Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Review

Directors: Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn

Writers: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein, Erica Rivinoja

Starring: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Terry Crews

Synopsis: Flint Lockwood (Hader) successfully got everyone off Swallow Falls after the disaster in the previous film. Now a celebrity, he’s finally getting the recognition he deserves, including a job at the prestigious Live Corp Company. Live Corp’s clear-up of Swallow Falls goes awry, eventually forcing Flint and his friends and family to head to the island on their own...now full of “foodimals”!

When Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs came out 4 years ago it was one of the most refreshingly original animations to arrive on our screens in years. The dialogue, the characters, and the overall aesthetic were so pleasingly different that it has become a beloved contemporary classic. It was therefore expected that a sequel was on its way. Complain to your heart’s content about the “sequelisation” of most films, but Cloudy seemed like the perfect film for that. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 does satisfy many of the fans’ needs, though nowhere near as picture perfect as the first.

As The Avengers will continue with Joss Whedon’s script and directorial efforts, the notion that if you’ve created something special it works well to carry on with it. Cloudy’s first film, written and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, was a creation seamlessly envisioned. The sequel’s Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, following that act, have a lot on their plate (forgive the pun). They have expectations to meet and a style to stick by. In some regards they have been worthy successors to Lord and Miller, in keeping with the first two’s paradigms. Still, some of the dynamics have been pushed in the way of the “bigger, bolder, better” sequel scheme and often it feels too over the top. There’s more emphasis on the team – and unfortunately more from Andy Samberg’s annoying “Baby” Brent McHale – tiresome at points when you want to see more of the surrounding cast. There’s additionally a more formidable villain figure (Will Forte’s Chester V) who’s most interesting characteristic is the way he moves. They’ve tried to better the likes of Bruce Campbell’s Mayor Shelborne baddie, falling to the feet of Campbell’s scene-stealing abilities.

The most celebrated part of Cloudy 2 has been lauded over in every trailer and TV spot – the host of foodimals, all complete with glorious pun names. It might not be worth watching any promotional spots for film as too many jokes are lost the second time round after watching the trailer. Placing the majority of the laughs on these food-animal hybrids never seems to lose its zing, mind you. The quick-fire humour of the Cloudy series works well for the “oh look, it’s a [insert foodimal here]” barrage of skits. If the monkey Steve remains your favourite after the exploits of Berry – a giant strawberry – then the film really will be lost on you. Out of the many many new characters, Berry is deliciously delightful.

Slapstick aspects may not be something you can hold against Cloudy, but the sequel certainly feels more childish. Many of the jokes that could be enjoyed by older audiences in the first have been seemingly shelved in favour of action, colour and cuteness for number 2. Always able to crack a smile, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 won’t, however, have you in fits of laughter like the first; it has, sadly, started to cater (forgive another pun), only for the kids.

***

Also posted on LiveForFilms

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone Review

Director: Dan Scardino

Writers: Jonathan M. Goldstein, John Francis Daley

Starring: Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, Jim Carrey, James Gandolfini, Alan Arkin, Jay Mohr

Synopsis: Burt (Carell) was never a popular boy at school and neither was his best friend, Anton (Buscemi) but together they used magic to find happiness, and worked so hard that they became a hit Vegas act as adults. However, after many years doing the same act friction is developing between the two and hot new magician Steve Gray (Carrey) is jeopardising their hopes of an ongoing career.

Comedy of the last century has been mainly irreverent and extremely adult. The Hangover, Superbad and Bridesmaids are all the polar-opposite of family entertainment. The other lot of hit comedies have been mostly irrelevant; 12A releases like Little Fockers, Grown Ups and Mr. Popper’s Penguins. That’s unfortunately one of only ways to categories successful comedy cinema of late – a collection of cheap or crude clowning around. The cast and premise of The Incredible Burt Wonderstone looked as though it could change things up somewhat but it sadly reiterates everything that’s wrong with contemporary comedy.

Starting off with a clichéd set-up of Burt Wonderstone’s youth (bullies chasing him home, an uncaring mother and a nerdy kid as his only friend) does the film no favours in making it seem fresh. The only stand-out aspect of the opening is a beautifully surreal piece of casting with Alan Arkin as a famous 80s magician introducing his “how-to” magic video on Burt’s TV. Arkin will later settle into his familiar grouch persona but his briefly jubilant and over-the-top acting (perhaps only funny to those aware of Arkin’s persona outside of the film) is amusing.

As cruel as it is to criticism the child actors, these particular two playing young Burt and Anton are beyond awful, hamming it up (maybe under Dan Scardino’s direction) to within-an-inch of the film’s “life”. As the film moves into present day, with Carrel and Buscemi, it’s a slight relief to have the children gone. Nevertheless, despite Carrel and Buscemi as the leads, they are equally terrible. Carrel puts on an incredibly forced deep voice (a characteristic better suited to Will Ferrell) whilst Buscemi quietly reads through his lines, none of which enable him to get a laugh.

With a cast as hilarious as this it’s a profound shock to see everyone doing so badly. Jim Carrey occasionally delivers a quip or performs a comically contorted face, bringing some humour back, but these moments are few and fleeting. Carrel and Carrey back together again after Bruce Almighty was a definite selling point but something about how the characters are written leaves you wanting to see none of them. Burt is a bastard throughout most of the film and so is Grey; the only difference between them is that the former redeems himself (though even then he still appears fairly cold by the film’s joyous end*).

The funniest scene (and it really does get the entire audience howling) is in the last 5 minutes. In most cases this would be a fantastic way to end a comedy – going out on such a high – but instead, it reminds you of just how unfunny the last 95 minutes were.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone brings dangerous attention to the tawdry aspect of performance and showmanship. Burton and Anton's show is funny because it's terrible; captured so well because we are looking at it from within a poorly-constructed presentation (an Inception-esque exercise in criticism). The irony of the title is so well-pronounced - it's a critic's dream tool.
**

*I would have added a spoiler tag but the film is so predictable you know the course of its narrative from the get-go.

By Piers McCarthy. Also posted on LiveForFilms