One of the most inventive and unique animated films I've ever seen

Rating: 8/10 (22 April 2014)

I first saw this film at the cinema with a member of support staff at my former care home five years ago and we both enjoyed it a lot. Recently my mother purchased the DVD for me when she got it for a special price with another purchase at HMV and when I watched it this evening, I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time around.
The animation is consistent for the most part with some good uses of squash and stretch, especially in the Jell-O scene, but it was sometimes rapid and jarring, particularly on Earl towards the end of the film and while the character designs are cartoonish with a few blocky elements (particularly the nose of Flint's father and Earl's hands) and not as realistic as those in the Shrek franchise, the visuals were inventive, the backgrounds were full of vibrancy, especially the enormous Jell-O 'palace' and when the film's setting was covered in ice cream, and detailed. It was funny when a banana 'boomerang' knocked the Columbia lady out of her spot in the opening logo and this is the most creative use of the logo since 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle' (in which the camera zooms into the fire of the lady's torch and links to a real fire in the film itself). I also like the use of hybridity. While the majority of the film is 3D computer-animated, I liked the use of the cute dog film to provide a background for a weather summary, the animated photograph of a cat and the 2D special effects plus also the brightly-coloured 2D end-credits sequence if it was jerky in parts. The story is unique and, as other reviewers have said, full of originality due to using the food theme in a way that has never been thought of in animated film before while the dialogue is witty and smart. Some of the funniest moments included Baby Brent's repeated "Uh-oh!" line and Flint's monkey Steve (the second animated primate I've heard of with that name, the other one being from childhood favourite 'Spot the Dog') wanting gummy bears and eventually fighting them off during the climax. I did agree with a previous reviewer about Earl's line, "I love you, son," being repetitive but it was really sweet nonetheless. Despite the majority of the voice cast being lesser known, the voice acting is one of the best assets of the film and the cast members I seem the most familiar with are Anna Farris as Sam and 'The A Team's' Mr T as Earl. While the music is not the most memorable feature, I liked the song 'Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows' by Lesley Gore as well as Miranda Cosgrove's (who went on to voice Margo in the 'Despicable Me' films) 'Raining Sunshine,' the one playing over the 2D-animated portion of the end credits and the incidental music playing while an allergy-swollen Sam tries to pull up Flint with a Twizzler is beautiful. Both Flint and Sam are worthwhile leads while Earl and his son, the mayor, Baby Brent, Flint's father and Steve all provide great support.
In spite of the animation being slightly inconsistent in places and a couple of repetitive lines, this film really is a feast for the eyes and is without doubt one of the most creative I've ever seen. 8/10.