Turbo

Turbo

DreamWorks etc.

July 17, 2013

Animation, Fantasy, Children's, Sports Comedy

DVD
D

CGI snail wants to be a racecar driver, as his friends catcall a tomato.  David Soren directed and co-wrote, four year before Captain Underpants.

It Chapter Two

It Chapter Two

New Line etc.

September 6, 2019

Horror

DVD
D-

Showing a gay-bashing in the first few minutes guaranteed I wouldn't go past the required quarter hour, although it's almost always nice to see Bill Hader.  This is of course based on Stephen King, while Andy Muschietti directed. 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Universal

April 18, 2008

Romcom

DVD
C+

I saw and liked this at the time, but I do have to say that rewatching it a dozen years later, no one is living up to their potential here (except maybe Russell Brand), star/writer Segel in particular.  Still, it was fun spotting everyone, the Hawaiian scenery is of course lovely, and there are some scattered good lines.  Nicholas Stoller directed.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Columbia
September 18, 2009
Children's, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Romance
DVD
B

I saw this at the time and am very pleased to say it holds up, in visuals (despite advances in the last decade or so), music, humor, intelligence, etc.  And, yes, it counts as a romance, since the nerd-love between Flint (Bill Hader) and Sam (Anna Faris in what I've always thought of as the Drew Barrymore role) is sweet and better done than in a lot of romcoms.  The voice casting is overall solid, and I like how Mr. T is cast so much to type it's basically self-parody.  There are a lot of great throwaway jokes, visual and sound, and the music is just a lot of fun.  (The pacing could be a shade better and I wouldn't say I was riveted, so B is as high as I'll go.)

This is based on the (much shorter) picture book by Judi and Ron Barrett.  Phil Lord and Christopher Miller did the adaptation and co-directed.