One of the most beloved animated franchises in recent memory has been the Illumination entertainment ‘Despicable Me’ and ‘Minions’ releases. These films have made over a combined $4 billion at the worldwide box office. Whether you're young or old, there is something to love about the Gru and the Minions. After a 3 year hiatus from the franchise, and multiple delays of the latest film ‘Minions: Rise of Gru’, we finally got this film in 2022. ‘Minions: Rise of Gru’ shows the origin of one of history’s greatest villains, Gru, as he teams up with the loveable, yellow, banana loving, Minions. As mentioned, I’m a fan of the Minions. They are always fun to watch and the rapport they have with their fearless leader, Gru is fun and adorable. So with all of that said, how was ‘Minions: Rise of Gru’? ‘Minions: Rise of Gru’ was exactly what I was wanting out of a Minions film, fun, clever and hilarious. The film had all the heart you could want as well from a Minions film, with Gru showing his endearing and thoughtful nature, very early on in the piece. Steve Carrell returns as the voice of Gru once again, for the fourth time. He slightly alters his performance here to cater for the fact that Gru is just 10 years old. He remains a great character in this series of films. The stand outs though are the Minions: Bob, Stuart and Kevin. They’re all so likeable and provide an energy to the franchise that makes it so memorable. This is one of the franchise's strongest points and remains the case after five installments, with a sixth on the way in the form of 'Despicable Me 4'. A new addition to the film is the introduction of the villainous group, the 'Vicious 6', which is made up of: White Knuckles, Belle Bottom, Jean Clawed, Nunchuck, Stronghold and Svengeance. This group is a lot of fun and expands upon the worlds of Despicable Me and The Minions. We see a different group of villains here that rival any villainous group ever put to film. Gru's love for the group is reminiscent of our own love and fandom for superhero groups in film and pop culture and in a way very relatable. It is endearing to see Gru's friendship with White Knuckles, voiced by the great Alan Arkin, expand over the course of the film. 'Minions: Rise of Gru' was a lot of fun. The film may not reinvent the wheel in terms of family entertainment, but it is certainly a worthy entry in the franchise. The characters are fun and endearing and the messages of acceptance, provide a good moral compass for its young viewers. It's definitely worth your time and will provide the young ones with entertainment these coming school holidays. 'Minions: Rise of Gru' arrives on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD this Wednesday, September 14. Be sure to head to your local Sanity or online to secure your copy. Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here

It'a always fun to see all the minions back and a good way to spend a small amount of time watching a fun movie suitable for young and old

They’re back! The Minions returns in this prequel set in the 1970s. We’re talking the whole ’70s vibe here – retro art and decor, disco tunes and bright costumes and characters! As the title suggests, we join a young Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), twelve years young to be exact, on his journey to try and join a group of supervillains known as The Vicious 6. The Vicious 6 have ousted their leader, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin) and have (presumably) advertised the available spot, to which Gru lands himself an interview. The interview goes horribly in true Gru and Minion fashion, and what comes next is a fun story about a supervillain learning the value of a little help from his friends. I was rather impressed with the animation of this fifth instalment in the Minions franchise, especially the backdrops of each scene. A good chunk of the film is set in San Francisco, and the city looks almost real. The Minions themselves were on point, and there were several few Easter eggs relating to films that have also been released by Universal Pictures. Actor Steve Carell shines brightly as the voice of Gru, and Alan Arkin is amazing as the new addition, Wild Knuckles. Although this instalment was not as funny as the previous instalments, it's all well-paced and will make a fun ride for the family. Overall, I am pleased to say that the series delivers stunning animation, fun easter eggs for movie lovers, and great voice work from a huge line-up of talent, including Steve Carell as Gru. The Minions themselves are once again lovable and on point. It’s a great time for families, even though this newest instalment lacks layered humour for the adult audience. Certainly a home run for the little ones! * This review has been written for Sanity. For more reviews from Walkden Entertainment, check out the link here: www.walkdenentertainment.com