>-The movie doesn't really believe that "ANYONE can cook,"
>does it? The Linguini kid can't cook. Remy's brother can't
>even taste. Only phenomenally (and instantly) talented people
>can cook. Thus it's emphasis on the egalitarian notion of
>anyone doing it is confusing when the actions of the movie
>indicate otherwise.

listen to ego's monologue again and it explains the true meaning behind that phrase...

>-Why are there no female rats? I don't mean that in a PC way.
>I'm fine if a movie has no female characters. But there damn
>near a thousand rats, at least two dozen who speak at some
>point, and all are male. I'm glad they didn't take the time to
>force a Remy love story on us, but it's strange there's no
>lady rats at all.

there's no reason...no focus to the story itself, plus you also sorta explained why they wouldn't "forced" us with a female rat even though with a clan that big it probably did have female rats, but the main focus was with remy and his brother & father....besides why would remy's brother have female friends which were the only other character rats they shown???

>-Why hire Ian Holm to do the same exaggerated French accent
>that any decent voice actor could do? He did a fine job
>though.

you said yourself that he did a fine job, but i think ALL the accents were exaggerated, and i think it was done intentionally as well

>-Before the Pixar merger/takeover with Disney, does anybody
>think they could have gotten away with the the kid being a
>clearly out-of-wedlock son of Gusteau?

yes...had it been those original disney films...it's just like would a movie like DUMBO could of gotten away with being so dark in this day and age