MikeRS

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

I just thought of another highlight/sequence.




Awesome animation. And hilarious.

Chris Will

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

Those people need to get a new job then. Disney hasn't been able to produce a good animated movie without Pixar for years so, Lasseter taking over is the best thing to happen to Disney Animation in a long time IMO.

Allen Hirsch

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

This shot, framed and autographed by both Brad Bird and John Lasseter, was my Father's Day gift this year. (My wife obviously scored it at a charity auction - am I lucky or what?)

Having seen the movie last night and loved it, that's now easily my favorite, coolest movie memorabilia.

I thought the strongest message in the movie is that the cliche' “anyone can cook” ends up being supplanted by the more accurate statement “not everyone can become a great artist but a great artist can come from anywhere.”

The only readily recognizable voice in the movie to me was Peter O'Toole as the food critic, Anton Ego. Although there are other "name" voice actors in the cast, maybe because of the French accents they used, I just didn't recognize them, which didn't really detract from the movie, but I did find interesting.

Like The Incredibles, Ratatouille is really about excelling in a democratic setting: Not everyone has equal talent or ability but there is no predicting, on the basis of class or nationality, where talent might arise.

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Dan Hitchman

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

Ok, i'll say it: I am sick to death with CGI cartoons! Bring back the lost art of hand animated 2D with hand ink and painted backgrounds!!

Dear Lord, it all looks the same now! How boring.

Just look at the beauty of Bambi, Snow White, Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, etc. Literally moving pieces of art.

Even the current use of computer ink and paint on 2D animated films looks flat and dimensionless in comparison to painted backgrounds by hand.

Yes, it takes more time, yes you can't crank them out like on a factory floor... but that's a good thing. Like the CGI SFX craze in movies, GGI animated movies has led to laziness in the writing and the "art-like" quality.

Get a QUALITY script and QUALITY hand animation and mix it up a bit.

Dan

TravisR

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

Did you actually see Ratatouille? I'll take a CG movie that's as good as Ratatouille any day over nearly any 2D animated movie from the last couple of decades.

Mattias Stridsman

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

Unlike with CGI animation, where you just press the magic "Render" button and a finished movie is created by the computer automatically?!

Oh Please. If I'm not mistaken, it takes Pixar approximately 4 years of hard work to "crank out a movie".

I find it very strange to find a comment like this in a Pixar movie thread. If there's one thing they're known for, it's their passion and obsession with quality in both the storytelling and the animation. Besides, laziness in the writing has nothing to do with CGI and everything to do with....lazy writing.

Patrick Sun

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

The animation in Ratatouille was crisp and amazing, loved every frame of it. The story was also engaging and kept my attention, providing many laughs and a good moral to boot. It took me a little while to get into the character of Linguini (the garbageboy who can't cook), but Remy (the rat cook) was so adorably sympathetic and fun to watch. The pacing was well done for its running time, and doesn't overstay its welcome at all.

I give it 4 stars, or a grade of A. (in restaurant grading, it'd get 5 stars)

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Bryan Beckman

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

So . . . is this now the default discussion thread for the film? Just to be on the safe side, I'll post story details in spoilers for those people looking only for reviews.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this movie. I came in with high expectations, and I was not disappointed. At this point Brad Bird could make a movie about the phone book and I'd be one of the first people in line.

With this movie, Pixar has served notice to all the animation studios--no, scratch that, make it all film studios and filmmakers period--that they individually and collectively need to raise the level of their A-game. The previous pop-culturish, star-driven, sex-and-scatological humor-driven elements that seem to drive most animated (and children's) fare these days just don't satisfy, and they don't cut it anymore. It's all about a compelling story with interesting characters and universal themes that aren't dimmed much (if at all) by time.

Oh, and looking absolutely marvellous doesn't hurt either. See this in a DLP theater if you can. Your eyes will not stop thanking you.

Speaking of the story, my wife astutely pointed out that what would normally be the climax of a lesser animated film turns out to be merely the midpoint of the movie. And just when you think it's ready to wrap everything up with a nice lovely red bow at the end, with just a few sentences the audience's expectations are completely shattered. All of which makes the ultimate ending so much more satisfying. The characters make their own happiness, not forced into the roles they're not cut out for/used to. And I think that is one of the themes of the movie: determining your own destiny in light of your current circumstances. One is not forced into mediocrity because the stars just don't align perfectly. Greatness is always achievable.

One of the most satisfying and (pardon the pun) delicious film experiences I've had in quite a while.

Dan Hitchman

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

I'm talking about the industry of CGI animation as a whole, not particularly or necessarily PIXAR, though Cars was not one of their stronger outings.

I have seen many trailers for Ratatouille and many stills, and while in and of itself it looks "cool" it still is lacking something.

Also, on the whole, they are producing CGI flicks from all over the place much faster than traditional, hand drawn animation.

I still state there is a "sameness" creeping into this computer animated world the studios have started. Much, much faster than old school animation.

I think well done films like Bambi, have an "atmosphere" that the drawings evoke more so than the brightly lit, florescent colored, plasticy computer world that many animators are sticking with. It works fine for a Toy Story because of the setting, but not for others.

Dan

Chuck Mayer

Re: From Pixar in 2007: Ratatouille

Like most Pixar films, Ratatouille settles in my memory quite warmly, each piece of it fitting together very well in hindsight. I can't wait to see it again and again and again. Pixar makes it nice when your kid wants to watch the same film over and over. I still get excited when he picks Cars or The Incredibles for the 20th time.

I have to assume Dan hasn't seen this film...the script is a brilliant piece of work. And artistically...Ratatouille is a landmark in animation. EDIT: Pixar isn't even competing with DW or Fox animation or anyone else. Cars is better than anything the other studios have done...and it's the least brilliant of the Pixar films. I consider Pixar an absolute treasure.

MikeRS, while I feel Brad Bird is a very special talent, I also believe Pixar adds an immense amount to the mix. Let's just say that it's two great tastes that taste exceptional together. I have heard that Bird will be directing a live action film about the 1906 earthquake. Whatever he does, I'll be there.

Pixar is still batting 1.000 as a studio.