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All Good Things Does Not Come in 3 in Despicable Me

3 Jul

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The heart of the Despicable Me franchise lies in how to tame the ruthless heart of Gru (voiced by Steve Carell). He’s an eccentric misanthrope who learns the value of community. The first film sees him take advantage of others to further his own gains (until the children he adopts win his heart), and the second movie sees him trying to settle into a parental role. The third film sees him managing the family. He’s married, and the struggles is more with him accepting who he is now.

The children Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Grier) and Agnes (Nev Scharrel) do not play an important role in this outing. They are merely there to remind audiences that Gru is a family man. He’s happily married to Lucy (Kristen Wiig), but after losing their job at the Anti-Villain League (AVL) after a botched attempt to prevent Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) from stealing a huge diamond, just what’s next requires him to evaluate what can he do next? This turn of events has Mel (the leader of the Minions) unhappy and Dru (Gru’s long-lost twin brother) trying to convince him to return to a life of crime.

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Is the Third Time a Charm for the Cars Franchise?

19 Jun

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By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)​

The big question I have after watching Cars 3 is if there is anymore gasoline to keep this franchise moving? Technically, this film has Lightning McQueen’s story finish running its course. When younger and sleeker looking hotshots are coming into the field of competitive racing, the “older” generation can not compete. Some opt to retire and for McQueen, he can leave with his head held high or go do something else. Sadly, when an accident nearly destroys him, the question of when he will come back, if he does, if put into question.

This main plot point is a great one to show to anyone watching this computer animated film that life is not over unless you want it to. Director Brian Fee certainly drives the point home in a story he developed with Ben Queen, Eyal Podell and Jonathan E. Stewart. The visuals developed by PIXAR always improves with each new film. If the car’s front did not have faces, the illusion of watching a real race is perfect. Add the camera angles of being positioned like you’re watching it from the perspective of the latest camera equipment mounted on varying vehicles and drones in the track, I swear I am right there.

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Video

The Video Game Cars 3: Driven to Win Races In Before the Film

14 Jun

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Hot on the heels of the coming Disney•Pixar film, Cars 3, on Friday (Thurs night in select markets), Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media today announced Cars 3: Driven to Win is now available in the Americas for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch™ and Wii U™.

This game by Avalanche Software wants to deliver is the world-class competitive racing game inspired by the upcoming film by providing an entirely new interactive experience that is thrilling to play alone or with friends and family. Players can race as Lightning McQueen, Cruz Ramirez, Jackson Storm and other beloved characters while mastering the tricks, skills and combat techniques needed to become the Ultimate Champion.

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The Little Tears in Captain Underpants, A Movie Review

4 Jun

captain-underpants-new-posterBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

DreamWorks adaptation of Dav Pilkey‘s Captain Underpants, The First Epic Movie is deserving of one half juvenile delinquency at its finest and the other, I don’t get it. The humour can garner giggles to a very select crowd of young boys but for everyone else who are not familiar with the source material, this film is better off skipped.

I admire this studio’s original work and many adaptations because the writing teams often create a well-meaning tale about relationships. Whether that’s between unlikely personalities, family members or brothers in arms, the joy is in seeing how the bond becomes firm. Underpants is a tale about two mischief fourth graders, George Beard and Harold Hutchins, dealing with elementary school life. They try to brighten up life there because the place feels like it should belong in Pink Floyd’s The Wall, and they also fear where their friendship will go if the mean principal, Mr. Krupp, separates them.

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