Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (film)

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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Cloudy with a chance of meatballs theataposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
  • Phil Lord
  • Christopher Miller
Based on
Produced byPam Marsden
Starring
Edited byRobert Fisher Jr.
Music byMark Mothersbaugh[1][2][3]
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing[5]
Release date
  • September 12, 2009 (2009-09-12) (Los Angeles)[6]
  • September 18, 2009 (2009-09-18) (United States)
Running time
90 minutes[5]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100 million[7]
Box office$243 million[7]

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a 2009 American computer-animated science fiction comedy film produced by Sony Pictures Animation and loosely based on the 1978 children's book of the same name by Judi and Ron Barrett.

It was written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller in their directorial debuts, and features the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, and Neil Patrick Harris. It is centered around an aspiring inventor named Flint Lockwood who develops, following a series of failed experiments, a machine that can convert water into food. After the machine gains sentience and begins to develop food storms, Flint must destroy the machine in order to save the world.

The film premiered in Los Angeles on September 12, 2009, and was released in the United States six days later on September 18 by Sony Pictures Releasing under its Columbia Pictures label. It earned over $243 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million at the box office.[7] The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its colorful visuals, humor, characterizations, and voice acting, while the simple character designs and plot were said to be unfitting. The film has since been expanded into a franchise, with a sequel, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, released on September 27, 2013, as well as an animated television series based on the film that premiered on Cartoon Network on February 20, 2017, with none of the original cast returning.

Plot[]

Aspiring scientist Flint Lockwood lives with his widowed father, Tim, and his pet monkey, Steve, in Swallow Falls, an island in the Atlantic Ocean with an economy based on sardines. Due to sardines being considered unsavory by the rest of the world, Swallow Falls' economy declines, forcing the citizens to subsist on a mainly sardine-based diet. Flint invents the FLDSMDFR (acronym for Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator), a device which converts water into food, in an effort to expand the town's diet, much to the chagrin of Tim, who intends for Flint to one day take over the family-owned fishing shop.

Flint's attempt to plug the device in knocks out his house's power, so he connects the FLDSMDFR to a local substation, overloading it and sending it rocketing across town, demolishing a sardine-themed amusement park meant to revitalize the town in the process before it disappears into the sky. The chaos earns Flint the ire of the town, along with that of Samantha Sparks, an amateur field reporter, and the disappointment of Tim. Soon after, however, cheeseburgers begin falling from the sky and Flint realizes the FLDSMDFR is functioning successfully in the stratosphere, using the condensation from clouds to create food-based weather systems.

The town rejoices in their new food choices and Swallow Falls is renamed Chewandswallow and becomes a "food tourism" destination, making Flint a local celebrity. Flint and Sam grow closer after she reveals that she was teased as a child for her glasses and her fascination with meteorology. However, Flint notices the food has begun to "over-mutate", gradually becoming bigger. He attempts to warn the town's mayor that the FLDSMDFR may be malfunctioning, but he ignores his warnings. After a tornado made of spaghetti threatens the town, Flint attempts to shut the FLDSMDFR down, but the control device is mistakenly destroyed by the mayor while he is trying to stop him, causing the machine to become rogue and create a massive "food storm" that spreads across the world.

Flint creates a USB flash drive designed to shut down the FLDSMDFR and builds a flying car to reach it, accompanied by Steve, Sam, her cameraman Manny, and the town's former mascot Brent. Upon reaching the FLDSMDFR, they discover it has surrounded itself in a giant meatball-like object made of food for protection. Reaching the interior, the flash drive is lost, prompting Flint to call Tim, telling him to go to his lab and email the drive's code to his cell phone via his computer.

Finding the FLDSMDFR, Flint connects his phone with the flash drive's code sent by Tim to it, only to discover that he sent the wrong file. All seems lost until Flint uses his Spray-On Shoes formula on the machine, causing it to overload and destroy the meatball, ending the food storm. Flint, having survived the explosion, reunites with Sam and Tim, the latter of whom finally shows appreciation for his son's inventions.

Voice cast[]

  • Bill Hader as Flint Lockwood: a young, timid, unsuccessful but determined inventor and Sam's love interest. Hader also provides the automated voice of the FLDSMDFR (acronym for Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator), Flint's invention that can covert water into food.
    • Max Neuwirth as the young Flint.
  • Anna Faris as Sam Sparks: a formerly nerdy weather intern from New York City and Flint's love interest.
  • Neil Patrick Harris as Steve: Flint's sugar-addicted pet vervet monkey who can communicate through a thought translator Flint invented.
  • James Caan as Tim Lockwood: Flint's taciturn but caring technophobic fisherman father.
  • Bruce Campbell as Mayor Shelbourne: the corrupt, greedy and selfish mayor of Swallow Falls. Unhappy with his status as a small town mayor, he sees Flint as his route to greater success. He becomes morbidly obese by constantly consuming the FLDSMDFR's food throughout the film.
  • Andy Samberg as "Baby" Brent McHale: the arrogant and dim-witted mascot of Baby Brent's Sardines and Flint's former rival.
  • Mr. T as Officer Earl Devereaux: the town's athletic police officer and Cal's father.
  • Bobb'e J. Thompson as Calvin 'Cal' Devereaux: Earl's young son.
  • Benjamin Bratt as Manny: Sam's Guatemalan cameraman and former doctor, pilot, and comedian.
  • Al Roker as Patrick Patrickson: the anchorman of the weather station.
  • Lauren Graham as Fran Lockwood: Flint's late mother who had always believed in her son and always expressed it unlike her husband.
  • Will Forte as Joe Towne: a bearded redneck citizen who appears on numerous occasions throughout the film.
  • Angela Shelton as Regina Devereaux: Earl's wife and Cal's mother.

Production[]

Development[]

On May 9, 2003, a year after establishment, Sony Pictures Animation announced its first animated slate, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, a film adaptation of the book of the same name. The Brizzi brothers were brought to direct the film, with Wayne Rice adapting the screenplay.[8] In 2006, it was reported that the film had been helmed by new directors and writers, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.[9]

Story and script[]

After a year working on the script, they were fired for story issues and replaced with new writers, who after a year were also fired. Lord and Miller were then re-hired in 2006. The two completely redid the script, this time with the creative input of their crew. The new draft had the protagonist as a failed inventor who wanted to prove himself to his town. The two were almost fired again after Amy Pascal, then-head of Sony Pictures, criticized the film for a lack of story. Although the film succeeded on the comedic front in the animatic stage, Pascal cited the lack of an anchoring relationship in the film as a failure in the story telling. Unable to create new characters and environments to suit the new story demands, the two elevated the character of the tackle shop extra to be the protagonist's father, thereby creating the relationship Pascal had requested. The pair's experience on Cloudy taught them two valuable lessons: the power of creative collaboration and the importance of emotion in a story.[10]

Casting[]

On September 18, 2008, Variety announced that Bill Hader and Anna Faris had signed on to voice the two lead characters, with James Caan, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Andy Samberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Benjamin Bratt, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, and Will Forte also in the voice cast.[11] Lord and Miller said later that year that it would be a homage to, and a parody of, disaster films such as Twister, Armageddon, The Core, and The Day After Tomorrow.[12] Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is the second film after Monster House that was made using the animation rendering software Arnold.[13]

Music[]

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Soundtrack album by
Mark Mothersbaugh
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2009
Recorded2009
StudioAir Lyndhurst Studios
Angel Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Henry Wood Hall
GenreFilm score
Length65:16
LabelSony Pictures Entertainment (Sony Music)
Mark Mothersbaugh chronology
Fanboys
(2009) 		Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
(2009) 		Ramona and Beezus
(2010)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is the soundtrack to the film of the same name, released under Sony Pictures Entertainment on September 15, 2009. The music of the film and this album are both credited to be composed and produced by American composer Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo.

Track listing[]

All music is composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, except where noted.

No.TitlePerformerLength
1."Raining Sunshine" (Matthew Gerrard, Jay Landers, Charlie Midnight)Miranda Cosgrove3:44
2."Swallow Falls" 0:47
3."Introducing Flint" 4:16
4."The Latest Invention" 1:23
5."The Mayor/Earl Warns Flint" 1:17
6."Sam's Big Break" 0:50
7."Powering Up" 1:05
8."Failure Again" 1:54
9."Meatier Shower" 3:10
10."A Father's Love" 1:19
11."Ice Cream Wonderland" 1:22
12."Snowball!" 1:15
13."The Mayor's Big Plan" 1:16
14."Activation and the Jell-O Dome" 1:39
15."Sam and Flint Bond" 2:00
16."Doubting Dad/Mutations" 2:57
17."The Spaghetti Twister" 3:08
18."Aftermath" 2:26
19."Flint's Determination" 2:44
20."The Food Storm" 2:08
21."The Mission Begins" 2:36
22."Outside the Meatball" 1:57
23."Inside the Meatball" 1:39
24."Earl Takes Charge" 2:00
25."Sentient Chickens" 2:42
26."Worldwide Chaos" 0:57
27."Anaphylactic Love" 1:41
28."Attack of the Gummi Bears" 1:40
29."Here's the Cheese" 1:25
30."The Heart of the Meatball" 1:17
31."Spray-On Triumph" 1:55
32."Flint Returns" 3:31
33."Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" (Marvin Hamlisch, Howard Liebling)Lesley Gore1:37
Total length:65:16

Release[]

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs premiered on September 12, 2009, at the Mann Village Theatre in Los Angeles, California.[6] The film had its wide release on September 18, 2009, along with a digitally re-mastered release to IMAX 3D theatres.[14]

Home media[]

The film was released on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and PSP UMD on January 5, 2010 in the United States and Canada.[15][16] A 3D Blu-ray was released on June 22, 2010. It was the first 3D Blu-ray sold individually in the United States.[17]

Art book[]

In August 2009, Insight Editions published a companion book to the film called The Art and Making of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.[18][19]

Reception[]

Critical response[]

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a "Certified Fresh" rating of 86% based on 142 reviews with an average rating of 7.3/10. The consensus statement reads, "Quirky humor, plucky characters and solid slapstick make this family comedy a frenetically tasty time at the movies."[20] On Metacritic it has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 24 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[21] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[22]

Ernest Hardy of LA Weekly stated the film "is smart, insightful on a host of relationship dynamics, and filled with fast-paced action". Hardy also applauded the 3-D effects which "are wonderful, full of witty sight gags that play out both center-screen and on the periphery".[23] Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a mixed review stating that "Crazy doesn't always equal funny, and the gigantism of this 3-D offering's second half puts a damper on your enjoyment. But look: This film wasn't made for you, or me. It was made for dangerously, easily distracted 9-year-olds."[24] Kyle Smith of the New York Post gave the film two stars stating that the animated film "greatly expands on the kids' book on which it's based in a clever and engaging first half. But the second half leaves a foul aftertaste."[25]

Box office[]

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs earned a total of $243 million on a reported budget of $100 million. Of the gross, 51%, or $124,870,275, came from the domestic market, while the rest, $118,135,851, from other territories.[7] For the film's marketing, Sony spent $43.3 million in the United States, and $26 million in other countries.[26] The film earned $8,137,358 on its opening Friday, and ranked #1 at the box office with a total of $30.3 million for the first weekend.[27] On its second weekend, it remained at #1 with a decrease of only 17%.[28] It currently holds the record for third-largest opening weekend in the month of September.[7] Documents from the Sony Pictures hack revealed the film turned a profit of $6 million.[29]

Accolades[]

Group Category Recipient Result
Annie Awards[30] Animated Effects Tom Kluyskens Nominated
Best Animated Feature Nominated
Directing in a Feature Production Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Nominated
Writing in a Feature Production Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards[31] Best Animated Feature Nominated
Golden Globe Awards[32] Best Animated Feature Film Nominated
Satellite Awards[33] Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature Nominated
Visual Effects Society Awards[34] Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture Pete Nash, Chris Juen, Alan Hawkins, Mike Ford Nominated
Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture Rob Bredow, Dan Kramer, Matt Hausman, Carl Hooper Nominated

Expanded franchise[]

Main article: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (franchise)

Sequel[]

Main article: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

A sequel, titled Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, was released on September 27, 2013. Directed by Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, and it is based on an original idea, where Flint and his friends must again save the world from his food machine, which survived the explosion in the prequel. This time, the machine gains the ability to produce living food beasts.[35] Most of the main cast reprised their roles, but Earl the town cop was voiced by Terry Crews since Mr. T declined to return. New cast also includes Kristen Schaal as orangutan Barb, and Will Forte in his new role of Chester V.[36]

Television series[]

Main article: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (TV series)

On October 9, 2014, DHX Media announced that it will develop and produce a television series based on the film franchise, titled Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: The Series.[37] The series will be traditionally animated and will consist of twenty-six 22-minute episodes.[37] It will take place before the first film, showing Flint Lockwood as a high school student who dreams of becoming a serious scientist.[37] In his adventures, he will be joined by Sam Sparks, a new girl in town and the school's "wannabe" reporter, along with Flint's dad Tim, Steve the Monkey, Manny as the head of the school's audiovisual club, Earl as a school gym teacher, Brent as a baby wear model, and mayor Shelbourne.[37] DHX Media will handle the global television and non-US home entertainment distribution, along with worldwide merchandising rights, while Sony will distribute home entertainment in the US.[37] Commissioned by Teletoon in Canada, the series will air on Cartoon Network in the United States,[38] and on the Boomerang channel in other territories.[39] None of the original cast returned for the show and are replaced by Canadian voice actors.

See also[]

Real life food spill disasters

References[]

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  2. ^ "Info". Mutato Muzika. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
  3. ^ "GeekDad Talks Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs with Directors Chris Miller & Phil Lord". Wired. August 6, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
  4. ^ "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". The Numbers. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "L.A. Premiere of 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs'/". Hollywood.com. September 12, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  8. ^ Ball, Ryan (May 9, 2003). "Sony Taps Six to Direct Animates Slate". Animation Magazine. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  9. ^ Nguyen, Hanh (August 16, 2006). "Sony Forecasts 'Chance of Meatballs'". Zap2it. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
  10. ^ Phil Lord (October 11, 2012). Rewriting Collective Insights: Phil Lord at TEDxCoconutGrove. TEDx Talks. Retrieved September 20, 2018 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (September 18, 2008). "Hader, Faris spice up 'Meatballs". Variety. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
  12. ^ Sloan, Sam (August 16, 2006). "It's Raining.........Food?". Slice of SciFi. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2010.
  13. ^ Bharwani, Asim (July 2009). "Sneak Peek: 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs'". MovingPicturesMagazine.com. Archived from the original on 2009-07-30. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  14. ^ IMAX Corporation (July 29, 2009). "Sony Pictures Animation's Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs to be released in IMAX(R) 3D" (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  15. ^ Nemiroff, Perri (November 27, 2009). "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs Pours Onto DVD In January". Cinema Blend. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  16. ^ McCutcheon, David (November 9, 2009). "Meatballs Cloud Up Home". IGN. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  17. ^ Calonge, Juan (June 10, 2010). "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 3D Blu-ray Announced". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  18. ^ Silver, Curtis (October 21, 2009). "Get Visual With the Art of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs". Wired. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  19. ^ Miller-Zarneke, Tracey; Barrett, Judi (2009). The Art and Making of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Hardcover). ISBN 978-1933784892.
  20. ^ "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  21. ^ "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  22. ^ Kaufman, Amy (September 29, 2013). "'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2' is No. 1 on crowded weekend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 14, 2017. Both installments received an average grade of A-, according to market research firm CinemaScore.
  23. ^ Hardy, Ernest (September 16, 2009). "Movie Reviews: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Jennifer's Body, Love Happens". LA Weekly. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  24. ^ Phillips, Michael (September 17, 2009). "'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' -- 2 1/2 stars". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  25. ^ Smith, Kyle (September 18, 2009). "Forecast: Fishy". New York Post. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  26. ^ Litt, Stefan (November 26, 2013). "Smurfs 3". WikiLeaks. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  27. ^ Gray, Brandon (September 21, 2009). "Weekend Report: Moviegoers Feast on 'Meatballs,' Slim Pickings for 'Jennifer'". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  28. ^ Gray, Brandon (September 28, 2009). "Weekend Report: Blue Skies for 'Cloudy,' Hazy Starts for 'Surrogates,' 'Fame'". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  29. ^ "Physical Year End 2011-Budget Presentation". WikiLeaks. March 17, 2010. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  30. ^ "37th Annual Annie Nominations and Awards Recipients". AnnieAwards.org. Archived from the original on August 15, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  31. ^ "15TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS (2010) – BEST PICTURE: THE HURT LOCKER". CriticsChoice.com. November 21, 2011. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  32. ^ "THE 67TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS NOMINATIONS". GoldenGlobes.org. December 15, 2009. Archived from the original on 2012-07-31. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  33. ^ "2009 Satellite Awards". PressAcademy.com. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  34. ^ "8th Annual VES Awards". VisualEffectsSociety.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  35. ^ Sony Pictures Animation (August 21, 2012). "Delicious Voice Cast Storms In To 'Cloudy 2: Revenge Of The Leftovers'". PR Newswire. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  36. ^ Breznican, Anthony (August 21, 2012). "CAUTION: Food may eat YOU in 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' sequel -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  37. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "DHX MEDIA AND SONY PICTURES ANIMATION TAKING CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS TO TELEVISION" (Press release). DHX Media. October 9, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-10. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  38. ^ Sony Pictures Animation (June 20, 2016). "Sony Pictures Animation Announces 2017 & 2018 Slate" (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  39. ^ DHX Media (October 5, 2015). "DHX Media and Sony Pictures Animation's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs TV Series Goes Global" (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved October 9, 2015.

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