Well, I suppose I should finally put my review up.
Brad Bird’s latest film, Ratatouille, is a tasty treat with a well cooked story and deliciously flavorful animation that people both young and old will eat up from start to “fin.” He has shown once again that he can cook by preparing yet another superb adventure for the silver screen. Like both of Bird’s prior films, The Incredibles and The Iron Giant, there is really no way to focus on any one aspect that makes the picture great, but instead, it is a culmination of the many ingredients that lead to a tasteful finale and perfect balance of humor, drama, action, and heart.
Any hard working animator at Pixar, the company that gave us both Toy Story movies and Finding Nemo will tell you that “story is king.” If so then Ratatouille will stay fresh for a long time to come as Bird seals yet another script air tight with no holes left unplugged. As usual, the “tail” comes full arc, not only outlining a beefy plot in which a rat (Remy) chases his dream of becoming a great chef in what was once Paris’ greatest restaurant (Gusteau’s), but also explaining the unbelievable and leaving nothing swept under the rug. Best of all, it relies on none of the toilet humor and pop-culture references that carry so many animated films today, but isn’t above the occasional jab (“Cheney” brand shotgun ammo) or subtle humor (“tiny chef”) that Pixar is famous for. He gives just enough back-story to bring the characters to life and animate them with unique and fitting personalities but leaves plenty of room for imagination on all levels. All of this is accomplished with acute timing so precise that the films flow is entirely uninterrupted as it bounces back and forth between touching scenes of the human spirit, the fast paced choreography of the kitchen, and a slap-stick comedy of proportion reminiscent of the Three Stooges or the great physical talents of Vaudeville lore.
In the near flawless execution of such maneuverings though reminds one that it is nearly impossible to go to a Pixar film without becoming lost in the animation. Yet it seems more and more the animation itself is becoming lost. Panoramic scenes, aided by the impressive height of garbage boy Linguini and lack there of by “little chef” rat Remy who frequently interact in big ways, leave a lot of free space to display scenery that is near perfect in every detail. Every shimmer of light, texture of surface, and piece of food that looks not only edible but scrumptious, is rendered with near photo-realistic qualities to an extent tempting to accuse them of being live action and not animated at all. However, the stylization of humans, cars, and various fanciful expressions brings it back to its pixel roots and instills the charm that can only be garnered by drawn art. Bird also takes full advantage of the CGI world and realizes its capabilities to an extent unprecedented in the medium and unattainable in any other through the use of the invisible and movable camera to capture moving images that would make the most experienced cinematographer’s jaw drop.
Scenes filmed pulling back through a pack of rats or scurrying through the inside of a wall also make the ideal fodder for yet another impressive score by Michael Giacchino (Alias and [i]Lost[/]). If he hadn’t already proven himself with the skilled shrills of brass in the Jazz Band from his soundtrack for The Incredibles then he certainly did this time. Academy members this year will be hard pressed not to recognize the equal mastery of woodwinds and strings displayed for Ratatouille. The movie’s reoccurring theme continuously comes to life with new “Frenchy” underscores in each scene, and lends well to the frequent scampers and action sequences as well as the film’s more dramatic and romantic (this is Paris after all) elements. Camille’s added vocals (a rarity for a Bird film) in the time elapsed montage, augments the score drawing upon pre-established themes and maintaining the preset atmosphere (I only wish I knew what those lyrics were saying).
Vocally, Bird stands by his time-honored tradition of casting the right voices, not just the most famous ones. In fact, two of the strongest characters find their voice in Pixar’s very own talent pool. Linguini, the hapless garbage boy and Remy’s brother Emile are voiced by company animators Lou Romano and Peter Sohn respectively. While drawing from the inside is common at Pixar, it’s not as frequent for major, leading roles. Despite not being big names though, both seem to be a precise fit for their characters and become the role rather than it becoming them as often occurs with big ticket names. More known names such as Janeane Garofalo (hard-hitting cook and Linguini’s love interest, Colette), Brad Garret (phantom chef and restaurant great, Auguste Gusteau), Pixar good luck charm John Ratzenburger (waiter Mustafa), and Patton Oswald (Remy) also add spice to Ratatouille’s more interesting players. Oswald’s sincere tone and enthusiastic determination set the pace for the film and Remy’s character making him both heart wrenching and endearing simultaneously. It should also be noted that Bird, who is no stranger to voice acting himself (the voice of Edna “E” Mode in The Incredibles and Ambrister Minion in Ratatouille),is very clever in coaching his voices to handle the “French accent” problem that automatically arises with a Parisian set film marketed to a Yankee audience. While there is a “consistent Frenchiness,” as he calls it, to the accents, there is a clear distinction in its use. The accent is a trademark of the snootier people on the inside, while outsiders like Linguini and the rats (who coincidentally get most of the lines anyway) have a far more American inflection. Bird also gets creative with the accent for argumentative scenes in which it’s not so important what’s being said as long as it’s being said passionately, a tool which he favors in all of his films. It would be unfair however to let this paragraph pass without mentioning at least one other item. While less famous talents were well suited for the aforementioned roles, ironically it was the movie’s one major star, Peter O’Toole, the voice of harsh food critic Anton Ego, that sets the bar. O’Toole delivers what may very well be the finest monologue in animated film history near the movie’s close as he delves into his own discoveries and the story’s moral. He is undoubtedly the finest antagonist since Tony Jay’s Judge Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame but delivers a surprisingly rounded and fully developed character that I fully expect to be rewarded with an Annie. If the Academy were ever to consider a voice artist for Best Supporting Actor, this would certainly be the time to do it.
Pixar and Brad Bird have a new classic. If the thought of rats in the kitchen, cooking food at a gourmet restaurant is a turn off, then this movie of opposites will be an equally astounding turn on. The revealingly deep story appeals on every level from it’s light hearted surface fluff of doing the impossible, to its enduring tale of “accomplishing your seemingly improbable dream,” to the underlying criticism of well… critics and the entire animation industry. It will capture the hearts of adults and the attention of children and shouldn’t be underestimated by either in terms of wit and enjoyment. Ratatouille is the perfect recipe for every “foody” and film junky out there.
You cover every important aspect of the film, and you know how envious I am of your writing skills. 
