Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

[InformationGeek]

I'm surprised no one really talks about this film, it's got Bruce Campbell and Mr. T in it!

The movie is about Flint Lockwood, a resident of Swallowfalls (a tiny island hidden under the first a in Atlantic Ocean) and is an inventor.  However, none of his inventions goes right and the town he lives is in the middle of a depression since their fishing industry has gone under.  So he decides to invention a machine that can turn water into food.  In a series of silly and zany events, his invention  ends flying into the sky and starts causing food to rain down.  From there, it is all fun.

The film starts not only Bruce Campbell and Mr. T; but James Caan, Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Neil Patrick Harris, and even Al Roker.  It's all great voice acting too.  The visuals are nice as well, but the real highlight of the film is the comedy.  This is probably the funniest comedy I have seen in a while and probably one of the best from 2009.  All the jokes work, running gags never become tiresome, and all the voice actors deliever their lines perfectly (though of course Mr. T steals the show).

If you haven't seen this film yet, you have to.  It's probably one of the best animated films from last year (I say number 3, with Up and Coraline being better).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrNxTfVlTBc
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[dean]

It was pretty good, but I felt like it was lacking a little something, though I can't think of what it is.

Overall it kind of just seemed to breeze past really quick, with a few good moments but overall doesn't stick much in my mind.  I quite liked the Cop character though, and the monkey. 

[Flick James]

This is not to say that Pixar is the end all/be all, because they have made less-than-stellar movies, but it seems to me that any time I watch a CG animated film that is not Pixar, it tends to be lacking something. I wish this was not the case, because I don't want Pixar to be the only studio excelling in that genre.

[Flick James]

I think that may come across as snobby. This is my personal opinion, it's just that Pixar movies seem to have an "it" factor that others lack. And it's not easy to define.

[JPickettIII]

I really liked the monkey.  He was a great companion.  My only hang up with the movie was the compound that was put on the main character's feet.  How did it expand when he got older.  Imagine the stink if he ever got the goop off.   

Later,

John

[Jim H]

I think that may come across as snobby. This is my personal opinion, it's just that Pixar movies seem to have an "it" factor that others lack. And it's not easy to define.

They have a heart and soul.  Most of the other CG films are just fairly entertaining.  Kung Fu Panda is about the only exception I can think of. 

That's not the only aspect though... Pixar films also have much deeper lows and usually much more interesting villains.  They therefore get correspondingly better highs, and better endings.  Basically, I guess you could say they have far superior writing.

Cloudy was reasonably entertaining, but feels stretched even at its short running time.  Not surprising considering how simple the book it came from was.  Worth a watch, but not too memorable.