Actress Julie Andrews (1935)

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) is a US-animated comedy film created by Illumination and released by Universal Pictures. In 1976, an 11-year-old Gru aspires to become a supervillain, with the help of his Minion employees. Gru is overjoyed when he receives an invitation to audition for the Vicious 6, a team of villains now led by Belle Bottom. The Vicious 6 are searching for a new member to replace their leader Wild Knuckles, after he betrayed them and was presumed dead during a robbery to steal the Zodiac Stone – a valuable gem connected to the Chinese zodiac. Despite his young age, Gru’s interview does not go well but he manages to outsmart the Vicious 6 ...

In the 2017 animated comedy Despicable Me 3 (2017), produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures, married AVL agents Felonious Gru and Lucy Wilde are tasked with recovering the Dumont Diamond from Balthazar Bratt, a former child star turned super-villain. While Gru successfully retrieves the diamond, Bratt manages to escape. Upon returning to AVL headquarters, director Silas Ramsbottom reveals his retirement and appoints Valerie Da Vinci as his successor. Da Vinci dismisses Gru and Lucy due to their failure to capture Bratt. Back at home, the couple informs their adopted daughters Margo, Edith, and Agnes of their dismissal but assures them that they ...

The American fantasy comedy family film, Tooth Fairy (2010), directed by Michael Lembec, follows the story of Derek Thompson, a minor league ice hockey player with the nickname ‘Tooth Fairy’. Due to his aggressive playing style, he often knocks out opposing players’ teeth. One night, he takes a dollar from his girlfriend’s young daughter’s lost tooth and tells her that the tooth fairy isn’t real. Soon after, he finds a magical Summons under his pillow, giving him wings and transporting him to the world of tooth fairies. There, he meets his caseworker Tracy and head fairy Lily, who he ...

The film Despicable Me (2010), produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures, follows the story of Gru – a longtime supervillain who is determined to outdo his unknown rival’s act of stealing the Great Pyramid of Giza. Together with his elderly assistant, Dr. Nefario, and faithful army of Minions, Gru hatches a plan to steal the Moon. However, concerns arise about the cost of such a feat and Gru is forced to seek financial assistance from Mr. Perkins, the director of the Bank of Evil. As part of Mr. Perkins’ conditions for granting Gru a loan, he must first steal a shrink ray. While attempting this task at the bank, Gru ...

Shrek Forever After (2010) is an American animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 children’s picture book Shrek! by William Steig. Many years ago, King Harold and Queen Lillian were ready to hand over control of Far Far Away to Rumpelstiltskin (‘Rumpel’) in exchange for breaking the curse on their daughter, Princess Fiona – cursed to turn into an ogre every night and locked away until her ‘true love’ rescued her. However, before they could sign the deal, news arrived that she had been saved and they called it off. In present times, Rumpel has become an outcast and holds a ...

Shrek the Third (2007) is an animated comedy film based on William Steig’s popular children’s book, Shrek!. After King Harold falls ill, Shrek and Princess Fiona are expected to take over the throne. However, Shrek quickly realizes that being a ruler is not his cup of tea. Before he passes away, Harold tells Shrek about another potential heir – his nephew and Fiona’s cousin, Arthur ‘Artie’ Pendragon. Meanwhile, Prince Charming is determined to seek revenge for his mother’s death and become the new king. He rallies the other fairy tale villains at the Poison Apple tavern ...

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) is a American romantic comedy film and the sequel to 2001’s The Princess Diaries. Unlike its predecessor, this film is not based on any of the books. It follows Mia Thermopolis as she returns to Genovia after graduating from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs. On her 21st birthday, Mia attends a party where all eligible bachelors are invited to dance with her in hopes of finding a husband. There, she meets Nicholas, with whom she shares a mutual attraction. However, their budding romance is threatened when Mia’s tiara falls off and is caught by Viscount ...

In 2004, an American animated comedy film was released called Shrek 2 (2004). It was loosely based on a children’s picture book from 1990 by William Steig also titled Shrek!. The story follows the main characters, newlyweds Shrek and Princess Fiona, who return from their honeymoon to receive an invitation from Fiona’s parents to attend a royal ball in honor of their marriage. Despite initial hesitation, Fiona convinces Shrek to attend and together they journey to the kingdom of Far Far Away with their companion Donkey. Upon arrival, they are met with surprise and disapproval from Fiona’s ...

The Princess Diaries (2001) is an American comedy film that follows the coming-of-age journey of Mia Thermopolis. Mia, a student at Grove High School, lives with her single mother Helen in a renovated firehouse in San Francisco. She struggles with a fear of public speaking and has a crush on popular classmate Josh Bryant, who is dating Lana Thomas. Her only companions are outcasts Lilly Moscovitz and her brother Michael, who secretly likes Mia. However, everything changes when Mia’s estranged paternal grandmother Clarisse informs her that she is the sole heir to the throne of Genovia following her father’s passing. With determination, Clarisse takes on the ...

The American spy political thriller film, Torn Curtain (1966), was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It follows the story of Michael Armstrong, a US physicist and rocket scientist, as he travels to Copenhagen for a conference with his assistant and fiancée, Sarah Sherman. During the trip, Armstrong receives a radiogram instructing him to pick up a book in Copenhagen. The book contains a message that reads ‘Contact π in case of emergency’. Despite telling Sherman he is heading to Stockholm, she discovers he is actually flying to East Berlin and decides to follow him. When they arrive, Armstrong is greeted by ...