Mouse Extra

From the moment I read the storyline to Ratatouille I was intrigued.  There was something about the very quirkiness of the subject that made me think this film was either going to be a terrible flop or a crowning achievement.  How could they possibly turn a film about a rat cooking in Paris into something memorable?  Well, they did, and Brad Bird and Pixar achieved near cinematic perfection along the way.

                                   image copyright Disney Enterprises Inc. and Pixar Animation Studios

There is nothing about this film that isn’t wonderfully entertaining.  The animation brings Paris to life in a way few filmmakers have ever achieved.  The human characters are in the classic cartoon tradition of exaggerated semi-realism, but they are altogether unique to this film as well.  But the lead character, the “Little Chef” Remy and his world of rats, is what truly makes you applaud Ratatouille.  His expressive face, hilarious mannerisms, and perfectly vulnerable voice are unlike any animated character before him.  Bird has stood on the backs of the great classic Disney animators, known for bringing animals to life, and created everything  they could have hoped for.  Remy is loyal, smart, lucky, scared, talented, scorned and confused all at the same time.  This character posses levels of complexity that Pixar has never achieved before.

The world of Ratatouille is a blend of remarkable authenticity combined with the just the right touch of cartoon pizzazz.  At times it is hard to believe you are not looking at a live shot of Paris itself, while the very next scene will show a band of rats playing a song on paperclips.  One moment your skin crawls as you see a swarm of rats scurrying across the floor, and then the very next moment you find those same rodents cute and funny.  This switch from realism to fantasy is so seamlessly weaved you hardly notice it.  And it is with this cinematic flexibility achieved that made it impossible for the film to fail.  Now Bird could take us virtually anywhere. 

To be honest, I don’t know how well this film will do with young children.  However, from the feel of this film it is somewhat hard to believe that young children are the target audience anyway.  Never once did I think to myself, “well the kids will love that”.  It was always smart and never juvenile, not even in the smallest way.  No cheap flatulence jokes or goofy name calling.  If kids like this movie, its because the movie doesn’t treat them like kids.

I also don’t know how well this film will do financially, and quite frankly I don’t care.  There isn’t the slightest detail of this film that isn’t remarkable.  From the Chaplin-esque slapstick, to the Woody Allen intellectuality it made you laugh.  From the Walt Disney classic sentimentality, to the very Pixar modernism it consumed you.  Each frame is a visual achievement, each joke comically appropriate, and each plot twist engaging.  Whether the general public rewards this film with its money doesn’t matter.  But the Motion Picture Academy certain is obliged to do some rewarding.   Regardless, Ratatouille will reward each and every viewer with wonderful entertainment.

If you weren’t excited to go see Ratatouille this weekend, start reading the reviews that have been released over the last couple of days.  It may simply be a coincidence, but every one I’ve read so far is simply gushing over how great this film is.  Let’s look at a couple of big ones.

First, here’s what the Washington Post has this morning…

It harks back to Disney’s older era, when cartoons seemed part of a more elegant world with less edgy characters.

This is family-friendly filmmaking at its most appealing: fresh yet familiar, playfully mischievous but also subtly reassuring.

The Hollywood Reporter put it this way…

Yes, there’s something in the kitchen for everyone in “Ratatouille,” so the Mouse House should clear a wing in its hall of fame for Cousin Rat. “Ratatouille” might not reach the international boxoffice heights of “The Incredibles” — then again, maybe it will — but the film does rep another huge leap in CGI technique and imagination by the Pixar folks.

But it is this morning’s New York Times that really has me ready to plug down my cash…

Written and directed by Brad Bird and displaying the usual meticulousness associated with the Pixar brand, “Ratatouille” is a nearly flawless piece of popular art, as well as one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film. It provides the kind of deep, transporting pleasure, at once simple and sophisticated, that movies at their best have always promised.

In the reviews final paragraph, critic A.O. Scott weaves a terrific thought with an appropriate double meaning…

And what, faced with such a ratatouille, is a critic supposed to say? Sometimes the best response is the simplest. Sometimes “thank you” is enough.

I won’t tell you to go see this film, that’s up to you.  But if this film can truly be a financial success, and it already is a critical one, what will it mean for the future of the Disney Studio?  I got my money out!

Have you been to the Wilderness Lodge to see part of Walt Disney’s own train collection?  Have you enjoyed a funnel cake along the boardwalk?  Did you ever try the Yachtsman’s Steakhouse?  Or rented a boat on the Sevens Seas Lagoon?  Have you experienced the amazing savannahs at the Animal Kingdom Lodge?  Or tired the “Kitchen Sink” at the Beach Club’s Beaches and Cream?

If the answer to these questions is no it is probably because you’ve never stayed at the resorts where you’ll find these amazing treasures of Disney World.  If you don’t stay there, it is incredibly inconvenient to go there from whatever on-property resort you are staying at.  Disney really needs to address this.

The resorts, especially the deluxe resorts, are attractions onto themselves.  They offer an amazing collection of restaurants and bars, as well as recreation and terrific ambience.  Anyone going to the Mouse, especially for a longer trip, is truly missing some of Imagineering’s finest designs if they don’t see these resorts.  But if you stay on property, and do not rent a car because the Magical Express brought you to the bubble, it is often an over hour long ordeal trying to get to these destinations.  You are forced to hop from bus to bus, and if you want to stay after park hours you may be forced into paying for a cab.  To me, this is silly and an opportunity missed.

Perhaps the biggest problem Disney guests encounter is the inability to find reservations at top restaurants.  But because of the inability to navigate around property, the restaurants at the resorts are often ignored by many guests.  Sure, Ohana and the California Grill are popular, but people often ignore places like Boma, the Yachtman’s Steakhouse, or Artists Point simply because they can’t get back to their own resorts without taking all night switching busses.  Marketing these destinations better and providing transportation to them and back will fill the seats and ease the anger guests have developed for the Disney Dining Plan.

This could be done by the existing bus system, but I understand the demand may not be that high.  So why can’t Disney operate smaller van-sized vehicles?  They could do this on an “on call’ basis, where guests can go the bell services desk before their meal and arrange a time to be picked up and taken back to their resort after they’ve eaten.  It doesn’t require many vehicles and the benefits to the resorts seem rather extensive.  I’ll even accept only doing this service after 6pm, as while the parks are filled in the afternoons this probably won’t be needed.

When guests have spent the day at a park that has closed early, they now have a world full of options to explore and enjoy.  Guests who could only afford a value or moderate resort can now experience the grandeur of the deluxe offerings, and Disney will reap the rewards.

Today’s article is by Brooke, contributing writer to Mouse Extra 

I don’t view myself as a totally conservative parent, occassionally I let a few bathroom jokes slip by from my 3 and 5 year olds. However, I was appalled recently at our local theater when viewing “Surf’s Up.” At one point during this flick, my knuckles turned completely white as they gripped the arm rests and I held my breath wishing the language would change. It didn’t. When Cody, the lead penguin, called out to his compadre, Chicken Joe, “Whats up, peckerhead?”, I nearly fainted. Of course, thats the precise moment my three year old daughter exclaimed “Peckerhead? Whats a peckerhead?”

Now, I’m aware this is a PG rated film, but the kids received toys in their happy meals promoting this movie. And the targeted age for a happy meal is the 3 to 6 year old crowd, right?

I would like to thank Disney for the peace of mind their staff creates when producing their movies. Parents can rest easy during any Disney flick. I can safely say even throughout the Pirates series, my children are entertained without the crude language. I now know by learning the hard way, to stick with the Disney flicks for brillant and wholesome cinema the entire family can enjoy.

The smiles on the faces of Disney purists have glowed through all our computer monitors over the last couple of weeks.  The news that the infamous wand on Spaceship Earth may soon be coming down has them jumping for joy. 

Do you need some convincing about how happy they truly are?  Take a look at some of the things the latest addition of Mouse House News had to say regarding the impending destruction…

The removal of the wand will certainly bring an air of credibility back to the idea of Future World.

I can only hope that the leadership of Epcot will be satisfied with the simple removal of the wand and do not feel the need to replace it with something equally as “whimsical”.

Or the online community’s most outspoken Disney World critic Kevin Yee during his June 14 report on MiceAge.com…

The demolition of the wand atop Spaceship Earth has apparently cleared its last hurdle: the fiscal 2008 budget decision and it’s a certainty now. The wondrous effects this will have on the futurism of Epcot, not the cartoonization of it, cannot be repeated often enough.

…Sadly, even Epcot has been cartoonized, but with the wand coming down, one little bit of futurism is reclaimed.

As you could probably already tell, I am not nearly as excited.  Yes, I agree Spaceship Earth stood remarkably well on it own, without the help of the Mouse.  But the venomous nature with which Disney fans referred to the Wand was almost frightening.  For me, it just wasn’t all that bad.

When the Wand arrived, I truly liked it.  For those who don’t remember, theWand was built as a tribute to the millennium celebration.  What could have been more appropriate than the largest banner for the passing of this great milestone being placed on Disney’s finest architectural achievement and the most impressive tribute to our planet I have ever seen?  And what’s more, Imagineering chose Walt Disney’s greatest character in his best theatrical role to be the star.  It was big, beautiful, and magnificently appropriate.

But after the millennium festivities ended, the Wand quickly became a symbol of everything the purists hate about the “new” Epcot; the Michael Eisner influenced, characters included, Epcot.  It seemed every few months a new rumor of its destruction would pop-up on internet forums, and it felt as though it was being done so everyone could air their collective hostility. 

The general consensus is the Wand flies in the face of Epcot’s original plan of futurism, and in some ways it does.  But that plan has been largely abandoned, as more attractions get updated to something less reminiscent of a World’s Fair, and now the removal of the wand seems somewhat counter to the changing winds at Epcot.  If we did not have Nemo, Crush, the Three Caballeros, and who knows who else in the future, then removing the Wand would make perfect sense.  But Epcot is not the corporate-driven sounding board for a hopeful future it once was, and is now a more family friendly Disney park.  Seven years ago, the Wand didn’t fit the theme of the park outside of its tie-in to the millennium.  But now, in a not-so-subtle way, it does.

Although Epcot has just turned 25 years old, it is a park that continues to flourish and change since its first rope drop.  In its beginning years, Epcot was chock full of dark rides designed to teach visitors about technology, agriculture and efficient energy use. There were no thrill rides nor characters to meet and whining bored children could be heard complaining from every direction traveled.  Over the years, Disney has redefined this park, even changing its name from Epcot Center to simply Epcot. There are now plenty of characters and a wide variety of attractions created for the preschooler set.

As for thrill rides, there are two that preschoolers will really enjoy. Soarin’ is an attraction even fraidy cats will love. The seats are gently raised into the air and give riders a sensation of gliding over California.  The ride also pumps in different scents throughout various sights of this beautiful state. Test Track takes riders into the career of crash test dummies with 34 turns, 50 degree banking and a top speed on the straightway of 65 mph. While fast, young kids generally handle this ride better than some of the coasters and Tower of Terror.

Mission Space has a height restriction of 44 inches which may leave out some of the 4 to 6 crowd. But for the tykes that can ride, Epcot offers two versions of this attraction.  One with an intense centrifuge and the second tamer version.  The tame version is an easy simulator ride created after a 4 year old boy died while riding the original in the summer of 2005. While a tad claustrophobic, the tame version is perfectly fine to take a preschooler on. The height restriction is only in place due to the seat design (mainly the speakers in the head rest) and locking device. Elsewhere in Future World, hop on Spaceship Earth and Journey into Your Imagination.  Both are dark rides, but Imagination is more whimsical while Spaceship Earth is a relaxing trip through time.

Future World also holds some pleasant surprises for preschoolers. At Innoventions, there is Ice Station Cool, where kids can taste sodas from around the world. Flavors can range from the good, to the odd, to the down right disgusting.  Our son particularly enjoyed the watermelon soda and had plenty of refills. Also, near Mission Space, there is a little water fountain that rises from the ground soaking kids and unsuspecting adults. Many parents don’t sense the trouble until their child is dripping from head to toe. As we have discovered, the kids love it so let them go to town, it is vacation after all.  A little word of advice, though, as we learned the hard way, bring extra clothing for the tykes to change into.  It will save your wallet from having to purchase expensive apparel from nearby souvenir shops.

Nowhere is the evolution of Epcot more apparent than at the Living Seas. At its opening, this attraction contained informative movies followed by a brief ride through the (then) largest aquarium in the country. Outside, the attraction currently features the “Mine Mine” seagulls from the Nemo movie to greet visitors. The ride is entirely devoted to the characters of “Finding Nemo” and ends with the neat effect of superimposing the singing cartoon fish with the real fish in this aquarium. The highlight for many kids of this park is Turtle Talk with Crush, which is truly amazing. In a nutshell, or turtle shell, I suppose, kids sit up front and interact with a cartoon Crush who is animated in real-time behind the scenes.  Kids and adults are typically blown away in a real “how did they do that?” moment. And since the show is animated real-time, each viewing is unique.

Epcot features other great shows besides Turtle Talk. Kids may enjoy Honey I Shrunk the Audience at the Imagination pavilion.  To avoid any fears with this show, our advice is to warn them about the 3-D technology. There are a few parts in this movie that could scare small children.  The effect of mice running beneath their feet, for one, as well as a snake that gets released into the audience can be seemingly too real.

Music shows are popular around the World Showcase Lagoon. Our families like Off Kilter, a Canadian rock folk band, British Invasion, a Beatles cover band, and the Mariachi Cobra who perform outside the Mexican pavilion. Times for these and other performers can be found at the entrance.  But be advised that the Mariachi Cobra sometimes play inside the Pyramid.

While visiting the World Showcase Lagoon, our son especially loved the Maelstrom in the Norwegian pavilion. This attraction is relatively brief, but riders cross paths with vikings and trolls before a quick plummet down a short flume. At the end, guests are deposited into a norse fishing village and a travelogue movie on the country.  Rumors abound that this movie will be upgraded, until then, enjoy the ride but skip the movie.

Food can be a major part of the day at a visit to Epcot. The dining options are unlike any at the other parks of Walt Disney World or of any other theme park. Each country has their own eating establishment and many feature more than one. Also, children do not need to be adventurous diners for parents to taste Morroccan or Norwegian cuisine. Most of the eateries have kids’ menus with the obligatory chicken fingers and mac n’ cheese. We discovered our child loved Alfredo’s for the fettucine and the ability to visit the living statues in the courtyard between courses. Another good option, if not feeling up to a sit down restaurant would be to try tacos and churros at the Cantina in Mexico. Just make sure kids and adults save room for the delectable Haagen-Dazs Mickey Mouse ice cream bars located at various kiosks throughout the park.

After dinner stick around for the fabulous fireworks display Illuminations. Preschoolers will be wowed by the giant floating globe as it opens and creates an amazing display of lights in the nighttime sky while creating a child’s most magical moment.

Today’s Touring Tips is by Mike and Brooke, contributing writers to Mouse Extra