Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Voiced by: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Baldwin, and Will i Am

Pretty good movie. Not Pixar, but pretty good. With all that voice talent, it better be at least decent.

MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA is about the gang (the lion, giraffe, zebra, and hippo played respectively by Stiller, Schwimmer, Rock, and Pinkett-Smith) trying to return to New York from Madagascar only to crash-land in Africa where Alex the Lion was originally from. There they learn about their animal roots and some kid-worthy life-lessons along the way. It was like Reese Witherspoon returning home in SWEET HOME ALABAMA.

This movie was pretty damn funny. Not as funny as my wife thought it was, but considering it wasn't a Pixar flick, it was pretty hilarious. Lately, Beautiful has been liking our animated movie picks for the kids. Usually, she likes to tell all of us how she just abhors cartoony movies, but she seems to be having a change of heart. As a parent, aren't you kinda just forced to like cartoons? Unless you just get sick of it 'cause you gotta watch SHREK fifty-seven times. She's now even enjoying the previews a little too much. "Suuuuusan!!" Yeah, I guess we'll be going to MONSTERS VS. ALIENS.

What always amazes me are the detailed life-like graphics, especially when they show any type of running water. How do they do that? Ah, technology. Never ceases to amaze me. I also always get a kick out of how they make the cartoon character look like the voice actor. Complete with the actor's mannerisms and everything. Impressive. The Alec Baldwin lion was dead-on.

The best animated movies are the ones that keep the kids entertained and the adults laughing without being offensive. This movie successfully does that. It was even better than the sequel. I'd give you more specific examples, but it was all an enjoyable, laughable blur. Let's just say that it was really good for adults and kids. Wifey definitely enjoyed it more than the kids. It was almost up to Pixar standards. Almost. Close.

I give this movie two of each animal boarding an ark to avoid a flood that hopefully never comes again...