As a lover of all things animated, I was quite pleased to see the second installment of the classic children’s story “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.” The movie takes viewers on a whimsical journey through a land of edible landscapes and hybrid animals. The movie had all ages laughing from beginning to end.
After saving Swallow Falls from his food machine, inventor Flint Lockwood, voiced by Bill Hader, is invited to work alongside his childhood hero, Chester V, at a company that seems to play off of Apple. Flint and his friends are sent back to their home island to stop the food machine from creating food monsters that will take over the world.
This animated comedy delivered a quality plot. It combined the wonders of a children’s movie with the dialogue of one made for a more mature audience. The puns truly took the movie to a higher level and the cast delivered a wonderful vocal performance. Kristen Schaal voiced Barb, the highly intelligent ape. Her performance stood out as she delivered highly hysterical lines.
The film also had great animation. The animators were able to create a world that captivated the viewers, including the creative styling used to make the “foodimals.” They were able to give these simple creatures life and style by using animation.
While this movie has the common morals of an animated film, it was the goofy humor and comedy that made it stand out. As a lover of all things animated, this movie is one of my favorites this year.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Rated: PG for mild and
crude humor
Running time: 95 minutes