Le Petit Grille-pain courageux

I remember early one morning as an eight-year-old, I caught this film on ITV and thought it was really good, and guess what? More than ten years later, I still do.

Shown on Channel 4 this morning on half-term week, it's more than meets the eye. Toaster, Lamp, Blankie, Hoover and Radio(I think) all go on an adventure to find their master, who appears to have abandoned them in his old childhood cottage.

It seems like this is like an 80s Toy Story or something, only with the appliances coming to life, and having their own personalities. Like Toy Story, it has a good plot and likable characters.

Sure, it has it's dark moments, so parents of young children should take note and check beforehand, but honestly, it only adds to the excitement of the film, and makes you actually care about the characters.

The animation may seem quite dated now, but the story in itself is timeless. This is definitely one to keep for generations to come.

I'm not sure which is more surprising: that this movie still holds up, or that it wasn't really a Disney production (while still being a proto-PIXAR movie). And just like everybody else, I'm surprised by just how dark things get in this story.

It's a story that doesn't patronize its audience, and I loved that aspect. It's what made this a joy to watch with my own kid. The movie strikes just the right affective tone, the performances feel genuine, and even the songs are still catchy. You find yourself getting attached to these characters while still wincing at some of the imagery. Seriously, this is a strange film, yet somehow still endearing.

7/10

I watched this film about a thousand times when I was a kid and upon a nostalgia induced viewing of it on the Disney Channel, it has joined my list as one of the most oddly pleasurable films ever made. First of all, you have to give it credit for its premise alone. Take a standard road trip buddy picture and cast it with talking household appliances. Acid induced? Maybe. But they take this ridiculous premise and roll with it, turning it into something that is honestly funny, sometimes sweet and strangely enough, kind of thought provoking in it's own way. The dialog is almost Toy Story sharp at times, referencing everything from Joan Rivers to Teddy Roosevelt, and just like it's computer animated descendant, throws around some heavy ideas. We watch as cars reminisce about their glory days before being crushed into cubes, look on in horror as appliances are gutted barbarically at a used parts store and root our quaint heroes on as they are confronted with the techno marvels of the modern age. The characters just struggle to get home but the movie is about the struggle to stay relevant when you're constantly being replaced by a faster model. An interesting idea when you think about it, and a fun, cool little movie worth seeing no matter what your age.

This is excellent stuff, thank god for Channel 4 in the UK for showing it from time to time. I caught it one early morning, straight after a night of serious zonked-out clubbing - probably in the "right" frame of mind for it, you could say - and ten minutes into it I was hooked. Funny, witty, crisp and unusually dark for a cartoon kiddies story, it does work throughout, bar a couple of plodding moments. But the points the film makes and the motives it revolves around, although not new or original, are well placed and executed - companionship, callousness, bonding, slip shoddiness, arrogance, transience and loyalty are all treated in a way which justifies even the occasional lapses into exaggerated sentimentality.

What's even more interesting is to see how the film works in the setting of it's own initial premise - that is, an "older" apparatus, with cruder animation, compared to the marvels of CG graphics which nowadays we take as set standards. And even there it's an overall winner, it shows that one doesn't need a high flying budget, the latest technology or big name voice characterisations to make a point and come up with a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming cartoon flick.

Whether this will become a true children's animated classic is yet to be seen, but it's on the right path, and it's ageing really well. Recommended for pre-teens and their parents everywhere, plus just about anyone who gives it a chance. True, there are a few moments of horror which very young children might find upsetting (I myself never really got over my first viewing of "Bambi" all those years ago -even my mum was in tears) - but that's the deal.

Watch it, highly recommended.

Really a good, underappreciated gem to be honest, I liked its quest, its dark side, the 'Incredible Journey' of Household appliances could Not have been done better, I think. My nephews have watched this and love it. Gotta like the vacuum cleaner and the scenes in the woods.

*** outta ****