TRAINWRECK - preview review

TRAINWRECK
Director: Judd Apatow
Cast: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, LeBron James, John Cena

Well isn't this a highly anticipated movie. I don't think I've seen this much press and celebrity shenanigans around a film in Australia for a while. Every time I turned on the TV or radio, or looked at my news feeds, there was Amy Schumer and Bill Hader having a laugh and promoting their new film TRAINWRECK. Not saying it's a bad thing, but there's hype and then there's too much hype. You're shoving it so far down people's throats that three things can happen (other things can happen two but these are the main three); they hate it before they even see it because they're so sick of hearing about it; they're super excited to see it because all they've heard about for weeks is how good it is and then they're mildly to bitterly disappointed; they're excited by all the hype and they actually like the film once they see it because thankfully not all the funny bits are in the trailer.

LeBron James acting aldies and gents - who knew?!

image via Universal Studios

In my case, I was looking forward to seeing what all the fuss was about, a little bit skeptical because there was so much hype (they could have been plugging it so hard because it was shite, you never know), and I was hopeful. The writer and casting made me hopeful, I like Amy Schumer as a stand up comedian, so in theory her writing can't be that horrific and Bill Hader was always a favourite of mine on SNL. So here's the deal;

Since she was a little girl, it's been drilled into Amy's head by her rascal of a dad tht monogamy isn't realistic. Now a magazine writer, Amy lives by tht credo - enjoying what she feels is an uninhibited life free from stifling, boring romantic commitment - but in actuality, she's kind of in a rut. When she finds herself starting to fall for the subject of a new article she's writing, a charming and successful doctor named Aaron Conners, Amy starts to wonder if other grown-ups, including this guy who really seems to like her, might be onto something. 

Other critics are calling it semi-autobiographical, and if you've seen any of Schumer's previous work, or know anything about her life, you would have cause to agree. I'm sure there's plenty of fiction thrown in there, but there's likely an equal amount of reality there too. Schumer is from Long Island, has a married sister named Kim and a father with MS. Amy is from Long Island, has a married sister named Kim and a father with MS. There is definitely grounding in reality here.

Amy and her sister Kim enjoying a spot of tea

image via Universal Studios

Schumer has written a good script, albeit not as funny as I had anticipated (thank you crazy media hype - not) and handed it over to the very capable comedic writer, director and producer Judd Apatow (KNOCKED UP, 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, BRIDESMAIDS and the list goes on). Apatow has done a great job directing this film and I have to say it's the only Apatow film I can remember that made me cry. I think what's happened here is that this is a film that Apatow is directing that he hasn't written, and there's someone else there to make sure the movie goes on the emotive journey that it's meant to.

Schumer is awkward, relatable, and nothing is off-limits or inappropriate, so the script is raw and realistic unlike some other Hollywood fodder. There are still some moments, where I thought "ooooh, that's not Kosher", I'm a little rough around the edges myself, have the mouth of a sailor and the filter that is supposed to stop the brutal stuff from coming out of my mouth is on the blink, so I didn't fare so badly.  There were certainly people in the session that I was in that struggled with the content of this, so word of warning, if you're not into "beep" worthy language, innuendo, drugs, booze and general inappropriate behaviour then perhaps steer clear.

Now, let's take a minute to talk about Bill Hader as Amy's unlikely boyfriend Dr Aaron Conners. Hader makes for a lovely leading man, and whilst I personally have always found him to be a funny man, in this film I also thought he was pretty darn cute. That right there is the sign of some great acting, I thought his character was so lovely and charming that he grew cuter as the film went on, just like how it happens in real life sometimes. He was adorable and they made a great onscreen couple and the realistic writing and portrayal of their love story made sense to me, unlike some other Hollywood screen romances.

Amy and Aaron sharing a moment of PDA

image via Universal Studios

Some other notable mentions in casting, Colin Quinn was hilarious as Amy's dad Gordon, Tilda Swinton was berely recognisable and fabulous as Amy's boss Dianna, John Cena was actually sort of funny as Amy's earlier 'boyfriend' Steven and LeBron James ladies and gentleman actually could act. Who knew that was going to happen?! He was actually great as Aaron's best friend and rumor has it, he was just naturally pretty great at the whole being funny thing and didn't need a whole heap of coaching.

LeBron and Aaron out for lunch - again, who knew?!

Tilda Swinton (I know trust me it's her) as Dianna

images via Universal Studios

Overall I have to say, that it wasn't as funny as it's been cracked up to be with all the touring and promoting and media hype, and that's why I say sometimes all that malarky is dangerous, but TRAINWRECK was funny and awkard, and inappropriate and totally relatable. The ending is cheesy as all get out, but it works because they (the characters) realise that it's cheesy and ridiculous and go with it anyway because well, that's life, you just have to go with it. I think it's worth the 20-something dollars, but if you're going to go on opening weekend, make sure you get your tickets early as all the preview sessions over the weekend were sold out and I think opening weekend at the cinema for TRAINWRECK is going to be a bit nuts. 

3.5 out of 5

xoxo

The Blonde Bombshell

ANT-MAN - review

ANT-MAN
Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Evangeline Lilly, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer

Synopsis: Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burgular Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Alright, a bit behind the times on this review, I went on opening weekend and it's taken me a couple of weeks to get my butt into gear to pen this review, and although most of you have probably all seen this, I wanted to put my two-cents out there anyway.

I, along with plenty of other people, weren't convinced that ANT-MAN was the right choice for the next MCU film, although Ant-Man was one of the original Avengers in the comic book universe, he is much lesser known in the wider world of superhero appreciation. I also had some concerns regarding where they were picking up the Ant-Man story...the origin of the suit of Ant-Man is not covered and picks up a good 40 or so years after the suit is developed. You get a tiny glimpse in the first few minutes of the origin of the suit and then we pick up in current day with a much older Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and our soon to be hero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). The concerns I had about all those things disappated fairly quickly into the film, and that made me happy.

Scott Lang discovers the suit

image via Marvel Studios

ANT-MAN is exactly what Marvel need right now. The only variation from their standard formula in a while, ANT-MAN is stripped back, down to earth, funny and with real world things at stake. It's not going to be a huge money making machine for Marvel, but for me, it's right up there with the cream of the crop of the MCU films. It has a slightly more realistic take on super heroes and villains, and yes, what Ant-Man acheives by the end of the film does in theory save the world, it's not in a high end, city-being-destroyed fashion. ANT-MAN is subtle, humourous and much more relateable than some of the earlier MCU films, and I liked it. There are still some very 'Marvel' characteristics about ANT-MAN - the villain has equal power to the hero, there is still a love interest, there are plenty of fight scenes - but it is essentially a heist movie, with some humour, fight scenes and serious kitsch thrown in.

The casting is wonderful, Paul Rudd is perfect for the role of Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, funny, charming, attractive, and yet unassuming, awkward and not super doooper buff. I'm a pretty huge fan of Paul Rudd, but I would tell you if I thought he was rubbish, but he wasn't, in fact I think he's a perfect fit for the Ant-Man character. Michael Douglas was an interesting choice for Dr. Hank Pym, and I would seriously like to congratulate the make-up artist who made Michael Douglas look like he was 20-something again! Cudos to you my friend, that is some talent you have got going on there! I forgot how much I actually liked Michael Douglas until I saw him in ANT-MAN, he's got good comedic timing and seems not to take the film too seriously which is a benefit to the film and to the role he is playing. The supporting cast in this film is well put together, and it is an instance of a true supporting cast - no one outshines anyone else, and they all have a great on screen chemistry.

Scott Lang and Hank Pym discussing the science of the suit

image via Marvel Studios

The cinematography and fight scenes are really well done, seemingly normal environments become extreme fight scene settings the instant Ant-Man shrinks down. A computer server room is a veritable array of high rise towers, the backyard is an extreme jungle setting, Thomas the Tank Engine is the equivalent of a giant freighter that would squash you in an instant. It's funny and refreshing, and the tiny fighting was thought to be all too hilarious by the Red Haired Amazona's sonofagun #2 (age 6) who couldn't get over how hilarious it was when a tiny ant was increased to the size of a golden retriever.

Ant-Man heading into battle through the carpet jungle

image via Marvel Studios

All in all, I think ANT-MAN was refreshing and hilarioius while still fulfilling all the requirements of a great superhero movie. If you haven't already I recommend spending the 20-something dollars on a ticket and seeing it on the big screen. And, as if you don't already know this about a Marvel film, stay all the way to the very end of the roll credits for a sneak peak at the next installment. There are two sneak peaks in ANT-MAN - one at the end of the graphic credits, and one at the end of the roll credits, so make sure you stay for both.

4 out of 5

xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell

LOVE & MERCY - review

LOVE & MERCY
Director: Bill Pohlad
Cast: John Cusak, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti

The story of the creative genius of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson and his struggle with his emerging psychosis in the 60's and his struggle in the 80's under the 'care' of his psychotherapist Dr. Eugene Landy. It cuts between the 60's and the 80's and entangles the two tales together in a discordant manner that is somehow harmonious.

1960's Brian Wilson is played by Paul Dano, and takes us through the time in his life where he was working on the greatest album of his life while the rest of the band was on tour. He struggled with his own inner demons, and his obsession to please his father, a marriage he was too young for, drugs his mind couldn't handle and surmounting pressure from the band to produce a gold album that lived up to the standards of his earlier works.

Paul Dano is 1960's Brian Wilson

image via  Icon Films

1980's Brian Wilson is played by John Cusack, and takes us through a time in his life where he was highly medicated and barely functioning for a disease he didn't suffer from all under the care of his slightly off-balance and manipulative psychotherapist Dr Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti), who was not only controlling his life, isolating him and over medicating him, but taking advantage of him financially. In the 80's Wilson meets and falls in love with Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), who sees what is happening to Wilson and does all that she can to intervene.

John Cusack is 1980's Brian Wilson

image via Icon Films

There have been other on-screen versions of the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson, I haven't seen them, but they exist. I'm not sure if there is inspiration taken from the other bio-pics, for this version, and I don't know how much of this story is fact and how much is fiction, but I don't think it matters. I also wondered how it would work with Paul Dano and John Cusack playing the same character with so little physical resemblance, but I don't think it mattered either. At least it didn't matter to me and after my initial questioning of it, I didn't think of it again during the film. 

The Beach BOys as depicted in LOVE & MERCY

image via Icon Films

I didn't know much about Wilson's story in the 80's, and I was amazed and saddened by what happened to Wilson, and yet somehow not at all surprised. I was not surprised that there are people in the world that could take advantage of someone like that and destroy their life in such an isolating way. I would like to do a bit more research into this story and find out how much is true story and how much is fluff, and if there's anyone out there who knows more about this I would be happy to hear about it! I love a bio-pic, but I am always fascinated by how much is real and how much is fluff. 

Cusack and Banks as Wilson and Ledbetter

image via Icon Films

The casting in this film was fantastic, Paul Dano and John Cusack both play an incredible Brian Wilson during those periods in his life, and they carried the story well. It could have been a disaster if one was better than the other in the role of Wilson, but they were astounding in this film. Elizabeth Banks' Melinda Ledbetter was every bit the angel in opposition to Paul Giamatti's Dr. Eugene Landy, who is pure evil in this film. While neither of them quite match the quality of acting by Dano and Cusack, they certainly don't let the film down. 

Elizabeth Banks is Melinda Ledbetter

Paul Giamatti is Dr. Eugene Landy

images via Icon Film

The music through the film is magical - I mean it is Brian Wilson after all - and it was woven throughout the film wonderfully. The film is quite choppy and as I mentioned earlier discordant, but somehow it comes together nicely and that falls largely on director Bill Pohlad and his strange ability to make the discordance work for this film rather than piss the viewr right off. Don't get me wrong, there were some omembers of the audience who complained (very loudly throughout the whole film) that it was hard to follow, and that perhaps they were all on the same drugs as Brian Wilson, but for me it worked. 

If you're not into the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, or bio-pics in general, then don't bother with this one, but I liked it and if you are into those things then I think it's worth the 20-something dollars to see it. 

3.5 out of 5

xoxo

The Blonde Bombshell

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD - review

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge

Based on the novel of the same title by Thomas Hardy, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD has once again been adapted for the screen, this time by David Nicholls (ONE DAY, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES). If you're unfamiliar with the book, the plot like goes like this;

In Victorian England, the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor. 

********************************SPOILER ALERT**********************************

Or as I like to put it, independent and headstrong girl charms the pants off three different men, marries the worst possible one, torments the most appropriate one, and friend-zones the one she really loves. Then everything falls apart and **SPOILER ALERT** she realises she was wrong the whole time.

I know this story very well, I loved English Lit and did a fair amount of reading, this version was pretty pared back, far less angsty than the original story, and with a lot less heart. That being said, it was well directed, and the casting is superb. Carey Mulligan plays Bathsheba Everdene and palys her well. She is astoundingly beautiful, wistful, kind and plays the independent woman well. Matthias Scoenaerts, does justice to Oak, he's easy on the eye *wink*, and you can see the underlying love in his eyes the whole film (even if Bathsheba can't). Sheen and Sturridge, are a little flimsy in comparison, but they are still good even if slightly mismatched.

Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene

image via Fox Studios

The film is a pretty looking period piece, and I didn't feel like I'd wasted my time. What I did feel was that the film didn't do the book justice. I think it suits the general audience, it's a nice story, with a fantastic love triangle, but for the literary fan it doesn't quite hit the mark. 

Everdene and Oak

Everdene and Troy

Everdene and Boldwood

images via Fox Studios

The relationship between Everdene and Oaks, is the one that needs to be right in this film as it is the stallwart of this whole story, and they do get it right. The tension between them - love, hurt, regret - it's there the whole time and palpable. Unfortuantely the other relationships don't have room in this film to blossom the way they should and it's a crying shame. 

Everything we know about Everdene crumbles in the scene where she falls for Troy and it shouldn't . The reason she falls for him in the book is tied greatly to his sexual magnetism and the fact that he is the one man that doesn't need her. All it takes in the film however is a fancy bit of sword work and a kiss. I found that greatly disappointing. The same goes for Sheen's Boldwood. The fact that Everdene doesn't love him is irrelevant, she is the precious treasure that he can't have and he will do everything in his power to get her. He doesn't care that she doesn't love him, he just wants her. The film doesn't give Sheen the room to breathe that obsession, and he has the talen to have managed it, and managed it well. 

Everdene and Oak sharing a tender moment

image via Fox Studios

If you're after a nice period piece with a feel good ending then FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD could be for you. In my opinion, I wouldn't spend the 20-something dollars on it, but rather wait for it on DVD. 

2.5 out of 5 

xoxo The Blonde Bombshell

MAGIC MIKE XXL - review

ok so this isn't the real poster, but I kinda love it too much not to include it!!

MAGIC MIKE XXL
Director: Gregory Jacobs
Cast: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Gabriel Iglesias, Amber Heard, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell, Elizabeth Banks

OK, so after waiting a few days to avoid the worst of the crowds, I headed off to get my fix of semi-naked dancing men with my bestie and just sat back to revel in the glory of the shining muscles, cheeseball dialogue and Channing Tatum. *sigh*

If you haven't seen the first installment of the semi-naked dancing men franchise, it's ok, you are not alone. I mean I absolutely have seen it, but bestie hadn't and she caught up with the concept pretty quickly. Very muscly, very attractive semi-naked men dance for a living and love it. In the first movie Mike (Channing Tatum *sigh*) was the glue that held it all together, but he retired for the love of a good woman. Three years later and he is seemingly living the good life - running his own business, sitting on the beach contemplating life when he gets a call from the boys saying that their old ring master has passed away and inviting him to the wake. PSYCHE! He turns up to find a massive pool party and we are greeted by Joe Manganiello's bare butt (yum), and ends up thrown into the pool suit and all. Hilare!

the gang is getting back together! 

image via Warner Bros.

The boys are passing through on their way to a giant stripper convention where all the strippers in the world gather and dance semi-naked while all the women swoon and drool all over everything and shower them in a waterfall of dollar bills. The boys are going on one last pilgrimage before they all reture and it's going to be glorious. They spin a little sob story about no longer having their ring master, who is not actually dead but in Macau having started up a new show with his prodigy. Sneaky little semi-naked dancing men, planting ideas in Mike's head, who's life isn't actually going as great as he makes out.

He leaves them to it, going back to his custom furniture workshop and sets about working on the latest piece. Ironically his old routine song comes on the radio and he has a little dance around the workshop, there's all kinds of innuendo going on here with power tools and pieces of furniture, and I loved it. As did the hordes of other giggling and squealing women in the audience. I can only imagine what it would have been like with a full cinema - yikes!

a little bit of suggestive workshop dancing *sigh*

image via Warner Bros.

The next morning to everyone's surprise (except everyone in the audience) Mike turns up with a duffle bag to join the boys for one last hurrah - cue ridiculous roadtrip - and so they begin their pilgrimage to the giant stripper convention, which is obvs going to be the huge climax of the film. The road trip includes drug fuelled epiphanies, random beach parties with pretty girls, a trannie bar, and surprisingly a plantation house with Andie MacDowell, who as it turns out is the glass slipper (I won't give you any more than that so as not to spoil the suprise). 

There is one major problem for Mike and the Kings of Tampa, they don't have an MC for their show. Apparently a strip show without an MC is nothing and they won't be able to participate (or at least that's the general gist of the complaining about not having an MC). Along the way they visit a ghost from Mike's past - which seems all part of his giant plan to get them an MC. This ghost just happens to be a badass lady boss who runs a house full of semi-naked dancing men who are there for the sole purpose of making all the ladies feel special - and by all the ladies, I mean all the ladies, fatties, dowdy housewives, geeks, pretty girls, all the ladies who are just like you and me, as well as all the ones who aren't because it is Hollywood after all. Plus they have Donald Glover who just makes up songs about women based on their names to boost their self esteem...it's golden. 

Donald Glover singing a little tune

image via Warner Bros.

Mike's badass ex-boss is none other than Jada Pinkett-Smith, who seems super unsettled at even the site of Mike - and really who can blame her becase it's Channing Tatum *sigh* - and to even consider his proposal she requires the semi-naked dancing from him just to make sure that he still has it. Who the flip cares what 'it' is, I'm all about the semi-naked dancing from Channing Tatum *sigh*, I don't need a reason! Everyone lols because she makes him do the semi-naked dancing and then says no...lol.

Major crisis of the plot line is not solved, they also have no costumes as they threw them all away during their drug enduced epiphany when they decided all their old routines suck a big old bag of dicks. I'm kinda glad that happened though because as much as I liked the routines from the first movie, if I wanted to see the same routines again I would have stayed home and watched the first movie. They carry on anyway, get to Myrtle Beach and who should be there by the badass lady boss, and Donald Glover, plus one of badass lady boss' best dancers to round out the show. 

Elizabeth Banks just checking to make sure Mike still has it - which he undoubtably does

image via Warner Bros.

But yikes, they only have one day to put together a whole new show and get new costumes and build a new set and sort everything out so that they don't look like a bunch of hacks on stage. Cue amazing perparation montage, which is glorious and the second best part of the whole film. Can they get it together in time and pull off the greatest show anyone has ever seen? You bet Channing Tatum's glorious, shiny, ripped body they can!

errybody loves a montage!

image via Warner Bros

Then we get to see the fantastic show that's been put together in one day (as a dancer and choreographer I call bullshit, but it's Hollywood, so it's legit right). It's all about listening to women and what women want and empowering them - or at least that's the vibe, and that's what plenty of other critics are saying - but I don't see how throwing women around on stage and dry humping them is empowering women. Not that I would complain about Channing Tatum *sigh* picking me up and throwing me around and dry humping me, but I'm certainly not going to say I've been sexually empowered. 

voice of an angel - who knew?!

image via Warner Bros.

So, in terms of quality, the film is not amazing. The script is predictable and cheesy (although who knew Matt Bomer could sing like an angel?!), there is plenty of semi-naked dancing, sexual innuendo and sparkly thong encased peen, and they try, albeit not that successfully, to get a little bit deep and tug at some of your feels. Basically it's just a bunch of pretty dudes semi-naked dancing and there were plenty of people loving it and plenty of people squirming in their seats because there are parts that basically border on the edge of softcore porn. Whatever man, I don't care, because seriously that guy can Channing all over my Tatum anyday (if you don't get that reference, then jump on youtube right now). 

If you liked the first one, and you don't mind seeing the prettyn men semi-naked dancing, then I think it's well worth the 20-something dollars to go and see this on the big screen. Don't worry too much if you haven't seen the first one, but if you can watch it before hand then do as it does set a bit of the early context. I mean, not that you need an excuse to watch Channing Tatum *sigh* semi-naked dancing to Ginuwine's Pony, but it's as good an excuse as any! 

semi naked dancing men *sigh*

image via Warner Bros.

For film quality 2 out of 5 but for entertainment value and for Joe Mananiello's butt and Matt Bomer's angel voice 4 out of 5

xoxo

The Blonde Bombshell

MINIONS - review

MINIONS
Director: Kyle Balda & Pierre Coffin
Cast: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Geoffrey Rush, Jennifer Saunders, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan

My sincerest apologies for being behind the times with getting this review out. I have been busy sunning myself in far north Queensland for the wedding of a dear friend and did not ahev the access to the interwebs that I thought I would have. The school holidays are all but over now, but if you still have time over the weekend to get out with the kiddies, or want something to do in the freakish cold snap that's happening in the southern part of the country - get amongst it I say!

Kevin, Stuart and Bob are off on atheir biggest adventure yet

image via Universal Studios

MINIONS was one of the most highly anticipated school holiday films for mid-year 2015, and in my opinion didn't disappoint. DESPICABLE ME 2 was funnier than the first installment because those lovable little yellow guys got more screen time, so it stands to reason that spin-off focussing solely on the minions would be a huge hit and while it hasn't been smashing any box office records, it has been a hit with children and adults alike.

I scooted off pre-holidays with LahLah and Team B to catch this film before the hoards of kiddies managed to get in and I'm sure glad I did - my local has been playing the film to sold out sessions all through the holidays and rightly so I say. I mean it's 91 minutes of miniony adorableness, their distinctive design, their individual personalities, their non-sensical and yet somehow understandable language, voiced by the incredibly talented Pierre Coffin, what's not to love?

As if you wouldn't pick up these adorable hitchikers!

image via Universal Studios

I have to be honest, I was excited, but sceptical about this film. Would their adorableness run out in a full feature about them? Would I get tired of not knowing exactly what the hell they were talking about? Would these comdeic scene-stealers leave me bored and disappointed? Luckily screen write Brian Lynch has managed to keep up the comic momentum of these little yellow dudes for almost the full 91 minutes. Instead of trying to fill the film with emotional depth and meaning, Lynch just sets them loose for 91 minutes of slapstick comedy gold.

The Minions sole purpose in life is to serve the biggest, baddest, evil genius around, the only trouble is, they aren't very good at keeping the biggest, baddest, evil geniuses around for very long. Without a boss, our little yellow buddies lose their drive, they have no purpose and become depressed. Never fear, Kevin has a plan. He's going to go and find his family a new boss, and so with the help of Stuart and Bob, Keving embarks on the greatest journey any minion has ever been on. They travel the world and eventually end up in Orlando at a secret villian conference aptly named "Villain-Con". There they meet their new boss, Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), the world's first female super-villain.

BANANA!!!
image via universal studios

Overkill sends them on their first mission, which (to no ones surprise) goes belly up. Disaster after hilarious disaster sees them battling it out with Overkill to save the United Kingdom. The slapstick comedy keeps the pace moving throughout the film, and only a few times did I think to myself "hmmm, I wonder how much longer it goes for?".

There's not as much subtle adult humor in MINIONS as there is in some other animated motion pictures, but it is still enjoyable for all you mums, dads, aunties and babysitters out there looking for something to keep the kids occupied in the second week of the holidays. The little ones will get plenty of laughs out of the glorious slapstick comedy. Maybe avoid the cheap Tuesday crowds, it's pretty good value at 20-something dollars.

3.5 out of 5

xoxo
The Blonde Bombshel