Movie Review

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS

By Lee Jing Jing

Director : Phil Lord, Chris Miller One day he realises how large the food has
become. Noting that the food molecules are
Casts : Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, actually mutating, he finds himself torn
Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T between the new adulation of his fellow
Genres : Animation, Family citizens and the possibility that they will soon
all be swept up in a tornado made of pasta
Running Time : 1 hour 30 minutes and meatballs.
Release Date : 1 October 2009
•••
Loosely based on Judi and Ron Barretts’
children's book by the same name, Cloudy
with a Chance of Meatballs follows inventor
Flint
Lockwood
(voice of Bill
Hader) and In my opinion, Cloudy with a Chance of
a brainy Meatballs is genuinely funny, entertaining and
weathergirl most of all, original and clever. It's something
Sam Sparks that even parents can easily watch along with
(voice of their sprogs because it also doesn't stinge on
Anna Faris) storytelling aspects such as character
as they try development. When it rains hamburgers and
to discover other appetizers, Sam feeds us pun-lover
why food delights like: “We all love a meteor shower
has been but you've never seen a meatier shower than
falling from this.” More mouth-watering puns, sight gags
the sky in and jokes follow throughout the movie as
their town Flint programs different meals and different
like rain. desserts for different days. Unlike many of the
As he grows, Flint dreams of improving DreamWorks offerings it doesn't rely too
everyone’s life with his inventions. Some of heavily on pop culture gags that will date
his experiments seem to have a downside quickly, annoying soundtrack songs and
such as “The Flying Car”, “walking television” cutesy animals.
and “ratbirds”. When his machine that
converts water into food comes to success,
Mayor Shelbourne (voice of Bruce Campbell)
swiftly enlists his help resuscitating the former
sardine town's economic prospects.
Unstrained by the consent of his
technophobic father, Tim (voice of James
Caan), Flint becomes an overnight celebrity
and eventually gets carried away.