What’s the Opposite of Despicable?
If I remember correctly, the marketing of the movie Despicable Me has been going on for the past eight years. The first trailer I remember seeing for it was of an obnoxious American family visiting the pyramids, and I thought, “Well, that looks terrible.”
The next one I saw featured Gru trying to break into the lair of his nemesis, Vector. And then one with a freeze ray and a coffee shop. Still didn’t quite pique my interest.
Then these yellow guys started popping up, and Olive grew determined to see it. I grew worried. It usually doesn’t bode well for the movie’s quality when it’s marketed so many different ways.
Finally I caved when I saw a trailer featuring three very cute little girls. And, in fact, these little girls are a big part of why I ended up really liking the movie. Despicable Me follows the classic story arc of cute little urchins softening the heart of a grouchy, unlikely father figure. The orphans are from mean Miss Hattie’s Home for Girls, and they’re each totally likable without falling into orphan caricature. (Huh, and all three of them are girls. Are you listening, Pixar?) The scenes with Gru and the girls are heartwarming and entertaining, and the little yellow minions are quite cute, too. The only character that I wasn’t sold on was the nemesis, Vector. Many of his jokes fell flat, though there was lots of good heat-seeking missile action and good villain inventions.
I’ve read that the early success of Despicable Me has taken Hollywood by surprise, and they’re now scrambling to put together a sequel. Somehow I find that totally obnoxious, that they only bank on the surefire hits.
And, in my personal war on 3D, we had quite a time trying to see this movie over the weekend. When the A train totally thwarted our attempt to get down to Battery Park City, my new tried and true theater for forgoing the 3D glasses, we hopped a cab to Union Square where, unfortunately, all of the non-3D shows were sold out. All of our other usually haunts only had 3D. We ended up seeing the movie in the ancient Coliseum theater on 181st Street.
“Mommy, what are all of those black lines on the movie?”
“Uhm, I think they’re scratches on the movie, sweetie.”
“Why is it blurry?”
“Eat your popcorn.”
July 19th, 2010 at 11:47 am
I had the same thought about this movie’s marketing. I remember thinking the trailer with the American tourists was for a completely different movie.