Ratatouille (2007)

Date: 12/14/07
DVD
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/

Ratatouille.

     Given Pixar's track record, my expectations were high going into Ratatouille. Luckily, I am surprised to say that my expectations have been far surpassed with what can only be called a minor masterpiece. The story is a bit out there; the whole kitchen-run-by-rats thing is kind of kooky, but Pixar uses it beautifully to set up metaphors and life lessons seen around crumbling pieces of bread and the pages of out-of-date cook books. Moving past the message one of course moves onto the cinematography, which is crafted to mesmerizing ends. Every shot is perfectly composed to positively influence the development of the plot, the characters, and the audience's senses.
     One of the strongest (and most notably overlooked aspects) of the film to me was easily the score, done by Michael Giacchino. The score dances with the images on the film so beautifully that at it's best, it's simply inspiring. Notice the scene in which Remy is climbing to the rooftops of Paris, passing along the way a French couple arguing, misfiring, and subsequently rekindling their romance followed by the avoidance of a mouse trap, a silhouette of a beautiful woman in a window, and finally: one hell of a reveal. The score here takes the scene from interesting to astounding on a completely subconscious level.
     Another one of the films strongest points is easily seen in that the film at no time panders to an unintelligent audience; at all times the film is maintaining deeper story lines that will have strong impacts on adults while positively affecting the growth of children watching it, who can't seem to take their eyes off the screen.