​It feels like the Despicable Me franchise has run its course, yet we continue to get new entries in the series over a decade after we first met Gru and his lovable yellow minions.

However, despite my initial apprehensions, I was pleased with this continuation of the saga. Set after the events of 2015’s Minions (affiliate link) and before Despicable Me (affiliate link), Rise of Gru (affiliate link) chronicles some of the events that led to Gru becoming one of the world’s greatest villains at the beginning of the first movie. The plot revolves around Gru (Steve Carrell) trying to join a supervillain team called the Vicious Six led by Belle Bottom (Tarji P. Henson) after their previous leader Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin) is presumed dead. Gru is denied entry into the team since he is just a kid, but he steals something called the Zodiac Stone during his interview, leading to a chase around the world.

Julie Andrews returns as Gru’s mother in a few scenes, but the returning role that was much more central to the plot is that of Russell Brand’s Dr. Nefario. We meet him as an amateur inventor working at a record store, that just happens to be involved in some nefarious underground dealings…literally. There are also some fun cameos from the first film with the banker (working as a teller here) who also mentions his young son Vector.

Despite the title, I didn’t feel like we really got the “rise” of Gru in this film. Instead, we get a fun adventure film that ends up with Gru gaining a father figure in Knuckles, something that has been lacking throughout the rest of the series. True, Dr. Nefario could be seen as something of a father figure as the only older adult male in his life, but Knuckles fills that role much better here and I will be interested to see if we get another prequel at some point in the future. Gru himself does rise to the occasion of the film, but really comes across as more of a hero than a villain, regardless of his intentions.

As with any modern entry into a film series like there, there is plenty of expected fan service. Several minions can be seen eating out of a Scarlett Overkill lunchbox at one point and Gru uses a “cheese ray” to shoot melted cheese in a coffee shop, a call back to his freeze ray in the first film. We learn where Gru got his giant alligator couches seen throughout the series and toward the end of the film, Knuckles tells Gru to “shoot for the moon,” an obvious reference to the central heist of the first film. None of these references are overly engineered and I’m sure there are plenty more I missed. Fans of the series will enjoy digging up all the Easter Eggs.

Like most sequels these days, this film wasn’t entirely necessary, but I found it enjoyable and fun for the whole family. I can definitely see one more film fitting in between this and the original Despicable Me with more films continuing the series into the future.

7 out of 10

The most important part of this film is the conversation, but the concerto serves as a jumping off point for the conversation to take place at all.

The conversation between co-director Erik Bowers and his grandfather Horace Bowers Sr. comes in the run up to Erik being the featured composer at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. When he sits down with his grandfather, he uncovers a family history that goes back to the Jim Crow south, winds through the mid-20th century when Horace negotiated life as a black business owner, and eventually led to Erik's achievement and recognition as a black composer today.

The film is important and hopefully spurs many young people today to have deep conversations with their own grandparents and parents about what things were like when they were young. We take a lot for granted about where the world is today, often forgetting that things were much different just a generation or two ago. By having these conversations, we can hopefully learn from the lessons of the past, and apply them to continue improving our society moving forward.

While the film is only 13 minutes long, I would be happy to have a much longer conversation like this in a feature length film.

9 out of 10​​​​

"A Concerto is a Conversation" is available on YouTube.

As the second nominated film from Pixar's "SparkShorts" program, "Burrow" is a cute and family friendly film, but it stops short of being groundbreaking.

If you've seen these films on Disney+, you know they are cute and slightly different than the typical Pixar animated shorts we've seen over the years. Like last year's nominee "Kitbull," "Burrow" is a more traditional 2D animated film instead of the 3D animation Pixar has become known for.

The film focuses on a young rabbit who has dreams of building her dream burrow, complete with a picture to help her as she digs. She begins to construct her home, but ends up running into all sort of other creatures who have already set up residence in the ground.

She tries to avoid these other creatures and soon ends up digging too deep, impacting the water table underground and threatening the entire burrow neighborhood. She must act quickly to try and avoid catastrophe for all the creatures she encountered in her dig.

While the story is cute, the resolution is a bit predictable. "Burrow" is not the strongest SparkShort to come out of Pixar in the past year and I was a bit disappointed that neither "Loop" nor "Out" received a nomination.

6 out of 10​​​​

"Burrow" is available to stream on Disney+.

While it's not entirely necessary to make a feature film about everyone's favorite feuding cat and mouse, Tom & Jerry brings just enough substance to the big screen to make it worth the ride.

It's a little surprising that it took this long for us to get a feature length version of the classic Hanna Barbara Tom & Jerry cartoons. On the other hand, they work so well in short sequences, it is difficult to sustain their level of antics over a 90-minute run time. That is the main downfall of this film, it just can't sustain the typical Tom & Jerry energy throughout the course of the film. That said, I'm not sure it should even try to do that, because then it just becomes a string of gags with little to no plot.

Not that there is much plot here to begin with. The film keeps things simple with Kayla Forrester (Chloë Grace Moretz) faking her way into a job at a prestigious New York hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century between Preeta (Pallavi Sharda) and Ben (Colin Jost). She is assigned to work under the event manager Terence (Michael Peña) who doesn't quite trust her from the beginning. When Jerry shows up in the hotel, Kayla convinces Terence and the hotel manager to "hire" Tom to help find the mouse and get rid of him. Tom & Jerry regular Spike also appears (as Ben's pet dog) along with Preeta's pet cat Toodles Galore just to add to the chaos.

The wedding story line serves to propel the action forward a bit and sets up some of the more hilarious physical comedy of the film. All the animals in the film are animated, while the human characters and settings remain live action. This mix feels right and most of the actors do a passable job of acting against the animated characters, with the best one being Moretz. Kayla even gets a side romance with the hotel bartender while at the same time finding her groove as Preeta's confidante leading up to the wedding.

In the end, this is a fun film, if not terribly engaging cinema. If you have kids and are looking for something new to watch with them, chances are they will love Tom & Jerry. Just don't go in expecting anything more than a longer version of their short cartoons.

6 out of 10​​​​

Tom & Jerry is currently in theatrical release and streaming on HBO Max.

Just like the title suggests, this film is a great show piece, and while it attempts at finding a deeper meaning and message about acceptance and being oneself, the film ultimately falls a bit flat in telling the story of P. T. Barnum (P. T. Barnum) and his rise to circus fame.

Don't get me wrong, there are sequences in this film that look fantastic and the way things transition from one phase to the next is seamless. It's clear that the filmmakers took great pains to show the way Barnum's showmanship intersected with his personal life and vice versa. All of the typical circus sideshow oddities are there from the "bearded lady" to the "dog man" and everything in between. It was even a bit surprising that in the 21st century, these characters were treated as callously as they were at the beginning of the film, set up as being true oddities even though we have a much better understanding of the conditions that make people unique today.

The film shows a young Barnum working as a tailor's apprentice before meeting the girl of his dreams, the rich Charity Hallett (Michelle Williams). They marry and have two children before Barnum loses everything and opens his museum of wax figures in New York to dismal sales before eventually bringing in the "freak" performers. His willingness to employee these individuals is ridiculed by critics, but enjoyed by (most of) the public which eventually leads to bigger and bigger successes.

But despite all the spectacle, the film is terribly predictable. There are attempts at being profound and inspiring, but they are covered over with the music throughout, which often takes over scenes that feel like they should have a little more space to be quiet and breathe. The frenetic pace of the various performances and dance numbers make the 105 minute run-time feel stuffed full and forced.

That said, there are a few scenes where some brilliant acting shines through, specifically one very touching scene between Zendaya's trapeze artist Anne Wheeler and Zac Efron's Phillip Carlyle. Unfortunately, this only further exposes the problem plaguing the rest of the film by showing there can be quiet moments of reflection. Jackman's performance, while nothing extraordinary, is entertaining and fills the screen, proving who the true showman in this piece is.

6 out of 10​​​​

The Greatest Showman is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and on demand as well as streaming on Disney+.

In a world where everyone is just like you, is it possible to believe in people who are different? Trolls World Your attempts to answer that question albeit with plenty of bright colors and glitter.

Following up on 2016's widely successful film Trolls, World Tour brings back all your favorites from the cast including Anna Kendrick's Poppy, Justin Timberlake's Branch, and James Corden's Biggie. Just like the first film, there are plenty of sing-a-long moments, many of which are pulled from the hits of the 70s and 80s and will bring a smile to the faces of adults, even though they'll be unrecognizable to younger audiences.

​That said, the music is arguably the best part of the film since the story itself is a bit flimsy. Poppy has taken over as queen of the trolls, but receives a note from Barb (Rachel Bloom) who leads the Hard Rock Trolls. It turns out the trolls once live in harmony, but eventually split off into rival factions, each liking a different kind of music. Each tribe has their own story of what happened to cause the breakup, some claiming the Pop Trolls were to blame, while others claim it was a mutual parting for all tribes.

What can't be mistaken is the crystal clear message the film is sending. It doesn't matter what music you like, or what you look like, you can still all be friends and get along. And while it may be a message that we need to hear in the world a bit more these days, the film constantly bashes you over the head with it and it gets a bit tiresome. I understand trying to make a film with a message, but this is one that may fly over the heads of younger viewers.

While it's a fun film and does have some great tunes, if you're going to watch a Trolls film, stick with the original.

Trolls World Tour is available on Bluray, DVD, and on demand.

6 out of 10​​​

This much-hyped release on Disney+ tells the story of a beloved silver back gorilla who spends his days as part of a small circus show in a roadside shopping mall, but yearns to be free and experience the outside world.

Based on the children's book of the same name by Katherine Applegate, the film features the voice talent of Sam Rockwell as the titular gorilla, Angelina Jolie as Stella, the matriarchal elephant in the circus, Danny DeVito as the tag-along mutt Bob, Helen Mirren as the trick poodle Snickers, and Hamilton's Phillipa Soo as the circus parrot Thelma. The live action cast consists mainly of Ryan Cranston playing the ringmaster Mack with young Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War) as the lovable Julia who hangs around the circus.

While the film is billed as telling the story of the gorilla who discovers his love for creating art, there is sadly not much screen time of a painting gorilla. The plot feels disjointed throughout, almost feeling like it was originally intended as a 23 minute episodic series on the Disney streaming service than as a full length feature film. People familiar with Disney's formula will see the small "twists" in the film coming a mile away. Because these plot swings are so transparent, they lose all emotional impact they might otherwise have.

<Spoilers ahead> The centerpiece of the film has the troop of animals making a daring escape from the mall in the middle of the night, working together to trick the nigh security guard into Ivan's cage before locking him inside and smashing through the front doors of the mall. They run across the road with an obligatory joke about why Henrietta (the chicken voiced by Chaka Khan) should cross at all and escape to the woods. Unfortunately, they don't make it far before they realize the woods only go for a few yards before opening to a cliff overlooking the nearby city.

The film ends with a few stills and archival footage of the real life Ivan upon which the story was based. I feel like the book format may be better for telling this story than on the screen. If it was to be transcribed to film, it would have been better as a short documentary series than as a feature film.

Despite my feelings on the film, kids will surely love it. The animals are cute and there are enough laughs to keep their attention for the 95 minute running time. For adults, it may seem like a difficult slog through a story we've seen many times before. The CGI animals are passable, but a bit clunky whenever they interact with the human characters. Other than filler for family time, I cannot recommend this film.

The One and Only Ivan is streaming now on Disney+.

4 out of 10​​

Disney manages to make this story fresh and new, while paying homage to the memory of Robin Williams that made the original an instant classic.

I was initially very skeptical of this reboot, but i think it's one of my favorites that Disney has done in the last decade. The traditional songs and set pieces are still there, even down to the story being framed around the freed Genie (Will Smith) telling the tale of Aladdin (Mena Massoud). As expected, there is plenty of spectacle, from Smith's version of "Friend Like Me" to Aladdin's entrance into Agrabah to the pomp and circumstance of "Prince Ali."

As with many of these Disney live action remakes, there isn't a whole lot new here. Many of the changes are minor. Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) remains a strong female figure in the story, but beyond not wanting to marry the bumbling idiots paraded before her as suitors, she actually yearns to be sultan when her father's time is done. She has a fellow female character in her handmaid Dalia (Nasim Pedrad) who seems more like her friend than servant.

There has been some criticism of the changes the film made, but I generally approved. This is not the cartoon version of the story from 30 years ago. Smith's Genie is uniquely his own, paying homage to the original character, but diverging onto his own path and ultimately imbuing the character with a bit more humanity, even though the desire for freedom remains.

Overall, this is a good remake. I'm glad it wasn't a shot for shot remake like The Lion King nearly was and allowed development of several characters beyond their arcs in the original.

8 out of 10

If you don't at least get a tear in your eye watching this film, chances are you are not really human.

This is the second short documentary on the subject of end of life care released by Netflix to be nominated for an Oscar in the last three years. I remember watching "Extremis" two years ago, and appreciating its impact, but this one stuck with me a bit more.

​Perhaps it's the inclusion of a story about a woman nearing the end of her life and seeing her young son facing a future life without his mother. Maybe it was the variety of stories and types of end of life care displayed in this film. Whatever it was, I've been thinking on this film more than previous encounters with this subject.

Clocking in at just under the Academy's short film limit of 40 minutes, you can easily take in this film in an evening, but be warned, it is not for the faint of heart. You will be forced to deal with the subject of death when watching this film. But the important message here is that we are all faced with these decisions at some point, yet so few of us are prepared to deal with them. Take the time and discuss your wishes with your family today.

7 out of 10

For anyone who grew up reading the classic Winnie the Pooh books by A. A. Milne and enjoying the animated cartoons of the 1970s, this film is ripe with nostalgia and laughs for young and old alike.

It should come as no surprise that the title character is all grown up for most of this film. It is a treat to see McGregor take on yet another beloved classic character (see Obi-Wan Kenobi) and take him in a new direction with ease. McGregor's Christopher Robin is a grown man working for a luxury luggage company in London and his department has come on hard times. Faced with the prospect of losing his entire department, he plans to spend the weekend working on the figures (instead of vacationing with his wife and young daughter) in order to find a solution and save the jobs of those working for him.

When he runs into his old friend Winnie the Pooh, whom he last saw when he was a young boy in the Hundred Acre Wood, he scrambles to get the lovable bear back home and still have time to get his work done before Monday morning.

Things go sideways when Pooh begs him to help find the friends that he's lost. Robin and Pooh make a mad dash across London to find the old entrance to the Hundred Acre Wood at the Robin family cottage in the country, picking up balloons and avoiding odd stares when people hear the talking teddy bear.

Overall the film felt familiar to fans of the source material. The music we know and love from the original cartoon plays subtly under the action in many places, underlining the fact that like Robin, we may not think about those things from our childhood that often, but when we see or hear a reminder of them, the thoughts can come flooding back.

Ultimately the film feels a little heavy handed in terms of the primary message of finding the balance between work and family. As someone who watched the film with two of my kids on either side of me, I was personally forced to reevaluate my own balance in this area and found it a bit distracting from total enjoyment of the film. That said, the visual effects are tremendous and the animated characters blend seamlessly into the environments from woodlands to cities. 

Take time out of your busy work schedule to check this film out with your kids and do a little nothing for a while. You never know what something might come out of nothing.

7 out of 10