Flint Lockwood (Hader) returns to his home town and island, Swallow Falls to deal with the continuing fallout of his food generating machine, thought to be destroyed in the first movie. Not only is the machine still operating, but it’s developed sentience and is now creating food/animal hybrids called ‘foodimals’.

Along for the ride are many popular characters from the first movie like fellow geek and heart-throb, Sam Sparks (Faris), Flint’s dad Tim (Caan), former child star Brent (Andy Samberg), Steve the monkey (Harris) and Earl Devereaux (Terry Crews). A new major character is Flint’s hero and inspiration, Chester V (Will Forte) – a sort-of mélange of Steve Jobs and John Hammond.

A notable cast change from the first movie is replacing Mr. T with Terry Crews. Crews is certainly a good substitute though, as he’s also ten sizes larger than life (look him up on YouTube if you’re unsure).

The trippy colours and surreal environments are just as vivid as they were in the first film, and the wacky humour and slapstick action just as enjoyable. If you liked the first film, you’ll love this one too. If you haven’t seen the first one, don’t worry, this appeals to wider audiences than just kids. The new foodimals characters expand the opportunities for humorous surrealism and sly sight-gags (Jurassic Park comes to mind, as many of its iconic scenes are paid homage to here).

‘The fact to which we have got to cling, as to a lifebelt, is that it is possible to be a normal decent person and yet be fully alive.’ - Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe), Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Foster) are young writers and poets at Columbia University in 1944. Their friend Lucien Carr (DeHaan) inspires them into rebellion and passion. However, through Carr’s slightly disturbing relationship with David Kammerer (Hall), an older man with clearly sexual intentions, the men are entwined in a set of tragic historical events that will shape their futures.

This is the third film in recent times, after On The Road and Howl, to deal with an aspect of the Beat Generation (oh, how I wish I was born about 50 years earlier, for the chance to maybe have engaged with this group). The combination of a group of young actors (either starting to make their mark or trying to break free from a decade of franchise) and experienced actors like Hall make for an engaging look at both a key time in the history of poetry and a familiar portrait of the excitement and potential of youth.

Whether this will be an introduction for you to these great artists, or a return to their talent, you will enjoy this film if you appreciate what it takes to create.