Pixar cooks up a 'toon-winner
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, November 04, 2007
In case you haven't gotten enough of Jerry Seinfeld, the "Bee Movie" mogul releases the ninth season of his television series on DVD this week. If you want even more, the complete series is also available.
Bill Cosby gets into the mix, too, with seasons five and six of his Emmy-winning series. And "Full House," "Gilligan's Island," "Wonder Woman" and "The X-Files" get the "complete series" treatment, too.
That's an awful lot of television on DVD. But the real jewel is "Ratatouille," a Pixar film that gives Disney back a bit of the ol' kitchen magic.
Witty and sophisticated, the animated film is set in a French restaurant. A young rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) longs to be a chef but isn't taken seriously because, well, he's a rat. Joining forces with a clumsy guy named Linguini (Lou Romano), he realizes his dream at the famed Gusteau's in Paris. By tugging on his friend's hair, Remy can control what goes into the dish du jour. Naturally, he's a hit, which makes the kid's boss boil.
When a famed critic decides to review the new fare, everyone goes into a tailspin and "Ratatouille" becomes one of those "don't judge a book by its cover" allegories.
Directed by Brad Bird, the latest Pixar hit salts the culinary life with plenty of characters and lots of spicy situations. Linguini's boss Skinner (voiced by Ian Holm) will get control of Gusteau's if the owner's rightful heir isn't found. There's a secret ingredient lurking in the restaurant.
Bird's team has reproduced the kitchen with great care. Food looks good enough to eat; utensils gleam with promise. In the restaurant, a whole other world exists -- particularly when Anton Ego, the critic (voiced beautifully by Peter O'Toole) shows up. He's every nasty critic you can imagine. His outlook is pure Grinch; his delivery entirely original. When O'Toole talks about the life of a critic you can just hear the wheels churning. It's a great monologue that's part revenge, part pity.
While Remy won't challnge Mickey for dominance in the mouse house, he will sate a different palate. "Ratatouille" isn't a typical animated film. It's like a good wine -- tasty, full-bodied and memorable.
Also: 'Chuck and Larry'
All those years of watching "Three's Company" have caught up with Adam Sandler.
Now, in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," he plays an updated version of Jack Tripper in order to help a fellow firefighter (played by Kevin James).
Because there's a loophole in their benefits packager (a very stupid loophole, by the way), James has to marry in order to make his children his beneficiaries. Because there's no woman on the horizon, he suggests Sandler step up as his same-sex spouse. Because James saved his life, Sandler agrees and the two pose as a gay couple in order to meet some government code.
Naturally, walking in someone else's boots opens their eyes and makes them better straight men.
Director Dennis Dugan wants his film to appear enlightened, but there are a lot of stereotypical jokes that don't serve anyone.
Sandler, in fact, has somehow managed to re-create himself as a real ladies' man - Mr. February in the firefighters calendar.
He's tempted by a beautiful woman -- in this case, Jessica Biel, the guys' attorney. She feels entirely safe around him and doesn't hesitate to walk around in her underwear, flash her breasts and let down her guard. Sandler bites, but he doesn't know how to maintain the ruse and woo the girl.
While Dugan can be commended for his enlightened casting, he doesn't resist the easy joke. There's a fundraiser that's filled with stereotypes and a courtroom scene that looks like it was cobbed from a "very special episode" of seven or eight '80s TV shows.
Sandler is OK but James is pretty darn good, able to convey a father's love and a husband's loss. He's a much better actor than this film requires. Still, how hard is it to stand out when David Spade is seen in a dress, Rob Schneider plays a Jerry Lewis-style Asian and Lance Bass entertains at a gay wedding?
"Chuck and Larry" isn't a good comedy. It's a predictable one, complete with gags 12-year-olds might concoct at summer camp. If it serves any purpose it's to give Sandler the heart "Happy Madison" or "The Water Boy" never had. Luckily, Kevin James shares it.
Also this week:
TV: "A Dennis the Menace Christmas"; "The Best of the Colbert Report"; "Bob Hope: The Ultimate Collection"; "The Cosby Show," seasons five and six; "Doctor Who," season three; "Flight of the Conchords," season one; "Full House," season eight and complete series; "Gilligan's Island," complete series; "Kung Fu," complete series; "Martin," season three; "The Munster's Scary Little Christmas"; "Opus and Bill"; "Pink Panther: A Complete Christmas"; "Project Runway," season three; "Seinfeld," season nine and complete series; "Wings," season five; "Wonder Woman," complete series; "X-Files," complete series.
Film: "Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who"; "Blame it on Fidel"; "Chinatown," collector's edition; "Deck the Halls"; "Kill Bill"; "Pixar Short Films"; "Sicko"; "The Two Jakes"
Bill Cosby gets into the mix, too, with seasons five and six of his Emmy-winning series. And "Full House," "Gilligan's Island," "Wonder Woman" and "The X-Files" get the "complete series" treatment, too.
That's an awful lot of television on DVD. But the real jewel is "Ratatouille," a Pixar film that gives Disney back a bit of the ol' kitchen magic.
Witty and sophisticated, the animated film is set in a French restaurant. A young rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) longs to be a chef but isn't taken seriously because, well, he's a rat. Joining forces with a clumsy guy named Linguini (Lou Romano), he realizes his dream at the famed Gusteau's in Paris. By tugging on his friend's hair, Remy can control what goes into the dish du jour. Naturally, he's a hit, which makes the kid's boss boil.
When a famed critic decides to review the new fare, everyone goes into a tailspin and "Ratatouille" becomes one of those "don't judge a book by its cover" allegories.
Directed by Brad Bird, the latest Pixar hit salts the culinary life with plenty of characters and lots of spicy situations. Linguini's boss Skinner (voiced by Ian Holm) will get control of Gusteau's if the owner's rightful heir isn't found. There's a secret ingredient lurking in the restaurant.
Bird's team has reproduced the kitchen with great care. Food looks good enough to eat; utensils gleam with promise. In the restaurant, a whole other world exists -- particularly when Anton Ego, the critic (voiced beautifully by Peter O'Toole) shows up. He's every nasty critic you can imagine. His outlook is pure Grinch; his delivery entirely original. When O'Toole talks about the life of a critic you can just hear the wheels churning. It's a great monologue that's part revenge, part pity.
While Remy won't challnge Mickey for dominance in the mouse house, he will sate a different palate. "Ratatouille" isn't a typical animated film. It's like a good wine -- tasty, full-bodied and memorable.
Also: 'Chuck and Larry'
All those years of watching "Three's Company" have caught up with Adam Sandler.
Now, in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," he plays an updated version of Jack Tripper in order to help a fellow firefighter (played by Kevin James).
Because there's a loophole in their benefits packager (a very stupid loophole, by the way), James has to marry in order to make his children his beneficiaries. Because there's no woman on the horizon, he suggests Sandler step up as his same-sex spouse. Because James saved his life, Sandler agrees and the two pose as a gay couple in order to meet some government code.
Naturally, walking in someone else's boots opens their eyes and makes them better straight men.
Director Dennis Dugan wants his film to appear enlightened, but there are a lot of stereotypical jokes that don't serve anyone.
Sandler, in fact, has somehow managed to re-create himself as a real ladies' man - Mr. February in the firefighters calendar.
He's tempted by a beautiful woman -- in this case, Jessica Biel, the guys' attorney. She feels entirely safe around him and doesn't hesitate to walk around in her underwear, flash her breasts and let down her guard. Sandler bites, but he doesn't know how to maintain the ruse and woo the girl.
While Dugan can be commended for his enlightened casting, he doesn't resist the easy joke. There's a fundraiser that's filled with stereotypes and a courtroom scene that looks like it was cobbed from a "very special episode" of seven or eight '80s TV shows.
Sandler is OK but James is pretty darn good, able to convey a father's love and a husband's loss. He's a much better actor than this film requires. Still, how hard is it to stand out when David Spade is seen in a dress, Rob Schneider plays a Jerry Lewis-style Asian and Lance Bass entertains at a gay wedding?
"Chuck and Larry" isn't a good comedy. It's a predictable one, complete with gags 12-year-olds might concoct at summer camp. If it serves any purpose it's to give Sandler the heart "Happy Madison" or "The Water Boy" never had. Luckily, Kevin James shares it.
Also this week:
TV: "A Dennis the Menace Christmas"; "The Best of the Colbert Report"; "Bob Hope: The Ultimate Collection"; "The Cosby Show," seasons five and six; "Doctor Who," season three; "Flight of the Conchords," season one; "Full House," season eight and complete series; "Gilligan's Island," complete series; "Kung Fu," complete series; "Martin," season three; "The Munster's Scary Little Christmas"; "Opus and Bill"; "Pink Panther: A Complete Christmas"; "Project Runway," season three; "Seinfeld," season nine and complete series; "Wings," season five; "Wonder Woman," complete series; "X-Files," complete series.
Film: "Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who"; "Blame it on Fidel"; "Chinatown," collector's edition; "Deck the Halls"; "Kill Bill"; "Pixar Short Films"; "Sicko"; "The Two Jakes"
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