Tempête de boulettes géantes

Although - as many people do - I generally prefer Pixar films to the animated fare created by other companies, I can't deny that a film like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is very hard not to love. Although it isn't particularly complex, thought-provoking, beautiful or masterful, it's a very entertaining, funny, cute-as-hell and effective animated film. Children with definitely love it, and adults... well, that actually depends on the adult in question. Although I certainly enjoy all kinds of movies, there's always - for me - some satisfaction to be had when watching something so obviously goofy and kiddy. Meatballs is kiddy, and that's precisely what I loved about it. It may not be this year's best animated movie - that honour goes to Pixar's Up - but it certainly is better than the likes of Monsters vs. Aliens.

The film tells the story of Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader), a young inventor who dreams of, someday, creating something that will be loved by everyone and make him more popular and, most importantly, improve the lives of everyone in town. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to do so, and his technofobic father (voice of James Caan) doesn't really help at all. One day, though, he manages to invent something that will change the lives of everyone in town forever: a machine that makes food fall from the sky. Everybody seems to be happy with him now - including mayor Shelbourne (Bruce Campbell) and the by-the-book police offer, Earl (Mr. T) - but, predictably enough, something goes wrong: excess amounts of food start to overload the island where the town is located, and now Flint, along with TV reporter Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) has to try to solve their problem.

Yes, the plot is pretty predictable, and it certainly won't make anyone above the age of 5 be shocked with surprise or anything of the sort, but it certainly is very imaginative, and it should work in a very "oh, it's sort of nice" kind of way. I liked the way Flint was portrayed - Hader's wacky and not-so-recognizable voice is perfect for the character - and the fact that, although most characters are either archetypes or stereotypes - consider, for the example, Bruce Campbell's greedy and - eventually - obese mayor - they are all voice so professionally and characterized in such an naive and cute kind of way, that one just doesn't care. I rooted for Flint the whole way, and I actually thought that the romantic sub-plot between him and Sam was cute and funny.

Visually, I don't think the movie is on par to the likes of Wall-E or Up, but I think that comparing it to those productions would be a bit unfair. Wall-E had a sort-of realistic kind of look, and Up, while a little more cartoonish, had a very realistic flair to it. On the other hand, there's something very old-fashioned in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' look and the way it is animated. Characters behave and move the way old TV cartoons behaved forty or more years ago, and I like that. They jump a lot, are very "agile" and are just... cartoonish. Clearly, the animators didn't want the movie to give a palpable sense of realism; in a way, they were trying to craft an old-fashioned cartoon with the latest technological tools, and they have done it very successfully.

What else can I say about the movie? It certainly is very naive, and it doesn't explore any deep themes or moral problems, but that's just OK. While this year's mediocre Monsters vs. Aliens was terribly simplistic, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is just simple, and there's nothing wrong with that. Of course, there's nothing wrong with movies like Wall-E having very significant messages and complex love stories and such, but if a parent wants to go with their toddler to see a movie that isn't very complicated but that isn't stupid or boring either, then Meatballs is an excellent choice. After all, even if there isn't much beneath the surface, I can't imagine a single adult maintaining a straight face throughout the film's runningtime. The movie is hilarious, - just remember Flint's father's eyebrows! -, it's inventive, it's imaginative; it's also pretty gorgeous and it features some effective voice acting and interesting, wacky characters. It's not dumb and it doesn't pander to the least common denominator. Most interestingly, though, it made me hungry. That's not a quality many movies posses.

An exuberant and quite entertaining little feature- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs can feel a little too safe at times- but does anage to be quite an enjoyable ride. First off, the animation is very well developed, very original, and very easy to look at. From its popping colors and cartoon like expressions, it's a refreshing take on the often mimicked-like animation style so many people want to copy from brands like Pixar- and truly feels like its own thing. As for the plot and story of the film- it can be interesting- but it never really feels like it takes any leaps. Yes, it has some bold ideas, but even those ideas tend to play it safe from time to time. Its sense of humor also feels the same way, pure wackiness- which is very enjoyable to watch- but never made me laugh out loud like many other animated films i've come to love. Its soundtrack is very bright and cheery, and its score is surprisingly epic- and I would be lying if I said some of the themes used in this film wouldn't be stuck in my head until the next day. The voice cast is impressive and everyone does a really good job- my personal favorites being James Caan as Tim Lockwood and Bruce Campbell as the Mayor. It does seem to follow quite a few animated cliches, which i've honestly come to expect with these films, but nothing that ever truly weighs it down. In the end, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a fun and solid animated flick. It never wows or amazes like Toy Story or makes me crack up like Shrek, but it manages to be a decent watch and be pretty sweet in the end- and that is completely fine with me.

My Rating: 6.8/10.

Truly great animation, with the expressions of the eyes reminiscent of anime. A story that is about the child within each of us, yet all the while considering the risks involved during the whole of life. This is a story about innocence, in the true meaning of "knowing oneself completely" and all that this implies. It is also a story very much about the importance of imagination and creativity.

I am a child and an adult. What I've been taught, not entirely by just my fellow human beings, is that judgment is never productive. At its best, it is a desire to share with others something we do or do not appreciate. At its worst, it is a shutting down of the connection we have with each other. Perhaps a more productive way of sharing opinions about anything might be making distinctions between what is appreciated about the thing, and what is not, and the reasons for both aspects of these thoughts/feelings. This story actually addresses this tough issue, while entertaining us with a romp and a grand adventure.

My appreciation of this film is that it inspires me to laugh at myself (it's quite funny), at us, and my culture. And all the while, it is kind. The story and animation are tremendously imaginative, a quality I've found missing in many stories, animated or not. One of the themes, if not the main thread of the story, is that we humans are creative beings, and that, while this involves risks, we must express our imagination or take the greater risk of becoming stuck, stale and static, living only in the past tense.

The greatest compliment I can give this film is that I want my 2-year-old granddaughter to see it, for I am absolutely sure she will enjoy it almost as much as I have at age 61.

Greg Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Sony Pictures Animation have had mixed success in comparison to the more established studios like Pixar, Dreamworks and Blue Sky with their films coming out at the wrong time with Open Season opening after the glut of talking animal films and Surf's Up which opened after Happy Feet but with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, SPA has finally found a hit film, the animation is stunning especially the water and the food weather and unlike say, Shrek the look is cartoony but works in its favour, the voice actors are equally as good with Bill Hader as Flint, Mr T as Earl and Anna Faris as Sam but it's Steve the Monkey who steals the film. The story itself works very well expanding on the original book and while the second half lags a bit, overall I left the cinema both with a smile and hungry.

If The Smurfs and Hotel Transylvania are half as good as Cloudy then Sony Pictures Animation will continue to thrive.

Inspired by Ron and Judi Barrett's beloved children's book of the same name, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS follows inventor Flint Lockwood and brainy weathergirl Sam Sparks as they attempt to discover why the rain in their small town has stopped while food is falling in its place. Meanwhile, lifelong bully Brent relishes in tormenting Flint just as he did when they were kids, and Mayor Shelbourne schemes to use Flint's latest invention--a device designed to improve everyone's lives--for his own personal gain.

OK, I admit it. The trailer for this film looked average, compared to other animated flicks, especially the films from Pixar. I thought the film would be too kiddy for me and that the storyline was beyond lame. I mean, food falling from the sky doesn't draw people in, does it? Oh, how wrong I was. I think we just found the third contender for the best animated movie section in the Academy Awards, people! Not only is this much better than non-Pixar animated films that has been released in SOME time (I think the last was HAPPY FEET?), but it's also one of the most visceral, inventive, entertaining, ingenious, silly movies that I've seen this year! Oh, wait. This is the only one.

I felt like a kid again when I put my 3D glasses on. Things popped out in a flashy fashion and the movie told in a quick pace with zippy dialogue! I wanted to grab the delicious-looking foods on the screen, from hotdogs to ice cream! It's like being a kid in a candy store! There's so much craziness here that I can't even dare to describe! When was it the first time that you saw a talking monkey that ripped a heart out from a live gummy bear?! When was it the first time that you saw a live turkey eating a human being?! Everything in this film is so ridiculous and preposterous that you have no choice but to go along with the ride

This is also a very, very funny film with a laugh per minute with some really clever jokes scattered throughout the film. But don't worry. There's a story in here too. It's been quite a while since I've seen a good father-and-son film (the last was FINDING NEMO?), but this film succeeded in that department as well. The message is by no means blatant and preachy at all. The cast is also a splendid delight, Mr. T standing out as one of the top characters because you can never really escape his noticeable voice. Bill Hader and Anna Faris did a wonderful job in their roles as well.

Oh, and did I mention the film was a visual feast (no pun intended)? You will see things in here that you have NEVER seen and probably will never see again in any other film. This should automatically get you a ticket to the theaters because when are you ever going to see a talking monkey grabbing a heart out of a live gummy bear?! WHEN?! The 3D technology is near flawless. It's probably the best looking 3D I've ever seen, the image looking very sharp from background to foreground. I also found the score by Mark Mothersbaugh to be amazing and exceptionally memorable.

If there's one bad thing I have to say about the movie, it isn't as good as Pixar's storytelling. However, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS should be a movie you should watch in theaters because it's unlike any movie you have ever seen. There's a lot of ingenuity and inventiveness and cleverness that is warped around the movie. The film is entertaining for both the kids and the adults to enjoy, so there's no need to worry. But wow, was this film a spectacle. If you have the chance to see this in 3D, see it but I'm sure the 2D version works just as well. If you're iffy about the trailer, I guess that's a good thing because the movie surpasses the trailer by ten times. Prepare to get served...literally.