This is a movie that breaks new ground, in the sense that I have never seen anything quite like a little yellow critter, wearing overalls and goggles, sing “Auld Lang Syne,” in pidgin Esperanto, to a rat.
Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin directed “Minions,” a thoroughly bizarre animated feature, and 20 years ago I would have wanted some of whatever they are smoking.
The story is this: since the dawn of time, little yellow creatures called Minions have always served the most evil entity on Earth — Tyrannosaurus Rex, or a particularly bilious caveman, or Napoleon.
But for reasons that remain unclear to me, the Minions wind up in an icy cave, with no boss to serve.
In 1968, after a long stretch of cave-induced ennui, the Minions send Kevin, Bob and Stuart out into the world to find a boss.
Which they do, in the form of Scarlet Overkill (with the voice of Sandra Bullock).
This would get really tedious really fast, except the bulk of the film’s dialogue is in a sort of gibberish loosely based on Romance languages and American slang.
It’s entertaining, for a while anyway.
Scarlet Overkill and her husband Herb (the voice of Jon Hamm) plot to dethrone Queen Elizabeth II. Herb looks like Pete Townsend. The preceding observation makes about as much sense as anything else associated with this film.
Hilarity ensues. Or not. Depends on whether you’ve kept up with your Esperanto, I suppose.
Pop culture references abound.
Many references are related to the 1960s. (The soundtrack’s good, if you missed “You Really Got Me” or “My Generation” the first 10,000 times around.)
Many are not.
There is no apparent pattern to them. It’s almost as if…dare I say it…screenwriter Brian Lynch got really stoned…and…
Si marinara bootsy mambo!
I had the unique experience of watching the film in the company of 35 small children, and their adult minders. The prospect of sitting in a dark room for two hours with a small mob of little kids, all armed with popcorn and sticky drinks, filled me with horror, initially.
But Lakeville Journal movie reviewers are a strong and manly crew.
And it occurred to me that the situation, though fraught with peril, might be a good thing.
If the children laughed, then the film was a success.
And this would take the guesswork out of assessing a children’s movie.
Well, they laughed at scenes involving underwear and slime. The rest of the time they seemed rather passive, confining their activities to minor fidgeting and occasional requests for the bathroom.
They were chipper enough as they milled around the lobby afterward, however. Maybe because it was over.
If this is a movie for children then I think it’s off-target.
Too many pop culture gags, not enough slapstick.
If this is a film for adults, then it’s an extended non-sequitur, mildly amusing but ultimately annoying.
And if the idea was to be as weird as possible, I think we have a winner.
Ukelele doody Boliivia! OK!
“Minions” is playing widely. It is rated PG for rude humor.
Justine and Victor Valla in their studio with a painting of Victor’s,”Jonah and the Whale.” Robin Roraback 
A ceramic vase by Kathleen Heidemann.Provided 
Joy Brown’s delightful ceramic sculptures.Provided 
