note: eh...please note that I don't watch movies all that often, neither do I review about it. It's probably because usually watch movies for it's visuals, I rarely concentrate on the story. (recently I began looking for good stories) I am a baaaad movie viewer. So I did not mean to sound like this movie is TEH BEST MOVIE IN THE WORLD. ];
I watched Ratatouille yesterday and it was really awesome! it had been a LOOONG time I got up watching a movie with a light-head filled with excitement.
I noticed some audiences in the sit did not really like the movie. These are the possible reason I liked the movie
1. I just like pixar a lot
2. I like most of the movies directed by Brad Bird. He has signaturable humor for expressions and body gestures
3. The movie had huge connection to people who do things that are creative. so I guess, the movie felt wee-bit more personal for me to watch.
Rating: I will start with the rating. I give an A :b but that's just me. You may give it a B. I feel like many people won't think it's all that amazing. Mainly if you think rat+kitchin seems too unrealistic with human-worlded background.
Graphic: I already watched how they worked on the food graphic so I was already filled with appriciation even before I was going to watch the movie. The food just looked GREAT. Did you guys see how they rendered GRAPES? it looks JUST like them! they looked juicy and sliiightly transparent. I dunno; it made me hungry. There were a lot of times I just stared at all the food rendering in that movie. I don't know a lot about 3D animation but I was glad I was able to appriciate other than just quality of character rendering or story line.
Pixar always has this....some type of superior animating magic compared to any other 3D animated movies. I don't really know why theirs just look a bit better but I think they move slightly more realistically. AGAIN, I don't really know why. it might be because I like Pixar, but can my mind really fool my eye that much? Shame for me since I do animate...a little. I did see them studying real life movements for animating but doesn't other animating studio do this also? This makes me so curious. I liked the scenes where Remy was getting sucked into roaring and swooshing waves and wurlpools when he got lost in the sewer; great movements.
Story through Remy, a personal connection: The story was cool. I really liked it. They portrayed an artist with a RAT, which is considered "gross". Again, like many others movies that has ambitious antagonist, their friends or family do not want the main character to do what they want due to who they are. Some people may call this cliche. and it really PISSES ME OFF when the movie theme is "JUST BE YOURSELF"
I hate that
but this movie was somehow different. I think it was portrayed in different way. I liked how Remy was not completely disconnected to his own identity and his friends. He was aware of who he was and also wanted to visit his colony, Remy respected his friends and family, and at some scenes he admited that he was "pretending"
"I am tired of pretending to be a human ...(skip) and I am tired of pretending to be a rat"
the quote was
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I watched it only once...I can't remember that ingeniously...sorry
well, anyway, I realized Remy is not one sided character. He do feels "stuck in the middle", not belonging anywhere. Remy is aware of his limits but at same time, risk EVERYTHING.
(I am connecting the movie with me. so the small text doesn't have to do with the movie. please skip if needed)
I was so touched by the story. Probably because I feel the silmiar(not exact); I feel like i am wasting time doing art, but also feel like I HAVE to at least be part of the artist community. I am also an engineering student; things are organized and make perfect sense.
Art doesn't. There is no formular or theory behind art unless you go extremely specifically. There is not much guideline to it, it's too free. I also need to think in disorganized way to create something, something I hate.
but I love art because how i can explore so much by myself. "I want to make things", create things with my own hand. It's such a priceless joy.
Math doesn't. You can at some extent, but not as flexible as art. You can't play around with integral to find a new way to calculate it. It feels like answers are already there; only thing I explore is how it connects to other.
I almost feel like i am stuck somewhere and I don't know who to be. This is probably why I am spending most of the time trying to be someone everyone want me to. Hey, at least it gives me a direction. The differnet between me and Remy is probably that I have much LESS ambition and enthusiasm toward what I like. It makes me a loser lol
in conclusion, the movie was able to avoid sounding like "just be yourself" because Remy went through a conflict who he should be and why he should be doing what he is doing. Is it really right? Is this to the order of nature? Remy did end up saying
"Change IS nature"
OKAY! enough of myself, stupid me. The story in general had great value too! I think the story is not cleverly represented but it's good! I mentioned that the movies' "just be yourself" wasn't so obnoxious, right? Heh, it probably didn't because they wasn't the point of the story. probably. There are the reason I think it made it appear that way
1. Remy did not seem to prove himself to his family or friends. He was rather introductive about it. "I AM GONNA COOK AND YOU WILL LIKE IT!" not like that. It was as if he wanted everyone to know that there are better things out there, something to be explored that rats did not, not just himself. "There are possibilities unexplored here." I think that's what he said.
2. #1 brings to #2. Remy also did not appeared to cook for himself and for his own joy that others cannot fill for him. He seemed to cook for OTHERS to enjoy something he does and be happy BY it.
This is the reason I liked this movie so much. "FINALLY SOMEONE GETS IT", I felt that way. Although, I don't think anyone should think this particular method of joy is...GOOD, since it's about doing things for other's happiness. Having extremely need for others to be happy isn't so bad, but sometimes I feel like that's the only joy I accept in the world. It seems this makes some considerate people feel like I "neglect myself". I may be true, but I don't know.
3. Also, Remy SHARES what he can feel from the food. I also, want to share the feeling I get from my creations. O The things I explored, gives me gooze bumps and I feel like gas is escaping out of my brain. It feels great! eh...I don't know how to share it though...it's because my art skill isn't good enough. On the other hand, Remy is a genious! He knows what he is doing and he know how he can share.
I remember the scene when Remy shared his brother how to taste stuff. His brother failed to get what Remy felt, but still, Remy shared it. This shows that Remy is not risking everything just for himself. He want to bring something to broader audiences(?). WHOOPS...out of words.
Animation and Visual: it was so awesome! It think it had been a while I have seen a pixar movie! well, like i said before, there were a lot of great movements and expressions but I liked how a lot of them filled me with emotion (positive or negative) without a word. I particularly liked the expression of Colette when she gets AANNNGRRRY. hahahrharhahr. and all the other characters XD They have sucha funcky face design but they all make very human expressions. LOOOOL! I...find that funny...I think. It was funny...for me...meh...
I like the face of that...guy who said "I killed the man...with THIS THUMB". He looks like this
}:C
rolrolfoahAHRHARHAR
oh oh and have you guys seen the background?!?! it was so great! i heard that Pixar team toured around Paris for a while trying to study all the designs of the buildings and cities an stuff. well...you had to make it look like Paris so ...]: I am not saying only Pixar do this.
I liked the lightings of many scenes. It was mostly WARM, which I like. It think it's because of all the food and just...paris-ness. I liked the general tone of the movie so much! If I could, I woud just pause a scene in the movie, print it, and hang it on my room! actually, this isn't the only movie I would like to do this. I've seen better...but what good is it if I keep comparing movies and movies? Ratatouille's scenery was awesome!...
in it's own wayShould you watch?: If you are an artist, WATCH IT. you may like it, with probability 60%. Those of people who won't get the concept behind a "rat artist" or think a rat character in kitchen is too sily, you can still watch it as comedy movie, but it's a children movie so it may depend on your taste or age.
also, if you are an artist, you would probably appriciate the visual compositions of the movie, including animation, I think it's really pretty. It's really worth-a-while :b
I don't think this movie is a must. There STILL was something that movie did not do that I wish the movie did. but this is because... I am just one person. Everything I said here that went like "OMGOMGOMG SO AWESOME" may be an exaggeration or came from my personal taste. damn this is HARD!!! suggesting movie is hard... ._.
It puts me to limit that everything I say is done only under one perspective and one opinion. This is why every other criticisms or praise can be EXPLAINED and ANAYLZED, including mine. There should be every explanations for my I liked the movie, also my behaviors toward some scenes of the movie, etc.
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on the other news. I went to the
GLASS EXHIBITION. I don't know about you...I LOVE GLASS AIJOEWLIJFELIHALJF *spit comes out uncontrollably* I know a lot of people do too, but I DON'T CARE! I want to express my love toward shiny transparent goodness. There are SOME pictures I took. I can't show everything. There were too many.
I went to a museum and saw this too, but photography was restricted. I AM SO MAD NOW!! It definitely had cool stuff. now i feel like I lost it all! aaaanywhozel
AAAAAH. my labtop is running out of battery. I will do it later!