Jeri Jacquin
Coming to Bluray from ILLUMINATION and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is an amazing 10-Movie Collection filled with some of the most creative films for family fun.
In 2010, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) are three orphaned girls who introduce us to Gru (Steve Carell) in DESPICABLE ME. He has a plan that will bring about the biggest heist in history by stealing the moon. Getting in his way is his nemesis Vectro (Jason Segel) and with the help of the three orphans he takes in, his plan is on its way. One slight problem is this – he did not plan to have his head turned by the love of these three little girls who see only the good in him. Getting irritated by it all is Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) who only wants one thing, to be an evil scientist with the help of the Minions.
The saga of Gru and the family continued with DESPICABLE ME 2 in 2012. Gru is now working with Lucy (Kristen Wiig) and the Anti Villain League looking for El Macho (Benjamin Bratt). Margo, Agnes and Edith are happy with their family life and with dad Gru. Taking the assignment, Gru and Lucy open a shop in the mall to find out if that is where El Macho is hiding. That is where Margo has her first crush which drives Gru insane but more than that, the Minions have been taken which is adding insult to his migraine of it all. Together they find the bad guy(s) and add an addition to the family!
But that is not the only addition to the Gru household as explained in the 2017 DESPICABLE ME 3 as Gru discovers that he has a brother Dru. In the middle of that is finding 80s child star Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) bringing even more problems to Lucy, Margo, Edith and Agnes (as well as the minions). Dru embraces his new family with a show of wealth that shocks even Gru but all he really wants is to be part of his brother’s life and help him find the bad guys. Maybe even be a little bad once again is something Gru might enjoy with Dru.
Illumination, in 2015, gave MINIONS their own film and after a series of historical screw ups, find themselves gathered in a cave getting a little depressed with their life of no action or no leader. When Kevin, Stuart and Bob leave the cave to find a new master, it is 1968 and they are headed to Villain-Con. Once their they meet Scarlet Overkill, a lady supervillain to takes them to England telling her new recruits that she wants to steal the crown from the Queen. Of course the supervillain turns on her trio and they now know they have to get away from her but not before restoring, in their own unique way, order to the true Queen.
There is a new bunny in town and with the 2011 film HOP we learn that E.B. (Russell Brand), the Easter Bunny’s son living on Easter Island, wants to be a famous drummer. He certainly does not want to be part of the family business. This is good news to chick Carlos (Hank Azaria), the Easter Bunny’s assistant who wants the top spot on the Island. Getting away to Hollywood, E.B. meets out of work Fred O’Hare (James Marsden) hits the bunny on his way to house sit. Talking his way into staying with Fred, E.B. wants to audition for David Hasselhoff and get on his show. Dad sends out the Pink Berets bunnies to find E.B. and bring him home. So, who will become the Easter Bunny now?
Dr. Seuss is going to get a double dip from Illumination with the 2012 film DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX. Young Ted (Zac Efron) lives in a walled city and after falling for a girl decides he needs a real tree to get her attention. Finding one, he meets the Once-ler Lorax (Danny DeVito) who lets the young boy know he speaks for the trees. He convinces him to not cut down any more trees, but it is when he is given the last Truffula seed, it is his hope that he can find a way to make everyone care about the trees. That is not what happens once he gets home and finds that O’Hare (Rob Riggle) is trying to get the town to turn against him. But Tim has once way of making everyone see the truth and see his friend the Lorax once again.
Adding a musical animated film to their slate in 2016 with SING telling the story of Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), a koala who is about to lose the theatre he loves. Deciding to host a singing competition, a poster is accidentally sent out on the wind with a $100,000 prize when all Moon has is $1,000. Going forward, he holds auditions as he chooses pig Rosita (Reese Witherspoon) and partners her with pig Gunter (Nick Kroll), rock porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson), gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton), and mouse Mike (Seth MacFarlane). Elephant Meena (Tori Kelly) fails to audition but gets a chance to work with Moon. Still worried about the money, Moon asks friend Eddie (John C. Reilly) if grandma Nana (Jennifer Saunders) can help. When they have to come together it is music to everyone’s ears!
Also, in 2016 we all got a peek into THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS as Jack Russell Max (Louis C.K.) lives with his human Katie (Ellie Kemper) in Manhattan and is perfectly content. Hanging out during the day with friends Chloe the cat (Lake Bell), pug Mel (Bobby Moynihan), guinea pig Norman (Chris Renaud), budgerigar Sweet Pea (Tara Strong), Pomeranian Gidget (Jenny Slate) and dachshund Buddy (Hannibal Buress) is the good life. One day Katie comes home with an exceptionally large Newfoundland named Duke (Eric Stonestreet) and Max is shocked. Trying to find a way to get rid of him they end up in an alley with Snowball (Kevin Hart), a leader of pets that have been abandoned by their owners. Gidget sends out their friend Tiberius the hawk to find Max and Duke but Snowball has other plans. During all the chaos Max and Duke find a friendship that just might last.
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 arrived in 2019 and if having big brother Duke is not enough, more changes are on the way. Katie finds love with Chuck (Peter Holmes) and soon there have baby boy Liam (Henry Lynch). Max doesn’t want to care to much about Liam but the tyke wins him and he becomes uber worried about him which brings medical issues and a cone. Visiting Chuck’s uncle, Max and Duke meet Rooster (Harrison Ford), a straight-shooting dog who tries to teach Max how to stiffen up. Back at home Gidget was to be babysitting Max’s toy Busy Bee and when it becomes lost, he turns to Chloe, Mel Buddy and Sweet Pea to find it before Max gets back. Snowball has become domesticated but still dreams of being a superhero and tries to make that happen when rescuing a white tiger. Using what Rooster told him, Max is going to do everything to help his friends!
What would December be without DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH to bring in celebrating the holidays in 2018. In Whoville the Whos are about to celebrate Christmas, and like the rest of us it is a special time of year except for one person. Up on the mountain living alone with his dog Max is the Grinch. Cindy Lou Who meets the Grinch as he tells her that if talking to Santa means too much to her she should go talk to him in person. His grumpiness comes from memories of being alone in an orphanage and that is when he decides to steal Christmas from the Whovillians. Getting a sleigh together and making a suit, he takes Max along and puts his plan in action with stealing everything Christmas. Seeing Cindy Lou again they have a talk about her Mother working so hard. The Grinch does not stop his plan and the all in Whoville wake up Christmas morning with nothing. After seeing their reaction of still celebrating Christmas, Cindy invites him to celebrate Christmas with her family which makes all the difference in the world!
MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.
The Bonus Feature of this collection include: Loaded with Mini-Movies, Music and Sing-Alongs, Interactive Content, Games and More!
Illumination has put together 10 of the most memorable, delightful and funny films with such different stories, characters and fun. Without saying a word all they would have to do is hold up a picture of one of the characters and it would bring huge smiles and shouts of what movie they are from. That is how successful these films have been in family’s lives.
Directors, Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda, Tim Hill, Garth Jennings, Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney should feel so proud of what they have accomplished with these films. Always giving us more to love about them and a perfect reason to spend family time together in a movie theatre. Now, with this 10-movie collection, you can spend quality family fun time whenever the mood strikes. In my house that would be all the time!
From the Minions, to Pets, to the Easter Bunny, Dr. Seuss’ characters and the song of SING, these films bring families together to share in the experience of fun.
In the end – get ready to get your fun on!
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