HRH and I went out to see Ratatouille last night. It was brilliant. It’s a well-paced film that tells a decent story that didn’t make comedy its only reason to exist, humour well-done enough to make a crowd of sensible adults laugh, and of course, gorgeous gorgeous visuals that floored us. There’s a storm drain scene that had me feeling cold and wet and drowny, and a kitchen chase sequence that kept astonishing me over and over, just when I thought it had reached its limit.
A: Who storyboarded this?
[pause]
HRH: A god.
There was a short with no dialogue before the feature. It too was brilliant and had grown men who weren’t my husband giggling like kids. And there were no trailers. The lights went down and we went right into the joy that is Pixar. There was a brief introduction and the barest hint of a tease for their 2008 feature, then the short, then the main feature.
It was a great night out. It was also very odd, because HRH and I don’t go out very often. We went to the late show because the earlier evening show started before Liam’s bedtime, so we left at 9 and came back at 11:45, then slept surprisingly well. No one woke up till 7:30, which is also odd, as Liam has been waking up around 5:30 wailing recently. (We think the damn molars are moving again.)
Today I have to go to the license bureau to finally get the Medicare/driver’s license thing done. It didn’t happen last week because we walked in, saw the crowd of people, and HRH said, “I can’t spend two hours here, I have to get back to work,” so we turned around and walked right out again. Then I forgot about it, and only remembered this morning when I looked in the mirror and saw the wreck the dampness has made of my hair. Naturally this is the year I have to have a photo taken.
This is one of those days where I wish I could just shut down and wake up again tomorrow morning. My head is muzzy, the weather is meh, and I feel rather flat.
The (quickest with the nicest workers…and the woman takes great photos – I swear!) licence bureau in Montreal is in Lachine. I have never waited longer than 10 minutes.
I used to go there even when I didn’t live anywhere near it.
(Address: 25 – 18e Avenue)
That’s where I’m headed; it’s ten minutes down the road! Oh, thank you for the reassurance. :)
Hang on — when you didn’t live near it? Rosy, are you literally around the corner from me?
Is it appropriate to take a three year old to? We’ve been asked to go this coming weekend but to bring TAZ.
There’s nothing overtly violent or scary or disturbing in the film other than a row of dead rats hanging in a ratcatcher’s window, and lots of throwing things/shooting at rats with a shotgun. Some of the chase sequences might be a bit fast/flashy/dizzying for her on the big screen. The story is more adult-oriented than the other non-Brad Bird Pixar films have been in terms of interest and motivations. There’s lots of talking, but it’s pretty enough that it may keep her interest in a theatre environment. This nine-minute preview gives a good idea of the visuals and pacing.
I wouldn’t take Liam, but that has more to do with my personal opinions concerning expecting toddlers/preschoolers to sit for two hours in a dark unfamiliar place, and the exorbitant ticket prices that are wasted if the child grows bored/restless/scared and has to leave. He will enjoy it when it comes out on DVD, but then, he loves both cooking and rats. I wouldn’t consider taking him unless he was about four, I think.
Well, we used to live in NDG (and one day meeting a friend for lunch in Lachine I happened on the licence bureau and have gone there ever since).
Now we are in Verdun — right before Lasalle — on LaSalle Blvd. So I just take LaSalle Blvd to Lachine (last time I rode my bike there).
Where are you? We should get together. If you are not far and especially if you are waiting on work, shoot me over an email if I’m not racing towards a deadline we can meet for coffee or if you like, you can come by here. I have a little backyard “cafe” (bistro table in the corner of my courtyard) and I have been told I make a mean hot or iced cappuccino!
I’m in LaSalle, just north of the river and west of 90th!
Mmm, cappuccinos…. I’ll take you up on that, Rosy.