Drive-By Movie Review: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

This is a review of the 2009 animated feature Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs starring the voices of James Caan, Neil Patrick Harris, Benjamin Bratt, Mr. T, Bill Hader, and Anna Faris.

Plot Summary: A timeless tale adapted from Ron and Judi Barrett’s book, which illustrates a world where giant pancakes and pasta fall from the sky as a scientist tries to solve world hunger. However, things go terribly wrong when excess amounts of food overload cities and towns.

(The following review is courtesy of my 10-year-old daughter, Nina, and my 12-year-old-son Matthew)

Nina: Matthew, today Dad asked us to fill in for him and Mom for their movie review. Are you ready to review Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs?

Matthew: Let’s go, Nina. Are we supposed to say this movie was in 3D and we had to wear glasses?

Nina: Probably. Good idea. Anyway, this is the story of a boy named Flint who invents a machine that makes food fall from the sky.

Matthew: He made the machine because the island people only had sardines to eat and he wanted more variety.

Nina: The island is under the “A” in Atlantic Ocean on a globe.

Matthew: I’m bored.

Nina: Already? Matthew! Stop touching my door! My favorite character was Flint’s dad because he had a cute unibrow and bushy mustache. He was cranky, but cute. You couldn’t see his eyes because his eyebrows were so bushy – you only saw his eyes when he raised his eyebrows.

Matthew: I wondered how he could see through his eyebrows, but it was funny. There were other funny parts too. Right, Nina?

Nina: Matthew! What did you just do with my foam finger?

Matthew: What did I do? I didn’t do anything to it.

Nina: Just stop it. Yes, I thought it was funny when the mayor ate too much food and he started rolling out of the screen. It was a neat 3D effect.

Matthew: That was funny! Too bad there weren’t a lot of other good effects though. That was one of the only ones.

Nina: They should have made this movie like they did in Meet the Robinsons – that was 3D too but you didn’t need the glasses. That would have been better. Matthew! Put my blanket down!

Matthew: Are we almost done?

Nina: Hold on! Jeez! Did you like the movie or not? We need to say whether people should go see it or not.

Matthew: It was a good movie because it was about food and I like food. I also thought the story was good.

Nina: So you say “buy?”

Matthew: No I say “rent” because the movie was too long. They could have ended it sooner.

Nina: I thought the movie was not too long. It was perfect.

Matthew: It wasn’t perfect, Nina. So you’re going to say “buy,” huh?

Nina: I say “buy” because it’s a cute movie that’s good for any person, no matter whether they are a kid or a mom or a grandma. The movie made me hungry at the end, but that is my only bad comment.

Matthew: I’m going to make me something to eat right now.

Nina: Good! Then get out of my room!

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