Summer's Best?

Rating: 8/10 (9 July 2007)

RATATOUILLE
**** stars out of 5 (8/10).
I can say, with little doubt, that "Ratatouille" is the best film I've seen all summer long. It mixes brilliant animation with good, old-fashioned film-making.
Remy (PATTON OSWALT) is a strange rat. He prefers fine cuisine to the trash his family usually eats. He is also different in the fact that he can read, and cook the food he loves so dearly. Remy is eventually separated from his family, and he must find his way to survive in Paris, the fine food capitol of the world. One day, he is caught in a famous restaurant by Linguini (LOU ROMANO), the new garbage boy. Before he's about to dump Remy in the river, Linguini sees that the rat understands his words. Earlier, he saw the rat cooking up delicious soup, so he puts his head to work. The two unlikely friends begin to work together, so Remy can be a cook, and so Linguini can move up in the world of the restaurant business.
This movie is smart, witty, and stunning to the eye. Brad Bird is a master of animation, and this is his best film to date. The movie can be quite funny, without going over the top on pop-culture references. It's so well-made that it makes some of the other summer pictures look like nothing. The animation is intricate, colorful, and comically realistic. It's scary the amount of detail the filmmakers went into. "Ratatouille" is a feast to the senses, and it finds a way of entertaining you throughout the entire movie.
I won't do much complaining, but there are some little things I wasn't happy about. For once, I would like to see an animated movie without this kind of villain, and the stages of predictability he/she goes through to find out the scheme. Don't get me wrong, I liked the character Skinner (IAN HOLM), but the process has been in nearly every animated movie of late. It was directed well, but I guess I just want to see something new.
Nonetheless, this film reaches a certain amount of greatness. The voice casting is perfect, and it will associate with all kinds of audiences. It's a flavor explosion, and you would be without taste not to enjoy this great Pixar dish.