The Weekend In Movies: You're seeing Ratatouille.

Happy Canada Day Weekend everyone! I hope you have something fun planned for this weekend and enjoy another great birthday for this awesome country we call home.

And to celebrate you wacky Victoria residents, you're going to get off your bums, go down to the Capitol 6, Star Cinema, Silvercity, Caprice or University 4, walk up to the box office and demand tickets for...

Ratatouille - **** One of the most joyous cinematic experiences this year (besides Grindhouse, of course), Ratatouille is the story of a lovable rat named Remy who wants nothing more than to cook at the prestigious eatery Gusteau's in Paris, and the relationship that he makes with a "garbage boy" who works at the eatery that is losing its star rating.

This film is for anyone who loves not just a great story but a great cinematic experience (and it's also the first animated film I've ever seen that has left me HUNGRY as the credits were rolling). Not only that, Remy is one of the most beautifully realized characters in a film this year and it will only take you five minutes to fall in love with him. The story and themes are universal, the animation is so good that you'll forget about computers and digital trickery and go along with the visual beauty, the voice casting is top notch and the film finalizes on a sequence so wonderful and just bizarre enough that you'll never want it to end.

I want you to see this film so much, in fact, that I'm posting the showtimes right here for your convenience:

Capitol 6 - Daily @ 12:40, 3:30, 7:00 & 9:40
Silvercity - Daily @ 12:45, 3:45, 7:00 & 10:00
Star Cinema - Daily @ 7:00pm. Additional Friday & Saturday @ 9:15; Matiness Sat-Thu @ 2pm
University 4 - Daily @ 1:00, 3:50, 7:00 & 9:30
Caprice - Fri, Tue & Wed @ 2:00, 7:00 & 9:25; Sat - Mon @ 1:00, 3:30, 7:00 & 9:25

Don't know how to get there? Google Maps will help you. So you have the showtimes and the maps. You now officially have no excuse.

Here's the film you are seeing this weekend. I don't want to hear about how busy you are, or how you're not interested in an animated film or how you would rather see Evan Almigthy. No, you're going to this lovable, wonderful movie. Trust me, I guarantee you will love it.

Full review on efilmcritic.com this friday.

Sicko (***1/2) -- Surprisingly, this excellent new documentary from Michael Moore is not getting as wide of a release as anticipated. Only scheduled on one screen at the downtown Odeon, you still have access to Moore's take on how dreadful and careless the health care system is down in the United States.

Live Free or Die Hard -- While it opened on Wednesday, here's another mention of the long-delayed Part Four to the Die Hard series. Not sure exactly how badly we need a fourth entry into this series, but nevertheless I'm curious to see how director Len Wiseman (Underworld) handles a PG-13 Die Hard. (Silvercity, Odeon, University 4)

Evening -- I want to tell you to go see this unapologetic weeper of a family story that spans a few generations. I want to tell you that I'm a fan of director Lajos Koltai (Fateless) and can shoot a beautiful picture from a mile away. I want to tell you that I have had a massive crush on Claire Danes and can't wait to see her in Cinemascope. And I'll see it, because it's my gig and I see everything except for Nancy Drew. But for you, the moviegoer that goes to one movie a week, if that...you're going to Ratatouille, I'm sorry. (Capitol)

The Transformers -- Fuck Michael Bay. That is all. (Silvercity, Odeon, University 4)

Wild Safari: The IMAX Experience - FINALLY shuffling up the dull-as-nails IMAX schedule (and even moreso on 7/13 when Spidey 3 opens in the blown-out 'MAX format) is yet another doco that pretty much explains itself in the title. It's wild! It's safari! What, you thought this was about the Isreal-Palestine conflict?

Also:

With all the big movies opening this weekend and that Brad Bird movie I'm urging you to see, the fine Vancouver-based film Everything's Gone Green screens at UVIC Cinecenta on Sunday. This is Douglas Coupland's first foray into screenwriting and he does a great job.

Also, if you're up for an interesting experience on Monday, swing by the Eric Martin Pavillion and check out The Journals of Knud Rasmussen playing at Movie Monday. From the director of The Fast Runner, this is another look at the arctic life that you'll otherwise never get to see.

Bon appetit.

Jason
efilmcritic.com