Ratatouille (2007) ****

Two words for "Ratatouille":

Simply irresistible!

Apparently, Pixar's success does not lie in its animation craftsmanship. The story, as always, is the soul of this fantasy adventure. The characters are so lovable that you can forgive any mistake the filmmakers made.

I wonder whether the filmmakers intend to send out a message about "trust."Can we have to trust a new friend to make a dream come true? The movies tells us that it is still those of our own kind who can really rescue us from any embarrassing trouble.

"Ratatouille"'s technical achievements have already reached a point where you almost forget that it's a bit silly to critique the performance of these fictionalized characters. Alas! I am thankful that we still get to see a movie like Ratatouille this summer.

Oldboy (2003) ****

Can a film be hypnotic, disturbing, powerful, ugly, and beautiful, at the same time?

Oldboy almost tops most shocking films I have ever seen. Based on a Japanese manga with the same title, the movie was thrillingly spectacular. The Korean director Park Chan-wook and the whole cast did deserve Palme d'Or of The 2004 Cannes Film Festival more than Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore (which snailed the top prize in 2004) did.



The plot could not bear with any spoiler. Briefly speaking, the story is about vengeance and one of the darkest fears and sins human beings can imagine. The reason why this movie could avoid the danger of becoming a mess of sexual and violent perverse is the attitudes of filmmakers. Their cameras served as both the indifferent bystanders and a sympathetic journalist. The breath-taking ending, therefore, can endure all the impact of the audience's intuitive sense of being repulsed by the theme of this film.

Honestly, I am not quite sure whether this is a truly great artistic achievement, but it is certainly a phenomenal cinematic tribute to Greek tragedies.