Let’s start with what’s most important about “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” which is that my children loved it. One is going on nine years old, so she’s mostly come out on the other side of her affection for these characters, but she had a good time; her five-year-old sister, in the midst of full-on Minion Fever (she brought a stuffed Bob along with her to the screening), proclaimed it the best one yet, though she may have been suffering from recency bias.

Continue reading ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Review: Paper-Thin & Only Sporadically Funny But Still A Mild Improvement at The Playlist.

The American Cinema Editors revealed their nominees for the 68th Annual ACE Eddie Awards. to kick off the New Year, which will certainly see Oscar prognosticators adjusting their predictions accordingly.

While the ACE Eddie Awards obviously allow for more contenders with more categories at play, it’s nice to see “Blade Runner 2049,” “Baby Driver,” and “The Shape Of Water” get some recognition, after being mostly shut out so far this awards season.

Continue reading ACE Eddie Award Nominees Include ‘Blade Runner 2049,’ ‘Get Out,’ ‘Dunkirk’ & More at The Playlist.

[Updated Feb. 4]

Winner prediction:
1. “Coco”
2. “Loving Vincent”
3. “The Breadwinner”
4. “Ferdinand”
5. “The Boss Baby”

Current predictions:

Best Picture
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Director
Original Screenplay
Adapted Screenplay
Editing
Cinematography
Production Design
Original Score
Best Song
Costumes
Sound Mixing
Sound Editing
Documentary
Foreign Language Film
Animated Feature Film
Makeup and Hairstyling
Visual Effects

Continue reading 2018 Best Animated Feature Oscars Predictions at The Playlist.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 26 films submitted this year for consideration for the Animated Feature Film Oscar this morning and there were few surprises on this list.

Notably absent, however, was “Leap!” a animated film produced in France where it was known as “Ballerina” but released in the U.S. this August with vocal performances by Elle Fanning, Carly Rae Jepsen and Dane DeHaan, among others.

Continue reading ‘Coco,’ ‘Loving Vincent’ Lead 26 Films Submitted for 2018 Animated Feature Film Oscar at The Playlist.

It’s been the worst box office summer in decades in 2017, and appropriately enough, it ends with a whimper. With no new major wide releases hitting cinemas, this was the worst Labor Day weekend at the movies in seventeen years, which led to some strange outcomes.

“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” stayed at the top of the box office with a surprising 0.1% drop in attendance since last weekend, earning $10.2 million.

Continue reading ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ Leads Quiet Labor Day Weekend [Box Office] at The Playlist.

Canada spent last night celebrating the 150th birthday of the Great White North, and the United States will ring in July 4th in just a couple of days. While that means people are away for the weekend, and kicking off summer vacations, that hasn’t slowed down the box office.

Families packed up the kids and went to see “Despicable Me 3,” which took in $75 million over the past few days.

Continue reading ‘Despicable Me 3’ Dominates Holiday Weekend [Box Office] at The Playlist.

It’s perhaps only fitting that Illumination Entertainment has subsequently dwindled our goodwill and enthusiasm for its cash-printing film series with “Despicable Me 3,” the latest — and arguably most shallow —installment in this frantically, now frustratingly bombastic animated trilogy. Starting with 2010’s moderately charming “Despicable Me,” Illumination presented a cuddly, giddy, highly energetic original family feature that took the right notes from the cartoon slapstick comedy of yore.

Continue reading ‘Despicable Me 3’ Is A Hollow Sequel That’s Hard To Love [Review] at The Playlist.

We’re less than a month away from the summer movie season, although you would likely think otherwise if you’ve been to a theater near you lately. With hot titles like “Logan,” “Ghost In The Shell,” “Beauty And The Beast,” “Power Rangers,” “Life,” “Kong: Skull Island,” “The Lego Batman Movie” and, err, “CHIPS” all playing in cinemas near you, it can be hard to differentiate between the sizzling summer selections and the ones that now play at seemingly any point in time of the year, no matter the season.

Continue reading 2017 Summer Movie Preview: Blockbusters And Beyond at The Playlist.

The only thing I really now about the “Despicable Me” franchise, because I’ve never seen a single minute of those movies, is that they’re a money machine for Universal. So here comes “Despicable Me 3,” and likely another big hit for the studio.

READ MORE: What Will Be The Biggest Box Office Blockbuster Of 2017?

Steve Carell is back as Gru, and this time around, he faces off against Balthazar Bratt (voiced by Trey Parker), a former ’80s child star who grows up to be a fearsome (and ridiculous) nemesis.

Continue reading New Trailer For ‘Despicable Me 3’ Brings 1980s Style Villainy at The Playlist.

It might seem, from a glance, that our 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2017 covers, well, every film coming out in 2017. But that’s far from the truth. We try to keep our annual preview to the films that we’re truly excited about, which means that there’s a lot left on the table. And often, it means that we don’t include some of the films destined to be among the biggest grossers.

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2017

We love a great blockbuster, but a tentpole needs to look genuinely promising to make the cut for us, and explosion and CGI fatigue means that plenty of others don’t get there.

Continue reading What Will Be The Biggest Box Office Blockbuster Of 2017? at The Playlist.

You may not realize it, but “Despicable Me” — which includes the two main films, and the spinoff “Minions” — has collected $2.6 billion from the worldwide box office so far. And God only knows how much in added revenue Universal has pocketed from merchandise. It’s a behemoth, and the money faucet will continue to pour next summer with “Despicable Me 3.”

READ MORE: Vin Diesel Discovers ‘The Fate Of The Furious’ In First Action-Packed Trailer

Steve Carell is back to lead as Gru, this time with Trey Parker playing the baddie Balthazar Bratt, a former ’80s child star, who is now obsessed with the role that made him famous.

Continue reading A Former Child Star Takes On Gru In First Trailer For ‘Despicable Me 3’ at The Playlist.