Remy the rat (Patton Oswalt) has a knack for cooking, but his chances at a culinary career are scuppered by one big thing: hes considered a terrible pest within the restaurant industry. Only by teaming up with the uncoordinated kitchen porter Alfredo Linguini (Lou Romano) can he stand a chance of making his mark on the French food scene. By all rights, a film about a rat in a kitchen shouldnt stand a chance of being charming, but in the hands of director Brad Bird, you cant help but find yourself rooting for a rodent. This one seems a strange addition to the list, perhaps, given that its status as an animation means it never once shows the real Paris. However, Pixars commitment to realism meant they sent Bird and a number of crew members to the city before work began; they took a motorcycle tour and ate at some of the best restaurants it had to offer, seeking to capture the feel of the place. Despite ostensibly telling the story of native Parisians, the film presents a tourists romanticised view of the city - which seems odd to say when you consider that it spends a fair amount of time in the sewers. However, for those who have only visited the city, the film's cityscapes perfectly capture the magic and beauty theyll remember.
