The tendency of a child’s imagination to leave the theater with a movie character as a new best friend – usually recognizable objects and animals, but still mysterious to the recently introduced – is determined by the conducting wand of major film directors, and to the tune of millions.
So Pixar will be continuing its imagination-for-the-masses contract with Disney – after a flurry of toys, bugs, fish and cars – with a rat. Brad Bird, writer and director of animated greats “”The Iron Giant”” and “”The Incredibles,”” is again in command, deftly addressing the unpalatable nature of his star by teaching him how to cook. The theory, it may be surmised, is that a rat in the kitchen isn’t so bad if he’s only nibbling your food to test whether or not it needs more saffron. Note to pet stores: It’s time to start scouring the sewers. June 29.
