Viewed in
2009, 2010
Premise
Based on the children book, the town's mad scientist invents a machine that turns weather into food.
Who should watch
Those who like family-oriented animated movies that are entertaining for kids and adults.
Thoughts
Even with the positive reviews, I was genuinely surprised by the humor and likable characters.
I've never the book, so I can't comment on how close the story was the original source. Nevertheless, I credit the writing for creating a fun story without attempting to jam pop culture references. I laughed at pretty much every joke and twist on cliches.
In addition to being creative and funny, there were some nice morals serving as the backbone of the story, with themes of being true to yourself, loving your family, and the folly of trying to be popular.
The characters' likability were enhanced by some excellent voice work. During the film, I rarely felt like I was watching a cartoon voiced by a big name star. Most of the characters were organically created, and I was surprised at the names in the credits. The only voice that stood out was Mr. T's as the town sheriff. But that's a good thing, as his performance was hilarious and cool, and his character had a bald hawk.
I got to watch it in 3D IMAX, and that added to the experience. Thanks to the story, halfway through, I forgot I was watching a 3D movie. The animation was way better than I expected, as I was immersed in a colorful universe with energetic and creative computer graphics.
My only concern was that the climax got a little weird when food started mutating.
I think most viewers will have a lot of fun watching this film, thanks to its creativity and writing. I was surprised I was not craving for food upon leaving.
What I would change
While it gave a chance for animators to do some cool stuff with computer generated food, I thought the climax was a tad long.
