Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs / Open Season / Surf's P

SURFS UP, This animated mock documentary directed by Chris Buck (TARZAN) and Ash Brannon (TOY STORY 2) follows penguin Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf) from his hometown of Shiverpool, Antarctica, where all of the other penguins think he's a surfing fool, to the 'Big Z Memorial Surf Off' on Pen Gu Island. This teenage penguin is determined to win the most important competition in the world of penguin surfing in honour of 'Big Z', a deceased surfing legend whom he has idolised since childhood. But the waves in Pen Gu are different than in Shiverpool, and the competition is steep. The current champ, egotistical Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader), isn't about to let this little penguin knock him from first place without a fight. When Cody wipes out and encounters Geek (Jeff Daniels), a recluse living in the jungle, he learns some important lessons about life and surfing, and even teaches Geek a thing or two. The documentary/reality show format is a delightful surprise, and side interviews with other characters make it particularly effective. The attention to detail in this feature is terrific. The foam, waves, sand, expressions, and movements are all quite realistic, and the voices are spot on. Shia LaBeouf hits the mark perfectly as Cody, and Jeff Daniels is fun as the aging former surfer, Geek, who imparts his wisdom to the newbie. Mario Cantone voices the perpetually exasperated talent scout, Mikey, who works for sports promoter Reggie (James Woods). Jon Heder and Zooey Deschanel also lend their talents as midwestern surfer dude Chicken Joe and the lovely lifeguard Lani, respectively. Sports Penguin Entertainment Network (SPEN) correspondents Kelly Slater and Rob Machado are voiced by their real-life surfing-legend counterparts. A soundtrack including a number of past pop hits is also a nice touch. OPEN SEASON, an animated action-adventure, follows the fortunes of two forest-animal misfits. Boog (Martin Lawrence) is a gentle and domesticated bear; Elliot (Ashton Kutcher) is an absentminded and accident-prone deer who has been shunned by his herd. Together, they struggle to adapt to the ways of life in the wild and on their own. Boog longs to return to the cushy conditions he had with Beth (Debra Messing), an animal-loving park ranger who rescued him and raised him as a pet from the time he was a cub. Desperate to please his new friend, who spared him from an overzealous hunter (Gary Sinise), Elliot tries to help lead Boog back to the mountainside town, but instead they are met with hostility by their fellow forest creatures, including a combative squirrel, McSquizzy (Billy Connelly); a perfectionist beaver, Reilly (Jon Favreau); and a machismo-fuelled deer, Ian (Patrick Warburton), who is Elliot's nemesis. Now, with hunting season upon them, they must all align to defend themselves against the hunters that annually plague their domain. While obviously geared toward kids, OPEN SEASON covers quite a few adult themes, including the comparison of man and beast. By pitting animals against hunters, the film operates from a pro-animal and pro-environment stance. It also conveys the importance of getting along with those different from ourselves, and encourages teamwork and acceptance of others. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS Inspired by Ron and Judi Barrett's beloved children's book of the same name, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS follows inventor Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader) and a brainy weathergirl (voice of Anna Faris) as they attempt to discover why the rain in their small town has stopped, and food is falling in its place. Meanwhile, lifelong bully Brent (voice of Andy Samberg) relishes in tormenting Flint like he did when they were kids, and Mayor Shelbourne (voice of Bruce Campbell) schemes to use Flint's latest invention -- a device designed to improve everyone's lives -- for his own personal gain. Mr. T voices by-the-books cop Earl Devereaux, and James Caan voices Flint's technophobe father, Tim.