Ratatouille (Rat-a-too-ee)

Ok, I admit it, we really like movies. We see a lot of them.

Last Saturday I hopped online to check out the times for Nancy Drew (it looks like fun!) at my beloved Lincoln Square Cinemas.

Now, I have the opening day of Ratatouille on my day planner- and that is June 29th.

Imagine my surprise when I see it listed for just one showing on June 16th. Christmas in June! A sneak preview! I whipped out my debit card and tickets were mine! I called my fellow Disney enthusiast and travel buddy and voila! Double date night. Do I care that four adults with no children were giddy to see this movie- um, NO!

And after buying my tickets and popcorn, I have to say, this is Pixar at it's best. Which is impressive when you think of their track record- Toy Story 1 & 2 (3 is said to be in production), Bug's Life, Monster's Inc., The Incredibles...

The short before the feature was fantastic. They manage to convey everything without saying a word. Ratatouille's story is just amazing, if you are one of those skeptics that can't suspend their belief, believe! A rat that wants to cook in Paris may sound hard to swallow, but that's what Pixar can do, wrap the story so tightly around you that not only do you believe but you care. As the credits were rolling my dear husband leaned over and stated that we'll be seeing this again on opening weekend- and so should you!

Kudos to Pixar and director Brad Bird. With the Disney/Pixar merger and shakeup I sincerely hope that Ratatouille storms the box off and the corporate PTBs (powers that be) take the story people seriously. That's what Disney has been missing these past years and needs to find again, and I can't think of anyone better to show them the way back than the guys from Pixar.

GO SEE RATATOUILLE!

SIFF Update #4

Ah, and our 2007 SIFF experience comes to an end. We saw a most satisfying film, The Damned Don't Cry at the newly opened SIFF Theater. Not a bad little theater but I have become hideously spoiled by the seats at Lincoln Square- I don't even bat an eye when I fork over $10 for tickets. Anything to not move if a tall person sits in front of me...

Using her tenacity, wits and sexual prowess, a dissatisfied housewife climbs the social ladder one man at a time. This fantastic film noir, a thinly veiled version of the rags-to-riches story of gangsters’ moll Virginia Hill, is perhaps an even truer depiction of the real Joan Crawford than Mommie Dearest.

I have come to the conclusion that I really like film noir. Before the show started we got some history of the movie and a plug for the Noir City festival that will be held in July. They will be having $10 double features that I for one, will be checking out. If I have a chance, Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir sounds like interesting reading.

SIFF Update #3

So- we saw Black Sheep last night at the Neptune Theater. The line to get in went on forever and every seat was filled. Not too shabby. I've seen a lot of midnight movies over the years and this was the first time I was scared enough that the adrenaline kept me awake until 2am.

Baa baa, black sheep, have you any…fangs?!!! The sylvan pastures of New Zealand, home to forty million sheep, are the setting for gory mayhem when a mutant strain of the normally placid fleecy ones runs amok in this endearingly funny horror romp.

My dear husband, loved it. Our friends, loved it. Me- I had my hands over my eyes- a lot. I believe I was curled up in the seat within the first 15 minutes. It was quite successful as a black comedy. The comedy was pretty funny, but oh- the gore! In a way, the bad special effects from the "days of yore" are more comforting, at least to this animated Disney classic watching gal. Thank goodness my husband knows when to cover my eyes and not let me peek!

The was the second year in a row I saw a midnight movie that involved a large amount of farm animals being exploded with methane flatulence...the boys want t make this a SIFF movie tradition...

I'm ready for my chick flick Mr. d'Mille...

SIFF Update #2

In a magical world with no restrictions on time or money (or the amount of movie popcorn I can eat) here is what I would see:

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Action/Adventure/Archival
Captain Blood Action/Adventure/Archival
Scaramouche Action/Adventure/Archival
Aachi & Ssipak Animation (if you're interested in alternative energy sources- what about- poo? some friends saw this and reported it was very funny)
The Big Combo Archival/Film Noir
Dasepo Naughty Girls Black Comedy
Fido Black Comedy
Severance Black Comedy/Horror (I just heard that this is being released in theaters, starting in NY)
Waiter Black Comedy
Alien Autopsy Comedy
Poltergay Comedy/Gay/Lesbian/Horror (Sounds so funny!)
Ballets Russes Documentary
Girls Rock! Documentary
In the Shadow of the Moon Documentary (This came really close to the final cut...)
The Banquet Drama (Another schedule conflict...)
Red Road Drama/Thriller
The Aerial Experimental/Fantasy
Angel-A Fantasy (Friends saw it and liked it plus I like the name he-he-he)
The Signal Horror (the Dear Husband really wanted to see this- darn schedules!)

Plus the three we actually bought tickets for:
Gunga Din Action/Adventure/Archival/Family Friendly
Black Sheep Black Comedy/Horror
The Damned Don't Cry Archival/Film Noir/Romance

What are you watching?