Movie Review - “Ratatouille�
*** STARS
Pixar’s latest movie surprised me in a pleasant way, as the delightful credits rolled I couldn’t help but feel like a kid again. After the novelty wore off of Pixar’s last movie “Cars”, I was a little worried about how “Ratatouille” would stand up to multiple viewings. Sure “Cars” was cool, but the substance and quality of the story just wasn’t quite like that of “Toy Story” or even “A Bug’s Life”. The creator/director of “Ratatouille”, Brad Bird, who I have loved since hie did an animated short film which aired on the 80’s show “Amazing Stories” called “Family Dog”, has created another beautiful animated film with the surprising and hilarious “Ratatouille”.
Much like his other films, the fun “The Incredible’s” and the classic “The Iron Giant”, Brad Bird does a swell job of creating healthy family movies with an adult sensibility. A movie about rats may not have done so well if it weren’t for his caring and insightful touch. “Ratatouille” surprises in it’s way it endears the viewer into forgetting that the hero of the story is a sewer rat named Remy. Remy is a great character, we the audience sympathize with his longing to live his dream to become a chef. When Remy meets a new cook named “Linguini” they hatch a plan to become successful chef’s without anyone finding out. Their partnership is one of the funniest comedic couplings in recent animation history.
The most breath taking images come from the rat’s perspective as he is chased through a busy kitchen and as he swims through the sewers. The animators did a fantastic job at animating Paris, France too. All of the romance and the detail of the architecture of the buildings is depicted beautifully. When the rats are together in one massive colony, you forget these rats are computer animated.
Everything to the hairs on the rats to the dishes made in the kitchen are so detailed and gorgeous to look at. This movie is a great retreat from the summer sequel cluster fuck that is in theaters right now. If you are a food lover or a Pixar fan this is a “must see” movie for your summer needs.
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