DVD Review: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

My expectations were minimal when first sliding the DVD into my player. The trailers had done little to captivate my imagination save for provoking my appetite. Based on the initial previews, it seemed like just another unremarkable CG piece of cinema. Perhaps that is why I found myself pleasantly surprised by just how much fun the movie turned out to be.

Located in the fictional city of Swallow Falls, the premise of the story revolves around Flint Lockwood, a down on his luck inventor who desperately wants to discover the next big breakthrough in science. After several failed attempts that include “rat-birds” and “spray on shoes”, Flint has alienated himself from both his father and the town. Meanwhile, the town has fallen on difficult times with most of its residents destitute and living on sardines. In an effort to turn around the economic decline, Flint turns his attention toward creating a machine that can turn water into food.

Flint eventually succeeds and uses the machine to bring prosperity back to the town where he develops into a local hero. He soon develops a friendship with a cute but nerdy weather girl named Sam whose interests reflect his own. After finally achieving fame and status, Flint has everything he could ever want until giant meatballs begin crashing toward the earth creating the dilemma of how much food is too much.

What made this film such a pleasure to sit through was its way of playing on our roles in society and the clichés we make for ourselves. Flint’s relationship dynamic with his father is handled exceptionally well and will certainly be familiar to many. The romantic subplot, while also hackneyed, works quite well in that it avoids becoming just another pointless boring plot device. The audience becomes invested in Flint and wants to see him succeed on both fronts.

The animation is unique in that it is both simple while still ridiculously detailed. The characters maintain a cartoony appearance with large eyes to match their over sized heads, but all sport noticeable texture and depth that gives them a three dimensional appearance. Sam serves as the best example of this with her womanly figure and a face littered with freckles.

The film’s greatest strength however lies in its refusal to take itself seriously. Taking cues from Looney Tunes, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs stretches the boundaries of comedy. The humor is absurd and over the top but not so much that it turns the viewer off. It’s irreverent and silly without being tasteless.

Ultimately, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs should be considered its own thing. Comparisons with Pixar are inevitable, which is a shame because this is a movie that manages to deliver a straight forward story while still introducing the audience to outrageous concepts that in no way should work but do in the competent hands of the filmmakers. The film is cartoonish but believable, somehow meshing the two to create something emotionally purposeful and even sometimes beautiful.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - B

Special Features:

Directors' Commentary with Bill Hader

A Recipe for Success: The Making of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Key Ingredients: The Voices of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Flint's Food Fight Game

Extended Scenes

Early Development Scenes

Progression Reels with Introductions by Visual Effects Supervisor Rob Bredow

Interactive "Raining Sunshine" Sing-A-Long

Raining Sunshine” Music Video by iCarly's Miranda Cosgrove

Behind the Scenes of Miranda Cosgrove's "Raining Sunshine" Music Video

Make It Rain Food

DVD-Rom Link To Exclusive Online Fun