Moose Movie Minute - "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2"

It was my birthday and I did what I wanted too.  And what I wanted to do was see a movie with my family.  Now since my home has a 7 year old and a 3 year old, that movie needed to be carefully chosen, and the cost needed to be budgeted.  So it was decided to see "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" at the dollar theater (Carriage Place in Dublin).  As a bonus we ended up seeing it in 3D.  Now I'm normally a supporter of the "3D=$3 more" concept, but in this case (at a discount theater) the increase cost was minimal and I think worth it.

As I've mentioned in posts before, if you don't like the original then a sequel is not going to be any better to you.  So this film being a sequel, if you liked the original Cloudy With Meatballs (shortened for reading ease), then I do recommend the 2nd.  Though not as surprising as it's predecessor, this movie was still a enjoyable romp through the food infested land of "Chew-And-Swallow".  Though not every original voice returns, the majority of the cast reprises their roles (Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Benjamin Bratt and the always cool Neil Patrick Harris).  In this movie lovers opinion, when the original cast returns, sequels work so much better (all continuing series do).

I like this movie, my children liked this movie and I believe even my wife like this movie.  That's 4 votes for a recommended watch.  It's got comedy, excitements and some decent 3D effects.  It will definitely find it's way into my collection.

Have you seen this film, or the original?  What did you think?  Let me know in the comments below.

Moose Movie Minute - "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters"

Let's start this out with a simple comment.  If you didn't like the first movie, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief", then you are most likely not going to like this one.

That out of the way, "Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters" is a very enjoyable movie.  Like the first one, this movie was loosely based on the book, same title, written by Rick Riordan.  Part of a wonderful young adult series about Olympian demigod children, along this lines of Harry Potter but with Greek Gods and Goddesses instead of Witches and Wizards.

All the original leading cast returns (Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario & Brandon T. Jackson) minus Pierce Brosnan, and we add Stanley Tucci (the always enjoyable), Nathan Fillion (the always charismatic) and Anthony Stewart Head (hello Giles from Buffy, thanks for replacing Brosnan).  Having the same cast of characters helps give the sequel continuity that would have been lost with different actors.  You can continue to follow their character's adventures because it's still the same actors having those adventures.

As someone who has read the books too, I enjoy these movies just as much but in a differential way.  The stories are the same but then again the stories are different, as many adaptations of books to movies will be, but both are still very good.  I must mention that I do prefer the books to the movies, but since I'm a movie nut, just forget you read that I wrote that.

It's extremely interesting how the story integrates Greek mythology into today's everyday world.  Sure, this exists, how else would you explain that.  In this viewer's eyes, it works, and it works well.  Good writing, good acting and some ok special-effects make for a decent movie.  I know I liked it, you might too.

Have you see either Percy Jackson movie?  Let me know what you thought down in the comments below.