New Releases For Home Viewing This Week: Minions And Ant-Man

Well this week there are only two releases worth noting. We will start with Minions.

MINIONS
Directed by Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin
Screenplay by Brian Lynch



Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

Well! Like everyone else in the world I agree, the Minions are cute.
Problem here is...they are cute in short spurts. In a 91 minute film? Waaaaay too long!!!!
They became annoying at the 20 minute mark. Around the 45 minute mark I atarted losing interest. Around the 60 minute mark I wanted to shut their mouths, I had to stop myself from walking out of the theatre.
The story line is kind of cute but, like noted, I started hating them at 60 minutes so I stopped caring.
Maybe in short spurts at home they may not be so annoying.
2 stars out of 5 for Minions for the adults.
3 stars out of 5 for Minions for the children.


ANT-MAN
Directed by Peyton Reed
Screenplay by Edgar Wright; Joe Cornish; Adam McKay; and Paul Rudd
Starring Paul Rudd; Michael Douglas; Evangeline Lilly; and Corey Stoll



Armed with a super-suit with the ability to shrink, but increase in strength, former criminal Scott Lang (Rudd) is asked by Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas), plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

I did not look forward to seeing another superhero film, they are starting to run together in my head and they all seem to come close to having the same plot lines. Then here comes ANT-MAN. This is much different and it works.
What works?
First, the script. It is more of a heist film, where the ANT-MAN and his helpers of insects and people are ploting to break into a lab to destroy a dangerous agenda. Think Oceans 11, but much weirder.
Casting! The casting was spot on, Douglas as a mentor. Lilly as the instructor of sorts. Stoll as a great bad guy. Michael Pena, who is always good, as Lang's friend. We even get Anthony Mackie showing up as the Falcon. Still, best of all is Rudd, perfectly cast with his everyman good looks and his comedic timing which is much needed with the ridiculousness of, well, being the size of an ant. It all works.
Negatives? The plot moves slow, in fact the first hour is all about the training of Lang to be the ANT-MAN. It takes awhile for things to happen.
Also there is a fight scene at the end that seems to go on waaaay to long, and as opposed to crushing office building which most superhero fights are these days, this one just destroys a house.


Well 4 out of 5 stars for ANT-MAN. Also, make sure you watch the middle and end of the credits.


As always thanks for your time from the shadows.