Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (U)

HERE'S a massive show of confidence for you. Sony Pictures Animation is rolling out its new family movie three weeks AFTER every kid's gone back to school.

A bizarre move, even if it was trying to offload the film equivalent of a silent- but-deadly. But in this case, it's lunacy.

Because with the sole exception of Ice Age 3, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is better than the entire family- friendly summer slate rolled together.

Any film that can round up Anna Faris, Bruce 'The Evil Dead' Campbell and Mr T for the voices was never going to disappoint. But Meatballs is not just a great family film - it's a great film full stop, and would even work as a date movie - if your other half can get over the fact you're taking them to a U cartoon about flying burgers.

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Superbad's Bill Hader voices Flint Lockwood, an inventor from Chewand- swallow town, who comes up with a machine that turns clouds into food.

A wannabe weathergirl (Faris) then hosts a series of pun-tastic forecasts, like: "You may have seen a meteor shower but you have never seen a shower MEATIER than this."

It's not just the gags that impress. The all-ages comedy script is mixed with boundary-pushing visuals, a charming story and loveable cast.

Modestly, Meatballs opens with the dedication: "A film by . . . a lot of people."

Well done, a lot of people. You've made a lot of other people very happy. And hungry.

OUT FRIDAY

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