Ratatouille

Interestingly (or not), one of the themes in "Ratatouille" is that very thing: the nature of haut criticism and its subversion. Also, great movie.

 

Yeah, that was the point I was trying to make earlier in the thread. Guess I didn't make it very well for some, did I?

 

This of course constitutes an Alley oops on my part. For which I apologize.

 

Mea culpa here. It's "only" an hour and 50 minutes. My wife and taken our son over the weekend and complained that it was 2:20 ...

 

It wasn't all that funny. Certainly not in the league for funny with Monsters Inc., but it doesn't try that hard to be funny. Every animated movie need not be hilarious.

 

I saw it yesterday with the family and it was OK, not great. Definitely seemed more geared towards adults. And our movie was scheduled to start at 4:40 p.m. and we were in the parking lot at around 6:50 p.m. (Keep in mind there is a short movie before the feature)

Also, I've always wondered how critics can tell me what kids will like and not like (ex. Cars - the critics loved it; kids I think liked the characters, but could do without the love story. Another overrated movie, in my humble opinion). I think their reviews are skewered to adults.

 

Our reviewer didn't like it very much because she was queasy about rats in the kitchen.

I'm going to put a large stock over her head and beat on it with a spoon.

 

Yeah, never mind that having a rat in the kitchen was kinda the whole point of the movie to begin with.

 

I use reviews all the time to decide on movies I want to see (sometimes to HC's chagrin).

Why do I want to plop down $14.00 to see a flick that's been universally panned?

If reviewers are lukewarm about or there are conflicting reviews then we may end up going.

Same with restaurants. Why would you want to spend $150.00 on dinner without at least having a clue what the reviewers thought of it?

And does this review make you want to buy this book?

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/231321

As for the plot, it is this: Our unnamed narrator is dating Casey, "a pretty cute brunette with a completely normal upper body," who has unfortunately let her bottom half go. He would like to dump her; she would like to get married. When he's not with her, he's out with his buddy Todd trying to get laid. When he's not doing that, he's trying to hook up with a woman named Alyna, whom he saw on a flight and who lives not far from him in Los Angeles.

Will our man dump Casey? (Yes.) Will he hook up with Alyna? (Yes.) Will he die a horrible death from a mutated STD? (Sadly, no.) Do we care? Will anybody? No, given the non-existent plot and emaciated character development.

 

Important point, there. I'm not sure where it became a rule that all animated movies are supposed to be comedies. The movie is an amazing piece of cinematic achievement, and the first time I can ever remembering seeing a movie and then IMMEDIATELY wanting to go purchase its soundtrack after the film was finished.

I defy anyone who saw it to say they didn't tear up a little when Anton Ego ate the ratatouille.

 

I went to see this on Saturday, and while the plot was entirely predictable, I loved the movie. Great idea and script.

There did seem to be some little touches in there aimed at adults, like the back of Ego's typewriter, but I thought it was balanced enough for everyone.