Originally Posted By basil fan I don't think Remy means anything. It's just a name, isn't it? Like Emil? What nationality is Linguini supposed to be? Italian, like his name? I assume he's not French, not because he has no accent, but because he isn't sure what ratatouille is. Tarzan's Dictionary <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/etc/tarmangani.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/ etc/tarmangani.html</a>
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb I figured his mother Renata (I LOVE that name!) raised him in the States.
Originally Posted By Rsey103 Well, I thought Remy's brother was named Emile because he is fat and is always lookin' for 'a meal.' So his name sounds like 'a meal.' (Anybody? ....) Remy must mean something in the mind of Brad Bird.....
Originally Posted By BlueOhanaTerror >>>as far as I'm concerned, Ratatouille is worthy of a best picture nod. Not best animated film. Best picture. Period.<<< So nice to agree with you, Trippy.
Originally Posted By basil fan After watching the movie again, I have some new comments. Strangely, I didn't find it better on the second viewing. I have no explanation for this, since movies always seem to be better the second time. Thouhgh I did like it both times. I have to say the movie is too long. The kid in front of me asked to go home about halfway through, but Mom made her stick it out. It could've been trimmed by cutting out a few things here and there: references to rats stealing (more on this later), Remy's conflict between family and job, the scene where Colette gives cooking lessons to Linguini, not that I didn't like that scene, but it wasn't really necessary. Maybe 10 minutes of film? There really needs to be only one conflict for Remy: his talent vs. his species (rats can't be chefs). Adding the business about rats stealing and about duty to family vs. duty to career just dilute the plot, IMHO. A very Don Bluth-esque problem. However, the 2 extraneous conflicts are kept to a minimum and so are not all that bad. I finally caught Linguini's first name: Alfredo. Isn't that great? Nobody complained about the lightning introduction of the throwaway chefs, although similar scenes in other movies (Atlantis or Meet the Robinsons) are soundly panned. Hmmm... Somehow, every move that big rat makes is funny. There's something about a rat that walks like a muscle man that cracks me up. Not only is Anton Ego's office shaped like a coffin, but so is he when he stands. The decor of his office is utterly funereal: the drawer pulls look like coffin handles, and the typewriter looks like a skull. Some very good subliminal design work. The film's finale is so utterly and completely satisfying that it makes me forget any flaws or the length of the movie. All's right with Remy's world in a quiet, low-key, but ultimately (I'll say it again) satisfying fashion, and I leave feeling content. Both times I saw this movie, audience members applauded at the end, which is rare in these days.
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Saw it last night with my sister, and we both enjoyed it. We also enjoyed the Lifted short, which I think is the funniest that Pixar has done. A friend of mine said it was the most epic film Pixar has done, and it seemed that way...a lot of character and plot development, but there could have been some editing. Being the Villain lover, I enjoyed Skinner but he falls into more of the antagonist role; ditto for Anton Ego, but I won't count him since his role his limited; he's got the Villain look though. Between the two, the focus was on Skinner since he was more of the schemer. I wonder if they can recruit Peter O'Toole if they ever need to revoice Frollo or Shere Khan? I think Hopper and Syndrome were the only Pixar Villains who remained constant in their films. The others (Stinky Pete, Chick Hicks, Sid Phillips et al) were all very brief and were featured in somewhat crucial scenes. Anyway, the animation and artwork were stunning, although the Running of the Rats reminded me of Honey I Shrunk the Audience. I was a bit surprised by the ending...it was a happy one, but not the one I was expecting. Oh, and Rsey103, Remy is just a regular French name, like Emile or Yves or Etienne (which is French for Stephen, btw). If you're an X-Men fan, Gambit's real name is Remy Lebeaux (sp?)
Originally Posted By Santa Monica <<I was a bit surprised by the ending...it was a happy one, but not the one I was expecting. >> During the movie, I had it pegged that the last shot would be Remy standing in front of Gusteau's as the three star rating illuminated once more to five stars. I'm glad the movie ended the way it ended.
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Oy...I noticed an error in my rant...Randall Boggs was also a constant Villain in his film as well. And even though this is pretty much a repeat of what I posted above, I'm posting an email I'm writing for a friend as we speak. ----> "J'ai vu <<Ratatouille>>" Although I might have used the wrong word for 'seen' in French...but yes, my sister and I saw Ratatouille last week. The Lifted short was funny, and I think it's the funniest short Pixar has done so far. We both enjoyed the film (it did seem long in some parts), and I was surprised by the non-traditional happy ending, although I guess it was the right thing to do. The CGI was amazing and life-like and the simple story was done well. The only grimacing moment for me was the first rat horde shot when they were spilling out of the old woman's ceiling, albeit I had no problem with all of them in the kitchen. As for the Villain(s), I was a bit disappointed that they only served as antagonists to Linguini and Remy. Anton Ego is obligatory tough critic and has a somewhat evil design (skull typewriter, coffin-shaped office, vulture-like body), and was somewhat responsible for Gusteau's demise, but he really has no evil nature or scheme to shut down the restaurant. It's the stereotype of the critic (Vincent Price's "Theatre of Blood" and the animated show "The Critic" with Jon Lovitz come to mind), and he makes the best of it in his limited screen time. Skinner, on the other hand, is aimed as the main antagonist. His only scheme in the movie is to use the Gusteau name for a line of frozen food products and bring in the money. Skinner comes across as a Wile E. Coyote to Linguini and Remy's Road Runner, which fuels his obsession to expose the two of them and humiliate them in the process, no doubt fueled by the fact that Linguini is Gusteau's son. He does manage to succeed in exposing the secret of Remy to the world, so I guess he is one of the few Villains to actually succeed in their plot and survive. Not bad, as I put him in the same line with Chick Hicks, but then I guess a truly evil, constant Villain a la Hopper, Randall Boggs or Syndrome would have been out of place in the film.
Originally Posted By CuriosWolfSo >>And even though this is pretty much a repeat of what I posted above, I'm posting an email I'm writing for a friend as we speak. ----> << Very nice e-mail, 5BR. *winks*
