Steve Carell uses a hilarious Hungarian accent to voice the role of Gru, the despicable villain at the heart of Despicable Me. Carell's genius for loading a comic line with mirth and malice is on joyous display in this 3-D animated feature that brims over with charm and spirit. Gru is a mad scientist who will stop at nothing, including exploiting Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) — three orphans at a Home for Girls run by ramrod strict   Miss Hattie (the priceless Kristen Wiig) — to forward his plot to steal the moon.

Peter Travers reviews Despicable Me in his weekly video series, "At the Movies With Peter Travers."

You don't need to know more except that directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud are expert are springing surprises from the ingenious script by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Despicable Me isn't in the same advance class as Pixar's Toy Story 3 or Dreamworks’ How To Train Your Dragon, but it still puts a smile on your face that will last all the way home.

Get more news, reviews and interviews from Peter Travers on The Travers Take.

“Alison”

On Elvis Costello’s country-tinged ballad, the lyric does not get too sentimental in recalling an ex who had since been with one of the singer's "little friends" and is now married. Some believe the song is about murder, due to lines like “Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking,” "Somebody better put out the big light" and, of course, "My aim is true,” which became the title of Costello's debut album. In 2002, Costello told Rolling Stone, “It isn’t [about murder]. It’s about disappointing somebody. It’s a thin line between love and hate, as the Persuaders sang.”