It's coming, a twista! A twista... of spaghetti?

Rating: 6/10 (12 February 2010)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, released in a year with some other big contenders of animated films like Up and Monsters vs. Aliens, had to hold it's own. I wasn't sure how this film was going to be, the trailer did look cute, but some critics were saying that the film didn't meet their expectations. So I decided to wait for the rent, which honestly I'm glad I did. While the film is very good and very much worth the watch, I wasn't really excited like I normally am for a film like this. I've seen so many "let's rub a message down the kid's throat" movies that it does tend to get a little boring and predictable. Now I know it's always meant for the kids who haven't dealt with a message or moral before, but at least for the adults, give us something too. That's why I love a lot of animated films today, because there is humor for the adults as well and this was more aimed for the kids. But if there is one thing that I give the film credit for is the incredible animation.
Flint Lockwood is a young scientist whose inventions have all ended in disaster. Flint's latest invention is a machine that converts water molecules into food. It doesn't work due to the lack of electricity at his home, so when he is forced by his unsupportive and technophobic father Tim Lockwood to work at his Bait 'n' Tackle shop. He soon meets Sam Sparks, a cute weather intern whose big break was ruined by Flint's "rocket", an invention that ruined a big event in his town. When the two witness giant purple clouds raining cheeseburgers over Swallow Falls, Sam reports the events and mentions Flint is responsible. Flint becomes famous overnight, but becomes overwhelmed with the townspeople's requests for food. The greedy Mayor Shelbourne, convinces Flint to create even more food in an effort to turn Swallow Falls into a new tourist attraction. Of course though as the town gets greedier with the food demand, the machine starts to break down and may end up destroying the town with the crazy weather.
As I was saying with the animation, this has a very memorable scene that I will never forget, when the machine is going all hay-wire, there is a spaghetti tornado that is just incredible to look at. The story for kids is definitely good and the whole story is very charming and original. But like I said, it just has a few flaws that I'm not crazy about. Like casting Mr. T in the movie, I don't mind that he's in a movie, however when it's more like him just playing himself than a character, then there's no point in casting him when you could get a lesser known actor trying to make it. Bill Hader as Flint over all worked pretty well with the character and voice, he has a certain awkwardness that does blend well and makes the story believable. Anna Faris, again I love her, but not sure if they really needed her for this movie as she's not that memorable. James Caan is the only stand out performance in the film for me, he's the disapproving father who Flint is constantly trying got get the approval from. Caan always delivers a power house performance and this was no exception. Over all Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is worth the watch as a rental for the kids. It's a good family film, but not so much for the adults, just a warning in advance. I was expecting more and was disappointed, but still it was worth the watch and the animation was really good.
6/10