Despicable Me (PG, 2010)

Supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) has made a name for himself stealing things like the Times Square JumboTron and the Statue of Liberty, but he's being outshone by Vector (Jason Segel), a younger villain who stole the Egyptian pyramids. In an attempt to out-do Vector, Gru asks the Bank of Evil to bankroll his mission to steal the moon. When Vector grabs a shrink ray Gru needs for his scheme, he decides to adopt to three young orphans -- Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) -- who have access to Vector's heavily guarded lair thanks to their part-time job selling cookies. But once the girls are in his care, Gru has to learn how to parent the orphans that he initially only adopted for selfish reasons. Eventually, he must decide between his mission and his role as a hesitant new father-figure to three sweet little girls.

The best movie villains gleefully chew up the scenery, either because they're so creepily eeeevil (Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter, Voldemort), or because they're larger than life (the Terminator, Cruella de Vil, the Wicked Witch of the West). So it's a unique twist to see an animated movie that focuses on the villain -- in this case Carell's thickly accented Gru. He doesn't turn hero overnight, but he's not a one-dimensional tyrant, either. He's got mommy issues (his mom, played by Julie Andrews, is the stereotypically overlycritical mother who's never pleased with her son's accomplishments), he's older and not as "bankable" as he used to be, and he really needs a buzzed-about scheme to go his way. Enter the three little orphans, the youngest of whom (Agnes) is so irresistably adorable she's like a human Puss 'N Boots.

Carell may be the draw for DESPICABLE ME, and he does a wonderful job -- as always -- with his voice acting. But it's the girls who are the most impressive. They know exactly how to convey hurt, disappointment, joy, and wonder -- not an easy task for young actors. Segel's Vector is that fabulous combination of super nerdy and super arrogant, exactly the sort of villain (and person) who would rankle an old-school villain like Gru. It's easy to root for Gru when his nemesis is such a jerk. The movie also features a wonderfully catchy and unique soundtrack by hip-hop performer/producer Pharrell Williams, and, to its credit, the 3-D is actually enjoyable, as opposed to irritating. Will Gru rank among the greatest villains of all time? No, because in the end, he's actually got a heart -- and a large one at that.