(Kevin, Stuart and Bob as voiced, along with all the Minions, by Pierre Coffin in the Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val movie Minions: The Rise of Gru).
It is not necessary to have seen the other movies in the Minions franchise to enjoy Minions: The Rise of Gru. Pierre Coffin voices of all the minions in this film, with Kevin, Stuart, Bob and Otto featuring prominently. A prominent set of actors buttress the performance by lending their voices to this movie.
(From left, Steve Carell as Gru and Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario in the Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val movie Minions: The Rise of Gru).
Much of the film features the city of San Francisco, California. Steve Carell reprises his role as Gru as a boy nearly 12-years old with the aspiration of becoming a super-villain. The relationship between the Minions themselves and the Gru are shown following the introduction of a storyline including the Viscious 6.
The story of Gru’s introduction to villainy takes a concrete turn with Minions: The Rise of Gru when Gru is introduced to join the Vicious 6, a group of super-villains founded by Wild Knuckles. A circumstance has occurred that disconnected Wild Knuckles from the group, introducing an opening for new leader Belle Bottom to add to the ranks of Jean-Clawed, Svengeance, Stronghold and Nun-chuck.
(From left, Alan Arkin as Wild Knuckles and Julie Andrews as Marlena Gru in the Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val movie Minions: The Rise of Gru).
An object with powers and relevance to the Chinese New Year (also called Lunar New Year) have put a wedge between Wild Knuckles and the remainder of Vicious 6, with the invitation to join the group as facilitated through Dr. Nefario establishing the child appropriate conflict that informs the movie’s conflict.
(From left, Michelle Yeoh as Master Chow and RZA (Robert Fitzgerald Diggs) as a biker in the Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val movie Minions: The Rise of Gru).
Master Chow and a biker become important aids in addressing the movie’s conflict, which includes nearly continuous action, humor and music that offers things to the adults that accompany kids to the show. Humor that at one point invoked Don Rickles was a particularly nice touch for those with a decent recollection of the 1970s and other decades the star worked in.
(From left, Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val all served as directors for the Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val movie Minions: The Rise of Gru).
Death Valley, California also is mentioned within Minions: The Rise of Gru. There is much to enjoy for audiences that welcome movies with a PG (Parental Guidance) rating, which this movie has. This film worked well for Lynn along with my parents, who are in their seventies. I rate Minions: The Rise of Gru as directed by Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val 4-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.
With the oddness that has been the year 2020, new movie releases have been few and far between. Matt Lynn Digital continued to look into the past for movies to enjoy and review with you. The year saw us review thirty-six (36) films through the year, which we will share with you by decade, shared from highest rated to lowest.
(The Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York featured among the best portrayals of a movie villain ever delivered by Daniel Day-Lewis. The film earned 3.75-stars from Matt Lynn Digital).
(The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance and The Lady Vanishes achieved two different things in two different decades to complete the movie reviews by Matt Lynn Digital in 2020).
Share the Matt Lynn Digital blog with your friends if you see value in what we are doing. We feel these reviews provide excellent content that we would like to continue offering.
The new millennium had just come to America when today’s winner of four Academy Awards showed in theatres in the United States. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) was a multi-national film with spoken dialogue in Mandarin and subtitles for various markets.
(From left, Yun-Fat Chow as Master Li Mu Bai and Michelle Yeoh as Yu Shu Lien in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).
The Ang Lee directed film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon begins by showing the audience that Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai are loyalty bound to a now deceased love interest and friend to not act on feelings each have for the other. Michelle Yeoh portrays Yu Shu Lien, leader of a private security firm. Yun-Fat Chow portrays Li Mu Bai, a master swordsman interested in retiring from the obligations of the swordsman life. Part of this includes asks Shu Lien to give his fabled sword “Green Destiny” to their benefactor Sir Te in Peking, aka Beijing, China. Sihung Lung portrays Sir Te.
(From left, Ziyi Zhang as Jen Yu aka Jiao Long and Chen Chang as Lo ‘Dark Cloud’ aka Luo Xiao Hu in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).
It was early in the film when we learn that Li Mu Bai’s teacher had been killed by Jade Fox, a woman who had sought to learn the style of skills practiced by Li Mu Bai. There is much initial mystery to who Jade Fox, as portrayed by Pei-Pei Cheng, actually is. Before the audience makes relevant acquaintance with Jade Fox within Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yu Shu Lien encounters Jen Yu (Jiao Long), the daughter of rich and powerful Governor Yu. Jen Yu, as portrayed by Ziyi Zhang, travels secretly with Jade Fox as Yu’s governess.
(Pei-Pei Cheng as Jade Fox in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).
It is shortly after the revelation to some of Jade Fox as governess that an ongoing mystery surrounding the theft of the “Green Destiny” sword from Sir Te’s estate occurs. A romantic adventure for Jen Yu with Lo ‘Drak Cloud’ aka Luo Hiao Hu is revealed, with the fate of Yu’s marriage as expected by Yu’s parents in the balance. Chen Chang portrays Lo ‘Drak Cloud’ aka Luo Hiao Hu. The strings of these tensions are tugged through the remainder of the film.
(Ang Lee directed the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).
The martial arts fighting scenes as directed by Ang Lee are well planned, at times filled with humor, and include admittedly stunning visual acuity filled with “flying” effects that do tend to feel like too much upon occasion. A scene among the tree tops and through a wooded area are a marvel to behold, still, some twenty years later as I write this review. I enjoyed this martial arts, romantic adventure movie. I grant Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 4.00-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 stars.
Matt Lynn Digital 