Comments on: I Want a Plush Doll of Anton Ego

By: William Benzon

William Benzon — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:08:58 +0000

For me, the question is whether or not Brad Bird is the first genius maker of animated films of the 21st century — something like that, and counting the 1999 release of “Iron Giant” as 21st C. Both “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille” are brilliant and “Iron Giant” is good too, though I find it a bit draggy. I know that feature-length animated films have to have directors. But I don’t care who most of those directors are — including Lassiter. But I’m going to be watching Bird closely.

By: emschwar

emschwar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:33:05 +0000

Furthermore, I think it’s natural that Remy would think his choices are initially generic, and only after he’s had the experience of basically the whole colony showing up at the back of his kitchen does he realize he can’t turn them into gourmets.

By: Timothy Burke

Timothy Burke — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:13:25 +0000

It’s almost an inevitable cliche in films of this kind, but at least:

1) Remy is ambivalent about his choices, and by the end conscious of the ways in which his choices are personal rather than generic
2) The father throws in with Remy but doesn’t agree necessarily with him about his art–which strikes me as a lot closer to the way this shakes out in real life (a supportive parent may help an adult child with his art or avocation without really liking what the child does).

By: withywindle

withywindle — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:04:47 +0000

I also very much liked Ratatouille, and, now that you mention it, the affirmation of criticism is indeed one of the good parts of the movie. I do also note that the movie contains “I’m a young rebel, that’s good, eventually mommy and daddy will come around and realize how right I was all along” trope, which I find 1) cliche, and 2) wrongheaded. But I note this in minor key; what is good about the movie is far more singlar and worthy of note than what is not.