Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (movie) facts for kids

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a super fun computer-animated movie! It was made by Sony Pictures Animation. This film features the voices of many famous actors like Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Bruce Campbell, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, and Will Forte.

About the Movie

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a comedy science fiction film. It came out in 2009. The movie is based on a popular children's book with the same name. This book was written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett.

What is it About?

The story follows a young inventor named Flint Lockwood. He lives in a small town called Swallow Falls. This town is known for its sardine fishing. But when the sardine industry goes bad, the town needs a new way to survive.

Flint is a bit clumsy, but he has big ideas. He invents a machine that can turn water into food! This means food can literally rain down from the sky. Imagine cheeseburgers, pizzas, and ice cream falling like snow!

The Food Machine

Flint's invention is called the "Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator" (or FLDSMDFR for short!). At first, it's amazing. The town becomes a popular tourist spot. People come from everywhere to see the food rain.

But soon, things start to go wrong. The machine begins to create giant food. It also makes food storms. This causes big problems for the town and the world. Flint and his friends must work together to stop the machine. They need to save everyone from a global food disaster.

Main Characters

• Flint Lockwood: The main character and a brilliant inventor. He wants to use his inventions to help people.
• Sam Sparks: A smart weather intern who becomes Flint's friend. She helps him understand the science behind his inventions.
• Tim Lockwood: Flint's dad. He is a simple fisherman who doesn't always understand Flint's inventions.
• Mayor Shelbourne: The greedy mayor of Swallow Falls. He only cares about making money from the food tourism.
• Manny: Sam's cameraman. He is a quiet but very helpful person.
• Earl Devereaux: The town's police officer. He is very protective of his son and the town.
• Brent McHale: A former child celebrity from Swallow Falls. He used to be the face of the sardine company.

Making the Movie

The movie was directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. They also helped write the screenplay. Making an animated movie takes a lot of time and effort. Artists, animators, and voice actors all work together.

Voice Actors

The actors who lend their voices to the characters are very important. They bring the characters to life.

• Bill Hader voices Flint Lockwood.
• Anna Faris voices Sam Sparks.
• James Caan voices Tim Lockwood.
• Andy Samberg voices Brent McHale.
• Bruce Campbell voices Mayor Shelbourne.
• Mr. T voices Earl Devereaux.
• Benjamin Bratt voices Manny.

Reception and Success

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was a big hit! It earned over $243 million worldwide. This was much more than its budget of $100 million. Critics and audiences generally liked the movie. They praised its humor, animation, and heartwarming story.

Why Kids Love It

Kids enjoy this movie because it's funny and imaginative. The idea of food raining from the sky is exciting. It also teaches important lessons. These include:

• The importance of friendship.
• Believing in yourself.
• Thinking about the consequences of your actions.

Sequel

Because the first movie was so popular, a sequel was made! It's called Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. This movie came out in 2013. It continues Flint's adventures as he tries to fix the problems caused by his food machine.