Despicable Me 3 Review

Despicable Me 3


Release Date: 15th June 2017 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Illumination Entertainment

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family 

Rating: PG

Runtime: 90 minutes


Budget: $80,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,034,799,409 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
The mischevious Minions hope that Gru will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, Gru decides to remain retired and travel to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the first time. The reunited siblings soon find themselves in an uneasy alliance to take down the elusive Balthazar Bratt, a former 1980s child star who seeks revenge against the world. (Source - Google)


Voice Cast
Steve Carrell - Gru/Dru
Trey Parker - Balthazar Bratt
Julie Andrews - Gru's Mom
Kristen Wiig - Lucy Wilde
Miranda Cosgrove - Margo
Dana Gaier - Edith 
Nev Scharrel - Agnes
Pierre Coffin - Minions/
Various
Steve Coogan - Fritz/Silas Ramsbottom
Jenny Slate - Valerie Da Vinci
Andy Nyman - Clyde the Robot
Adrian Ciscato - Niko
Katia Saponenko - Niko's Mother
Chris Renaud - Additional Minions

Crew
Directors - Pierre Coffin & Kyle Balda
Co-Director/Character Designer - Eric Guillon
Screenplay - Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul
Executive Producer - Chris Renaud
Producers - Janet Healy & 
Christopher Meledandri
Production Executive & Story Supervisor - 
Dave Rosenbaum 
Art Director - Olivier Adam
Character Designers - Nicolas Bauduin & 
Carter Goodrich
Additional Character Designer - Chris Reccardi 
Animation Directors - Bruno Dequier & 
Julien Soret 
Lighting and Composting Supervisor - Nicolas Brack
Layout Supervisor - Regis Schuller
Film Editors - Claire Dodgson
Score - Heitor Pereira
Original Songs and Themes - Pharrell Williams


Review

So sorry for taking break in getting the review for the third 'Despicable Me' instalment finished, as I was busy with my long-term animated project to also get it going. The series is still appealing to youngsters and are keeping the high amount of box office receipts with its prequel spin-off 'Minions' as the second top-grossing animated feature next to 'Frozen'. However, viewers are sceptical that this latest three-quel will be a minor letdown like the aforementioned feature that turned out to be wearisome as expected. The makers from Illumination have not given up hope on the franchise as the first movie was such a success, the question was what needed to be done to begin a film series. That being said, 'DESPICABLE ME 3' was a slight improvement and reduces the problems that have been mostly addressed from the forgettable spin-off. The minions get less screen-time and were still the primary focus on the film that has its outrageously funnier moments. The animation was brightly sugar-coated and the brand of creativity is still there as much of this was retained from the first two instalments. 

Steve Carell is back to not only voice the main character Gru but also portrays in a dual role as his long-lost twin Dru whom he hasn't seen in ages. Trey Parker of 'South Park' fame lends his voice in a children's movie as Balthazar Bratt, a bitter actor turned super-villain who is stuck in the 80s and is bent on recapturing the glory days through wreaking havoc and mayhem.

'DESPICABLE ME 3' was not much better or greater than the original. The zaniness appeared to be intact and there is not much it can do to live up to the greater charm of the first two. I considered it as always to be the most highly-entertaining animated film that the families can all enjoy. I recommend that you must see it in theatres or if you miss out wait to catch up with this movie on DVD or video streaming.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

Back to Home

Spider-Man: Homecoming Review

Spider-Man: Homecoming 

Release Date: 6th July 2017 - Australia

Production Companies 

Columbia Pictures
Marvel Studios 

Pascal Pictures 

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia 

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 133 minutes 


Budget: $175,000,000

Box Office Gross: $880,166,924 (Worldwide) 

Plot Summary 

Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of his mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighbourhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear. (Source - Google)

Cast

Tom Holland - Peter Parker/
Spider-Man

Robert Downey, Jr. - Tony 
Stark/Iron Man

Michael Keaton - Adrian 
Toomes/Vulture
Zendaya - Michelle

Marisa Tomei - Aunt May
Tony Revolori - Flash
Donald Glover - Aaron Davis
Laura Harrier - Liz Allan
Bokeem Woodbine - Herman 
Schultz/Shocker #2
Kenneth Choi - Principal 
Monta
Martin Starr - Mr. Harrington
Jacob Batalon - Ned
Hannibal Buress - Coach Wilson

Logan Marshall-Green - 
Jackson Brice/Shocker #1
Jon Favreau - Happy Hogan
Gwyneth Paltrow - Pepper Potts (Cameo)
Tyne Daly - Anne Marie Hoag
Abraham Attah - Abe 
Selenis Leyva - Ms. Warren
Angourie Rice - Betty
Garcelle Beauvais - Doris Toomes
Michael Chernus - Phineas 
Mason/The Tinkerer
Michael Mando - Mac Gargan
Chris Evans - Steve Rogers/
Captain America (Cameo)
Jennifer Connelly - Karen/Suit 
Lady (Voice)
Gary Weeks - Agent Foster
Christopher Berry - Randy
Jorge Lendeborg Jr. - Jason
Tunde Adebimpe - Mr. Cobbwell
Tiffany Espensen - Cindy
Isabella Amara - Sally
Michael Barbieri - Charles
Josie Totah - Seymour
Hemky Madera - Mr. Delmar
Kerry Condon - Friday (Voice)
John Penick - Mr. Hapgood
Stan Lee - Gary (Cameo)

Crew
Screenplay/Director - Jon Watts
Based on Marvel Comic Book "The Amazing
Spider-Man"/Executive Producer - Stan Lee
Based on Marvel Comic Book "The Amazing
Spider-Man" - Steve Ditko
Character Creators: Captain
America - Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

Screen Story/Screenplay - Jonathan Goldstein
and John Francis Daley

Screenplay - Christopher Ford,
Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers

Executive Producers - Victoria Alonso,
Avi Arad, Louis D'Esposito, Jeremy Latcham
and Matt Tolmach

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Patricia Whitcher

Producers - Amy Pascal and Kevin Feige

Co-Producers - Mitchell Bell,
Eric Hauserman Carroll and Rachel O'Connor
Casting Director - Sarah Finn

Production Designer - Oliver Scholl
Supervising Art Director - Brad Ricker

Costume Designer - Louise Frogley

Director of Photography - Salvatore Totino 

Stunt Coordinator - George Cottle
Fight Choreographer - Ilram Choi

Special Effects Supervisor - Daniel Sudick

Visual Effects Supervisors - Janek Sirrs,
Theodore Bialek, Lou Pecora and
Dominik Zimmerle

Additional Visual Effects Supervisors - Edwin Rivera
and Matt Dessero
Visual Effects Producer: Sony/Marvel - Diana Giorgiutti
Digital Effects Supervisors - Jep Hill and
Nikos Kalaitzidis
Animation Supervisors - Richard Smith,
Daniel Mizuguchi and Tim Ranck
Animation Director: Digital Domain - Jan Philip Cramer

Film Editors - Debbie Berman and Dan Leb

Music - Michael Giacchino

Review 

It's been a while since we last saw our friendly neighbourhood web-slinging hero in his very own movie after 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' disappointed most audiences everywhere. Now that the title character has become an official member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) having been introduced in 'Captain America: Civil War', Sony still has the cinematic rights of the characters from Disney. That is unless permission is granted to borrow the main hero in new standalone features. However, embracing the steps of a lighthearted tone and a new modern look to the franchise, 'SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING' was a chance to be different from the comics. It has a bit of a coming-of-age story for Peter Parker who was still a high-school student and is trying to balance his life as a superhero and a normal teenager. 

Previous film adaptations showcased the character's past, how he gained his powers and how a tragedy convinced him to become the hero that he is now destined to be. Past directors like Sam Raimi and Marc Webb knew how to tell the origins straight and differently. But paled in comparison to Jon Watts, who was an indie filmmaker noticed by Hollywood. He is a perfect extraordinaire to helm 'HOMECOMING'. It's the first mega-budgeted blockbuster that Watts has ever done and he will have several features to come in the near-future.

Tom Holland was still the youthful actor performing energetically as the amazing title protagonist compared to we last saw him in 'Civil War'. He appears to be quite adjusted for the role and nobody is prepared for former actors like Tobey Maguire to be just like him. Michael Keaton has once been in a superhero film as Batman in Tim Burton's first two interpretations and is now portraying Spider-Man's arch-nemesis, the Vulture with an allusion to his previous role of 'Birdman'. Michael Giacchino's score to 'HOMECOMING' was faithful to its colorfully toned look and the instrumental pieces were doused in moments of comedy, action and drama.

I have enjoyed the film sincerely as I liked it more than the originals. 'HOMECOMING' welcomes the title character back to his reinvigorated state and is probably the only Spider-Man movie that will live up to my expectations. I recommend this feature for viewing by audiences including Marvel comic book fans as it is now showing in theatres.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

Back to Home

Con Air Review

Con Air


Release Date: 17th July 1997 - Australia


Production Companies
Touchstone Pictures
Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia 


Genre: Action

Rating: MA15+ (Not 
Suitable or Young Children)

Runtime: 115 minutes


Budget: $75,000,000

Box Office Gross: $224,012,234 
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
On an aircraft carrying some

of the most notorious 

criminals of all time, the 

recently paroled Cameron 

Poe is hitching a ride home 

to his wife and daughter. But 

he suddenly finds himself 

embroiled in a midair 

skyjacking masterminded by 

Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom. 

While Cameron fights to 

keep these savage convicts 

from massacring everyone 

on board as they careen 

toward the famed Las 

Vegas Strip, a government 

agent on the ground battles 

to keep his overzealous 

superiors from blowing 

the plane into oblivion!

Cast
Nicolas Cage - Cameron Poe
John Cusack - Vince Larkin
John Malkovich - Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom
Ving Rhames - Diamond Dog
Steve Buscemi - Garland 'The Mareitta Mangler' Greene

Colm Meaney - Duncan Malloy

Mykelti Williamson - Baby-O

Rachel Ticotin - Guard Sally Bishop
Monica Potter - Tricia Poe

Nick Chinlund - Billy Bedlam

Renoly Santiago - Ramon 'Sally-Can't Dance' Martinez

Dave Chapelle - Pinball

Steve Eastin - Guard Falzon

Danny Trejo - Johnny-23

M.C. Gainey - Swamp Thing

Landry Allbright - Casey Poe

Brendan Kelly - Conrad

Jesse Borrego - Francisco Cindino

John Roselius - Skip Devers

Crew
Director - Simon West

Writer - Scott Rosenberg

Executive Producers - Chad Oman, Jonathan Hensleigh, Jim Kouf and Lynn Bigelow

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Peter Bogart

Producer - Jerry Bruckheimer

Associate Producer/Stunt Coordinator - Kenny Bates

Art Directors - Chas Butcher, Edward T. McAvoy and Seven L. Nielsen (Uncredited)

Visual Consultant - Deborah Evans

Costume Designer - Bobbie Read

Director of Photography - David Tattersall

Stunt Coordinator - Steve Pirceni 

Special Effects Coordinator - Chuck E. Stewart

Visual Effects Supervisor - David Goldberg

Visual Effects Supervisor: Buena Vista Imaging - Mark Dornfeld 

Visual Effects Producer: DQI - Rae Griffith

Visual Effects Consultant: DQI - Larry Whitaker

CG Supervisor; DQI - Darin Hollings 

Computer Graphics - Gregory L. McMurry

Film Editors - Chris Lebonzon, Steve Mirkovich and Glen Scantlebury
Sound Designer - Shannon Mills
Sound: Design - Christopher Boyes and David Farmer

Music - Mark Mancina and Trevor Rabin 

Awards

1998 Academy Awards

Best Sound - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Art Rochester (Nominated)

Best Original Song "How Do I Live" - Diane Warren (Nominated)


Review

'CON AIR' was the first movie that was solely produced by Jerry Bruckheimer after the death of his production partner Don Simpson. This matinee action movie takes you airborne and is enough to get ridiculous in its non-stop action, corniness and pure insanity. The plot of the film however is very believable but follows the typical action cliche in every other feature in its sole genre. It is also the directorial debut of Simon West who has an early career of producing music videos and commercials in the U.K before he journeyed to Hollywood. He was fantastic for directing 'CON AIR' and was proud to include its fast-pace in the story-line, action sequences and editing. I liked how Scott Rosenberg's humorous script-writing fits into the movie with each of these moments that were delivered as a punch in the gut and it worked. I can't be too harsh on this movie for being too violent in its excessive gore imagery as parents and moral guardians abide it. Surprisingly, it features the most extensive property damage and a huge body count in some scenes.

Nicolas Cage was in his second time around with the producer as he portrays a newly pardoned, ex-military figure who gets involved in a skyjacking by his fellow convicts. A remarkable actor with a large presence to steer a good performance but not enough to pull a fake accent. John Malkovich was a deliberate standout actor as he gets hammy with Cyrus the Virus, the insane mastermind behind the skyjacking. Joining with Cage and Malkovich are fellow cast members Steve Buscemi who was the Hannibal Lecter type comic relief and John Cusack is the agent who is out to get Cyrus and foil his dastardly scheme.

'CON AIR' was at its best, a colourful and explosive popcorn feature that has been considered a must-see for a movie-goer who has never seen the film for the first time.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

Back to Home

Batman Begins Re-Review

Batman Begins


Release Date: 16th June 2005 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures
Syncopy
DC Comics
Legendary Pictures (Uncredited)

Palatex III Productions Limited

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 140 minutes


Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $375,404,836 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Having witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, Bruce Wayne seeks to avenge their deaths. In his travels, he learns many combat skills to fight injustice. When Bruce returns to the crime-ridden Gotham with the help of his old butler Alfred, ally Lucius Fox and rising cop Jim Gordon, he puts on the cowl as the masked vigilante Batman, who strikes into the mob's and criminals' hearts and uses strength, intellect and high-tech weaponry to rid the city of crime and corruption.

Cast
Christian Bale - Bruce

Wayne/Batman
Gus Lewis - Young Bruce

Wayne
Michael Caine - Alfred

Pennyworth
Liam Neeson - Henri Ducard
Katie Holmes - Rachel

Dawes
Emma Lockhart - Young

Rachel Dawes
Gary Oldman - Sgt. James

Gordon
Morgan Freeman - Lucius

Fox
Cillian Murphy - Dr. Jonathan
Crane/The Scarecrow
Tom Wilkinson - Carmine Falcone
Rutger Hauer - William Earle
Ken Watanabe - Ra's Al Ghul
Mark Boone Junior - Det. Arnold Flass

Larry Holden - Carl Finch
Colin McFarlane - Gillian B.

Loeb
Linus Roache - Thomas Wayne
Sara Stewart - Martha Wayne
Richard Brake - Joe Chill
Tim Booth - Victor Zsasz
Gerard Murphy - Judge Faden
Rade Serbedzjia - Homeless Man
Jack Gleeson - Little Boy

Alexandro Bastedo - Gotham Society Dame

Matt Miller - Gotham Car Cop #3

John Nolan - Fredericks (Cameo)

Lucy Russell - Female Restaurant Guest (Cameo)

Jeremy Theobald - Younger Gotham

Water Board Technician (Cameo)

Crew
Screenplay/Director - Christopher Nolan

Batman Creators - Bob Kane

and Bill Finger (Uncredited)
Characters: Alfred Pennyworth &

Dr Thomas Wayne - Jerry Robinson (Uncredited)
Story/Screenplay - David S. Goyer
Executive Producers - Benjamin Melniker

and Michael Uslan
Producers - Larry J. Franco, Charles Roven,
Emma Thomas and Lorne Orleans (IMAX Version)
Casting Directors - John Papsidera
and Lucinda Syson

Production Designer - Nathan Crowley

Storyboard Artists - Martin Asbury

and James Cornish

Supervising Art Director - Simon Lamont

Supervising Art Director: Cardington -

Steven Lawrence

Senior Art Director - Alan Tomkins

Art Directors - Peter Francis, Paul Kirby,

Dominic Masters, Su Whitaker and

Shane Valentino (Uncredited)

Art Director: Chicago - Patrick Lumb

Standby Art Director - Stuart Kearns

Assistant Art Directors - Stephen Morohan

and Sloane U'Ren

Set Decorators - Andrew Hodgson,

Paki Smith and Simon Wakefield

Property Master - Ty Teiger
Costume Designer - Lindy Hemming

First Assistant Costume Designer - Guy Speranza

Costume Supervisor - Dan Grace

Prosthetics/Bait Suit Consultant -

Nick Dudman
Makeup & Hair Designer - Peter Robb-King

Director of Photography - Wally Pfister

Aerial Photography - Hans Bjerno

"A" Camera Focus Puller - Clive Mackey

First Assistant Camera: Vista Vision, Chicago -

Wayne Baker

Unit Production Manager - Nigel Gostelow

Production Managers - Suzie Wiesmann

and Sam Breckman

Unit Manager - Steve Harvey

Location Managers - Joanna Beckett,

Robin Higgs, Tom Crooke and Mark Somner

Location Manager - James McAllister

First Assistant Director - Cliff Lanning

Key Second Assistant Director - Matthew Sharp

Stunt Coordinator - Paul Jennings

Assistant Stunt Coordinator - Sy Hollands

Assistant Stunt Coordinator: Chicago Unit -

Rick LeFevour

Fight Arranger - David Forman

Fight Consultants - Andy Norman

and Justo Dieguez

Horse Master - Daniel Naprous

Aerial Coordinator - Craig Hosking

Action Vehicle Coordinator - Darren Litten

Special Effects Coordinator - Chris Corbould

Special Effects Workshop Supervisors -

Kevin Herd, Paul Knowles, Roy Quinn and

Andrew Smith

Visual Effects Supervisors - Dan Glass,

and Janek Sirrs

Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -

Paul J. Franklin

Visual Effects Supervisors: MPC - Rudi Holzappel

and Andrew Morley

Visual Effects Supervisor: BUF - Stephane Ceretti

Visual Effects Supervisor: The Senate VFX -

Sean Farrow

Visual Effects Producers: Double Negative -

Hal Couzens and Ellen Walder

Miniature Unit Supervisor: Model VFX Unit -

Steven Begg

Art Directors: Supervising Models,

Model VFX Unit - James Hambidge and

Michael Lamont

First Assistant Director: Model VFX Unit -

Simon Emmanuel

CG Sequence Supervisors: Double Negative -

Pete Bebb, Graham Jack and Alex Wuttke

Sequence Supervisors - Jody Johnson

and George Zwier

Compositing Sequence Leads: Double Negative -

Chris Burn, Matthew Twyford, Jody Johnson,

Jeremy Hattingh, Victor Wade, Andy Lockley,

Steve McKee and George Zwier

2D Supervisor: Double Negative - Charlie Noble

Film Editor - Lee Smith

First Assistant Editor - John Lee

Sound Effects Design - Jimmy Boyle

and Andy Kennedy

Supervising Sound Editors - David Evans

and Stefan Henrix

Re-Recording Mixers - Lora Hirschberg

and Gary A. Rizzo

Foley Mixer - Ed Colyer

Foley Artists - Andi Derrick and Peter Burgis

Music - James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer

Additional Music - Ramin Djawadi and Mel Wesson

Music Programmer - Lorne Balfe

Score Coordinator - Becky Bentham

Music Recordist - Geoff Foster

Awards

2006 Academy Awards
Best Cinematography - Wally Pfister (Nominated)


Review

Widely seen as an exceptional reboot of the titular character, BATMAN BEGINS was a breakthrough in Chris Nolan's career, which has been uphill since a few films, like Memento and Insomnia, came out as critical achievements. After viewing BATMAN BEGINS, I thought it was a great movie. I have re-watched it several times and now revised my opinion that the feature was spectacular. Although its successor, The Dark Knight, was a more popular film in its hype, this is the first instalment, which brought together a whole trilogy. Still dark and tense, the movie re-tells the origins of how Bruce Wayne became the dark-winged avenger through a painful childhood experience. Many comic-book fans were sceptical of this movie in its pre-release before it opened, and it was a huge surprise to win them back for its return to the dark atmosphere. It still maintains the tone that Nolan conspicuously uses in his spectacles, though it contains psychological themes unseen in a Batman movie for a long time.

Christian Bale was an ideal actor to portray the dark knight, and before Ben Affleck, he was still the greatest that ever lived. I liked how his performance displayed determination and physical prowess, which proved integral to his character. His predecessors like Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and, to a lesser extent, George Clooney have nothing against the lead actor who replaced them. He has two movies to go before the saga reaches its climactic finale, with The Dark Knight Rises as his last. Other actors like Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, and Cillian Murphy were understated and well-privileged in their performances.

One actress I had forgotten to mention in my older critique of the movie, Katie Holmes, was a bit inexperienced as Bruce's love interest, Rachel Dawes, and for some reason, she may not be a natural for the role that suits her. The music score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard was brilliant in over-perfection. It accompanies the movie in its serious setting.

BATMAN BEGINS has evolved from the Batman movies of my youth. It's an amazingly uptight start of a trilogy, and though it was the best movie, it's second only to The Dark Knight. It is now my third personal favourite Batman movie. Those who have seen the film before will enjoy it with its later two entries in order of its continuity.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

Back to Home