In 15 years, Pixar has created not only some of the finest animated motion pictures, but also some of the best films of the last decade and a half. Before the 11th film, Toy Story 3, comes out on June 18, here’s my ranking of Pixar’s first 10 outings.
6. Ratatouille (2007)
Someone might think I have something against Brad Bird since I have put both of his films in my bottom five. But that’s not it at all. I think he’s turned out two great films for Pixar. Both won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, producing two memorable acceptance speeches by Bird. His films’ placement on my list is more a testament to the great work Pixar has produced over the past 15 years than my dislike for them.
But I think there is a clear delineation between my bottom five and my top five. It is almost like Pixar created two natural tiers. My top five themselves have moved around in my thoughts processes. However, they have always been the top five. And none of the bottom five came close to ever breaking in.
What I love about this movie is the sheer imagination. Where The Incredibles can be seen as simply as another addition to the superhero genre, Ratatouille is fresh, inventive and unbelievably creative. And Bird didn’t need a splashy voice cast to make this film work. Rather smalltime comic Patton Oswalt brilliantly takes the lead and gives Remy his life. Lou Romano, Linguini’s voice, started off as an animator and supervisor with Pixar. The only real A-list actor in this film is Peter O’Toole as Anton Ego, which is a relatively small role in the film.
Of course, Ratatouille lends itself to some unique theme park tie-ins. The use of Remy at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris and the French Pavilion at Epcot are perfect. The little rat plays host to the fine French restaurants those locales offer. Really, could it get any better? (Okay, maybe real rats cooking, but let’s not go crazy here!) The film is truly about culinary delights. And it taught a new generation of kids how to pronounce “ratatouille.”
Previously ranked:
7. A Bug’s Life (1998)
8. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
9. The Incredibles (2004)
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