Ratatoille [2007]

Shikyo's Ratings: 5 outta 5 PoPcOrNz!

For those who haven't seen Ratatoille yet, omfg which rock have you been living under? It's quite possibly the best movie ever! Forget my review, go and watch the movie now. Keep your mind open to the lessons that go deeper than friendship and love. Look past the cutesy animation for the true meaning of the story. My review does not give it enough justice >_<

* S * P * O * I * L * E * R * S *

Here's where you stop reading
if you haven't seen the film.

I forbid you to read further.
Srsly. Watch the movie.

* A * H * E * A * D *

This movie is as much for the kiddies as it is for teens and adults -- it's one of those all-in-one movies with good directing + witty plot + wholesome lessons + smart characters + fun for all ages. Great cast of voice actors who aren't carrying big-shot names but they know what they're doing, and really who cares if the voice actors aren't popular actors? They made all the characters feel very real and the accents were good, but let's not take away credit from the script writer (and director), Brad Bird, who really put a lot of effort into making sure his characters weren't your typical flawless good guys.

When you're watching the film, you don't feel like thumbing down all the bad decisions made by the protagonists, you'd think, if I were in his/her shoes, I'd prolly do the same. Everyone's got their own faults and everyone makes mistakes. And the best part is that none of the characters make any idiotic out-of-character decisions, nor do they suddenly undergo a change in character.

Perhaps my only beef with this movie is the main human character's name "Alfredo Linguini." It's a ridiculous name. There's just too much hint to the popular pasta dish, whereas the other characters' names are normal.. even the rat names are normal!

My favourite quote comes from Remy when he speaks against his mousey dad: "Change is nature. The part that we can influence. And it starts when we decide."

It's all about the many discriminations that we face in societies that we live in today. It's a blatant "change is the only constant" and "roll with the changes" message and how we can all change society's norm for the better. Of course, what's right and wrong is always evolving but all it takes is just one person to influence others, and if unbiasedly, the majority sees it as an improvement then more will follow along. In that way, so many age-old nonsense still clinging to some people's thoughts can be changed and we can move ahead and improve humanity by setting up new or redefining old societal norms.


If anyone caught this next quote... I have a feeling Brad Bird actually threw this line out to (future) movie critiquers of Ratatouille.

Quoting a line from Anton Ego: "In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new..."

I think my jaw dropped at this point.


Srsly, Brad Bird is like a frikkin STORYTELLING GOD having successfully delivered TWO outstanding movies -- The Incredibles and Ratatouille. I really liked Iron Giant as well but I don't remember loving it as much as these two (I have a short term memory problem xD). Anyways, I can't wait for his next story, and I dun care if it's an animation or real-life movie or tv series or even a book.


Just like Linguini had a little mousey telling him how to make great recipies, I think Brad Bird has a little birdy telling him how to spin great stories.