Anyone Can Cook... Even a Rat

Written and Directed by: Brad Bird

Disney and Pixar have done it again with this mind-blowing animated masterpiece of a rat that wants to learn how to cook. “Anyone can cook,” says Gusteau, owner of a famous five-star restaurant before he passed away. Directed by the man who brought us The Incredibles and The Iron Giant, Brad Bird creates another successful film, one that keeps your eyes glued onto the screen.

After learning about Gusteau’s (Brad Garrett) fame from and old woman’s house, Remy (Patton Oswalt), a rat, decides he wants to make a change to this world by learning how to cook. He already has developed an excellent sense of smell and becomes the official “rat poison sniffer” for his family and friends. After getting separated from his family, he watches Linguini (Lou Romano), who has been assigned “garbage boy” duties from the chef Skinner (Ian Holm) at Gusteau’s restaurant. Remy quickly recreates a soup, and it becomes an instant success. Thinking Linguini was the mastermind behind the soup, Skinner realizes that Linguini may be more than a garbage boy and wants Linguini to cook more recipes. Linguini and Remy team up to cook, but if anyone found out a rat were on restaurant premises, it would be closed down forever.

The fine performances from all actors, top-notch animation, and original story all make Ratatouille a huge hit. Brad Bird brought the same elements to The Incredibles, and he does not disappoint with Ratatouille. Great comedic timing, excellent character designs, and a story that one can relate to populates the film that Bird and the entire Disney/Pixar team bring to the big screen. It’s everything one would expect from a Disney/Pixar movie. Do not miss it!

Cast: Remy (Patton Oswalt), Skinner (Ian Holm), Linguini (Lou Romano), Colette (Janeane Garofalo), Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole)

IMDb Page: http://imdb.com/title/tt0382932/

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A Life Where Robots Serve Humans

Written by: Timothy Hyde Harris & David Bowers
Directed by: David Bowers

David Bowers directs Astro Boy, an animated film about a utopia where robots serve humans in almost every way possible. To treat everyone with respect, dignity, and love is the central theme, and we see this between humans and robots and between civilizations (Metro City and “The Surface”). No question about it, your kid will definitely take something away from watching this film. Unfortunately, this film just doesn't meet the expectations of a Disney film or Pixar film, even with some celebrity actors.

When Dr. Tenma’s (Nicolas Cage) son Toby (Freddie Highmore) dies after an accident in the laboratory, he decides to construct a robot clone of his son, using the Blue Core, a sphere that produces positive energy. After a day with Toby, his father sends him away, knowing that the robot boy will never replace his real son. Toby heads down to the surface where he meets human children, who are orphans. Befriending them right away, Toby gets the name Astro from the kids. Astro does not immediately tell the children that he's a robot, but Hamegg (Nathan Lane), the adult who's looking after the children, discovers Astro's secret right away. President Stone (Donald Sutherland) wants the power of the Blue Core, however, and he will do anything to get his hands on Astro.

This movie will please any kid due to the great acting, fun characters, and warming story. Unfortunately, for those of us who are older and more critical, this film just does not cut it. As one of Summit Entertainment’s first animated film, Astro Boy lacks the quality that Disney and Pixar bring to the table. This may be due to the lack of experience. The huge round eyes and slick hair for Astro did not appeal to me as some of the other characters. Even some of the robots that are constantly shown felt rushed and weak.

Some elements of this film were excellent, however. The brilliant and consistent voice acting breathed life into these characters and made up for some of the animation and design mistakes. These characters are likeable, the story is simple but well-crafted, and the actors all have solid performances. If you’re watching this movie with your kid, your kid will definitely have a fun experience. But for you or another adult who have seen many movies in the past, this one just does not meet their level.

Cast: Astro/Toby (Freddie Highmore), Nicolas Cage (Dr. Tenma), Donald Sutherland (President Stone), Dr. Elefun (Bill Nighy), Kristen Bell (Cora), Nathan Lane (Hamegg)