Seen on: September 18, 2009

The players: Directors: Chris Miller, Phil Lord, Writers: Chris Miller, Phil Lord, Cast: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Mr. T, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, James Caan

Facts of interest: Based on the children's book by Ron Barrett and Judi Barrett.   

The plot: When an inventor's latest creation that turns water into food goes horribly wrong, he must embark on a mission to save the world before it's being destroyed by enormous eats.

Our thoughts: Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s animated adventure “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is one awesome big-screen experience. Based on Judi and Ron Barrett’s popular book, this Sony Pictures Animation release is a fast-paced and visually stunning ride I can only recommend. Make sure you catch it in 3D.

Bill Hader voices lead character Flint Lockwood, a determined inventor whose latest creation surprises everybody in his small town because it causes tons of food to fall from the sky. Flint came up with a device that converts water into all sorts of eats, and at first, people really seem to love it.

Things quickly spin out of control, however, when certain folks start abusing Flint’s machine and the food falling from the sky grows in size way faster than expected. With enormous spaghetti twisters and storms of meatballs threatening to destroy the world, Flint and his friends must find a way to bring this food disaster to an end.

If you’re hungry for fabulous entertainment and gorgeous animation, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” should definitely be on your movie menu this weekend. It’s an action-packed adventure filled with fun and heart, and I’m sure it will enchant kids and grown-ups alike.

Of course, this is a film you should see in 3D. The quality of the picture is incredibly sharp and clean, and the food flying around on the screen looks terrific. In other words, there’s just something wildly exciting about watching tons of burgers, eggs, steaks, candy, ice cream and all sorts of other eats covering up a small town.

Okay, the movie’s attack on obesity and its stand against genetically modified food are obvious, but neither of these themes really hijacked the focus on the wild fun. The message occasionally blends through certain things the characters say and the ways they behave, but it’s far more intriguing to watch them try to stop the food storms.

Equipped with solid voice work and a great score, “Cloudy” boasts plenty of suspenseful sequences that please the eye and even carry a bunch of laughs. The characters are funny to experience as well, and I especially loved Flint’s friend Steve, a hilarious monkey with a thing for gummi bears.

There is a lot more to discover in “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” and I will let you experience all that by yourself. Although this film is not as sophisticated and moving in terms of storyline than Pixar’s lovely projects, it delivers plenty of simple, yet adventurous fun the young ones will absolutely adore.

 Freaky quote: "It really works!!!!" – Bill Hader

The final word: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is a tasty ride and a great 3D picture, and it’s certainly a film I would revisit. It didn’t surprise me as much as the phenomenal “Up,” but it easily beats “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” This is a great alternative for those who don’t plan on seeing Megan Fox snack on boys this weekend.

Article by Franck Tabouring