Ratatouille

Culinary passion may torment your reflexively reacting taste buds, but Pixar is becoming too childish, or rather Brad Bird seems to have forgotten the distinctive otherness he used to entertain even adult audiences within the world of flavors and aromas (the red menace of The Iron Giant, or the comic passion of The Incredibles). Wherever we expect a clever allusion, we come across a simple joke that amuses but fails to warm the heart. (18/10/2007)

The master chefs at Pixar have thrown together this delicious casserole that deserves the highest marks. A great story composed using only the best ingredients, taking a pinch of originality, a hint of good-old playfulness and this gourmet dish is ready to be served. And it is all exquisitely spiced by the brilliant music of Michael Giacchino. The animated movie of the year. (24/10/2007)

Even a movie about rats in a posh French kitchen can be a culinary delight... Remy's story is not one of those "prefabricated" cartoons that fall off the production line of animation studios as if from a conveyor belt. It has none of the typical ingredients such as: cute animals making faces, sequences edited to a well-known pop hit, references to other films, several catch phrases, or the tendency to rush to make the next film even before the closing credits are finished. Brad Bird is too much of an artist for that. In The Iron Giant, he indicated that he is a rare genius; in The Incredibles, he (almost) confirmed it; and with Ratatouille, he definitively confirmed it. Although it is difficult to say how much the concept itself is his merit and how much it is Pinkava's. But one thing is certain: the result is worth it and although it is almost an independent act among the family animated films without a significant chance of financial success, it is definitely worth seeing. It may look a bit too polished in places, but it never slips into pathos or cheap scenes. It simply has, in the words of Anton Ego, "a little perspective". In other words, what today's CGI cartoons without a soul significantly lack... Which, fortunately, is not the case with Remy. Ratatouille is reminiscent of The Great Cheese Conspiracy, although in the end it does not reach its heights. Even so, it is by far the best animated experience of recent times. (09/02/2022)

Ratatouille, despite Pinkava's unusual storyline choice, is ultimately a surprisingly predictable spectacle. It is impressive, sufficiently entertaining, and impeccably polished in true Pixar fashion, but still clearly predetermined. It greatly benefits from the romantic atmosphere of Paris, pleasant cuisine full of diverse dishes, and Anton Ego as a dark restaurant ghost who makes each of his monologues thrilling. However, when compared to movies like Cars, which could have easily gotten lost in their schematic nature, I feel a slight disappointment in Remy's journey for flavors and aromas. 70% (30/01/2008)

Animation with music perfect, and I ate so much food while watching the movie last time I watched Cutting it Short, but I really didn't need to see such a collection of screenwriting clichés. I guess I'm more suited to DreamWorks cartoons and their pop culture references. Otherwise, I was supremely unsympathetic to the character of Linguini and really wished the worst for him, not to mention Remy's fat brother, who would have been killed in real life even by the most fanatical PETA member. Just a total disappointment. (23/11/2009)