Ratatouille

[Bourne101]

http://www.disneyfrontier.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/_blogimages_luxo_RatatouillePoster.jpg

Directed by Brad Bird

Genre: Animation/Comedy

Tagline: Dinner is served... Summer 2007

Plot Outline: Remy is a rat, constantly risking life in an expensive French restaurant because of his love of good food, as well as a desire to become a chef. Yet, obviously, this is a rather tough dream for a rat. But opportunity knocks when a young boy, who desperately needs to keep his job at the restaurant, despite his lack of cooking abilities, discovers and partners the young Remy. Its up to the two of them to avoid the insane head chef, bring the rest of Remy's family up to his standards, win his partner a girl, and, of course, produce the finest Ratatouille in all of France. (imdb)

Starring: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano and Brian Dennehy.

Rated G

Runtime: 110 minutes

From the reviews so far it sounds great. Cars was alright, but it was disappointing and the plot was not all that interesting. This plot is unique and interesting. I will be seeing this for sure.

[Shockwave]

Directed by Brad Bird

Thats all i need to get me in that seat.

Advance reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and while some PIXAR movies are better then others, the vast mojority are pretty damn awesome.

They are what Disney used to be. Great story tellers.:cool:

[ilovemovies]

Looks about on par with The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Cars. In other words the lesser PIXAR flicks.

Which is certainly not a bad thing because it's not like those are bad movies. They are just not on the same level as the great PIXAR movies like the Toy Story flicks and Monsters Inc.


On the otherhand, the reviews have been amazing so far, but then again, they were fantastic for The Incredibles and Finding Nemo as well.

[Cronos]

Originally posted by Shockwave
Thats all i need to get me in that seat.
same here, i was kinda hesitant about the film at first but after i found out he was directing i'm really looking forward to this

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by ilovemovies


On the otherhand, the reviews have been amazing so far, but then again, they were fantastic for The Incredibles and Finding Nemo as well.

Thats very good then since i think both those movies are PIXARs best efforts aside from TOY STORY 1 and 2.

[Bourne101]

And is it just me, or from the trailers this looks like the nicest looking Pixar flick yet. They all look amazing, no doubt, but something about this one makes it look even better.

[brodeurnumber1]

I saw a sneak preview of it on Saturday, and it really helped redeem the abomination that was Fantastic Four 2 previous to it. This is a much better film than Cars and is on par with Pixar's best work really. It's easily the best film of the Summer so far and come Oscar time, it should be the easy choice for Best Animated Film.

[Moviefan1234]

This looks like an excellent film by Pixar. The trailers make me smile and I imagine the entire film will as well.

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by Moviefan1234
This looks like an excellent film by Pixar. The trailers make me smile and I imagine the entire film will as well.

Yeah, i was pretty "ho-hum" with this movie until i saw the trailer, and it charmed the hell out of me.

[Bourne101]

Not a business breaker, but there is already a copy floating around the net.

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by Bourne101
Not a business breaker, but there is already a copy floating around the net.

it wouldnt hurt something like this anyway.

PIXAR movies usualy get entire families into the theatre, and id see it regardless just for the superior qaulity a theatre could provide for a movie of this nature.

[Lazy Boy]

I also saw the sneak preview last weekend, and it was indeed Pixar's best film in a long time, at least since Finding Nemo.

[Strider]

The trailers don't make Ratatouille look like anything special, but I'll see the film anyway. It'll be my first Pixar film since The Incredibles. I passed on Cars because it didn't interest me in the slightest (and it still doesn't). I do hope Brad Bird knocks this one out the park for Pixar, as it's been a long time since their last great animated film, Toy Story 2.

Strider

[Shockwave]

I remember thinking how lame Finding Nemo looked until i saw it. Now i give it a 9/10.

[mdpuff01]

Originally posted by Shockwave
I remember thinking how lame Finding Nemo looked until i saw it. Now i give it a 9/10.

Yeah, I think I'd say that for pretty much every Pixar movie. Their trailers are never really appealing for some reason. I didn't even watch Nemo in theaters cause it looked so corny, but I love it now. Even Cars, which wasn't great by any means, was still a good movie, despite the fact that the trailer created absolutely zero interest.

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by mdpuff01
Yeah, I think I'd say that for pretty much every Pixar movie. Their trailers are never really appealing for some reason. I didn't even watch Nemo in theaters cause it looked so corny, but I love it now. Even Cars, which wasn't great by any means, was still a good movie, despite the fact that the trailer created absolutely zero interest.


Yeah, its funny about Cars because i thought it looked TERRIBLE and only went to see it due to PIXARs past record.

While i found it to not be a classic by any means, it was still a realy fun movie with a great cast of characters. Id still put it far above most animated movies ive seen of late, although MONSTER HOUSE probably claims the prize for being the best one i saw that year.

[Monotreme]

If there's one thing I must say, though, Pixar's promotions for The Incredibles were by far the best they've ever produced. The teaser and trailers were HILARIOUS, and they also had this brilliant "first in line" campaign which supposedly documented the (staged) first person in line to see the movie. Brilliant.

So I agree, the trailers aren't exactly engaging here although they certainly spark interest and make it look like a very sweet movie - but it's Brad Bird, and it's Pixar, and I trust them. Besides, the animation in this looks like the best goddam CG animation I've EVER seen.

[Scarfather]

9/10

This movie totally kicked my ass for being skeptical, my favorite Pixar flick right after Toy Story.

[Edie0027]

10/10

I absolutely loved it, I honestly can't think about anything I didn't like about it except that I couldn't take it home to watch again and again on DVD. The combination of the glorious animation and the great story make this one of my favorite movies of all time. Definitely check it out as soon as you can.

[WhatsInaName]

*drools*

[movieme07]

I am definitely hitting this up on Friday, I was disappointed with Cars but Pixar's track record and the reviews lead me to believe they have made yet another winner.

[X-Nightcrawler]

I'm not a fan of Pixar (the only movies by them I've really liked are "Monsters, Inc." and somewhat "Finding Nemo") but this one looks genuinely entertaining. The great reviews help.

[Cronos]

Cars left me very disappointed and a little skeptical about what Pixar would follow it up with and Ratatouille has removed any ill feelings that that film gave me, and i can say that this is an animation masterpiece, the film looks amazing, the animation is gorgeous. the character designs look great and the "action" scenes worked perfectly and really sucked me in. the voice cast did excellent jobs and really helped bring the characters to life, it's also very very funny at times with some great dialogue. its increadibly entertaining and the only thing that annoyed me was that it looks like i'll have to wait till october to see it on the big screen

Brad Bird has another winner on his hands, go see it

10/10

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by Cronos
Cars left me very disappointed and a little skeptical about what Pixar would follow it up with and Ratatouille has removed any ill feelings that that film gave me, and i can say that this is an animation masterpiece, the film looks amazing, the animation is gorgeous. the character designs look great and the "action" scenes worked perfectly and really sucked me in. the voice cast did excellent jobs and really helped bring the characters to life, it's also very very funny at times with some great dialogue. its increadibly entertaining and the only thing that annoyed me was that it looks like i'll have to wait till october to see it on the big screen

Brad Bird has another winner on his hands, go see it

10/10

Great news Cronos! I always trust your reviews and I am super excited to go see this, this weekend.

[SpikeDurden]

It looks wonderful. I can't wait!

[FilmKing2000]

Albeit I didn't think Cars (7/10) held up to Pixar's previous and much more admirable efforts, they are nevertheless possibly the most consistent animation studio working today. Especially based on some early buzz, Ratoutille sounds like another noble feat and worthy addition to their already substantial vault of classics. And man, let me tell you, their honing animation work cannot be any more perfect! The glaringly voluptuous, absolute visual spotlessness of the previews of this film alone make my mouth water. Count me in!

[veddhead83]

Quickie Review

Pixar has delivered another dud. I haven't truly enjoyed one of theirs since "Monsters, Inc." and I probably won't until "Toy Story 3" comes out. I find the animation to be superb. The design and look are both excellent. But with all the time they invest on animation, you would think they would invest time into characters that we could care about or a story worth watching. Like I give two shits about a rat who wants to cook or cars thrown into the movie "Doc Hollywood." This was not funny. And it was only entertaining for the first 40 mins or so. Disney/Pixar should have left some of this on the editing floor. Maybe my hopes were too high considering all of the great buzz this is receiving...who knows?? Mediocre at best.

"Ratatouille": C

[Quigles]

Originally posted by veddhead83
Quickie Review

Pixar has delivered another dud. I haven't truly enjoyed one of theirs since "Monsters, Inc." and I probably won't until "Toy Story 3" comes out. I find the animation to be superb. The design and look are both excellent. But with all the time they invest on animation, you would think they would invest time into characters that we could care about or a story worth watching. Like I give two shits about a rat who wants to cook or cars thrown into the movie "Doc Hollywood." This was not funny. And it was only entertaining for the first 40 mins or so. Disney/Pixar should have left some of this on the editing floor. Maybe my hopes were too high considering all of the great buzz this is receiving...who knows?? Mediocre at best.

"Ratatouille": C
Anybody else here picture Anton Ego while reading this?

BTW - I thought CARS was incredibly generic, but was amazed at how much I loved this film. A 9/10 from me.

[athf1980]

this movie was great. It was quite nice to see a movie that is not based on ride,comic book or sequal.

[veddhead83]

Originally posted by Quigles
Anybody else here picture Anton Ego while reading this?

BTW - I thought CARS was incredibly generic, but was amazed at how much I loved this film. A 9/10 from me. Ha ha. Reading your review reminds me of....oh wait there is no review...

[KKholiday561]

yeah it look's like a good movie, but i haven't heard any reviews

[Quigles]

Originally posted by veddhead83
Ha ha. Reading your review reminds me of....oh wait there is no review...
After the major disappointment of CARS, Pixar comes back in full form with Brad Bird's latest animated masterpiece. Simply put, the man's a genius.

I actually had no interest in this film originally (other than it being Pixar, and under Bird's name), so it was quite a surprise to find myself as captivated by it as I was. The characters are handled perfectly, and the slapstick humor is executed in fun and creative ways. The picture even manages to include a number of stunning action sequences, proving once and for all that Bird and his team can take even the most tired elements and do something exciting with them.

The film is also refreshingly deep, featuring a combination of mature adult themes and a wonderfully handled message for the younguns (unlike the usual stock messages that most family-oriented films provide).

Like The Incredibles and The Iron Giant before it (both directed by Bird), there's a balance struck here that allows people of all ages to appreciate what the film has to offer. The kids will love the silly characters, energetic sequences, and goofy gags, while the older audience members can enjoy those very same elements (since they're handled in a way that's not at all condescending), plus much more. In particular, the writing is sensational, adding a non-stop series of hilarious moments to the mix without sacrificing character development or a strong story.

Brad Bird sure knows how to make a classy picture. This is one for the ages.

9/10

[veddhead83]

Originally posted by Quigles
After the major disappointment of CARS, Pixar comes back in full form with Brad Bird's latest animated masterpiece. Simply put, the man's a genius.

I actually had no interest in this film originally (other than it being Pixar, and under Bird's name), so it was quite a surprise to find myself as captivated by it as I was. The characters are handled perfectly, and the slapstick humor is executed in fun and creative ways. The picture even manages to include a number of stunning action sequences, proving once and for all that Bird and his team can take even the most tired elements and do something exciting with them.

The film is also refreshingly deep, featuring a combination of mature adult themes and a wonderfully handled message for the younguns (unlike the usual stock messages that most family-oriented films provide).

Like The Incredibles and The Iron Giant before it (both directed by Bird), there's a balance struck here that allows people of all ages to appreciate what the film has to offer. The kids will love the silly characters, energetic sequences, and goofy gags, while the older audience members can enjoy those very same elements (since they're handled in a way that's not at all condescending), plus much more. In particular, the writing is sensational, adding a non-stop series of hilarious moments to the mix without sacrificing character development or a strong story.

Brad Bird sure knows how to make a classy picture. This is one for the ages.

9/10 Nice review...I just found the film lacked anything close to hilarious moments. It didn't make me or anyone else watching it laugh whatsoever....I found the the film ran about an hour more than it needed to. Of course since Disney/Pixar have their names all over it, everyone is going to slurp this crap up and praise the thing to death - which is fine if you like doing that. I on the other hand will wait until "Toy Story 3" comes out as Pixar hasn't made a decent flick since "Monsters, Inc." or "Toy Story 2."

[thedudeman69]

I am seeing this today. It looks good, and there were some genuinely funny moments in the trailer.

[Derrida]

Loved it, loved it, loved it!!! God, Peter O'Toole is sublime! My second favourite film of 2007, after Zodiac.

[chinton]

You know I can totaly see where people were coming from who didn't particuraly care for the film. Despite its grand and stunning vistas of Paris it's a surprisngly low-key, small chamber piece that takes place mostly in a kitchen. It's the quietest film that Bird or Pixar has ever done and the story on the surface is pretty simple.

Yet, for what sounds like a C movie I absolutely loved it. Maybe not everybody will get what I'm saying but I think this film has a real charm about it. It was just so delightful. I loved the characters especially the food critic played by a scene stealing Peter O'Toole and I really loved how they handled the relationship between Remy and Liugi. The dialogue is well done and I thought the action was expertly paced. The sequence where Remy first finds the kitchen all the way too the point where he's captured in front of the soup I thought was amazingly well-done. Fantastic camerawork abounds in that scene and it proves why Brad Bird has one of the most exciting visual senses in animation.

The movie was just sublime. I love its exploration of cooking and what it means to different peoople. Surprisngly mature. If only more animated comedies could be this mature and fun. I mean you gotta give Pixar credict for making a kids film about the love of food.

By the way could we tell Dreamworks to watch this and maybe they will learn a few things.

9/10



By the way who else thought that the speech or review Peter O'Toole or Ego gives towards the end was a truly inspired piece of dialogue.

[SpikeDurden]

What a wonderful, enchanting, lovely film. I was hooked from the first frame and subsequently fell in love with the film, its characters, its storyline, its visuals, and Giacchino's fantastic score. The voice acting is superb (particularly from Peter O'Toole) and the characters are beautifully developed. I can't praise this film enough, Brad Bird is a genius. I can't wait to see it again.

9.8/10

My third favorite Pixar, behind The Incredibles and Toy Story 2, and henceforth one of my favorite animated films ever. Truly sublime.

[Shockwave]

Wow.

I loved this. While its quite on the level of The Incredibles or the Toy Story movies, its just a notch below, shared only by Finding Nemo. Far better then CARS.

9/10. I shouldve known.:cool:

[darkface]

Wow. This is probably the best reviewed film by schmoes of all time. I can't remember a time when I only saw 9/10 and 10/10's.

I didn't care too much for this movie. But after reading these reviews, it's a must see for me now!

[AndrewDB]

My favorite Pixar movie so far.

Everything about it was just brilliant.

I can't wait to go see it again.

9.5 / 10

[Powerslave]

This was amazing. I'd have to rewatch a few of them, but I'd say with a fair amount of certainty that this is my favorite Pixar movie thus far. Everything about it was just great. The animation was astonishing, and the story was very involving and fun. In my top 5 for the year (as of now).

9.5 or 10/10

[hbeck05]

I saw this flick last night, and i must agree with the majority and claim it as my favorite Pixar flick yet. It was funny and witty while still maintaining a solid story line. My one complaint would be the length, for me it seemed to drag on a little bit throughout the middle, other then that it was really good.

4/5

[dellamorte dellamore]

At of all the pix films , this one interests me the most , i like the setting and the story seems good . The other ones in their stable , like Toy Story and such just don't do it for me , this looks excellent though , i would def like to see this .

[mdpuff01]

I have nothing bad to say about this movie except the fact that it could've been about 15 minutes shorter, but that's REALLY nitpicking. Great movie, probably the best Pixar in my eyes right now. What I mean by that is as an adult, I think I enjoy it on more levels than I would Toy Story if I watched them both today. It's almost unfair to compare because it feels like it's going after a different audience since the premise and environment are clearly more mature than past Pixar films (like toys coming to life, monsters under the bed, or cute bright colored fish that kids are awed by). Don't get me wrong, I love all the Pixar movies, I'm just saying this one felt more mature. Great idea, very unique take on the cliched "I don't want to follow in my parents'/clan's footsteps" routine, excellent voice acting (I always prefer voices I don't recognize), wonderful art (some priceless facial expressions and an overall great portrayal of Paris), and solid comedic timing. 9/10

[daddiefatsacks]

pretty fun movie! very entertaining and a good 'message' for all the kids who pay attention!

8/10

bring on Wall-E

[Bourne101]

Ratatouille - 9/10

Every year I wait for the next Pixar masterpiece to come along. Last year Cars just didn't do it for me, and I felt that The Incredibles was quite overrated. It has all changed now, and Ratatouille packed the punch that I was hoping. With the best animation and one of the best stories of any of the pixar films, Ratatouille had me hooked from the start. It wasn't as funny as say Finding Nemo or Monster's Inc., but it had the heart and entertainment that Pixar films need to deliver to be great. Ratatouille is a truely great film that I recommend to everyone. It is a real treat.

[veddhead83]

I must have watched a totally different flick, because I thought it was ridiculously boring....BOO PIXAR!!!

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by veddhead83
I must have watched a totally different flick, because I thought it was ridiculously boring....BOO PIXAR!!!

I thought it was pretty awesome.


PIXAR is such a strong line up of movies that look utterly boring at first glance. They really do continue to amaze me.


Disney needs to take note and get in gear with its own animated rodent ands bring some of its own beloved characters back into the spot light.

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by veddhead83
I must have watched a totally different flick, because I thought it was ridiculously boring....BOO PIXAR!!!

What? I respect everyone's opinion and I see where you might be coming from, but I'm going to have to disagree. I thought it was sheer entertainment from start to finish. Just my opinion though, as you have yours.

[movieme07]

Genius, such a relief after Cars. And Wall-E looks like it's going to be great. The only problem that I had with this film was that the two villains seemed to be resolved too quickly, one just disappearing from the picture as a matter of fact.

9/10

[corran horn]

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I haven't seen an animated film since 1999 (Toy Story 2). Nevertheless, I have to say that I absolutely loved Ratatouille. The characters were well done and the food looked absolutely delicious (made me very hungry). I was also impressed by the film's maturity (a rare find in any genre these days), and it's worth noting the diverse audience who saw it with me: more than a few children (but all were at least as awed as I was), some college students (including yours truly) and even some senior citizens (sans grandchildren).

Though I've seen more than a few good movies over the past few years, most of them fell on the serious side and the last movies that left me this uplifted were Lord of the Rings and possibly Batman Begins (both of which I watch constantly on DVD every chance I get;) ). Pixar is, as others have said, become what Disney's traditional animation used to be.

10/10

As for the Wall * E teaser, just seeing that adorable little robot turn his big eyes up toward the sky sealed the deal for me. I am SOOO looking forward to that (and adding Ratatouille to my DVD collection). Heck, I might even buy a little stuffed version of Wall-E for my apartment.

Oh, and Veddhead, you MUST have seen something else b/c Ratatouille was the exact opposite of "boring".

[veddhead83]

Originally posted by corran horn
Oh, and Veddhead, you MUST have seen something else b/c Ratatouille was the exact opposite of "boring". YUCK!!! I found nothing entertaining from this flick whatsoever....but hey, I am not one to be easily amused by cartoons as I once was as a child.

[cletus66]

Ratatouille is definitely among the best for Pixar. I still think Toy Story 2 is Pixar's best but this is probably #2 in my eyes. Ratatouille was definitely Pixar's most mature and most heartwarming film to date. My only complaint is that it did tend to drag at times and the film probably would have been improved if it lost 10-15 minutes. I can't wait for
Wall-E next summer.


8.5/10

[Lemmywinks]

Just got back from it, and was really glad I saw it. Definitely a step up from Cars. I think this is their best movie since Monsters Inc. It was very enjoyable, especially the end. It was amazing how real all the food looked. The bread looked especially good.

9/10 for me

[MisterChristian]

I really enjoyed Ratatouille and more than I expected. I agree with everyone else saying it could be trimmed by about 10-15 minutes.

The film however, made me hungry lol

[m_burlock]

It had amazing animation! I was suprised at what they were able to accomplish! I can only imagine how much better this'd look on a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD disc being played on someone's large HD T.V.! Makes me wonder what the future will bring! ;)

[mutesaint]

Originally posted by m_burlock
It had amazing animation! I was suprised at what they were able to accomplish! I can only imagine how much better this'd look on a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD disc being played on someone's large HD T.V.! Makes me wonder what the future will bring! ;)

Have you seen the 9 minutes online in HD? Dear god it looks so good it brought a tear to my eye.

[FilmKing2000]

http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/entertainment/07/06/27_ratmovie_lg.jpg

Ratatouille (Brad Bird, 2007)

Some may consider the difference between what is called a “children’s film” and what is called a “family film” to be quite trivial. But, quite the contrary, it couldn’t be any more distinct. If there’s one filmmaker working today who acknowledges that austere borderline between these two types of films, it has got to be Brad Bird. While Bird’s filmography is almost exclusively edged towards animation projects, that in no way diminishes the maturity, poignancy, and connectivity of his foray; a foray that seems to carry all of the ballasting elements that have been the keys to Pixar animation studios’ success. Just look at the man’s body of work and you’ll know what I’m talking about. The Iron Giant? A heart-warming tinge of nostalgia with such an enormous heart, you just want to rub noses in it. The Incredibles? A film of with such an austere attention towards its characters, you forget you’re watching an animated family feature and view it as a genuinely fulfilling experience. So, where does Ratatouille fall? Quite simply, the film is an utter delight.

With Bird and the Pixar co. already having an admirable reputation, it wouldn’t really be fair for me to say that Ratatouille hones their storytelling capabilities to any dramatic extent. After all, those little gems that they have conceived over the past decade (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, etc.) have set what may possibly be THE standard for modern animation, and one that is, dare I say, fairly hard to come by. And with Ratatouille, they do nothing more than add yet another consecutive spectacle to their unbelievably glowing reputation. And what a spectacle it is! The film delivers in all of its anticipated levels and then brews up a heart and soul of its own that separates it from its counterparts.

The film follows the story of Remy, a rat with one gigantically bold dream: to be an admired chef. Do to the impertinent reputation of rats that has them indulging upon everything that is filthy, this of course makes Remy’s dream a splintering impossibility. And yet, after an accident that leaves our food-loving rat separated from his clan and merged into the city of Paris, he finds hope Linguini, an insecure and warm hearted young man who also has big aspirations (albeit it may or may not be in the restaurant industry, do to the fact that he’s talent-less when it comes to the art of cooking). Sharing an askew, yet totally kinetic chemistry, with the reigning pulls of Linguini’s hair, Remy helps the young man find success in cooking, and does what he loves in return. And yet, he remains a rat, and cannot be seen by a human eye in a restaurant by any means. While this particular rundown of the premise may seem a bit “seen-it-done-it”, I can assure you, that will be the last thing you will refer it as, because above all, the film shares highly admirable assets not just for animation pictures, but also for movies in general.

The film, first and foremost, carries a genial heart that remains omnipresent throughout its entirety. Each character is so fastidiously carved from a palate of nuance and flawless animation it will leave you gushing. Weather it’s Linguini’s highly humorous and specifically characterized attempts to communicate with both Remy and his love interest, Colette, or Remy’s fastidious grouping, mixing, mashing, tasting, and uber fascination with cooking and the grand sweetness of it all, Ratatouille proves itself to be a sheer treat for the eyes and the heart. We are presented with a festering, flawless, and eye popping visual feast of computer animation, and a simultaneous connection towards the characters brought forth by a colorful amount of nuance, wit, and all-out honesty. Blend all these elements together, and you have a ballasting picture.

On the more specifically technical level, it would be an understatement to say that Pixar improves on their animation more and more with each consecutive feat. They have revolutionized animation and are progressing it more and more, layer by layer. I honestly can’t see their visual work getting more voluptuous than they already are, but who knows what those computer geniuses have in store for us. The film also contains some stellar voice talent that fires on all cylinders of voice acting, from subtle to outrageous wit, to realism, to what may as well be truly genuine talent.

In all, I couldn’t rave about Ratatouille any more. The film is a true masterwork of animation, and a splendid treat of a film. Bird gives the film so much heart and personality; it will leave you instantly wanting more. Ratatouille, like all other Pixar films, is the quintessential family film, and is what every movie aiming for a universal audience should strive to be like. When it’s mature, it’s poignant. When it chooses to be funny, it’s witty and hilarious. And when it chooses to be charming, it delivers in the most genial way possible.

RATING: 9/10

[fabxxx]

I neeed to vent...

We chose the 9:45PM showing because it was in Digital Projection and we'd like to avoid annoying kids... Who would take kids to a 10PM showing, right?... Well, two very unconsidered moms did just that !!!

I have nothing against kids, as long as they can behave, as long as their parents have the commom sense and consideration to the rest of the people in the theater... Actually, there was a third small kid and he/she was quite the whole time... probably sleeping...

Anyway, back to my offenders... They had a 2 year old and what looked like a 3 or 4 year old and they didn't stop babbeling and crying the whole movie!!!! At one point one mom took the big one out for a minute because she just started screaming top of her lungs!!! My boyfriend got up and went to complain, but of course when the manager came, they were kind quite.

URGH!! There should be a LAW forbiding people to take such small kids to late showing like that no matter for which movie it is!!

Oh, sorry for the vent... About Ratatouille?... God, it's just incredible!! I want to see it again, without annoying kids this time :D

RATING: 9.5/10

[Monotreme]

http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/RAT_122-remy-saffron.jpg

(Brad Bird, 2007)

I don’t think there has ever been a movie studio in all of history that is so consistent in the quality of its productions. Looking back, it is impossible to say that there has been a “bad” Pixar movie yet. Sure, some of them dipped ever so slightly lower than the standard that has become expected of them (A Bug’s Life, Cars) But even these two exceptional examples can’t be labeled “bad” movies by any means. But there are a few creative pioneers working at Pixar right now. One of them is Brad Bird, and this film marks the third (second at Pixar) animated masterpiece he has created (the first being The Iron Giant, a traditionally animated piece and one of the most underrated movies of recent memory).

Overall, the film is classic Pixar. I love the way that the humour in the film is based entirely on character, animation, exaggeration and original jokes, instead of relying mainly on pop culture references and parodies like the last few particularly lackluster DreamWorks Animation films did (Shark Tale, the Shrek sequels). The sense of humour also carries that specific and particular Pixar vibe to it, and it’s all about the perfect comic timing and the little quirks in the animation itself. But there are numerous elements of this film that make it unique, and quite different from the rest of the Pixar films.

Firstly, in almost all of the Pixar films before it, the creators had to create and establish a very specific world: in A Bug’s Life it is the world of the anthill, in Monsters Inc it is the alternate monster universe, in The Incredibles it is the sort of retro 1950’s-throwback-style world populated by superheroes, and the same can be applied to their other works as well. Ratatouille, on the other hand, takes place within the real-life, contemporary “human” world, and thus does not need to establish the physics and dynamics of its own alternate universe – much humour is usually derived from the parallels between it and our real world and from the absurdity of the mechanics of these universes.

Another major difference is how Bird treats his themes. Major, educational themes have been the center of most animated movies since the oldest days of Disney and right up through the contemporary Pixar age. But what can more than certainly be said about pretty much all the rest of the Pixar movies is that they never try to hide their messages – in fact, I thought that the over-obviousness and simplicity of the message that appeared in Cars was what made it slightly less-appreciated among other Pixar projects. In Ratatouille, not only is the film absolutely brimming with overlaying themes and messages, but Bird at the same time never lets them take the wheel, and always keeps them looming overhead the actual plot and storyline. Themes such as friendship, loyalty, teamwork, and accepting the different and the unexpected can all be found in the film, but never once does Bird force-feed us his message, and for that I appreciate him all the more.

The story itself is of course fantastically executed and an absolute wonder to behold. It’s touching, original, extremely clever and just plain fun. It’s crazy but never enters the territory of absurd, and we always believe in it. The dynamics between Remy and Linguini are also brilliantly carried out, and they work together so incredibly well. But ultimately, the key to the film’s success is the utter believability and realism of its characters. We totally believe in the dynamics between the two and in their own particular character traits and quirks. It’s just so well done; and I must also mention that the character of Remy was designed in the most absolutely and utterly adorable, eat-you-up way possible! He just puts a smile on your face every time he wiggles his little nose.

The animation in the film is nothing short of revolutionary. It is easily the most incredibly well done and the best looking computer animated film made yet, in every aspect. Images that were once flat back in Toy Story become so realistically alive, it’s quite mind-boggling to tell you the truth. The use of focus in the animation is so incredibly spot-on perfect and works so realistically in comparison to how it would actually work in real life, its almost hard to believe that this isn’t done in real cameras. Add to that absolutely stunning lighting, colouration and textures, and you get some elements of the film that almost seem completely real – just look for example at the piece of bread near the beginning of the film, or the water in the river or the texture of the cobblestones on the street. It’s unbelievable!

I usually don’t refer to the voice acting in a movie because I feel its redundant, and I’m also not a fan of using big celebrity voices just for the sake of having them, unless they are actually used dynamically in the animated character itself or if they are seamlessly integrated, as they are in Ratatouille. But I must bring up one particular vocal performance in this film that just had me grinning every time his character came on screen and his voice started booming: Casting Peter O’Toole as the voice of food critic Anton Ego was a stroke of genius quite unlike any other voice casting decision in ANY other animated film ever – or at least since the casting of Robin Williams as the voice of the Genie in Aladdin. His voice, instantly recognizable, fits the character of Ego so incredibly well, it’s almost eerie. And he of course gives a brilliant performance, creating one of the most humorous characters in the entire film.

Ratatouille is another five-star success added to Pixar’s already high-standard repertoire. It is just as touching, human, real, convincing and emotional as any other Pixar film, although to its credit Bird makes sure that its major themes and messages aren’t too obviously or prominently featured, keeping everything subtle and putting the plot and characters first – which are all equally brilliantly done. The animation is the most vivid, perfect and absolutely beautiful in any animated movie yet, and it all fits in together perfectly with the very sly and unique Pixar sense of humour. I of course expected nothing less from the studio, and am now even more brimming with confidence about their next project, Wall-E, after the slight stumble that was last year’s Cars. Easily the best movie yet this summer.

RATING: 9/10.