Cloudy with a Chance of Heart

Rating: 8/10 (18 November 2018)

They can do great and inventive animation at the drop of a hat these days, as evidenced by Storks and Book of Life I've seen recently, so to be REALLY good, it must come down to story and pacing and emotional investment. That kind of thing can leave an otherwise inventive film like Book of Life in the dust, especially when compared to a similar film like Coco. It can leave a film like Storks somewhere decidedly in the middle of the pack, even when charming. And it can raise a film you don't necessarily expect much from, like Cloudy with a Chance. Despite some hyper, overblown action, especially towards the end, there is something sweet at its core, a story about a bullied, quirky scientist who finds acceptance by all the wrong people with his invention that turns water into food, his sweet relationship with the weather girl until he almost ruins it with his newfound fame, and the disconnected relationship he has with his Dad. It's very sweet, and I identified - a lot - with the feelings and motivations of the main character. So in the end, this one winds up being the best of the three most recent animated films I've seen.