Despicable Me
In a quiet suburban neighborhood, there’s a black house with a well-hidden underground bunker — home to the devious Gru and his hilariously quirky army of Minions. Gru, always scheming and plotting wicked plans, is now working on his grandest idea yet: to steal the moon! But along the way, in order to carry out his plan, he ends up adopting three orphan girls who show him such love and affection, seeing him as their dad, that even this seemingly impenetrable fortress of evil begins to crumble...
Released in 2010, this animated film went on to create a frenzy among kids and firmly established the universally loved Minions, who later got their own spin-off movies and undeniably stole the spotlight.
Visually, the film is top-notch, with well-developed characters. It's entertaining — mostly for younger audiences — and at times manages to be touching. It delivers its messages, mainly about family and adoption, while also offering humor with a consistent comedic tone. It’s a good film that doesn’t try to be more than it is, and personally, I find that very admirable.
The plot may be a bit predictable and somewhat surface-level in its approach, but the final result leaves you with such a feel-good vibe that you hardly mind the rest.
Terminator 2 - Judgement Day
A humanoid robot from the future protects a mother and her child — the future leader of humanity in the war against the machines — from a perfected model of a terminator robot, capable of transforming into any material form it desires.
I imagine very few people don’t know or haven’t seen this film, which has made cinematic history and, for many, stands out as one of those rare sequels that surpasses the original.
With groundbreaking effects for its time (1991) that revolutionized blockbuster cinema, the film presents a masterful blend of digital and practical effects. It captivates you with its spectacle and action, thanks to the genius of James Cameron.
Schwarzenegger is the Schwarzenegger we all know. Hamilton, although in a more dynamic role this time, felt a bit weaker performance-wise, in my opinion. The rest of the cast is equally solid.
The movie follows in the footsteps of the first — as expected — but elevates it, and the twist at the beginning regarding who’s who is, in my view, highly successful. Beautiful cinematography and editing earned Oscar nominations, and the film rightly won four Oscars (for sound and visual effects).
Definitely one of those must-watch films — especially if you're a fan of the genre.
