I am not easily entertained, but I am easily forgiving. If a film is good despite some of the flaws it has than that is just fine, at least in the end it did ended up good. When Illumination does something right and makes a truly good film than I will defend them.

Also, we live in a time now where animated films can be very diverse in what they want to be. Some can be “laugh-a-minute comedies” other can be comedies with drama, some can be flat out dramas, action and adventure, etc. That is what makes the realm of animation great, it can be what we want it to be and everyone has their own style of making an animated movie. There is nothing wrong if Illumination wants their movies to be “laugh-a-minute comedies” (Heck, some of the best animated movies are “laugh-a-minute comedies”) that is their style and as long as it results in films that are good then I do not see why people (particularity some on this website) give them flak or say they are the reason why animation is being held back from being more than ‘kids’ stuff especially when there are adults who like their films. Hopefully, Pets and Sing shows people they can make good films and take something we have seen before and still make it feel different and make a good film out of it.

However, some of the points you are making do make sense.

Ah, a defender of Illumination. You wouldn’t be the first, but you are in the minority.

Here’s a harsh truth: some people aren’t as easily entertained or easily forgiving as you are. You can put some of that down to the internet mentality of swift judgment over solid thought, but it mostly stems from wanting more out of animated films than the typical laugh-a-minute comedies that the medium is largely defined by (in the US).

You might not agree, but it’s why some see Illumination Entertainment’s films as holding back the medium from being more than ‘kids’ stuff’.

“much to the chagrin of most of the animation community (including a majority of people on this website), who see their films as damaging the true potential of animation by relying solely on cheap tricks and safe gimmicks stitched around a bankable premise.”

Why are people even thinking like that when it comes to their films? I mean for films like Minions, The Lorax, and HOP is understandable but Despicable Me 1 and 2 are good, solid movies from the company. I don’t really see how they are the company that is “damaging the true potential of animation”. I think that is going a bit overboard. It doesn’t matter if they have a bankable premise for a film or if they do things we have seen before in other films because it all comes down to HOW they do it and if the films are still good despite the fact we have seen some of the story from other films. If The Secret Life Of Pets is a good film that stands on it’s own despite the fact that we have seen some of the story before it could be a good example of a good film that is still enjoyable and entertaining even though we have seen most of it before.

From what I’ve observed, Illumination is a master of making smart business decisions that result in top-grossing movies, much to the chagrin of most of the animation community (including a majority of people on this website), who see their films as damaging the true potential of animation by relying solely on cheap tricks and safe gimmicks stitched around a bankable premise.

Oh wow that’s really interesting. From what I’ve seen the public is a lot more devoted to illuminations than the animation community is?

That would be so sad… although it would give some good motivation to his daughters to become super villains.

They are going to kill Gru in the first 3 minuts of Despicable Me 3

That’s okay if you don’t want it that’s fine because I do

I just don’t want anymore minions related movies. Life of pets seems like something different which is exciting to me.