees Sheridan in the director’s chair and he delivers yet another excellent screenplay, this time set in a snowy reservation in Wyoming. Sheridan develops his settings and main characters very well in all three of his scripts, and here it doesn’t fail as well. Jeremy Renner delivers one of his best performances as the main character, who has a tragic past and an estranged family, and you feel for the emotion Renner provides in every scene, and his character is superbly written. As much as I love him as Hawkeye in the Marvel universe, his best roles are the ones in smaller films, those that go into emotional depth, even like in last year’s Arrival. This is definitely up there with his performances in Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar winner The Hurt Locker and Ben Affleck’s heist thriller The Town as one of his greatest roles. Elizabeth Olsen has a few good moments in the film, but it mostly felt like she was just reading lines off a script and barely brought much depth into her character, and it was ultimately hard to care for her role.

Wind River has a Coen brothers vibe to it, as it feels like it drew great inspiration from Fargo, not just the development of the cold, isolated setting but also the way tension is built so well through small scenes. For those looking for a thrilling and interesting mystery thriller to watch, you’ll definitely be entertained, although I never felt like it brought anything new to the genre. The overall structure is entertaining but also feels very familiar and it didn’t offer much that was new or ground-breaking. Although the script is overall great, I was sometimes concerned by the directing before watching the movie, as this is Sheridan’s first time directing a film. I was mostly impressed by the directing, especially for a debut, but the use of handheld cam is often too shaky and sometimes distracting. Some shots are captured very well, but during the smaller, more conversational scenes, the camerawork could have used some improvement. There wasn’t the energy to it that Sicario and Hell or High Water had, as those films had more richness in their cinematography and directing, part of what made them both better films. This film could have used some more interesting and longer shots, as well as less noticeable handheld camera to make some scenes even stronger, but I overall was very pleased by what Sheridan was able to do as a director for the first time. He didn’t offer the incredible style brought by the directors of his previous scripts, but his work is still solid and appreciable, and I was still able to really enjoy the film. I hope to see Sheridan write and direct many more films in the future.

Wind River is a violent, engaging, and smart thriller with a great script and lead performance, and although the story is still somewhat familiar and the directing isn’t perfect, this is the type of film cinema should have more of to offer, and I’d definitely recommend this as a film to go watch when it’s released this August.

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07.20.17
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Dunkirk

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Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to Interstellar is a WWII epic focusing on the week-long evacuation of hundreds of thousands of soldiers off the beach of Dunkirk, France. The movie focuses on the battle from three different perspectives – the land, the sea, and the air. The cast includes Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, and Harry Styles (you know your film is good when you get a good performance out of a pop star). With non-stop intensity, violence, and loud sound effects, Nolan once again proves that he’s arguably one of, if not the best modern filmmaker working in Hollywood today. With his previous films, including The Dark Knight trilogy and Inception, Nolan has been able to execute incredible action sequences with minimal CGI. His use of practical effects here is no less breathtaking. The scenes of planes shooting at each other, soldiers swimming away from sinking ships that are being bombed from above, and soldiers fighting for their lives are beautifully shot by Hoyte van Hoytema, who returns from having shot Nolan’s previous film with some more Oscar-worthy work that is majestic and engaging. The 70mm format makes the quality of the picture extraordinary and different. Hans Zimmer once again composes a magnificent score, and I sure hope he never stops composing for Nolan films, or for films in general. His score is thrilling and never stops playing throughout the film. No sound or shot failed to impress me and keep my eyes glued to the screen. As the loud noises of firing, explosions, and screaming encompass your ears and the auditorium, you feel immersed in the terror and fear experienced by the soldiers. The practicality of this movie is one of the most impressive parts of the film, as none of the sequences seemed unrealistic in any way. The movie doesn’t feel too carried by dialogue or character development, as each actor is treated as a bigger part of an ensemble cast. Don’t expect there to be one star of the movie you’ll be cheering for, because everyone in this movie is terrific. Like most movies of his, as I’ve said before, Nolan is the true star of this film. He brings so much realism and tension to each moment in this exciting and potent war epic that may just be one of the best war films since Spielberg’s masterpiece Saving Private Ryan. Most of this movie doesn’t quite feel like an action war film like most war movies, this one is more of a survival story, one that is masterfully put to screen and unbelievably masterful work of film that should not be missed.

Whenever Nolan settles on a topic to make a film out of, you know he’ll give it his all, because here you can feel all the passion Nolan had in this topic and how specifically he wanted everything edited and put together. The expensive $150 million budget is well worth it in this ambitious and nearly flawless summer blockbuster that is still able to feel like an Oscar contender type of film. This intense non-stop ride never has a dull moment and will always keep your heart pounding and push you to the very edge of your seat. One minor problem is that the film is about to end on a beautiful final shot but then briefly cuts to another shot and then ends there, but this may not bother me in future watches of this movie. I don’t see any of the characters or performances becoming some of my favorites anytime soon, but this film is truly about what each soldier experienced and how the battle played out. Christopher Nolan is one of the most dedicated and ambitious filmmakers of our time, and every film of his, from his low-budget thriller Memento to his Batman superhero blockbusters, demonstrates his love of cinema and his passion of everything he puts his heart into, and I sure hope we don’t have to wait much longer to see his next film.

If you want a powerful, marvelous, engaging, and thrilling movie to watch on the big screen, then Dunkirk is one that you’ll love. Definitely one of the best movies of the year and another excellent feature film that’s fantastic to look at on the big screen. A war film about humanity, survival, and resilience, this movie definitely won’t disappoint anyone seeking another profound and jaw-dropping Nolan movie, or an exciting and brilliant war movie like no other.

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07.15.17
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War for the Planet of the Apes

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After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. This conclusion to the reboot trilogy that began with Rise and became even more comeplling in 2014’s Dawn, so I was extremely looking forward to see what would happen next in War. Matt Reeves returns from the previous installment after receiving lots of praise and doing a terrific job, and here he carries enough of the emotion and brilliant visuals and action sequences that kept me so engaged in Dawn over to this one. Andy Serkis is one of the most dedicated and talented motion capture artists working today, if not the best in our time. He’s delivered some of the most impressive motion-capture performances in recent years, including Gollum in the Middle-Earth movies, King Kong in Peter Jackson’s 2005 film, and Supreme Leader Snoke in the new Star Wars movies. His performance in this trilgoy as Ceasar is at the top, with the depth and presence Serkis is able to deliver only through a motion capture suit is unbelieavble. The visual effects, like its predecessors, are some of the best in recent years, with the CGI used in the three films to turn actors wearing suits into apes being some of the best motion capture and visual effects work recently. In both the previous movies, there are main human characters being developed, with lots of the last films being told from the perspectives of the humans, most notably the leads James Franco or Jason Clarke. However, the humans are a much smaller emotional focus this time and the apes are the sole core of the film. Despite the humans playing a big role in the plot, only one human character is developed, and that is a ruthless army colonel played by Woody Harrelson. Harrelson’s menacing and terrific performance poses an excellent threat against Caesar, and we understand the Colonel’s motivation and fear, as well Caesar’s hate against him. Harrelson was a perfect casting choice and really impressed me in one of the best villanous performances this year.

If, like me, you were impressed by how much the previous installment surpassed your expectations with its incredible directing, storytelling, characters, and themes, then War will have more than enough to amuse you.  Matt Reeves once again delivers great themes about what we do when we act out of fear, and the relationship between mankind and nature. The editing is never too quick, and the action is stirkingly shot. Most of the scenes that provide intensity were very good at achieving their goal to the audience in the way that they did. The way Caesar’s emotional conflict is explored is  smart and carries the film very well, as well as the development of every other ape character in the film. The trailers hardly reveal anything about the overall plot of the film, other than the obvious fact that the humans and apes are at war.It was interesting to learn what would drive the characters throughout the movie and where the conflict was going. Some exposition is slightly confusing at first but eventually effective once you get it, and a few supporting characters that I wans’t too sold on, including a human character named Preacher who could have used a tad more development and an ape named Bad Ape who didn’t do much for me. However, War was what it needed to be and will definitely satisfy those looking for a strong conclusion to this epic trilogy. Many are calling this the best in the trilogy, but I personally feel that it is the weakest of the three. That doesn’t mean I didn’t have a great time with it and or wans’t impressed or satisfied by the end, but I just believe that Rise and Dawn were stronger installments. At the end of the first two, it feels like a lot has changed from the beginning, and this one has less of that feeling of change by the time the climax has ended. Also, this definitely did not feel like the 2-hour and 20-minute movie, but the pacing is good for whatt he runtime felt like. War for the Planet of the Apes is as good as I hoped for it to be, with terrific visual work and directing, as well as thrilling action sequences and dialogue. Andy Serkis and Woody Harrelson did not let me down, and although Dawn is still my favorite of the trilogy, I was by the end amused by what I had watched and this is a very admirable and recommended sequel.

Caesar, with a shotgun and Nova behind his back, Maurice, and Luca on horses face a human army and turncoat apes with the film's logo and "Witness the End July 14" at the bottom.

07.05.17
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Spider-Man: Homecoming

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After the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker returns to New York and, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City while fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.

After 6 films and 3 franchises, Spider-Man has finally gotten the big-screen treatment he and fans deserved, in the hands of Marvel Studios. Spidey is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as he also appeared last year in Civil War, and Tom Holland easily portrays the best incarnation of him yet. This time, Parker is 15 and still in high school, and his youth  and sense of adventure and humor brings so much fun to the film. I’m not a big fan of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, and the Amazing Spider-Man films left us all wanting more, but Homecoming is the perfect big screen treatment for the character. It’s got all the spirit, humor, and entertainment you would expect from a film like this. Every scene in this movie is tons of fun to watch and the action is very exciting as well. The cast, which includes Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., and many other familiar faces, is really well balanced and every cast member gives it their all. Downey’s presence is delightful, and thankfully doesn’t overstay his welcome yet still has some memorable moments. Keaton gives a good performance like always, and was a great choice to play the villain of the Vulture, but his character’s writing and presence are weak, which is disappointing because he is the main villain of the film. However, his character has a few good moments fighting Spider-Man.

One thing that I have noticed in recent superhero films, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, is that, unlike most superhero films, that film wasn’t just driven by its action sequences and visual effects. That movie was driven by its characters and the script, as well as the emotion, development. and interactions between the characters. Marvel also gave me this sense with Logan, and here, it’s pretty clear that was the main focus as well. There is plenty of terrific action here, but the core of the film is the friendship between Peter and his best friend Ned, the mentorship he receives from Tony Stark, his crush for a girl named Liz, and his connection with his Aunt May. We see Peter’s internal conflicts as he’s facing issues every high school student goes through, but also his dedication to protecting New York and those he cares about. This film feels more human and fresh than the rest of the Spider-Man movies, and that’s why I was able to enjoy it so much. There’s also tons of Marvel references and easter eggs for fans of Spidey and the MCU, as well as some cameos from familiar faces, and these appearances include more than just Stan Lee. Spider-Man: Homecoming somewhat still follows the established MCU formula, but as I was watching it, I wasn’t reminded about the formula too much, and remember that this is not an origin story, allowing the plot to move more freely and feel less restrained. Michael Giacchino’s score is surprisingly fun and has some nods to other Spider-Man incarnations, but wasn’t anything out of the ordinary or extremely memorable. Director Jon Watts has never directed anything beyond a very low-budget indie, and he was able to handle the transition to an incredibly expensive and anticipated superhero blockbuster well. He was able to direct action, character interactions, and conflict very well, and I had an absolute blast watching another awesome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is anything but disappointing. The cast, writing, directing, and characters are very enjoyable and superbly executed. The action, humor, and story will definitely entertain audiences of all ages, especially fans of the source material. This is definitely the perfect Spidey film to be made today and released to this generation, and a great way to kick off the month.

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07.01.17
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Despicable Me 3

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Gru (Steve Carell) meets his long-lost twin brother Dru, and they set out to get back a diamond stolen by villain Balthazar Bratt.

The first Despicable Me film brought a new and original concept to the animated film genre, but by the time Minions came out it was clear the series was out of ideas. Despicable Me 3 had literally no potential and no good payoff in the end. Steve Carell gives it his all as Gru and Dru, but nobody else does. The animation is lifeless and the story brings nothing new to the table. Gru is developed well, but his brother, wife, children, or even the minions aren’t. The villlain Balthazar Bratt is at first entertaining but quickly becomes very annoying and horribly written. His motive and presence are weak, and his character barely poses a threat against the protagonists. The theme of brotherhood is depicted well but Gru’s brother Dru’s presence is annoying as well and his character wasn’t very interesting. The Minions make for the best comedic moments of the film, but they’re barely in the film and I was never able to laugh when they weren’t on screen. Besides an opening scene that makes great use of Michael Jackson’s “Bad” and a scene featuring the Minions in prison, no scenes managed to catch my eye at all. The writers aren’t able to carry even a short 90-minute runtime well, with many subplots that had no effect on the plot and were extremely boring to watch. The first two films had good themes and vivid animation to bring the audiences in, but all this one has is uninspired comedy and predictable writing and characters. Instead of improving on the letdown of Minions, this one is even worse. This movie isn’t even a disappointment because I didn’t expect anything good out of it. The Despicable Me series used to be fun and engaging, but now it’s just a source of merchandising and money for Universal Pictures. Your young kids may be able to have fun with this movie, but even so I would recommend Cars 3 as a family film much more than this one. And if you’re looking for a good or funny film in general, you should just watch Baby Driver.

Despicable Me 3 may entertain your young ones or make you laugh a few times, but other than that this film falls completely flat and is not worth paying for. You won’t get anything new or even worth sitting through unless you’re with your family, and even if you are, you should just see Cars 3, which you’ll all be sure to enjoy. There are so many better films out right now than this unnecessary, uninspired, and unimaginative sequel.

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