For the first viewing of Ratatouille (and second following closely afterwards) I was amazed and inspired. Not only by the spectacular animation, but by the exceptional writing which has differentiated Pixar above Disney.
The wrap-up is particularly noteworthy, as it not only speaks truth to creatives, but to bloggers who bitch about crap but never seem to produce anything of their own. It hit close to home:
"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 probably 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. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new... needs friends. [...] Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."
1 comment:
I remember watching that movie, enjoying it, but already trying to place it in the Pixar rankings before it was over. Then that scene came on, and I realized this was a different movie than any Pixar film before it.
Someone on another blog said they loved pixar movies because they weren't just cartoons; they were films that were about things that can't be caputured by live action. I think "Ratatouille" is a perfect illustration of this. It expresses ideas about art and the creative spirit that are rare in all of cinema, in a way that might only can be expressed by using a rat as its main character. While "The Incredibles" is still my favorite Pixar film, and the first 45 minutes of "Wall-E" is their greatest achievement, I think "Ratatouille" may be remembered as the movie where they crossed the line from making great entertainment into making great art.
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