Surprisingly, there seems to be a lot of PG rated films lately – which is nice for families.
We saw the previews in 3D and it looked like a cute film.
Which it was.
Just don’t go comparing it to anything by Pixar, but it has heart and humor.
Won’t bother to repeat the story.. But it was nice to see Love as the central message of a movie.
Love of a mother for a son, a son for his mother, children for their dad.
And the minions love for ..um.. Grul.
The message is that we sometimes lose track of what is important to us (family) when success gets in the way. And that wanting to please other people (Grul wanting to please his mother) stops us from being whom we were meant to be.
The minions were cute, but felt they could have been used more…
The cast was very good, and while the animation is not up to Pixar quality, the film was always watchable.
Ironically, my theater could only get the 2D version. Somehow, I think this would have been more fun in 3D.
Fun for the whole family – though there is one scene that looks like blood that could scare very young children.
Steve Carell = Gru
Jason Segel = Vector
Russell Brand = Dr. Nefario
Julie Andrews = Gru’s Mom
Will Arnett = Mr. Perkins
Kristen Wiig = Miss Hattie
Dana Gaier = Edith
Elsie Fisher = Agnes
Miranda Cosgrove = Margo
Pierre Coffin = Tim the Minion
Pierre Coffin = Bob the Minion
Pierre Coffin = Mark the Minion
Pierre Coffin = Phil the Minion
Pierre Coffin = Stuart the Minion
Chris Renaud = Dave the Minion
Jemaine Clement = Jerry the Minion
Jack McBrayer = Carnival Barker
Danny R. McBride = Fred McDade
Jack McBrayer = Tourist Dad
Mindy Kaling = Tourist Mom
Rob Huebel = Anchorman
Ken Daurio = Egyptian Guard
Ken Jeong = Talk Show Host
I saw the premiere of this movie in Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino. I loved Forgetting Sarah Marshall and I was really excited to finally see this movie, especially since it was with the cast. Sadly, I was disappointed.
If you are looking for the Aldous Snow from Forgetting Sarah then forget it. No more “Excuse me, missus, I’ve lost a shoe… like this one. It’s like this one’s fellow… it’s sort of the exact opposite in fact of that – not an evil version but just, you know, a shoe like this” or “*after spilling cranberry juice on his shirt* Oh God, please take my eyes, but not the shirt! “. While Brand is funny as Aldous Snow at times, the character just isn’t the same. Stoller expanded greatly on him in order for this character to be able to support a full movie, but I think he fell short of accomplishing this successfully and ended up robbing Aldous Snow of what made him so funny in the first place.
Jason Segel wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall and came up with this character in the first film. Nicholas Stoller, the director of Forgetting, directed and wrote this film without input from Segel and you can tell the difference. Aldous no longer has the funny and stupid lines that made him so memorable. Instead his character entertains by gross out humor and ridiculous actions. Some have warned that this movie is not like Forgetting and I completely agree; but what they haven’t said is that Aldous Snow isn’t the same character either. Sure, some elements have returned but, as stated above, what made this character great has not.
You’d expect Russel Brand to carry this movie but he actually seems to make the movie drag on. Luckily, Jonah Hill manages to pick up some of the slack and Hill provides almost all of the funniest parts. It’s sad that Russel doesn’t deliver but I don’t blame him for not living up to par, I blame Stoller for taking away what made Aldous Snow so funny in the first place.
This is a good movie, but they shouldn’t have marketed it as Russell Brand returning as Aldous Snow. I think this is giving people a false idea of what this movie actually is. If you go in expecting Brand to do nothing but flawlessly execute hilarious lines, like from the first movie, then be prepared to be disappointed. If you go in with an open mind and try to forget the Aldous Snow from the first movie then you might actually like it. Sadly, for me I went it wanting to see the Aldous Snow from Forgetting Sarah Marshall and left wishing this film was better.
Russell Brand = Aldous Snow
Jonah Hill = Aaron Green
Rose Byrne = Jackie Q
Tom Felton = Himself
Katy Perry = Herself
Elisabeth Moss = Daphne Binks
Aziz Ansari
Christina Aguilera = Herself
Colm Meaney = Jonathan Snow
Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs = Sergio Roma
Kali Hawk = Chantal
Pink = Herself
Natalina Maggio = Hot Club Dancer
Lars Ulrich = Himself
Meredith Vieira = Herself
Meghan Markle = Tatiana
Sterling Cooper = Red Cross
Lindsey Broad
Nick Kroll
Dee Snider = Himself
DeRay Davis = Sugar Bones
Xoch = Extra
Jake M. Johnson
Snake = Roadie
Stephanie Carswell = Crazed Fan
Jim Piddock
Stephanie Mathis = Club Dancer
Heather Rose = Concert Fan
Sheryl Chambers = Angry Flight Attendant
Rupert Frazer = Famous Author
Elena Beuca = Monique
Jonathan Ryland = Servant Dude
Derek Theler = Standard Guest
Kristina Plisko = Sorrow Sucker
Mohamed Ibrahim Elkest = Mad Patient
Aaron Dissell = P Diddy’s angry club friend
Jessica Ellerby = Blonde Club Girl
Johnny Cley Rivers = Mike
Robert Seay = Lewis
Lino Facioli = Naples
Benjamin Kanes = Singing Concert Fan
Dayton Knoll =Audience Member #1
Dinah Stabb = Lena Snow
Nicholle Sanchez = Stacey
Julia Tokarcik = Alodous Snow’s Fan
Robert Scott Howard = Jon
Bobby Bank = Photographer
