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Rat's Cuisine Reigns Supreme I've seen dozens of "Iron Chef" episodes in my day, along with Emeril, Rachael Ray, and Giada de Laurentiis, yet I had not really thought about the simple joy of cooking until Remy the Rat explained it. Early in "Ratatouille," the latest slice of Pixar wizardry to arrive on DVD, Remy (voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt) rhapsodizes about the permutations and combinations of ingredients that make a great dish. Framed by a black screen, swirls of color burst around him as he describes the addition of each flavor. Remy's joyous desire to share his love of food is at the heart of "Ratatouille." He dreams of being a great Parisian chef, and manages to sort of achieve that. Remy teams up with a lowly dishwasher at Gasteau's to create dishes that put the once-famous but now mediocre restaurant on the map again. Meanwhile, the hapless Linguini has more up his sleeve than a little rat chef – he's got a thing for his co-worker Collette, and he just may be the rightful owner of the eatery, which is being driven into the ground by head chef Skinner. Skinner is voiced by Ian Holm in one of two brilliant vocal performances in the film. The other role is performed by Peter O'Toole who voices Anton Ego, a food critic. O'Toole brings a sophisticated menace to his performance, and I actually did not recognize his voice until the end credits rolled, revealing Ego's source. I liked "Ratatouille," which is full of visual delights and fun moments like Remy explaining his love of food, or Collette instructing Linguini on the proper way to operate a kitchen. Even Anton Ego has a shining moment when he delivers a monologue about criticism that could apply to books, poetry, theater, or film as much as it does to food. Linguini's character is a little weak and he's asked to carry much of the middle portion of the film, but the supporting cast holds up the story, even when Remy is confined to the inside of Linguini's hat while hiding in the kitchen (remember, rats aren't exactly a welcome sight in a restaurant, even in the movies). Although "Ratatouille" is plenty funny, it's mostly made up of situational humor. There are no purely zany characters, and it's possible this G-rated film might still go over the heads of most young kids. But you never know, the next Food Network star may be watching.
ALSO OF NOTE FROM PIXAR THIS MONTH It may be hard to believe, but the folks that brought you "Ratatouille" as well as "Toy Story" and "Cars" have been making films for over 20 years. Pixar started out as a division of Lucasfilm, later to be split off and headed by Steve Jobs, and originally attempted to sell hardware to big buyers like the U.S. military. To show off their stuff, the Pixar team created short films like "Luxo Jr." and "The Adventures of André & Wally B." Some of these early shorts, like "Luxo Jr.," earned Academy Award nominations. Long after Pixar shelved its computer business and dedicated themselves full-time to animated fare, the company continued to make short films as a means of giving talented young animators a chance to try out their skills before working on a feature film. And if you've seen any Pixar film in the past few years, and arrived at the theater on time, you've probably seen some of these shorts already. The "Pixar Short Films Collection" compiles thirteen of the company's short films, including those created exclusively for previous DVD releases like "Mater and the Ghostlight" (featuring the characters of "Cars") and "Jack-Jack Attack" ("The Incredibles"). It's interesting to trace the progression of computer animation over 20 years with this collection. The shorts range from the mildly entertaining to technically and creatively brilliant. One highlight is the short film "Boundin'," written and directed by old-timer Bud Luckey, who also sings and performs the catchy tune that sets the scene for this tale of a sheep on the plains who learns to take life in stride from a kindly jackalope. Bonus features on the DVD include a short history of Pixar, and audio commentaries on all thirteen of the shorts. The suggested retail price of the DVD is $29.95, but it can usually be found online or in the store for just under $20. However, that's still a bit much to pay for the disc. And if you're a fan of Pixar, you likely have many of these shorts in your collection already, as bonus features on other DVD releases. But for those wanting all the shorts in one convenient location, this is a great set. Curiously, the "Pixar Short Films Collection" is also subtitled "Volume 1." Considering this DVD compiles the first 20-plus years of Pixar's history, I wouldn't hold my breath for "Volume 2" anytime soon! 11/25/07 Back to the main Cinema Tuesdays Reviews page More about the Cinema Tuesdays series  |
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