http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx As everyone by now knows, RATATOUILLE is the story of a rat (Remy, voiced by Patton Oswalt) who befriends a kitchen garbage boy (Alfredo Linguini, voiced by Lou Romano) in the heart of Paris’ restaurant district, and accidentally rekindles the public’s love of Gusteau’s, a one-time Michelin Guide five-star rated restaurant. Along the way, we encounter the megalomaniacal Chef Skinner (Ian Holm), “the only chick in the kitchen,” Colette (Janeane Garofalo), Remy’s father (Brian Dennehy), a sepulchral restaurant critic (Anton Ego, voiced by Peter O'Toole) and the ghost of Gusteau himself (Brad Garrett). With the incredible glut of anthropomorphized animals on screen within the last 18 months, it seems unlikely that one of the most hated and reviled creatures on the face of the planet could possibly win the hearts and minds of the public, yet it succeeds fantastically — all without being cute and/or cuddly. When director Brad Bird (THE INCREDIBLES) inherited the project from original creator Jan Pinkava (Pixar’s GERI’S GAME), he made incredibly un-Disney-like changes. The story became a real STORY. Dumbing-down for the kiddies was entirely eliminated. He killed off Chef Gusteau — turning him into a figment of Remy’s imagination. And, the cute, make-believe rats were turned back into real rats. In interviews, Bird revealed that original conceptions for the rats had all of them on two legs, with shortened tails and people-like features. In the movie, which you’ve probably already seen with your kids, the rats are almost completely rattish … all the way down to their skin-crawling, skittering nature and horrid pink and slightly scaly tails. en-US Critics Rant info@criticsrant.com Subtext Version 1.9.4.0 http://www.criticsrant.com/images/default_gravatar_bullhorn.png http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx 77 60 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1030 this is hands down the best movie of the summer. I look at rats in a totally different way now! i wonder if the story went over the kiddies heads though. gourmet cooking isnt exactly on a kids radar, but I sure did love it. cutest rat ever!!!! JB http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1030 Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:53:14 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1156 a really fun movie! not only is the story cute, but the animation is incredible. definitely worth seeing, borrow a niece or nephew if you must. funkymom http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1156 Sun, 12 Aug 2007 04:45:50 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1190 Another boring movie what can I say not funny at all save your money and punish them for making bad movies another6655 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1190 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:56:16 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1239 I love it too. A lot! And the lines are really great, I've even posted some in my site a couple of weeks ago. zamejias http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/02/Ratatouille--Cest-Magnifique.aspx#1239 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:41:32 GMT