Thursday 13 November 2014

COMPETING FILM SHOWDOWN - Megamind vs Despicable Me

I do way too many blogs to follow, so here's the best posts from them.



Here's a reformatted, tidied and corrected version of the original post (which still exists here on the Screen Screener (now Big Screen Screener) blog.)  Screen Screener was a blog that looks at film and television.





The 2010 Super Villain POV Showdown


In June 2010, Universal and Illumination Productions release an animated film about a Super Villain:  Despicable Me.  Come October, an animated Super Villain film Megamind.


Round 1
TITLE
"Our battles quickly got more elaborate. He would win some, I would ALMOST win others! He took the name: Metro Man, defender of Metro City. I decided to pick something a little more humble: Megamind, incredibly handsome criminal genius and master of all villainy!" ~ Megamind, Megamind.


Despicable Me
A more poetic name.  Cute.

Megamind
The name of the villain.  OK.

WINNER:  DESPICABLE ME


Round 2
PLOT
"When we got adopted by a bald guy, I thought this would be more like Annie." ~ Edith, Despicable Me.


Despicable Me
A failure of Super Villain becomes the reluctant guardian of 3 cute orphan girls while he attempts to steal the moon.

Megamind
A Super Villain finally defeats the Super Hero but discovers that winning isn't everything he hopes for.

Megamind mind's plot is a bit more Villain based and interesting.


WINNER:  MEGAMIND




Round 3
ANIMATION
"The physical appearance of the please makes no difference." - Gru, Despicable Me.

Both great animation.  However, as much as I don't like 3D, the Minions trying to reach out of the screen at the end is a great use of animation and 3D and makes the winner here: Despicable Me.



WINNER:  DESPICABLE ME.


Round 4
SUPER VILLAIN
"Oh, you're a villain all right, just not a SUPER one!" Megamind
"Oh yeah? What's the difference?" - Tighten
"Presentation!" Megamind ~ Megamind.

For this category I will be using "The 10 Rules to Tell If A Character is a Super Villain"


1.  Codename
Both Gru and Megamind only go by one name in the films.  The cooler villain name, though, is Megamind.

2.  Distinctive Look
Both Gru and Megamind have a distinctive look.  Gru's is more a propaganda poster villain, while the more Super Villain look has to go to Megamind.

3.  Builds Giant Hideouts, Vehicles or Monuments
Both had big cool vehicles.  The people, in the end built a monument to Megamind (which doesn't count because it wasn't his ego that did it).  Gru had a house with a secret underground lab, Megamind had a secret hideout. Tie.

4.  Shadowy Past
Gru had a OK childhood with an emotionally abusive mother.  Growing up in gaol probably counts for Megamind.

5.  Criminal
Both are criminals.  Tie.

6.  Legitimacy
Gru wants to be known as the greatest Super Villain, which is slightly beaten by the wanting to run things of Megamind.

7.  Working For the Greater Good
Stealing the moon would be an environmental disaster, again, the winner is the wanting to run things of Megamind.

8.  Charismatic
Both are pretty shy and withdrawn, but the one that shows any charisma is Megamind.

9.  Genius
Both show this, but Gru does have to steal his shrink ray and has Dr Nefario helping him, while everything seems to come from Megamind.

10.  Action Villain
Both are action heroes in the end, more so Megamind.


WINNER: MEGAMIND. 

Round 5
CHARACTERS
"I'm the bad guy! I don't save the day, I don't fly off into the sunset, and I don't get the girl! I'm going home." ~ Megamind, Megamind.

Gru vs Megamind
  • Gru was the Super Villain in Despicable Me.  Megamind was (unsurprisingly) the Super Villain in Megamind.
  • Both are fun and interest characters.  Tie.

Vector vs Hal Stewart (Tighten)
  • Vector was an up & coming Villain and Gru's new nemesis.  Hal was a cameraman that Megamind turned into a Superhero as his new nemesis who became a new villain.\
  • Tighten was a more complex character, but Vector was more fun.  Tie.

Minion vs Dr Nefario Kyle
  • Kyle is Gru's toothy pet dog, Minion is Megamind's toothy pet fish & henchman.
  • Dr Nefario is Gru's henchman, Minion is Megamind's pet fish & henchman (but I think I've already covered that).
  • Just because he's doing the work of 2 characters, I'm giving it to Minion (Megamind).

Minions vs Brainbots
  • The Minions are Gru's assistants.  The Brainbots are Megamind's.
  • The Minions are the classic animation slapstick cuties.
  • The Brainbots are mostly functional.
  • Although unoriginal they are effective breakout characters:  Minions (Despicable Me).

Metro Man & Roxanne Ritchie
  • No equivalent in Despicable Me.

MargoEdith & Agnus
  • No equivalent in Megamind.
    TIE.


    Round 6
    A KID'S VIEW
    "Oh, my gosh look at that fluffy unicorn!  He's so fluffy I'm gonna die!" ~ Agnes, Despicable Me.

    Thomas (6):  Megamind.
    Olivia (4):  Despicable Me. 

    TIE

    Round 7
    FAMILY FRIENDLY
    "It's like my heart is a tooth and it's got a cavity that can only be filled with children." ~ Gru, Despicable Me.


    Despicable Me
    • Three cute children.
    • The Minions.

    Megamind
    • It's animated and for kids.

    WINNER:  DESPICABLE ME

    Round 8
    ADULT FRIENDLY
    "You're so naive, Roxy. You see the good in everyone, even when it's not there. You're living a fantasy. There is no Easter Bunny. There is no Tooth Fairy. There is no Queen of England. This is the real world, and you need to wake up!" ~ Tighten, Megamind.

    Megamind
    • A more complex plot.
    • Flow of parodies of the superhero genre and animation.

    Despicable Me
    • It's animated and for kids. 

    WINNER: MEGAMIND


    Round 9
    MORAL VICTOR
    "All men must choose between two paths. Good is the path of honour, heroism, and nobility. Evil... well, it's just cooler." ~ Megamind, Megamind.

    Without knowing why there are two films, it's hard to pick a moral victor.  Despicable Me, however, was the first film by Illumination Entertainment, while Megamind was yet another Dreamworks Animation film, so let's give this one to the little guy.


    WINNER:  DESPICABLE ME


    Round 10
    BOX OFFICE
    "That was you, wasn't it? Or was it a villain who's actually successful?" ~ Gru's Mum, Despicable Me.


    There is often a feeling that the second film released is a knock-off of the first or that film-goers will watch the first film and not bother with the second.  The numbers for this duo may bear that out.

    US Opening Weekend (Box Office Mojo):
    Although it should be noted that both were the #1 film their opening weekend.

    Worldwide Box Office (Box Office Mojo):
    An obvious win by Despicable Me.

    Budget (Box Office Mojo):
    • Despicable Me:  $69 million (787%).
    • Megamind:  $130 million (243%).
    Not only cheaper to make, but made more money, Decipable me is the obvious winner.

    WINNER:  DESPICABLE ME.

    Round 11 
    RATINGS
    "This is literature? A two year old could have written this!" ~ Gru, Despicable Me.

    IMDb user rating:
    Rotten Tomatoes - Tomatometer
    Rotten Tomatoes - Audience (Want to See It)

    Although a bunch of wins by Despicable Me, still a strong result by both.

    WINNER:  DESPICABLE ME


    Round 12
    SHOWDOWN REVIEWS
    This town isn't big enough for two supervillains!" ~ Tighten, Megamind.


    WINNER:  MEGAMIND.

    Round 13
    READER'S POLL
    "YOU DARE CHALLENGE MEGAMIND?" ~ Megamind, Megamind.

    Do the poll for which 2010 Animated Super Villain Film you prefer.  Obviously, it makes no difference to the overall score, but it would be interesting to know.

    WINNER: To Be Determined.



    RESULTS SO FAR
    DESPICABLE ME:  7 (6 wins,  2 ties)
    MEGAMIND:  5 (4 wins, 2 ties)

    Close but a win to Despicable Me which seems like the popular favourite and went on to have a  sequel and a spin-off and a number of short films (Megamind only had one short film.)

    Also remember to vote in the new Competing Films Showdown poll...

    ~ DUG.

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