Despicable Me 2

 Released Year: 2013

Directed by Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud

Voiced by:

Steve Carell as Felonious Gru
Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde
Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo Perez/El Macho
Miranda Cosgrove as Margo

Dana Gaier as Edith
Elsie Fisher as Agnes

 Story:

A secret laboratory near the Arctic Circle is stolen by a mysterious vehicle using a giant magnet. The Anti-Villain League (AVL) recruits former super-villain Gru, now a kindly jelly manufacturer, to find out which evil person is about to start using the mutagen PX-41 to produce indestructible monsters. Gru and undercover-AVL-agent Lucy must search The Paradise Shopping Mall, where they are given a bakery as their headquarters. Gru suspects Mexican restaurant owner Eduardo of being an allegedly dead super-villain called "El Macho"; Gru and Lucy break into Eduardo's restaurant at night, but find nothing incriminating. Then Gru and Lucy investigate wig merchant Floyd Eagle-san, while Gru's daughter Margo develops a serious crush on Eduardo's handsome young son.

The next day, the AVL arrests Floyd Eagle-san because an almost-empty mutagen jar was found in his shop. The investigation is closed, and Lucy is reassigned to Australia. When Gru learns this, he is heartbroken; he loves her, but he cannot find the courage to ask her out on a date. Instead he visits a party at Eduardo's, and finds proof that the Mexican restauranteur is in fact the super-villain El Macho. Gru also discovers that El Macho (and his helper, previously Gru's assistant and friend Dr. Nefario) have captured and mutated a large number of Gru's minions, turning them into fierce purple-furred monsters. El Macho plans to send rockets full of mutated Minions to major cities and achieve world domination. El Macho admires Gru's old work (such as stealing the moon), and invites Gru to join him in this plan, but Gru avoids answering, and leaves with his daughter Margo, who in the meantime has broken up with Eduardo's two-timing son.

On her flight to Australia, Lucy realizes she cannot live without Gru, and jumps out of the plane using a hang glider. She is captured by El Macho, who now knows she is an AVL agent. Fortunately Dr. Nefario lets Gru know what is happening. In order to rescue Lucy, Gru visits El Macho along with two minions covered in purple dye, pretending he was captured by two of the mutant creatures. Fighting alongside his daughters and Dr. Nefario, Gru and his team spray all of the mutated minions with a powerful antidote dissolved in jelly, whereupon they revert to their friendly yellow state. El Macho then takes the mutagen himself, but Gru and Dr. Nefario easily overcome him using a fart gun.

Lucy is, however, already strapped to a TNT-loaded shark rocket. Gru starts to untie her, but the rocket-launch remote button is pressed by El Macho's pet chicken Pollito. The rocket flies towards the same lava-spewing volcano where El Macho had previously faked his death. Lucy accepts Gru's invitation for a date, and the pair dives into the safety of the ocean two seconds before the rocket enters the volcano.

One hundred and forty-seven dates later, the Gru and Lucy are married and Gru's daughters finally have a mother. The minions close with a rendition of "Y.M.C.A" and "I Swear" (sung in minion-speak as "Underwear") while the whole family dances.

 L² Scored: 9.5/10

L² Comment:

This sequel definitely is a hit right now, you can see their games in the smart phone apps; a lot of our friends using their voice as ring tones; fast food restaurant giving the toys makes by them... I have been very very busy lately, but i could not skip the chance of watching this cartoon, so i purposely squeeze a time out and enjoy this movie by myself in the cinema. 

I can heard laughter, singing along (with the minions) in the crowd... this definitely shows that the minions are going to be the next hit of the animation icon in the market.

Evan Almighty

Released Year: 2007
Directed by Tom Shadyac

Casted by:
Steve Carell as Evan Baxter
Morgan Freeman as God
Lauren Graham as Joan Baxter
Johnny Simmons as Dylan Baxter
Graham Phillips as Jordan Baxter
Jimmy Bennett as Ryan Baxter
John Goodman as Chuck Long
Story:

Newly elected to Congress, former local television news reporter Evan Baxter leaves his hometown of Buffalo, New York and moves to suburban northern Virginia, where his campaign promise to "change the world" is ridiculed by some, but Evan remains optimistic about his new position. On the first day on his job, Evan is given a spacious office and is invited to co-sponsor a bill with top congressman Chuck Long, something rare for a first-timer. His family is happy, but due to the change in their situation to the move when Evan's wife Joan, who prays that Evan will have a greater sense of togetherness. Everything seems to be going well for Evan. Soon after Evan's arrival to Congress, strange things start to happen in his household:

1. Evan's alarm clock repeatedly goes off at 6:14 A.M. despite being set for a different time every night.
2. Large quantities of ancient tools and wood are delivered to Evan's house daily without explanation.
3. Animals follow Evan without any apparent reason (with birds even getting into his office through the window).
4. Evan grows a beard that magically grows itself back no matter how many times he shaves.
5. Eight vacant lots in Evan's neighborhood are purchased in his name.
6. A mysterious company named GO-4-WOOD delivers a shipment of lumber that Evan did not order.
7. The number "614" follows Evan everywhere he goes.

Evan soon learns that 614 refers to the verse in the Book of Genesis, where God (Morgan Freeman) instructs Noah to build an Ark in preparation for a flood. God shows himself to Evan, cordially insisting that Evan should build an Ark as well. Although Evan resists, God follows him using different guises and eventually convinces Evan to build the Ark. Joan, concerned about his behaviour, believes that Evan is having a mid-life crisis. Without Joan's support, Evan enlists his three sons Dylan, Jordan, and Ryan (Johnny Simmons, Graham Phillips, and Jimmy Bennett) to help him to build the Ark. Reappearing, God tells Evan the flood will come on September 22 at noon. The Ark used for filming was located in Crozet, Virginia.

Animals continue to follow Evan around, getting increasingly annoying as time passes. At first, Long is unimpressed, and allows this behavior to occur, but warns Evan that he will not want any more animal surprises. Unfortunately, the animals follow Evan to Congress numerous times despite his efforts to detain them. This compels Evan to confess to Long, other Congressmen in the room, and the television cameras broadcasting the meeting is that the reason for the animals, strange behavior, robe, and beard is because of God convincing Evan to build the Ark. Humiliating both Congress and the controversial Public Land Act bill that Long is attempting to pass, Evan is temporarily suspended from Congress and removed from Long's bill. As Evan is dragged away, some birds poop on Long upon departure. Joan becomes angry and disappointed on Evan's behavior and leaves Evan because she believes he is insane. Evan does not let this stop himself and continues to build the Ark alone, gaining international notice and public ridicule. Meanwhile, God appears to Joan, disguised as a waiter at a diner with his name tag "Al Mighty". In this guise, God tells Joan that he believes himself and does not give things, but only the opportunity by which to obtain things, and gives an example of family togetherness. Having a revelation, Joan returns to Evan with newfound faith to finish the Ark together. Meanwhile, word reaches Evan that Long has unexpectedly commissioned his dam and has to cut the corners in doing so.

On September 22, Evan loads hundreds of animals onto the newly finished Ark in front of hundreds of spectators and live news crews, and invites the crowd to join them, but is made fun of. However, the police arrive on the scene with a wrecking ball and attempt to destroy the Ark because of its violation of numerous building codes. Noon arrives, and minutes pass with no sign of rain, provoking spectator scorn. A short downburst of rain does come, but it is short-lived. Joan asks Evan to leave the Ark, explaining that he has built it and succeeded in his mission; but at this moment, Evan sees Long's dam burst from the distance. With the water from the dam rushing towards them, all of the spectators, reporters, and policemen immediately seek refuge in the Ark, which rides the flood through the streets of Washington, D.C.. The Ark eventually reaches its final destination in front of the Capitol, where other Congressmen are greeted by the Ark by crashing into the side of the structure. Long, who is outraged that the flood did really happen, is told by Evan that the flood was caused by his defective dam, but Long did not believe this, and was told already that this could not happen again. Those events entice Evan and other Congressmen to turn against Long. With Long under investigation about his dam, Evan celebrate the events by going on a hiking trip with Joan and three sons, where God reappears and tells Evan that the way to change the world is by doing one Act of Random Kindness (ARK) at a time. The film ends when Evan and God doing a happy dance together before God disappears, leaving Evan, Joan, and three sons behind.

L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:

Love this film so much, the same type with Bruce Almighty but this time with Steve Carell who quickly take over the comedian place of Jim Carrey. :) The shooting of multiples animal together is not easy, and i believe they use up a lot of computer technique to shoot this~ i hope they are gonna do this religious-comedy again~

Despicable Me

Released Year: 2010
Directed by: Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud

Casted by:
Steve Carell as Gru
Jason Segel as Victor 'Vector' Perkins
Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario
Will Arnett as Mr. Perkins
Miranda Cosgrove as Margo
Dana Gaier as Edith
Elsie Fisher as Agnes
Julie Andrews as Marlena
Story:

Gru is a super-villain, operating out of his suburban home that serves as a front for an underground lair where he, his partner, Dr. Nefario, and thousands of short yellow minions plan their nefarious deeds.

Gru's pride is injured when an unknown super-villain steals the Great Pyramid of Giza before he can. He decides to engage in a plan to shrink and steal the Earth's moon, an idea he has had since childhood but discouraged by his mother. The plan, including a spacecraft, is quite expensive, and Gru seeks a loan from the Bank of Evil. The Bank's president, Mr. Perkins, is impressed by the plan but will only provide the money if Gru can obtain a shrink ray first.

Gru and his minions easily steal a shrink ray from a secret Asia base, but it is stolen from them moments later by the up-and-coming super-villain, Vector, who was also responsible for the Pyramid theft. Gru tries several means to break into Vector's base without success, but notices three orphan girls, Margo, Edith, and Agnes, easily walk into the base to sell Vector cookies. Gru, faking his credentials, adopts the girls from Miss Hattie's Home for Girls, planning on using them to infiltrate Vector's base. However, Gru has much difficulty nurturing them properly between their own rambunctiousness, their ballet classes, and his own unwillingness to be a parent.

Eventually, Gru and the girls successfully reacquire the shrink ray. The girls suggest a day at the local theme park to celebrate, whereupon Gru agrees, believing he can ditch the girls there. To his surprise, he comes to warm up to the girls over the course of the day, and takes them back home with him. Later, Gru returns to the Bank of Evil for his loan, but Perkins rejects him again, stating that they would rather see a younger super-villain, such as his son Vector, complete this theft. As Gru mopes about at home, the girls offer the contents of their piggy bank to fund the plan. Gru, inspired, sacrifices parts of his lair to construct the spacecraft. Gru plans to steal the moon when it is nearest the Earth, but this ends up being the same day as the girls' ballet recital. Gru becomes conflicted, and Dr. Nefario, seeing this interfering with the plan, arranges the girls to be returned to the orphanage.

Gru proceeds with his plan to steal the moon, successfully shrinking it to fit in his hand; he is unaware that Dr. Nefario has discovered the shrink ray effects are only temporary. Gru realizes he can still make the girls' recital, but he arrives too late and finds that Vector has kidnapped them, willing to hand them over for the moon. Gru makes the trade, but Vector reneges on the deal, flying off with the girls and the moon. As the moon starts to expand in Vector's ship, Gru, Dr. Nefario, and the minions pull off a daring mid-air rescue of the girls, just as the moon explodes out from Vector's ship and launches itself back into orbit. Vector is trapped on the moon as it regains its full size.

Some time later, Gru has readopted the girls and treats them as his family, and he writes them a bedtime storybook framed around his own experience. Margo hugs Gru, telling him, that she loves him, which he then hugs her back saying the same thing. The girls perform their own ballet recital for Gru, his mother, Dr. Nefario, and the minions, with the movie ending as they all get on stage to dance to "You Should Be Dancing".

L² Scored: 7.5/10

L² Comment:

A nice cartoon, but i feel like its a bit same like Vin Diesel's "The Pacifier". Only that this is an animation, of course the story and all the things are more exaggeration... Despicable me 2 is on its way coming in 2013, hope it will be better than this :)

Date Night

Released Year: 2010
Directed by Shawn Levy

Casted by:
Steve Carell as Phil Foster
Tina Fey as Claire Foster
Mark Wahlberg as Holbrooke Grant
Story:

After being married for a long time, both Phil & Claire is worried that their marriage will end like their best friend. To steam up the relationship, they went out for a date night. Phil brought Claire to a high class restaurant without a reservation. They took over somebody's reservation when nobody is answering for that table. But things happened when they are enjoying half way.

They were brought out by 2 gangster who thought they are the triple horn couple and asked for the flashed drive who they believe has been stolen from the mobster head. Phil brought them to the central park and pretend to get back the flash drive and escaped with Claire. They went to police station for report but discovered the 2 gangster are actually police who work for the mobster. They ran, worrying about their kids at home, they call the nanny to bring their kid away.

Claire decided to steal the client information from her office to look for a client, Holbrooke who can help them with all the security things. Holbrooke is hot and Claire is flirting with him. They got the information and went to look for the real triple horn couple. Triple horn couple realise big trouble is coming, left Foster the flash drive and flee away. To settled all this, Phil and Claire went to look for the mobster for a deal. They end up dancing for the mobster head and finally tell them the purpose of coming. While struggling between 2 parties of mobster for the flash drive, the NYPD came and arrested them.

Finally the Foster is safe and went home loving each other more...

L² Scored: 5/10

L² Comment:

The casts are not strong, Carell + Fey is just ok for a small production. Basically Wahlberg is nothing in this movie but showing off his nice body. Tat's all....

Storyline kinda interesting, a bit funny and make u wanna see more of what will be going to happen to this 2 couples... I like Fey, she's quite pretty :)