Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs ***

For adults, it's funny with a chance of guffaws. For kids, it's a Technicolor food land with a good chance of 3D delights. For all, it's a fine animated feature based on the well-known children's book, with a story that says it's OK to be a nerd, and that Dads can love, even if they might be less articulate than a monkey.

The story, such as it is, revolves around a long-time nerd and irrepressible inventor, Flint Lockwood (voiced by SNL's Bill Hader), whose latest, and this time successful, invention is a machine that makes food on demand out of water. When it gets stuck in the clouds over his Atlantic island home, everyone sees deliverance from the economic ruin that has befallen them since sardines lost their popularity. A secretly nerdy weather girl from the states, Sam, ("The House Bunny's" Anna Faris) is sent to investigate, and the soup, er, plot, thickens.

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is thoroughly enjoyable, visually expressive, and blessed with a cast of voices that hold it all together. This movie respects its audience, no matter of what age, and speaks honestly to a number of relationship issues.

Rated PG. 90 minutes. Phil Lord - Director / Writer (screenplay), Chris Miller - Director / Writer (screenplay), Judi Barrett - Writer (book), Ron Barrett - Writer (book), Pam Marsden - Producer, Mark Mothersbaugh - Composer, Justin Thompson - Production Designer. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation. Distributed by Columbia Pictures.

Principal voices: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Bruce Campbell, Andy Samberg, Mr. T, and Tracy Morgan.