The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water

I have to admit, I was skeptical when I heard that there was another Spongebob movie coming out, considering that the first movie was supposed to be the series finale, and since the original creator of the show, Stephen Hillenburg left after the first movie, the show had kind of declined in quality. However, Hillenburg is back for this movie, and is returning to the series! It really shows that he has returned, as the movie has plenty of  well-written jokes for everyone. Is it as good as the first movie? No, but it's not the train-wreck I initially thought it was going to be. Also, don't believe the trailers and posters. Only the last half-hour is spent in the "real world" where Spongebob and his friends are CGI. I thought this film was really clever, and was laughing throughout. The one thing that bothers me, is that in the series, when Spongebob and his friends go above water, they are puppets. (Or in Spongebob's case, a real sponge.) They look just like their cartoon selves the whole time in this movie. (Except for Sandy. She's a real squirrel on land.) Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and it reawakened the 7-year-old in me, when the first movie came out. The plot felt a bit rushed, but by the end, I left with a smile on my face.
Grade: A-,  9/10, 4/5 stars