Minions: The Rise of Gru is the best movie of 2022 so far. The animation, soundtrack and plot are absolutely perfect.
Since the release of this film, Minions have gone mainstream. Am I happy about it? Yes and no. Minions: Rise of Gru hit the theaters on July 1 and currently has a box office of $234.4 million and a rating of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. This movie is part of the Despicable Me movie series, an animated franchise starring Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), a reformed supervillain, and his henchmen, the Minions.
The plot follows young Gru as he tries to join a group of supervillains, named the Vicious Six. When the interview goes horribly wrong, Gru and his Minions flee, with the Vicious 6 hot on their tails. The plot is very sweet and comical as in previous Minion movies. When I say the soundtrack is insanely good, I am not exaggerating. The soundtrack features artists such as Diana Ross, Tame Impala, BROCKHAMPTON, St. Vincent, H.E.R., Phoebe Bridgers, Kali Uchis and so many more amazing artists.
I've ranked my top five songs from the soundtrack below:
“Turn Up The Sunshine” by Diana Ross and Tame Impala
“Goodbye To Love” by Phoebe Bridgers
“Black Magic Woman” by Tierra Whack
“Funkytown” by St. Vincent
“You're No Good” by Weyes Blood
Another important thing to note about this movie is its diversity. In movies that are mostly for kids, diversity is a must. Over time, a child's perception of their identity and place in the world can be influenced by the media representations they encounter. With one of the main characters being a Black woman, among people of color, seeing these authentic and positive representations of one's own racial group can have a positive and affirming impact. Although it is upsetting that diversity in a movie is something to celebrate instead of something we are used to, it is a small step in the right direction.
Recently, on social media, Minions and the movie itself have become a trend. On TikTok, teens dress in suits and fancy attire to attend the movie. I've even seen some videos where viewers start a mosh pit at the front of the theater until they evacuate the entire building. All I can do is cringe when one of these videos appears on my For You page. The joke isn't even funny, and they’re disrupting everyone else's experience of the fantastical Minions movie. Another thing to note is that having to randomly evacuate from a movie theater is scary, especially with the number of recent mass shootings in public spaces in America.
Now, what are Minions? Minions are a species of tiny yellow cylindrical henchmen outfitted in goggles and overalls, famous for their role in the Despicable Me series. Minions usually have one to two eyes and speak in their own cute language. They are destined to work for an evil boss and will do absolutely anything for said boss. Throughout the movies, they speak a speedy gibberish derived from at least six recognizable European languages. I fell in love with Minions when the first Despicable Me came out.
The little Minions reminded me so much of my beloved cat, KitCat. I just always picture everything that the Minions say as being the thoughts that KitCat has in her brain. They also look like her, in my opinion. Minions are also a great distraction from the world that is currently burning down. That is why I was so incredibly excited when Minions: Rise of Gru was announced in 2019. I have been waiting ever since!
By Evelyn Summers, Copy Editor
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