Ratatouille

Jen and I saw Ratatouille last night. It doesn't officially come out until June 29, but Disney held sneak preview screenings yesterday. I've been looking forward to this one for a few reasons: it's set in Paris, it's about cooking, and it stars Patton Oswalt as Remy the rat. I became more interested in it after reading an article in the New York Times this week about how Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame consulted with Brad Bird and his crew on the movie.

I have to tell you, it is a fantastic film. The animation is gorgeous. I admit I even teared up the first time the Paris cityscape was revealed. It was almost like being there. (I will point out that I tear up easy. I cried during the musical episode of Scrubs, for example. Still...) The food looked wonderful, and there are quite a few subtle visual gags, such as a waiter who looks like a certain Monty Python character.

Ratatouille is also really funny. Interestingly, considering who he's voiced by, Remy is actually the straight man to pretty much all the lunacy going around him. But he provides a strong emotional core to the film.

There are a few slow spots due to plot exposition, and you really need to accept early on that swarms of rats are cute, not hideous. Those are minor quibbles (unless you really hate swarms of rats). I am already planning to see this again when it officially comes out.