29 June
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DESPICABLE ME 3 Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin, Eric Guillon Starring: Steve Carell, Kristin Wiig, Trey Parker, Miranda Cosgrove, Julie Andrews, Steve Coogan, Jenny Slate The Despicable Me series has been innocent entertainment for kids. Illumination Studios has managed to stretch its simple premise into four movies now if you include the Minions spinoff movie. In the latest outing, we find that Gru’s (Carell) days of being the world’s greatest villain are long over. He and his wife Lucy (Wiig) are currently working for the Anti-Villain League only to be kicked out when they fail to capture Balthazar Bratt (Parker). Bratt was once a formerRead More →

09 July
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THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS Director: Yarrow Cheney, Chris Renaud Starring: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Dana Carvey, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, Bobby Moynihan, Ellie Kemper, Hannibal Buress, Steve Coogan Do you ever wonder what your pets are up to during the middle of the day when you are at work? Do you ever try to get into the mind of your fur baby and debate what they’re thinking as they stare out the window? The Secret Life of Pets tries to tackle this by setting our love bugs off on a wild adventure throughout New York City. Max (Louis C.K.) isRead More →

Twin Cities Live
13 September
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TWIN CITIES LIVE September 12, 2014         I have three new reviews for Twin Cities Live this week. Even though the summer blockbuster season is over and the fall movies haven’t started ramping up yet, there a couple of movies in theaters worth checking out. Plus, I’ve got a home release that is guaranteed to make you laugh. 1. THE DROP, Starring: Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace 2. THE TRIP TO ITALY, Starring: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon 3. JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, Starring: Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Kathy Griffin Here’s the video: Video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTPRead More →

11 September
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THE TRIP TO ITALY Writer/Director: Michael Winterbottom Starring: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Rosie Fellner, Claire Keelan, Timothy Leach If someone asked me to drop everything and take a free trip to Italy for a week, I would definitely take them up on that offer. I had an unforgettable trip to this exquisite country back in 2004 and am dying to go back someday. I suppose movies like last year’s The Great Beauty and this one will have to suffice. The Trip to Italy is a sequel to the 2010 indie hit The Trip and is also based on segments from season two of the BBCRead More →

03 December
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PHILOMENA Director: Stephen Frears Starring: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham, Peter Hermann, Sean Mahon It was this same time last year that I was enamored with Judi Dench in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Skyfall. The grand dame is at it again with another exceptional performance to add to her long resume. I am hoping her role as Philomena Lee nabs her another Oscar nomination. Philomena (Clark) gets pregnant at a young age and is forced to deliver the baby at a Catholic abbey in Roscrea, Ireland. She is forced to live and work at the abbeyRead More →