Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs #1 During Weekend Theater Sales With $30M Draw

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a computer-animated film produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was released on September 18, 2009 and was the top film in U.S. and Canadian theaters this weekend, taking in $30.1 million in ticket sales – the 3rd highest weekend opening for a movie released in September ever. The movie is inspired by the children’s book of the same name by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett. Click here to read the plot of the movie. The film features the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Bruce Campbell, James Caan, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Andy Samberg, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, and Will Forte. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is the second animated film to be made using Sony’s animation rendering software, Arnold, and the open source image toolkit OpenImageIO. The film is presented in its 2.35:1 aspect ratio and is released in 3D in select theaters using RealD Cinema and IMAX 3D systems.

The film has received generally favorable reviews from critics, and even scored a 86% from Rotten Tomatoes, a very excellent resource for movie reviews. Yahoo! Movies has it at an overall B- rating from the critics and A- from user reviews. This is obviously a true hit for families and kids. Here’s the latest trailer:

Ernest Hardy of LA Weekly stated Meatballs “is smart, insightful on a host of relationship dynamics, and filled with fast-paced action.” Hardy also appluaded the 3-D effects which “are wonderful, full of witty sight gags that play out both center-screen…” At the Movies host 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.” Kyle Smith of the New York Post gave the film 2 stars stating that the animated movie “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.”

Here is a Sam Sparks Featurette, courtesy of Sony Pictures:

Here is a “Flint & Steve” Featurette, courtesy of Sony Pictures: