Ratatouille

'œA few hours after Ratatouille, I replaced the Velveeta in my mousetrap with a piece of Gruyère,' said Wesley Morris in The Boston Globe. The moral of the latest Pixar animated flick is a moving one: Anybody can have taste and talent, even a rat. The plot, which follows a rat named Remy as he transforms himself into one of Paris' top chefs, sounds unappetizing. It isn't. Remy may belong to a lowly species, but his palate is more sensitive than most human cooks'. This movie's mature, tasty story line, in the tradition of foodie films such as Big Night and Babette's Feast, makes it one of the best'”and most sophisticated'”movies of the year. It's also a visual triumph that 'œmakes Shrek the Third look like it was animated on an abacus,' said James Verniere in the Boston Herald. From showstopping views of the Paris cityscape to mouthwatering food shots to detailed glimpses of a bustling kitchen, director Brad Bird has crafted the most gorgeous CGI movie to date. His attentiveness to detail and love for his craft bring a tear to the eye, said Peter Hartlaub in the San Francisco Chronicle. Bird's creative medium and that of his rodent protagonist find many intersections in Ratatouille, a movie that functions as a tribute to the creative mind itself. 'œIt's a movie made by people who love to create, and they want you to know what it's like to feel that same rush.'

Rating: G

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