ratatouille
What can I possibly say about Ratatouille that hasn’t already been said? The consensus is overwhelming and deserved. Even the harshest reviews boil down to, “it’s good.” I would go so far as to say that Ratatouille is perfect, a testament to both Pixar’s heartfelt commitment to the substance of a great story and its obsessive creative genius.
Mickey Mouse, though he may be cute, doesn’t look much like a mouse, if you take a minute to think about it. The arms, the legs, the pancake colored face, the pants, all combine to make Mickey look more like a guy in a mouse suit than an actual rodent. In all his appearances, Mickey is really just a human with soft, rounded edges. Remy, on the other hand, looks very much like a rat, aside from the affable voice, expressive eyes, and fine motor control. The character designs for the rats run very close to the real thing, and yet Remy and his clan remain utterly adorable.
Ratatouille mixes the very best of reality and cartoons to create something that pops off the screen and fills up your imagination like a five star meal (every Ratatouille review is entitled to one dumb food allusion). It flawlessly merges photorealism and caricature, and the effect is inspiring. I said last week that Cars felt small to me, like a diorama. In contrast, Ratatouille‘s Paris is a place bursting with detail and an energy of character. The setting is dynamic and beautiful, and I absolutely believe that this Paris exists.
There is so much to love in this movie. Brad Garrett as the puffy Gusteau. The likability of our other protagonist, the awkward, broom-like Alfredo Linguini. The mind-boggling details of the city and the kitchen that somehow never feel gratuitous. The pitch-perfect comedic timing. If I had to pick a favorite thing, it’s the office of withering food critic Anton Ego, also known as “the Grim Eater”. I’m convinced that his office is a work of absolute artistic genius. The machinery of Ego’s typewriter is designed, ever so subtly, to evoke the features of a skull. The office itself, shown very briefly from an overhead view, is shaped like a coffin. It’s as if Brad Bird briefly consulted Tim Burton before creating the character. All this for a set that is used for perhaps five minutes in the entire movie.
After I saw Finding Nemo, I walked out of the theater convinced that Pixar would never be able to top it. A story so pure, characters so wonderful, and a world so beautiful, Pixar will never hit it this perfectly again, I thought to myself. I think I was wrong. Ratatouille is so charming and lively that a little part of me wants to live in that magical little world. I think I need to see this one again.
Further reading: Kottke also expresses a lot of what I’m feeling on this one.
jon, you’re clearly in your element when writing a movie review. they are as informative, as entertaining, and as well-written as any i’ve ever read. reading ratatouille made me want to run out and see it … and i don’t particularly like rodents, not even animated ones. actually, i don’t even see a lot of movies. but after reading one of your reviews, i want to make popcorn and head for the cinema. well done.