REVIEW COLLECTION: The Films of Sony Pictures Animation, Part I

(Courtesy Closing Logo Group)

PART I: THE ORIGINAL TRIFECTA 

Open Season (2006) 

On the heels of Pixar, DreamWorks, and Blue Sky, Sony decided to form its own animation studio after the turn of the 21st century. Their debut feature, however, was a standard issue project. In other words, an average CGI comedy that featured familiar elements from other studios and kid’s movies around the same time. A buddy comedy starring an unlikely duo? Check. Supporting animal characters? You bet. Toilet humor? As if we had to ask. 

Raised by a forest ranger (voiced by Debra Messing), domesticated bear Boog (voiced by Martin Lawrence) gets his whole life turned upside down when he reluctantly rescues a one-horned deer named Elliot (voiced by Ashton Kutcher) who soon returns the favor by trying to persuade Boog to go to the outside world. A series of wacky events and misunderstandings soon land both animals into the mountains of the nearby forest, days before hunting season—and a revolt of nature against man, including one sadistic hunter (voiced by Gary Sinise)—kicks into gear. 

Guided by directors Roger Allers & Jill Culton (with support from former DreamWorks producers and newly appointed EVPs of Sony Animation, Penney Finkelman Cox and Sandra Rabins), the supporting characters of Open Season are what make the movie. And they are amusing, including a gang of Scottish squirrels (led by Billy Connelly), a community of beavers (led by Jon Favreau), and a herd of deer (led by the always-funny Patrick Warburton). Both Lawrence and Kutcher have high energy and comedic dynamics as Boog and Elliot, respectively, with the latter arguably stealing the show. (“Half doe. Half buck. I’m a duck!”) 

The movie, based on ideas from cartoonist Steve Moore (known for his syndicated comic strip, In the Bleachers), is full of slapstick gags and comic mayhem, including rabbits being thrown at windows, a grocery store raid full of sugar highs, and the aforementioned showdown (featuring camper supplies, truck explosions, and parodies of Braveheart). Some of the action may be a little too intense for kids, ditto some subtle language choices. 

With animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks (whose previous credits included Stuart Little, Cast Away and Spider-Man), Open Season is fun to look at. Certain audiences will, no doubt, enjoy this otherwise passive popcorn muncher, with a predictable plot where Boog goes from self-centered to selfless, and learns what it means to adapt to a new life. 

Surf’s Up (2007) 

For their sophomoric effort in the late-2000s, Sony Pictures Animation jumped on Hollywood’s current bandwagon of penguin features. But unlike militaristic quartets in DreamWorks’ Madagascar or singing and dancing Emperor penguins in Warner Bros’ Happy Feet, Surf’s Up presented the flightless birds as professional or aspiring surfers. 

What makes this movie so distinct is its presentation as an animated mockumentary, with groundbreaking camerawork and improvisational spontaneity rarely seen in the medium. Nominated the same year as Pixar’s Ratatouille and Sony Pictures Classics’ Persepolis (two artistic films that did their own cutting-edge work for different reasons), Surf’s Up is one of the most creative and unique animated films I’ve ever seen. 

Its A-game cast includes Shia LeBeouf (as teenage hotshot Cody Maverick, who just wants to get away from his home island in Antarctica, including his apparently careless family), Zooey Deschanel (as lifeguard and love interest Lani), Jeff Bridges (as former surfer-turned-hermit Geek), and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder (as the chilled, scene-stealing Chicken Joe, who hails from Sheboygan, WI). James Woods (as surf promoter and otter Reggie Belatonte) and Deidrich Bader (as the obnoxious Tank Evans) are equally hilarious as their characters are ridiculously shallow. The quirks and natural chemistry of this cast redefine vocal performance, with on-camera interview sequences that arguably work better than the film’s more conventional moments. The documentary filmmakers within the movie are even voiced by the directors, Chris Buck and Ash Brannon (both veterans of Disney and Pixar, respectively). 

Parodies of ESPN sports documentaries are amusing, and the soundtrack (featuring pop-rock tracks by Green Day, Incubus, and New Radicals) is entertaining if dated. The story, on the other hand, is a bit rushed, a few elements are predictable, and some of the language is rude and/or suggestive (in one scene, it sounds like one character is called a “pecker-face”). Supporting “natives” that Chicken Joe comes across may seem stereotypical to some viewers, while another moment has one character urinating on another to cure a wound. 

Those elements notwithstanding, Surf’s Up does have worthwhile themes about appreciating (and experiencing) that there is more to life than prizes or “winning.” Metaphors about surf boards and waves (the visual effects of the latter are stunning to watch) show how incomparable such experiences are. Meanwhile, Cody meets his hero more than once, and not only learns from him, but, in turn, helps him come out of hiding after that hero has lost faith in himself. Both bring out the best in each other, progressing from arrogance to understanding, facing failures, and persevering against negative voices. Sony Animation was certainly riding a wave with two feature films in their canon by then. And they were only getting warmed up, next shooting for the sky. Literally. 

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) 

The 1978 children’s book, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs was written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett. It tells the story of a town where it rains food three times a day—until things take a turn for the worst. That same premise became the basis for a computer-animated film adaptation in 2009, which marked the directorial debut of Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (whose previous work included the short-lived MTV cartoon series, Clone High). 

The town of Chewandswallow was changed to Swallow Falls, which runs on an unappetizing diet of sardines. Local resident Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader), an eager and quirky inventor, wants to create “something awesome,” and to make a difference in his community. After numerous attempts and constant ridicule from everyone, Flint creates a machine that can supposedly convert water into food. A mishap soon causes cheeseburgers to fall from the sky. But then, the townspeople start making more and more requests, the food starts getting bigger, and the machine develops a mind of its own. Talk about biting off more than you can chew. 

The movie bears very little resemblance to its source material, but it’s still fun and entertaining. It recalls the mantra that Walt Disney had for his teams of animators and artists when they adapted Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book in the 1960s: “Have fun with it.” Lord & Miller (who also adapted Cloudy for the big screen) create a visual feast in (according to the trailers) “mouth-watering 3-D.” Usually, movies don’t have a sense of taste. But if they did, this one would most certainly qualify. Some moments are clever homages to Ron Barrett’s original illustrations (like pancakes landing on the local school, or orange juice raining down), sights that are as wondrous as they are weird, and full of color, texture, and scale. Pixar’s Up wasn’t the only animated feature that year with an odd premise. 

The movie is full of inspired silliness and creative filmmaking, including clever visual gags and puns around food. Not to mention roller coaster action, a fun and endearing score by Mark Mothersbaugh, and a terrific voice cast. Hader perfectly fits Flint’s nerdy antics and unique literal vernacular and physical humor (sort of recalling Kronk from Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove). Anna Faris is a weather channel intern sent to report on the town activities but is afraid to express a hidden nerdy side. James Caan is Flint’s grizzled father, who doesn’t understand him. Neil Patrick Harris voices Flint’s talking pet monkey, Steve. Bruce Campbell is a snooty mayor who becomes a gluttonous figure, while Andy Sandberg is a former child mascot who apparently never grew up. Perhaps the most inspired casting is Mr. T as a local police officer (complete with gym shorts and back flips), who constantly reminds his son how much he loves him and wants to do right by him. 

With that in mind, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is more than just a silly animated comedy for kids. It’s also a surprising story with unexpected heart, about believing in yourself and embracing your quirks (and those of others), as well as owning up to mistakes. Again, Flint wants to make a name for himself and a difference in his community but is conflicted by the temptation of fame and peer pressure to fit in, which eventually affects his personal and familial relationships, and forces him to choose to do what is right instead of what is popular. As Flint’s mother told him as a lonely child, “The world needs your originality. You just need to grow into it.” Sony Animation certainly did with this movie. So did Lord and Miller. Now that’s something to savor.