Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

So, they're making my alltime favorite children's book into an animated film. Needless to say, when my dad texted me this information, I was beyond psyched.

This book is amazing. I love the story itself, the illustrations, and just the general idea. I also liked the fact that there weren't really any main characters. The story was just that- a story, a bedtime story. It was a general story of a far away land called Chewandswallow (I of course didn't figure out the humor in this title until much later than I should have, and though I read it every day, I still pronounced the name "chesanwallow") and this place is much different than anywhere we know- because they don't buy their food at the grocery store, because it falls from the sky! Their weather is how they get their food. Believe it or not, this allows for a very creative, in depth story, in which Barret answers almost any question you would have about a land like this, with specific details, like how when people from Chewandswallow would watch the weather, it would provide them with an idea of what that day's food would be, and the job of the town sanitation department.

The illustrations were another one of my favorite elements, they were somehow different from any others I'd seen before.

And now, sony pictures is making it into a movie. And, so far, I'm disappointed.

First of all, they're changing the plot. According to Zap2it.com, "Unlike the book, the film will give the origins of the phenomena: a scientist who seeks to end world hunger by creating the unusual weather. Unfortunately, the weather, like sour milk, takes a turn for the worse."

I don't want the origins! I want the story I grew up with! Hopefully, the movie will expand on the book, and not completely avoid it.

The other problem is the animation. It's too funky and strange. It would have been cool if they could have somehow incorporated the type of illustrations found in the book itself. There's only one picture released that I've been able to find so far, and the characters are weird. Their hands are monstrous, as well as their eyes, and they're dressed too...teenagery? It just doesn't seem right to me. I liked how the book was mainly primary colors, it really just worked. The new angle they're taking on the animation just isn't jiving with me, but maybe things will change when the trailer comes out.