Steve Jobs in the movies

Steve Jobs was a character.

Snotty. Smart. Bull-headed. Know-it-all.

Movies love that kind of person as a villain.

Spoiler Alert.

I was reminded of what a great villain Steve Jobs could be while watching the new animated movie, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2."

Didn't like the movie much. But it's probably my fault because I haven't seen the original "Cloudy," so I have no idea who all the beloved recurring characters are. I will admit that "Cloudy 2" has some good jokes, but on the whole, I didn't like it.

The main character -- Flint Lockwood -- is an inventor who idolizes an established inventor -- Chester V.

Chester V. is a charismatic cult leader who happens to run a big company of worshipful inventors. Chester is always smiling, always spouting catchphrases and he moves gracefully. His hands are often pressed together in a prayerful pose. He glides around as if he's actually floating. He's otherworldly. The animators did a great job with his moves.

He's a total Steve Jobs character.

Turns out he's a villain!

Flint Lockwood's dreams are crushed!

Anyway, Chester rallies the employees like Steve Jobs did and he behaves like I would think Steve Jobs behaved, but his face looks like Walt Mossberg. Which is -- interesting because Mossberg, though his tech and computer writings at the Wall Street Journal, has long been a supporter of Steve Jobs' computer company, Apple.

I have to say that I like the way Chester V is designed.

I'm only guessing, but perhaps this movie was in the works when the real Steve Jobs died. And the makers decided to keep the character but change the look. The original "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" movie came out in 2009. Jobs died in 2011.

Back when Jobs was alive, another movie used him as a prototype. The Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, "The 6th Day" is about clones in the near future. I actually really enjoyed the wacky future tech in this movie. The helicopters and cars are a lot of fun. The respawning bad guys are frightening and funny.

The big, evil cloning corporation is run by Michael Drucker, played by Tony Goldwyn. A Steve Jobs character. But since Jobs was still alive and kicking when the film was made, the filmmakers decided to make him look like Steve Jobs. The character is a terrible, awful person. It's a fun movie.