Rugrats in Paris (2000)

 
RUGRATS IN PARIS (RIP) has a full diaper-load of appeal, at least for 
fans of the television series.  The animation's more crisp 'n' clear 
than you'd ever expect, with a splendid amount of extraneous, under-
stated detail.  Like the fleeting shot of landing gear retracting on 
a jumbo jet bound for France.  Surprising, too, is the story complex-
ity, which juggles several tot-friendly threads, from Chuckie's long-
ing for his very own mommy to the greedy schemes of a Cruella DeVil-
le-style, Euro-Japanese amusement park exec (and whose voiced by Su-
san Sarandon, no less!).  Parents should enjoy the assorted "adult" 
movie references, like yet another "You can't handle the _________!" 
from A FEW GOOD MEN.  Or Robert Duvall's oft-aped, "I love the smell" 
from APOCALYPSE NOW.  Eh, kinda Yawnsville, 'cept for an inspired, 
extended GODFATHER nod at the beginning, with the title characters 
asking favors of Angelica in a darkened room at a family wedding.  
That's cute.  (Equally unprepared for was I:  a trio of karoke-sing-
ing sumo wrestlers warbling Donna Summer's "Bad Girls.")  Overall, a 
remarkable amount of attention paid by the filmmakers.  And it sure 
beats the shit out of the usual, non-Disney dreck crapped-out by Hol-
lywood.  Just wish that first half-hour, which is all *I* watched, 
didn't feel like *twice* it's length.  Maybe with different pop songs 
underneath all those innocuous montages.  Maybe some... metal?  Say, 
Megadeth?  Anthrax??  Slayer???  Rock on kiddies...  With voice work  
by Christine Cavanaugh, Cheryl Chase, Melanie Chartoff, E.G. Daily, 
John Lithgow, Debbie Reynolds, Jack Riley, Kath Soucie, Joe Alaskey,
and, Dr. F himself, Tim Curry.  (Rated "G"/82 min.)

Grade: W/O

Copyright 2000 by Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted to triangle.movies as MOVIE HELL: Oui Oui