November 14, 2007

Ratatouille (2007)

I can't recall the last time I watched a children's movie that was actually good for children.
Until tonight.

We just finished watching Ratatouille, and I do believe that this is one of the best children's movies, heck, one of the best movies, I have seen in a few years.
It has an amazing all-star cast, including Peter O'Toole as the famous food critic Anton Ego, Brad Garrett as Gusteau, and Patton Oswalt as Remy, who is probably most famous for his role as Spence on King of Queens.

Ratatouille is the story of a young rat named Remy who has a natural gift for finding good food. He can smell if it's fresh, he can smell if it's been poisoned by the humans, and his father employs him as the colonies poison checker due to his incredible gift with food.
After the colony had been found and the rats fled, Remy is separated from his family and friends, and finds himself in Paris at the restaurant of the famous chef he admired and wanted to be like.

He ends up helping another young man struggling to find his way, Linguini, who turns out to be the son and rightful owner of the restaurant.
The two of them help each other, Remy helping Linguini keep his job by helping him cook, and Linguini helping Remy to trust humans and fulfill his dream of being a chef.

But this movie is so much more than that.
Right from the start, there are moral and ethical lessons being taught.
Do not steal, do not take credit for something that isn't yours, treat people right, and to follow your heart and your dreams to be whatever you want to be.

I was very impressed with Ratatouille right from the start.
Pixar has once again outdone themselves with their brilliant animation.
When the above scene shown on my tv screen, I oohed and ahhed at the gorgeous view Linguini had of Paris from his very small and poor apartment.
He lived in what amounted to a dumpy cheap apartment, but that view, man, that view was stunning.
To be cramped up in there with that kind of view, would have been worth so much.
But it was the story, the story telling, and the lessons, that were an absolute joy to watch unfold on the screen.
This is the type of children's movie studios should be making.

In our current world condition, wars over everything, political correctness, back stabbing, stealing from large corporations and leaving people with nothing, people taking credit for others works, this movie teaches all the right lessons in a way that children can understand.
It would be great if adults watched it too.
I think people have forgotten that we are in this big old mess together, and we must rely on each other, help one another, and be good people to one another.
It wasn't a heavy handed message at all, but it was there loud and clear.
There were a few moments I gasped at the way each lesson unfolded, and I made a head nod motion toward my tv screen, and said yes, so right.

This is seriously one of the best movies I have seen in years.
I will be adding it to my movie collection even though my sons are grown, it is a must have.
It was beautiful, stunning actually, and left me shaken inside and inspired to keep on going, to keep on striving, because anyone can be who and what they want if they just do it.

Anyone can cook, the motto of the famous French chef Gusteau, and indeed, anyone can be something.