Ratatouille

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

RATATOUILLE, 2008-08-31
HI DEF DIGEST.COM STATES ALL . I'M A VIDEO HD GRADING PICKER .. HIGH DEF STAR RATINGS (FOR NOW) REMAIN MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONTENT .

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Even In The Dirtiest Of Species, 2008-08-10
It's kind of hard to describe why I loved this movie; I shouldn't be surprised at all to find that I appreciated a Pixar or Brad Bird movie so much, but considering that it stars one of the more disgusting and vile creatures on the planet, I was surprised at just how enjoyable and touching the movie is. What's impressive is that considering it's basically about a rat romping around a French gourmet restaurant's kitchen, it in no way skips acknowledging that rats are scavengers on humanity but in some way it makes that a plus for the movie (it doesn't hurt that the head of the rat colony has the voice of authority in Brian Dennehy). How the hell Pixar manages to make a rat appealing is beyond me, but they do it here (and Patton Oswalt's voice performance certainly helps as well). Definitely worth watching, especially for a subplot involving a top food critic that actually brought a tear to my eye in it's moment of truth.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

"Anyone can cook!", 2008-08-05
"Ratatouille" is a delicious musical treat for the whole family to enjoy. From Disney, the company famous for its mouse,comes a loveable rat Remy who wants to cook up a feast. It's an inspiring fairy tale about family, love, and the power of faith. From Michael Giacchino's bistro-worthy soundtrack to the tasty intrigues of the story, "Ratatouille" is a cinematic meal.

In "Ratatouille",Remy the rat (expertly voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt) befriends the garbage boy Linguini. As in Cyrano de Bergerac, Linguini gets the credit for Remy's amazing meals. Linguini might also be the love child of Gousteau,the chef who inspires Remy in visions. Linguini himself is smitten with the no-nonsense chef Colette (a bittersweet Jeanne Garofalo) The devious Skinner (former Bilbo Ian Holm) plans to turn Gousteau's magical recipes into instant frozen meals (like "Tooth Pickin' Chicken" and "Haggis Wraps") There's also a health inspector who bears an uncanny resemblance to Walt Disney himself. Finally,the evil cadaverous critic Anton Ego (voiced by the equally cadaverous Peter O'Toole) comes to Gousteau's with a bone to pick.

"Ratatouille" is a delicious mix of comedy,in-jokes,and visual wonders. It's an ode to the joys of cooking and the beauty of Paris,the City of Light. It has a moral without being ponderously moralistic. As Anton Ego learns his lesson from a delicious plate of ratatouille,so does this movie please the palate. Bon appetit!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

The cutest mouse movie ever!!!!, 2008-08-02
It starts with a mouse colony that steals trash. Remy, the main character, doesn't like it and decides he wants to be a chef. He goes to a world famous restaurant, and secretly starts to train the garbage boy to cook. But what no one else one in the restaurant knows is its really Remy making the recipes. It's very cute and good for the whole family. One you'll want to watch over and over again!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

My favorite Pixar movie, 2008-07-25
This is my favorite Pixar animated movie and I give it 4.5 stars. I have watched this movie countless times, and I never get tired of it! Maybe it's because the main attraction is *food* and I love food. =)

Remy is a rat, but he's not your ordinary rat. He has dreams bigger than slumming it in the gutters with his family, making do with scraps from the garbage bin. His dreams encompass becoming a chef, and creating dishes that tantalize the taste buds. He occupies his time watching a cooking show by famous Parisian chef Gusteau and learning the trade in the kitchen of an old cottage. Unfortunately, being a rat, he is run off the property by the owner in a very funny scene (an old lady in hair curlers wielding a shotgun.LOL). This sets in motion his journey to realize his dream of becoming a chef.

Okay, you're probably wondering what is so great about a story in which the main character is a rat?! I thought the same thing, and never did go see this movie when it was out in theatres. Finally, on a whim I bought the DVD to watch and was pleasantly surprised by the humor and touching warmth of the story about, yes a rat!

There were so many moments of humorous scenes, I think my favorite is Remy getting caught in the act of fixing a soup Linguini messed up, with Linguini standing there in astonishment as he watches a rat cooking.

At its heart, it is about reaching for your dreams despite the odds and obstacles set in your path. Despite the nay-sayers who say, "You can't do this!", which Remy encountered a few times from his family especially his father. Determined, Remy ignored the "You can'ts" and the odds against him, and befriends a young man named Linguini and they partner up to create yummy dishes. Although there are human characters in the movie, and one the klutzy boy Linguini, plays a main role, Remy is the star of the show.

You can't go wrong with a Pixar movie, and despite my initial misgivings of a movie about a rat, I'm glad I caved in and bought it. Like all the animated movies by Pixar I've seen, Ratatouille is wonderful and touching, an excellent movie.