Movie Review: Despicable Me 2

Despicable Me 2 
2013
Universal
Rated: PG
98 minutes

While Gru, the ex-supervillain is adjusting to family life and an attempted honest living in the jam business, a secret Arctic laboratory is stolen. The Anti-Villain League decides it needs an insider's help and recruits Gru in the investigation. Together with the eccentric AVL agent, Lucy Wilde, Gru concludes that his prime suspect is the presumed dead supervillain, El Macho, whose his teenage son is also making the moves on his eldest daughter, Margo. Seemingly blinded by his overprotectiveness of his children and his growing mutual attraction to Lucy, Gru seems on the wrong track even as his minions are being quietly kidnapped en masse for some malevolent purpose. (description from imdb.com) 

So... have I mentioned how much I love the minions? I want some of my own!! For reals.  I saw the first movie, Despicable Me, a few years ago on DVD and immediately went out and bought my own copy. Then I started wishing for a sequel.  Just when I thought they would never create a follow-up, they announced not only DM2, but another movie, Minions, that will be coming out in 2014!

There is just something wonderful about the combination of yellow, mostly mute, evil henchmen and a family unit that is truly surprising in its sweetness.  Now that Gru has settled in to having a family, has backed off from his evilness, and has trained his minions to make jam...things are well, maybe too sweet for the movie world... 

Some hilarious examples:

Gru-a-rina has come to make your party special! 

Here we see Gru, stepping in for the fairy who was supposed to entertain at Agnes' birthday party. Unable to break her heart with a no-show fairy, Gru actually puts on the dress, wings, and a falsetto to keep her happy.  *grins*  Let's just say Gru makes an interesting fairy... 

So, Gru, what *are* your hobbies?

Here, Gru finds the girls putting together his online dating profile.  *snarf* I laughed so hard I almost cried here.  They mean well, but Gru's, well Gru, and imagine an ex-super-villain dating online! 

Then, because nothing can stay that easy or happy in the movie world, Gru meets a woman who infuriates and fascinates him. She also tases him at their first meeting! 

LIPSTICK TASER!

Lucy is hilarious and awesome and just the right amount of kick-@ss newbie secret agent to pluck at the heartstrings.  Her unabashed admiration of Gru, his family, his minions, and his past make her a heartwarming addition to the crew.  The way that she helps each of them out without stepping over any boundaries or making them feel awkward was just another example of movie-writing magic.  

I saw this movie with friends and their small children.  I'm happy to report that there was only one moment that was a little too scary for the young ones and within a few funny moments it was smiles all around again.  I left the theater smiling and full of anticipation for Minions.  I'm already plotting my DVD purchase the day this one comes out, and I'll just leave you with a last little glimpse of my personally favorite minion: 

I LOVE CARL.  Bee-do, bee-do, bee-do... 

I consider this movie to be a MUST SEE of the summer!!!