Co-directed by Pierre Coffin and Patrick Delage, and co-written by Coffin and Brian Lynch, this is the third Minions prequel and seventh film in the Despicable Me franchise. It’s mostly set in 1927 Hollywood, but it begins at a film history museum as Olivia (voiced by Allison Janney), is giving a tour and relates the story of two minions, James and Henry (both voiced by Coffin), who made an indelible mark on old Hollywood and the motion picture industry. (90 min.)
Minions & Monsters
What’s it rated? PG
What’s it worth, Anna? Streaming
What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee
Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande
Glen: If you’re looking for some eye candy and movie mayhem to distract the little ones, this will do it. The silly story starts with the history of the Minions, who travel the planet looking for the evilest villain to serve. Long story short, the hapless tribe of yellow capsule-shaped creatures manages to creatively kill all of their masters through their utter ineptitude. When they witness a villain fleeing from a posse of cowboys, they pursue in hopes of serving, but instead, they discover they’ve interrupted a film being shot by Hollywood director Max (Christoph Waltz) and thus begins a lucrative film career … until talkies come along and their gibberish language renders them unemployable. But James and Henry still believe in themselves and set out to make their own film—a monster movie with real monsters conjured from a former master’s spellbook. Cinephiles will find copious nods to vintage Hollywood, but if you’re looking for depth, it must have ended up on the cutting room floor.
Anna: If you’re a parent of a Minion-loving kiddo, I’m sure another installment will be welcome news. These little yellow dudes are charming, with their overalls and variations of one eye or two and a few different strands of hair. They’re bumbling troublemakers, too much trouble for most villains to handle. James and Henry are especially naughty, outcasts in their gang of Minions, but fast friends and joyful confidants. Frankly, this time of year can be tough at the theater, and we picked this movie mostly because it’s short. At just under 90 minutes, it still felt like a stretch. Maybe Minions are better off in shorts or as sidekicks to bigger storylines—carrying a full film felt like a big lift. The cast list did not disappoint, though. Plenty of familiar voices took part, and the Despicable Me franchise is well known for its ability to pull a great cast. If you’re looking to get out of the house with the kids, this may be your answer—but you’ll be just as happy watching from home where the adults can distract themselves with dinner prep or another task.
Glen: Not so fast, toots. We saw this in the Downtown Centre’s Dolby Vision and Atmos theater, and you’re not going to have the same experience at home no matter how great your TV is. It’s an eyepopper! I agree that the film felt long, and there’s not much to the storyline other than a series of cartoonish gags, but I laughed a couple of times. Trey Parker voices Goomi, an adorable Cthulhu whose full name is Gary Orcam Oliver Magma Ichabod the Deceiver. Jesse Eisenberg is Dort, and alien robot—an homage to Gort from the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still. Jeff Bridges voices the studio head brothers Frank and Elwood Bright. If you’ve enjoyed the franchise, I think it’s worth a matinee.
Anna: True, I forget how often I’m at the actual theater compared to most people. It’s great to make movies an event, but my point is that this isn’t a film weighted evenly for child and parent enjoyment alike. This one is for the kids. Still, I had a chuckle, and the kids in the theater seemed to love it.
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in July 9 – July 16, 2026.
