Film Review: 'Minions: The Rise of Gru' Delivers More of the Same

Wherever the Minions go, mayhem follows.By: Christopher James

Everyone knows what their mileage is on Minions mischief. Since exploding onto the screen in 2010’s surprise animated hit Despicable Me, these goofy yellow helpers have become part of popular culture. Like demented, individualistic oompa loompas, the Minions do not need speech in order to win over their audiences. In fact, they hew closest to the Three Stooges in terms of their appeal. It’s pure physical comedy amped up by the frenetic dexterity that animation allows.

The newest entry, Minions: The Rise of Gru, doesn’t reinvent the wheel, to say the least. It’s broad, loud and frantic, barely stopping for a minute to craft a story. At 107 minutes, the energy sputters out, particularly in a rushed third act. Yet, the movie gives exactly what it promises, a fun ride full of antics galore...

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Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Titanic (1997)

by Nathaniel R and other Best Shot participants

As our season finale (series finale, too, at least in this format) we thought 'Why not go down with the ship!!!' The RMS Titanic to be specific. Twenty-five years on James Cameron's Oscar-winning prestige disaster film Titanic (1997) is still giant with audiences and one of those rare movies that "plays" for everyone.

After the jump the choices from the Best Shot club...

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'Elvis', Austin Butler, and Oscar ~Best Actor/Supporting Actor Chart Updates

by Nathaniel R

Though 2022 is half over we must acknowledge that the Oscar race is only really just beginning. Oscar voters rarely pay attention, sadly, until late in the year so honors like the HCA "midyear" awards (just announced) and our own list-making of Halfway Mark Best Of the Year Thus Far surely fall on deaf ears, especially since Hollywood is deep in Emmy campaign season (well, waiting-for-Emmy-nomination seasons to be exact). Nevertheless let's talk about what's happened so far and what could happen going forward while we update the Oscar charts. 

There's a lot of people saying a lot of things...

BEST ACTOR <--- Updated Chart
Of the four acting categories, this is the only one that got "All Shook Up" this past week...

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ICYMI - Best of June

June didn't work out exactly as we planned but we delivered most of what we promised (sorry Eleanor Parker -- we'll try to make up for it in July) and it sure ended on a high note with Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.

Here are a dozen of the highlights in case you missed 'em...

• Halfway Mark the best performances and films of the year thus far
• Almost There Emily Blunt - she's a perennial at "almost" snagging an Oscar nod so Cláudio talked The Devil Wears Prada
• Judy Garland @ 100 we covered nine movies from ending with her final film I Could Go On Singing
• Best Shot Fire Island this one was fun to really look at... and not just for thirst reasons
• Ranking International Feature Oscar winners - Juan Carlos has seen them all
• Emma Thompson in Good Luck To You Leo Grande - what a performance!
• Jurassic World Dominion - Chris says the franchise should go extinct now
• Stage Door - we launched a weekly theater column w/ a celebration of Mare Winningham
• "TV" Movie or Just"Movie" - The Emmys are so confusing!
• The 75th Annual Tony Awards - back to basics so it was good musical fun!
• Klute Deep Dive - a tag team miniseries on the seminal thriller.  
• Tom & Dickie - Chris got in the bath with The Talented Mr Ripley

COMING IN JULY 
New films like Marvel's Thor Love and Thunder, Lesley Manville & Isabelle Huppert in Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, and Jordan Peele's Nope. Plus plenty on the Emmy nominations (which will be announced July 12th) ...for better and worse. We also hope to do a few reader's requests from the fundraiser. And a celebration of the director Blake Edwards (Breakfast at Tiffanys, Victor/Victoria) for his Centennial.

Finally, at the end of the month, the 1997 Supporting Actress Smackdown so we'll be discussing Boogie Nights, Good Will Hunting, LA Confidential, Titanic, In & Out, and maybe some other 1997 gems, scattered throughout the month. 

Tweetweek, Rattle and Roll

Fun or thoughtful showbiz tweets curated for you since Social Media is too (understandably) depressing of late given the collapse of Democracy. But on that note, before we begin, two iconic women meeting this exact unsettling evil moment in time.

GET READY, GAYS. YOU’RE NEXT.

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2022

pic.twitter.com/Kt4wYKanUG

— Lee Grant (@TheLeeGrant) June 24, 2022

More after the jump including Evan Rachel Wood, My Best Friend's Wedding, Barbie, Crimes of the Future, and Baz-driven Elvis Mania...

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