This is a Pixar/Disney-flick about a rat that dreams of not having to steal food, but somehow…acquire it, while wanting to become a chef. The rat’s family is hit by a catastrophe, forcing the rat to end up in Paris, where it by a series of accidents ends up a puppeteering chef. Don’t ask. This film is very Disneyish, letting you know what will happen miles in advance. It tries to combat prejudice while unleashing it; being a rat’s not bad, being French is a walking stereotype. Blah. Boring. Still, this film gives way for a few laughs. It’s predictable and good, but nothing, really, in comparison with “Finding Nemo”. Note: I saw a version where the voices were dubbed by Swedish actors.

From the strong short “Lifted” to the many memorable characters in the main feature, Ratatouille shines with that hallmark Pixar excruciating care for detail and top-notch animation combined with funny plot twists and insane character interaction and doesn’t fail to entertain once in the 110 minutes it uses to tell its tale. After the mediocre “Cars” it was a relief to see Pixar still among the top CGI movie makers.

I’m looking forward to WALL-E, the next Pixar flick, summer 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WALL-E

Would have liked this better if it were silent. Or a musical.

Dialog grated and I got tired of the “realistic” animation style.

See also Muppets Take Manhattan, The Great Cheese Conspiracy, versions of Charlotte’s Web.

Ratatouille has it all: a smart script, beautiful animation, a great cast, and of course, a teriffic director in Brad Bird. The story’s a little unconventional: a food-loving rat and an inept dishwasher team up to become the greatest culinary sensation in Paris. Hijinks ensue. Yes, a rat in a kitchen – not your typical warm Disney fare. But the unconventionality’s part of what makes it work. Eschewing the stupid “all ages” jokes nauseatingly sappy “you just have to believe in yourself and anything’s possible” self-esteem message, it is fresh, funny, and uplifting.

The script’s full of great jokes, but it takes a great cast to make them sparkle. And what a cast! Janeane Garofalo, Will Arnett, Brad Garrett, Brian Dennehy, Ian Holm, and Peter O’Toole (!) put in teriffic performances. But it’s the two leads, Lou Romano (as the dishwasher Linguini) and Patton Oswalt (as Remy the rat), that carry the bulk of the show. And they’re great. I’m biased, considering my love for Patton Oswalt, but still: you don’t need to love him to love the movie, as my fiancée will attest (she can’t stand him!).

The animation’s just gorgeous. The kitchen set alone is unbelievably detailed, and the characters strike the right note between being realistic and cartoonish. I was almost breathless watching some of the effects; I loved the scenes where Remy runs through the digital environments, and the rain scenes were almost flawless. Pixar’s set a new standard in this one.

The opening short, Lifted, was just perfect. Light and full of physical humour, it set just the right tone for the feature. I am confident that one day Ratatouille will have a proud place on my dvd shelf. Easy for even a cynical 28-year-old guy to love. Highly recommended!

Right from the short subject, “Lifted” to the end credit roll of “Ratatouille” I loved the whole experience. In thinking about the film the underlying appeal and the reason that it worked so well could be because of nostalgia. While most computer-animated films are driven technologically or by stunt casting of big stars, the genius of the direction of Brad Bird is in focusing on the characters and being inspired by great films and filmmakers of the past.
It’s a lot of fun and has the feeling at times of Hitchcock and Billy Wilder. There is an innocence in some ways, but never a sense that the film is condescending in any way. I never thought that the animation was amazing (but it is), but I was sucked in to the story and the characters, which is what all great filmmaking does.
Ultimately the film is about being an artist and accepting who you are, no matter how difficult it is. It’s fun and inspirational and doesn’t hit you over the head with anything. Subtle and beautiful, it’s a film that happens to be animated.

Edited review from my movie review blog: I will confess that I had little hope for this film. I was expecting a typical rat-chase movie, having been sufficiently scarred by that terrible 1997 comedy Mousehunt. However, Ratatouille proved itself to be far better than I had pre-judged.

Entertaining, lighthearted, and surprisingly humorous Ratatouille is not just another chase-that-rat plotline. It’s devoid of much of the typical slapstick comedy that litters these movies and automatically puts a frown on my face. The script is highly amusing, with little references to cliche French films and various cooking truthes. For a movie catered to children it is oddly suspenseful at times, lacking the typical 2-dimensional characters that can not only be found in kid’s movies but in many films being released today. If you are passionate about cooking or even simply have an interest in it, this movie will hit the spot.

This is a great family film but also something sufficent if you’re looking for a film that doesn’t require a great deal of thought but is simply feel-good entertainment.

I enjoyed this, but I didn’t feel it was as good as Pixar’s other films. I just must not get Brad Bird.

Disney-Pixar does it again. This is a wonderful movie that does not rely on excessive crude humor or intense action sequences to cover up the fact that there is no story. Ratatouille has humor, action, great characters and most important a storyline that is charming. If you enjoy food and cooking this film is a must.

I was able to take my daughter to the sneak preview this last Saturday.

It is a very fun movie. Well worth the price of admission for anyone!

I just can not wait to see this! It looks so beautiful and well done. I saw the 9-minutes preview and I am in love with the colours, the light, the texture… and the story looks lovely and innovative too. What’s not to love! 28 days to go :)