Gru, his adorable girls, and the mischievous Minions are back with a cast of unforgettable new characters in the blockbuster sequel to the worldwide phenomenon. Just as Gru has given up being super-bad to be a super-dad, the Anti-Villain League recruits him to track down a new criminal mastermind and save the world. Partnered with secret agent Lucy Wilde, Gru, along with the wildly unpredictable Minions, must figure out how to keep his cover while also keeping up with his duties as a father. Assemble the Minions for laugh-out-loud comedy in “one of the funniest, most enjoyable movies ever!” (MovieGuide)Sticky doesn’t begin to describe Gru’s new life: the ex-supervillain has given up his villainous ways and he and Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) have settled into the legitimate business of making jellies and jams with the help of his army of minions. Parenting is no less sticky, and the fact that Gru will go to any length to ensure the happiness of his adopted girls Agnes, Edith, and Margo is evident by the elaborate birthday party he’s throwing for Agnes that includes a live unicorn and a princess named Gruzinkerbell. Anti-Villain League operative Lucy Wild (Kristen Wiig) kidnaps Gru after the party, using an arsenal of spy gadgetry that would make James Bond jealous, and the agency solicits his help in apprehending a criminal who’s made an entire secret lab disappear from the Arctic Circle and stolen a dangerous transmutation formula. The lure of excitement tempts Gru, and he and Lucy set up an undercover operation in a bakery in Paradise Mall, the minions start cranking out cupcakes, and Gru and Lucy begin investigating their fellow business owners. Meanwhile, Agnes pines for a mother, Margo finds her first boyfriend, Dr. Nefario takes a more exciting job, a slew of minions go missing, and Gru staunchly refuses to enter the dating scene. Little does Gru know that his whole life is about to change once again. The minions and their antics are quite funny in this second film, and, for the 10-and-under crowd, they completely steal the show. For the older crowd, the film does a decent job of further developing Gru’s character and provides lots of comedic material in the exaggeration of the many challenges of parenthood as well as through the wacky exploits of the minions. (Ages 6 and older) –Tami Horiuchi