I saw Ratatouille!

[JoshWay]

I caught a sneak preview of Ratatouille this weekend. It's great. Another triumph. It's a very difficult story, about as far-fetched as it gets, but it does right by the good names of Pixar and Brad Bird.

I have to admit that the premise of this movie (a rat wants to be a chef) didn't exactly capture my imagination when I first heard it. And even after seeing the movie that's still the one thing that I think works against it. But as stretched and convoluted as the story might be, it's told with such excitement, humor, invention, passion and originality that it's very difficult to criticize.

This movie has the most human character acting of any Pixar work, and that may be its greatest achievement.The human characters are very well rendered (literally and dramatically), particularly the protagonist Linguini, the female chef Colette, and the food critic Anton Ego. (And good luck guessing the voice cast - many famous voices are hidden beneath French accents.)

There's an awesome short playing with Ratatouille called Lifted, that was directed by longtime Pixar (and Lucasfilm) sound man Gary Rydstrom. It's clever and hilarious. Throw in a tantalizing trailer for next summer's Wall-E, and it's clear that Pixar has still got it.

[MontyServo]

I'm looking forward to seeing this.  Even though I was really disappointed with Cars last summer. 

[Nunyerbiz]

Glad to hear some positive early buzz. Cars wasn't bad... but it was Pixar's first movie that I found too be bland.

Apart from a title that is marketing disaster... it looks promising.

[JoshWay]

I enjoyed Cars, but I wouldn't compare the two. If anything, Cars was too simplistic, while Ratatouille is very dense with story and ideas. Brad Bird directs animation as if he were directing live action minus the limitations.

[J-Proof]

Agreed - Brad Bird was lifted up as the new Walt Disney by the film department of our school. Even the old Disney and Warner animators who were totally against 3D animation gave him lots of kudos.

[Sharktopus]

I've never been disappointed by a Pixar film, so Ratatouille is the only big movie this summer I have no reservations about. When Cars is the (arguably) weakest of the 8 features they've produced, the name Pixar is a seal of quality unmatched in Hollywood.

[Hebs]

Agreed - Brad Bird was lifted up as the new Walt Disney by the film department of our school. Even the old Disney and Warner animators who were totally against 3D animation gave him lots of kudos.

Exactly - he studied from the best, Frank n' Ollie and old school animators.  I had the chance to meet and talk to him for a bit when he premiered The Incredibles for the Animation Dept. of my alma mater, SVA - and he is  seriously the nicest, humblest guy in the world. (Next to Mike, I guess) and it seems that when Disney doesn't give him total creative control, I'm assuming they didn't for Cars - then it's just not the same.

[Sharktopus]

Everyone should read this AICN interview where Patton Oswalt waxes poetic on Pixar, comic book movies, Will Smith, and why Ratatouille should've featured Ratt's "Round And Round."

it seems that when Disney doesn't give him total creative control, I'm assuming they didn't for Cars - then it's just not the same.

I don't think Brad Bird had anything at all to do with Cars - that was John Lasseter's baby.

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

woooot i want to seee it

[mrbasehart]

Excellent.  I've seen the trailers about 50 times now, and they all looked good.  The trailer for Wall E is up on apple.com if anyone want to check it out.  Looks very interesting...

[Hebs]

Everyone should read this AICN interview where Patton Oswalt waxes poetic on Pixar, comic book movies, Will Smith, and why Ratatouille should've featured Ratt's "Round And Round."

it seems that when Disney doesn't give him total creative control, I'm assuming they didn't for Cars - then it's just not the same.

I don't think Brad Bird had anything at all to do with Cars - that was John Lasseter's baby.

I've actually never seen it :  I hate Nascar and Larry the Cable Guy.  So unless they were giving out bags of money, I had no interest haha.

[Sharktopus]

Everyone should read this AICN interview where Patton Oswalt waxes poetic on Pixar, comic book movies, Will Smith, and why Ratatouille should've featured Ratt's "Round And Round."

it seems that when Disney doesn't give him total creative control, I'm assuming they didn't for Cars - then it's just not the same.

I don't think Brad Bird had anything at all to do with Cars - that was John Lasseter's baby.

I've actually never seen it :  I hate Nascar and Larry the Cable Guy.  So unless they were giving out bags of money, I had no interest haha.

Actually, Cars has almost nothing to do with NASCAR. In fact, I think it could've used a bit more racing, and I'm bored to tears by NASCAR.) It's a sweet - but slight - movie about appreciating what's often overlooked. The message is nice, but the plot suffers for it. And for what's it's worth, I thought Larry the Cable Guy was really funny in it. It's worth renting.

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

ill add on to the cars likers.

i HATE owen wilson and could care less about nascar, but the movie i found actually fun to watch.  the whole route 66 thing nostaligia angle of it was awesome.  i recomend a rental of it too. 

[J-Proof]

I usually try to see all Pixar movies on their opening weekends, and depsite the fact that I was really looking forward to CARS, it was released on a midterm week, and I couldn't get to it, and I have unfortunately not seen it yet.

I'll have to rent it since so many people are defending it.

[JoshWay]

My experience is similar; I don't care for NASCAR, Larry the Cable Guy, or Owen Wilson, but I really enjoyed Cars. I think a huge part of Pixar's success is the way they can make seemingly ANY subject matter interesting and engaging. On paper, neither Cars nor Ratatouille sound like my cup of tea, but the final products are great.