For the first Memeforum Movie Club, I felt it was only appropriate to cover the meme from cinema that has had a chokehold on the internet since its inception. The Minions have touched all of us, whether it be from their initial existence, their second life on Facebook, their ironic reclamation, or their post-ironic reclamation. They have lived many lives and yet have never changed their fundamental being. They were inescapable.
For over a decade, we have coexisted with the minions. They are a part of our lives. I remember how it felt the first time I saw the trailer for Despicable Me. The Minions were an instant hit. I was too old to be the target audience, but we were still in the heyday of Pixar, meaning that sometimes animated movies for children would be so good everyone had to see them. Even though it was not from that studio, Despicable Me was an exception that was counted under that category.
But it takes more than popularity to become a meme. Distinct characters are ripe for the meme treatment, but often that is not enough. The Minions had something special. Memes either evoke a specific emotion or act as a blank canvas to express our innermost desires. The minions were the blankest canvas and acted as that for a unique group. The Minions hit at the right time to be beloved by our mothers. They were nurtured and lived a life on Facebook. As their children, we talked shit on Tumblr, Twitter, and Reddit.
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