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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a classic, modern story of a unique boy’s struggle between the fame he has always craved and doing the right thing. The secluded town in which Flint Lockwood has grown up, is sentenced to isolation because of its location and ill-fated sardine technology boom. Flint has always wanted to be an inventor of something big, and with his mother’s encouragement, spends the better part of his adolescence trying to make it happen. After several failures and many mishaps, Flint is determined to help save his doomed town, Swallow Falls, from being all but forgotten.
Flint’s latest contraption has the Mayor of Swallow Falls drooling for notoriety of epic proportions. To cure the town’s unfortunate sardine surplus, Flint has designed a device that converts water into any food you desire. When the contraption goes haywire and gets sucked up into the atmosphere, Flint struggles to face the reality that his invention days might be over.
But, much to everyone’s amazement, big, juicy hamburgers start dropping from the sky. Followed by bacon and eggs the next morning. Soon, Flint is receiving requests for birthdays and special occasions. Ice cream, T-Bone steaks, you name it! While trying to woo his father’s approval, Flint realizes that his invention has morphed into a dangerous, cataclysmic deluge.
With the help of Sam Sparks, a vivacious weather intern from the big city, Flint recognizes that he must stop the giant smorgasbord before it ruins the entire town. Faced with a harrowing adventure into the belly of the aerial contraption, Flint and Sam claim victory over the monstrous cuisine. Back on land, Flint finally confronts his dad’s constant disappointment, but is overwhelmed when the truth is revealed.
One of the most amusing scenes in the movie is when Flint creates a Jell-o mansion for Sam. They bounce and eat their way through the gelatin castle until they are exhausted. The kids and I love to recreate this scene! I just use a large Jell-o mold and fill it to the top with their favorite flavor. Once it is set, we just turn it out onto a plate and the kids bounce their dolls and trinkets on it, simulating jiggled somersaults and dives!
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a principled and heartfelt film with a moral lesson everyone can relate to, no matter where you’re from.
*I was thrilled to work on this post for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which was sponsored by Sony. All opinions and ideas are my own.
