Simon Dillon reviews the film

Based on an apparently much loved children's book that I've never read, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a surprisingly enjoyable animated tale about teenage inventor Flint Lockwood who creates a machine that turns water into food. When this machine is accidentally launched into the atmosphere, it causes the clouds above the island where he lives to rain food.

Before Flint's machine made it rain burgers, ice cream and other delicious treats, the people on the island were stuck eating only sardines (including babies feeding from bottles). Their sudden delight at getting whatever they want to eat (which can be programmed to order) makes a celebrity out of Flint and TV station intern turned weather girl Sam Sparks. Sam and Flint fall in love and everyone seems happy, but Flint's father Tim is concerned the unusual weather might turn into something far more sinister and dangerous.

The vocal talents - including Bill Hader, Anna Farris, James Caan, Bruce Campbell, and most memorably Mr T - all do an excellent job. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller give Pixar a decent run for their money in the spectacular animation stakes, though of course they do not surpass them. That said, the utterly daft premise leads to surprisingly effective moments of surreal whimsy including jelly palaces, spaghetti tornadoes, sandwich boats with pizza sails and some rather sinister plucked turkeys. The sharp, witty screenplay has some terrific one-liners, including my personal favourite as Flint rouses his friends to try and save the world: "Come on! We've got diem to carpe!"

On a moral/spiritual level this there is an obvious, slightly preachy but nevertheless effective lesson on the dangers of gluttony. More interestingly, there seems to be a subtle condemnation of Democrat-style "big government" as the greedy, selfish Mayor (who looks suspiciously like the Mayor from Jaws) gets fatter than anyone. Also, there are the usual - though appropriate - themes of being true to oneself (Flint and Sam are slowly reconciled with their respective inner geeks) and how lack of parental affirmation can lead to the destructive need for affirmation from everyone else.

No masterpiece then, but it is an entertainingly bizarre ride with plenty of colour and silly fun for audiences of all ages. For UK viewers, if the wait for Pixar's Up has proved excruciating then this (and the imminent re-release of Toy Story in 3-D) should prove an effective band-aid until then.