They’re cute, they’re funny, they’re pill shaped and they’re yellow. Up until now, that’s all you needed to know about the Minions from the Despicable Me movies which helped make them blockbusters.
But now they have their own movie and you get to find out their origin story and why they ended up working for Gru. It turns out that the Minions have been around for millions of years, serving the most villainous of creatures, from a T-Rex to Dracula, but every one of their masters falls short.
The story focuses on Kevin, Stuart and Bob’s treacherous journey as they arrive in 1960s New York City and have to adapt to the urban world. After helping some bankrobbers, they wind up in Orlando where they meet super villain Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock), who might be the evil one they wish to serve.
Even though Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out is still captivating family audiences, Minions is expected to be huge at the box office this weekend and will continue the animation domination of the Despicable Me franchise until it returns for its third outing in two years.
While the two other new openings this weekend will not pose much of a threat at the box office, they each have an interesting premise. Self/Less is a sci-fi thriller that tells the story of Damian (Ben Kingsley), an ultra-rich man who is dying of cancer. When he gets the chance to continue his life in a new, healthy young body by transferring his consciousness, he takes it – especially because the body looks like Ryan Reynolds. However, Damian’s joy with his new health and vitality is short-lived when he starts experiencing flashbacks caused by his new body’s old memories. Director Tarsem Singh previously helmed The Cell, Immortals and Mirror Mirror. Self/Less may not be opening in Kelowna this week so you may have to keep an eye out for it over the next few weeks.
The Gallows is the latest “found footage” horror movie and although the scares might not be original, the story is. In 1993, a student is killed horrifically in an accident during the high school play in the small town of Beatrice. 20 years later, the school attempts to resurrect the failed show, but when a few students break into the school to sabotage the production, they soon discover that some things are better left alone.
If you are looking for a feel-good movie that most people missed, you can check out Max at Landmark Cinemas Encore in West Kelowna for a discounted price starting on Friday. It is the story of a German shepherd that served in Afghanistan readjusting to the normal life a dog.
And opera lovers can enjoy La bohème at Landmark Cinemas Paramount Theatre on Saturday, July 11 at 10 a.m. Presented by London’s Royal Opera House, it is Giacomo Pucchini’s romantic depiction of bohemian Paris in the 1830s. For more information go to www.landmarkcinemas.com/kelowna-paramount.