Movie Review: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Overview

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: Meatballs, I love Italian food. But not when it is the size of a building. This movie was a very cute movie on the surface that involved food literally raining from the heavens. I believe it had some very real and teachable themes. For example, following your dreams, never giving up and going the extra mile for your family and friends. All in all I really think this movie was a well put together story of a true underdog that in the end really saved the day and stayed faithful to his dreams through the good times and even the bad.

Concerns

The two main characters (Flint Lockwood and Sam Sparks) had a rather mature in nature type of relationship that I believe a lot of kids could mistake for a healthy relationship complete with kissing. Even though I believe this movie is a very cute movie on the outside. The story line is a pretty complex one for a film that is geared towards kids. Preschool and early elementary age children I really don’t think will get this movie, at least the true heart of the movie which are the teachable themes that I mentioned in my overview above.

Teachable Themes

• Following Your Dreams

Our main character Flint Lockwood knew at a young age what he wanted to do in life and was determined from that young age to not let anyone deter him from fulfilling that dream of being a great inventor. He always pressed forward no matter what anyone around him did or said. He also kept a very positive attitude even through the bad times.


• Never Giving Up

Towards the end of the film when it looked like all was lost and Flint Lockwood was just about to give up his on dream, his Dad (Tim Lockwood) just had to remind him of who he was by giving him back his Inventors White lab Coat and he was ready to go forward again.


• Going The Extra Mile

Just when everything was going great for Flint Lockwood and his greatest invention ever had just saved the town of Swallow Falls. Everything then suddenly went very wrong and at that moment Flint Lockwood had a choice to make. Do I just give up and let everything and everyone around me dictate what I will now do or do I decide to still move forward and make the best of a very bad situation. I am so glad that he decided to go that extra mile because in the end he truly was the hero that he was meant to be.

Biblical References

• Following Your Dreams

Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 1:1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.


• Never Giving Up

Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Matthew 17:20 If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you.


• Going The Extra Mile

Matthew 5:44-45a But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:47-48 If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? Don’t even unbelievers do that? But you must always act like your Father in heaven.

Discussion Questions
Following Your Dreams:

1. What is a dream and how do we have one or get one to follow?


2. How can we follow our dreams even though we may not know all the details?


3. When it gets hard to follow our dreams what should we do?

Never Giving Up:

1. What are some practical ways that we can be faithful to God and the dreams that he has given us?


2. What could some of the rewards be in our lives for not giving up on God and our dreams?

Going The Extra Mile:

1. How can we show love to those around us even if they don’t show us that same love in return?


2. What are some practical ways that we can go the extra mile in helping those around us (school, neighborhoods and communities)?