Movie Review: The Secret Life of Pets

When the first trailer for "The Secret Life of Pets" first came out I was immediately sold-I mean "Come on! It's a movie about Pets!" And what pet owner doesn't wonder what their pets are up to when they're not at home? I know I do and my office mates can bear witness to that  with my 2 AM musings of "I wonder what NamNam (my cat) is doing?". 

So "The Secret Life of Pets" was definitely on my to-watch list but when the full trailer came out and we got more of the movie's feel, my seatmate at work (movies is one of our go-to topics) pointed out that the premise of the film was a lot like "Toy Story", new pet is in the picture and now old pet is threatened; a group of abandoned pets are out to wreck havoc on poor unsuspecting humans-(just change pets with toys) and I actually realized that too but nevertheless I still entered the cinema excited to watch the film. 

You see, I'm a "pet person" just because I have a cat, people immediately assume that I prefer cats over dogs, when in fact, I don't mind having either. Just don't tell Paul since he's pretty set on just having one cat :P 

So regardless of the similarities with "Toy Story" I was still willing to give "The Secret Life of Pets" a chance. 

I'd watch again just to see this cutie. 

So the movie revolves around the premise of what your pets are up to when you walk out the door. 

"Where do they go?" Asks the cute terrier Max, voiced by Louis C.K. who just wants to be with his owner Katie 24/7. While Max is content to spend the day waiting for his owner to come home, the other pets living in his apartment, have their own agenda, whether it is eating that turkey in the ref, watching out for squirrels or getting a back rub from the mixer, these domesticated pets have the easy life all figured out. 

However, a big change comes in Max's life-literally, when Katie brings home Duke, a massive mongrel voiced by Eric Stonestreet. Max wants Duke out but Duke has other ideas. 

What follows is a crazy adventure that brings these domesticated pets out in the streets of New York where they run into the cutest villain ever a white fluffy rabbit named Snowball, voiced by the hilarious Kevin Hart. 

Snowball has assembled an army of abandoned pets and plans to have their revenge on the humans who left them. Max and Duke get mixed up in the group and must now find their way back before Katie gets home!  

The story unfolds within a day and is more adventure comedy than anything else. There are a number of plot holes for me, especially with the large number of characters introduced, it's hard to warm up to anyone except for the villain Snowball! 

Yup. I don't think I've ever fallen in love with an antagonist as much as I have with Snowball. I would watch the movie again just to see and hear this cutie. Casting Kevin Hart was a genius move! I'm going to get me his Happy Meal toy soon! 

You would expect that the film would have a heartwarming climax, I was ready to shed some tears but it never really comes to that. It seems like it's just the crazy adventure of a bunch of friends out in New York. Granted of course that they walk on all fours and are covered in fur or feathers. 

The comedy is a bit slap stick and a bit of an overkill (literally) at times but that is another saving grace of the film. It's one big laugh trip as you see adorable pets, both domesticated and abandoned make their way through the sewers and the streets of New York. Also- what is it with pets wanting to drive cars and buses? 

While the film tries to cement a sort of foster brotherhood between Max and Duke, this is not really highlighted, given the many things happening and the many characters coming in and out of scenes. 

I still enjoyed the film even if it was not as grounded as I would have wanted. It was fun and that should be enough to bring the kids and the family to enjoy. 

7 out of 10. Discover "The Secret Life of Pets" with your family-in theaters August 24. 

Movies: JENNY SLATE LENDS VOICE TO POMERANIAN IN “THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS”

 After voicing for the sheep Bellwether in “Zootopia” – and before doing voice work as Harley Quinn in the upcoming “The LEGO Batman Movie” -- fast-rising actress Jenny Slate (“Obvious Child”) will be heard as a Pomeranian dog in Universal Pictures and Illumination's “The Secret Life of Pets,” opening in Philippine cinemas August 24.

Slate plays Gidget, a naïve, but gutsy Pomeranian who is 50% fluff, 110% tough, and a secret admirer of hero dog, Max.

In the film, Max (Louis C.K.), a quick-witted Terrier rescue who’s convinced he sits at the center of owner Katie’s universe, finds his pampered life turned upside down when she brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a sloppy, massive mess of a mongrel with zero interpersonal skills. When this reluctant canine duo finds themselves out on the mean streets of New York, they have to set aside their differences and unite against a fluffy, yet cunning, bunny named Snowball, whose army of pets are out to turn the tables on humanity…all this and making it home before Katie returns at dinnertime.

Jenny Slate is an impresario of voices and a filmmaker in her own right, who returns to Illumination with “The Secret Life of Pets.” Says “Pets” producer and Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri: “We’ve worked with Jenny before, and she’s so talented and vocally special. She’s defined a personality for Gidget that is all about the unexpected. On one hand she’s this adorable, fluffy, white Pomeranian, but she turns out to be our toughest character. She also has this massive crush on Max. She looks like the quintessential dog from a pocketbook in Beverly Hills, but she turns out to be hard-driving, unyielding and quite heroic.”

Developing the voice of Gidget proved to be a breeze for Slate. “They told me they were interested in using a version of my own voice. And once I saw her and her pink bow, I felt like it was a no-brainer,” she explains. “I wanted Gidget to sound like candy sounds. Like the crinkle of a wrapper or the sweetness of saltwater taffy. There is so much to do with a character who is bright-eyed and really positive but also has a short fuse.”

Over the last few years, Slate has done voice performances for a shell, a sheep, a snake and a dog. “I guess I have played a lot of animals,” Slate laughs. “It makes a lot of sense to me that I would be a cartoon. I feel like a cartoon as a person. I really, really do. Around the time I made Marcel The Shell, I became more aware of my speaking voice. I always thought I sounded like my mum – weirdly, I thought I had a deep voice. I sometimes listen back to my stand-up sets, and I am really surprised by my own voice.”

Slate will next be seen starring in “Gifted,” which also stars Chris Evans and Octavia Spencer, and will lend her voice to “The LEGO Batman Movie,” which also stars Will Arnett.

Oh and in case you missed it, she's also dating Captain America himself-Chris Evans! I guess Captain likes it when his girl makes him laugh! :) 

“The Secret Life of Pets” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: KEVIN HART BREATHES LIFE TO VILLAIN BUNNY IN “THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS”

Comic sensation Kevin Hart lends his voice to the bunny Snowball, in Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures' new comedy adventure “The Secret Life of Pets,” opening in Philippine cinemasAugust 24.

An adorable and deranged Bunny who’s building an army of “Flushed Pets” who have been abandoned by their owners, Snowball is insanely cute…and also, insane.

In the film, Max (Louis C.K.), a quick-witted Terrier rescue who’s convinced he sits at the center of owner Katie’s universe, finds his pampered life turned upside down when she brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a sloppy, massive mess of a mongrel with zero interpersonal skills. When this reluctant canine duo finds themselves out on the mean streets of New York, they have to set aside their differences and unite against a fluffy, yet cunning, bunny named Snowball, whose army of pets are out to turn the tables on humanity…all this and making it home before Katie returns at dinnertime.

Producer Chris Meledandri states that Illumination appreciates performers who can bring a bit of wickedness and slightly off-center vocal mannerisms to their roles: “Steve Carell did a fantastic job of that in `Despicable Me,' and Kevin Hart does this with Snowball.”

Meledandri raves that Snowball is absolutely one of the wildest, most imaginative animated characters on any film he has ever seen. He agrees with his colleagues that so much of that energy comes from the man who vocalizes the wayward bunny. “This is Kevin Hart’s first voice for an animated movie,” Meledandri says. “He loves Snowball, and it comes through in the performance. He has a blast as the character, and that is so apparent because the performance is filled with joy. Snowball’s a rascal, so it’s hard to play a character who is somewhat wicked but is still so appealing every time he’s on screen, but Kevin embodies it. His voice for this fluffy, adorable bunny—who in a nanosecond can turn crazy—is phenomenal.”

“Both Kevin Hart and Snowball are forces of nature,” adds co-screenwriter Brian Lynch. “When you give Kevin a two-line joke, he is able to turn it into an eight-line joke that is so much funnier than the one you wrote.”

Hart’s recent movie projects include the action-comedy blockbuster Universal's “Central Intelligence” opposite Dwayne Johnson, Screen Gems’ “The Wedding Ringer,” which also starred Josh Gad; and Warner Bros.’ “Get Hard” opposite Will Ferrell.

“The Secret Life of Pets” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

LOUIS C.K., ERIC STONESTREET SPEAK FOR RIVAL DOGS IN “THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS”

Primetime Emmy Award-winners Louis C.K. (“Louie,” “Parks & Recreation”) and Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”) lend their voices to lead characters Max and Duke, in Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures' “The Secret Life of Pets.”

In the film, Max (C.K.), a quick-witted Terrier rescue who’s convinced he sits at the center of owner Katie’s universe, finds his pampered life turned upside down when she brings home Duke (Stonestreet), a sloppy, massive mess of a mongrel with zero interpersonal skills. When this reluctant canine duo finds themselves out on the mean streets of New York, they have to set aside their differences and unite against a fluffy, yet cunning, bunny named Snowball (Kevin Hart), who’s building an army of pets who’ve been abandoned by their owners and are out to turn the tables on humanity…all this and making it home before Katie returns at dinnertime.

Because Max and Duke are initially at odds with one another, the relationship that forms between Max and Duke defines the heart of the movie. Max has no interest in having a fellow dog share his perfect home with his perfect owner, but by the end of the movie, they effectively become brothers.

Illumination Entertainment founder and CEO Chris Meledandri states that the studio appreciates performers who can bring a bit of wickedness and slightly off-center vocal mannerisms to their roles: “Steve Carell did a fantastic job of that in `Despicable Me.' And this unexpected quality is one of the reasons why we love working with Louis C.K. At the same time, we’re also not afraid of warmth. We always feel that if those feelings are authentic within the context of the movie that they enrich the film. There is no better example of that than Eric Stonestreet’s persona of Duke.”

As they wrote to C.K.’s sensibilities, the team found that Max manifests the dry sense of humor that the comedian offers. “Louis has such a unique and dry and distinctive personality, and it’s the first time he has voiced a character in an animated movie,” Meledandri continues. “He is one my favorite comedians, and one of Chris’. Whether it was writing for him, animating to his voice or designing for him, the whole team loved working with him. He brings such distinction to the personality that it gave to Max.”

A giant, huggable mutt with a big heart, Duke is up against tough odds because he doesn’t have another chance if he ends up going back to the pound. The lovable mongrel is voiced by Eric Stonestreet, also new to vocal work in animation. Of Stonestreet’s performance, Meledandri raves: “Eric is a big guy with a big heart who also happens to be an extremely talented actor. His spirit is undoubtedly in this character, and there’s warmth to him that comes through in Duke…even when Duke’s doing things that might not feel that likeable. The character always has an appeal and that comes from a combination of Eric’s voice, the writing and animated performances that were informed by bringing Eric’s voice to life.”

Opening across the Philippines on August 24, “The Secret Life of Pets” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: ANIMAL CHARACTERS FRONT & CENTER OF “THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS”

In Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures' “The Secret Life of Pets,” the real day for one bustling Manhattan apartment building starts after the humans leave for work and school. That’s when the pets of every stripe, fur and feather begin their own nine-to-five routine.

Meet the pets who populate this delightful, animated tale from the studio that brought audiences “Despicable Me” and “Minions.”

Max (Louis C.K.): A pampered Terrier mix, Max will need to find his courage before he can find his way home. He has an ideal relationship with his adopted owner, Katie...Until she brings home another rescue dog.

Duke (Eric Stonestreet): A giant, fluffy, unruly rescue who Katie saves from the pound, Duke is going to be part of Max and Katie’s family, whether Max likes it or not. Duke—who’s really a sweet dog that’s been through rough times—doesn’t understand Max’s rebuff and feels anxious that Max is trying to get rid of him.

Snowball (Kevin Hart): An adorable and deranged Bunny who’s building an army of “Flushed Pets” who have been abandoned by their owners, Snowball is insanely cute…and also, insane.

Buddy (Hannibal Buress): A sarcastic Dachshund, Buddy is the first to arrive, last to leave.

Pops (Dana Carvey): An old Basset Hound, Pops knows the city like the back of his wrinkled paw.

Mel (Bobby Moynihan): An optimistic, excitable Pug, Mel is a lady-killer on the inside, dopey pug on the outside.

Chloe (Lake Bell): A fat Cat, Chloe can’t be bothered unless you’ve got food. Although condescending, elegant fat cat Chloe has a heart of gold buried beneath all that fur and bravado.

Gidget (Jenny Slate): A naïve, but gutsy Pomeranian who is 50% fluff, 110% tough, Gidget is Max’s secret admirer. She looks like the quintessential dog from a pocketbook in Beverly Hills, but she turns out to be hard-driving, unyielding and quite heroic.

Sweetpea: A fearless Budgie, Sweetpea has two wings and no prayer.

Opening across the Philippines on August 24, “The Secret Life of Pets” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: SHORT FILM “MOWER MINIONS” PLAYS IN FRONT OF “THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS”

Illumination Entertainment’s inaugural theatrical short, “Mower Minions”—a never-before-seen short film starring the Minions—will debut in front of “The Secret Life of Pets” when it arrives in Philippine theaters on August 24.

Correlating to the format in which “The Secret Life of Pets” is showing in specific theaters, “Mower Minions” will be available in both 3D and 2D.

The short film stars the iconic Minions, who first appeared in the blockbuster “Despicable Me” franchise and who most recently starred in 2015’s massive hit “Minions,” which grossed more than $1.15 billion at the global box office and became the second-biggest animated title of all time. Continuing the unpredictable journeys of Gru’s curious and subversively sweet band of yellow brothers, “Mower Minions” represents the first time ever that Illumination has released a short film theatrically.

Directed by Bruno Chauffard & Glenn McCoy, “Mower Minions” is produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy and written by Glenn McCoy and Dave Rosenbaum. The executive producer is Chris Renaud, and the cast is Pierre Coffin as the voice of the Minions, while Jody Gelb plays Barb and Ella and Dave Rosenbaum portrays Dave. Additional voices are provided by Eric Osmond and Chris Renaud, while the associate producers are Robert Taylor and Brett Hoffman. The music is by Michael Gatt, and it is edited by Gilad Carmel and Eric Osmond.

“It’s been a year since Minions appeared on movie screens, and will be another year until they show up in “Despicable Me 3” next summer. Fans are always asking us for more content with the Minions, so the timing felt right for them to star in an all-new short film right before audiences experience Illumination’s newest original film, `The Secret Life of Pets,'” said Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of Illumination. “The theatrical release of this short serves as an opportunity for some of the most talented storytellers, visual development artists, colorists and story artists in the Illumination family to flex their creative muscles and create a new piece of content for the big screen.”

Ever wonder what your pets do when you’re not around? Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present “The Secret Life of Pets,” a comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day.

For one bustling Manhattan apartment building, the real day starts after the folks on two legs leave for work and school. That’s when the pets of every stripe, fur and feather begin their own nine-to-five routine: hanging out with each other, trading humiliating stories about their owners, auditioning adorable looks to get better snacks and watching Animal Planet like it is reality TV.

The building’s top dog, Max (Louis C.K.), a quick-witted Terrier rescue who’s convinced he sits at the center of owner Katie’s (Ellie Kemper) universe, finds his pampered life turned upside down when she brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a sloppy, massive mess of a mongrel with zero interpersonal skills. When this reluctant canine duo finds themselves out on the mean streets of New York, they have to set aside their differences and unite against a fluffy, yet cunning, bunny named Snowball (Kevin Hart), who’s building an army of pets who’ve been abandoned by their owners and are out to turn the tables on humanity…all this and making it home before Katie returns at dinnertime.

Opening across the Philippines on August 24, “The Secret Life of Pets” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: “THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS” – FROM THE HUMANS BEHIND “DESPICABLE ME”

From Illumination Entertainment, one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of event animated films like “Despicable Me” and “MinioNs,” comes Universal Pictures' “The Secret Life of Pets,” the recent No.1 box-office hit in the US, and opening in Philippine cinemas Aug. 24.

(Watch the film's new TV spot at http://youtu.be/24SufY2q69U.)

“The inspiration behind `Pets' was all of the pets that my family and I have owned since I was a little kid. We grew up with a cat and dogs and a bird, and what I realized as I became a parent was that we all invested these pets with rich emotional lives. Whenever we’d come home we would be thinking about the joy in their faces in seeing us and thinking about them doing things that were a little bit naughty. We realized we were asking exactly what they had done while we were out.”

“It struck me that I wasn’t alone in wondering about what the inner lives of our pets were,” he continues. “The minute I started to look at my own pets that way, I realized that everybody looks at their pets through that lens. Whether or not it’s a real emotional life or a projected one…it doesn’t matter. We’re fascinated with their inner lives and highly curious about what they’re doing and thinking when we’re not around.”

Working with the writing team of Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio, with whom he's worked on the films in the “Despicable Me” franchise, Meledandri first asked them to develop this idea into a screenplay. They were then needed to start “Despicable Me 3,” and writer Brian Lynch—known for his work with Illumination on “Minions” took the helm.

Daurio explains how it all began: “The first thing that Chris pitched to us was the image of a dog watching his owner leave the house. As soon as the owner leaves, the dog dumps his food in the trash and opens the fridge to find something better to eat. That was the initial image that was planted in our head, and it stayed with us throughout this entire process.”

Paul describes what drives the process he shares with Daurio: “The key to an Illumination film is lots of laughs and lots of heart. We want people to laugh as much as they possibly can, but we also want to make them cry a bit at the end as well.”

As they pondered upon the setting, the duo was drawn to a New York apartment building. “Early on, we decided we wanted this story to take place in an apartment building,” Paul says. “That gave us access to a lot of pets and the idea that when the owners are away, they party. They gossip and drink out of the toilet; things they would never do if their owners were watching.”

This is Lynch’s third collaboration with Meledandri, and he appreciates Meledandri’s character-centric approach. “Chris always says, ‘We’ll come up with the story and the set pieces later. Let’s work on who our lead character is, what happened to him or her before and what we want the audience to know about them and feel about them. We will go from there,’” offers Lynch. “It has always been helpful to work that way.”

Lynch loved extrapolating upon these pets’ secret lives, revealing: “This film is a salute to how much all of us love our pets. No matter what they do in the movie, the new friends they meet or the death they defy, they still have to be back at the end of the day to see their owners come home. Even if they go on crazy adventures during the day, the highlight of every day is when their owner comes home.”

The moment that Max’s owner brings Duke home from the pound has a special inspiration of its own. Laughs Meledandri: “I imagine Max feels a bit like my nine-year-old son must have when my wife and I came home from the hospital with a new baby: ‘Where did this guy come from? Who asked him here? My life was fine before he arrived and, no, I don’t want to share everything that I’ve got that’s so perfect.’”

Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts as Max, Duke and Snowball in “The Secret Life of Pets,” which co-stars Jenny Slate as Gidget, Ellie Kemper as Katie, Lake Bell as Chloe, Dana Carvey as Pops, Hannibal Buress as Buddy, Bobby Moynihan as Mel, Steve Coogan as Ozone and Albert Brooks as Tiberius.

Opening across the Philippines on August 24, “The Secret Life of Pets” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.