re-watched ratatouille today (yes i re-watch movies often) and could not help but feel the quote below (got from wiki) holds more meaning than what the average viewer might have been able to pick up.
"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talents, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new; an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking, is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook". But I realize — only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more."
what struck me were the parts about criticism being an easy task but good criticisms are rare finds. and the new, the unknown, the seemingly threatening are more often than not excessively unwelcome. to staunchly defend the new that we believe in isn't something peculiar to the job of a critic; it's something that we all experience or witness in our lives. to me the point is whether we defend the beliefs to our deaths, or we relent and succumb to the pressures of the world in time.
food for thought...just like ratatouille XD
"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talents, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new; an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking, is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook". But I realize — only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more."
what struck me were the parts about criticism being an easy task but good criticisms are rare finds. and the new, the unknown, the seemingly threatening are more often than not excessively unwelcome. to staunchly defend the new that we believe in isn't something peculiar to the job of a critic; it's something that we all experience or witness in our lives. to me the point is whether we defend the beliefs to our deaths, or we relent and succumb to the pressures of the world in time.
food for thought...just like ratatouille XD
posted by Pan-san at 1/12/2011 01:36:00 PM
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