The Tale of Despereaux (2008)

I just really liked The Tale of Despereaux -- but then I love fairy tales, damsels in distress, noble knight-errants on a quest, and all that stuff. (To those who complained: What did you expect -- Cinderella? Ratatouille?) Despereaux is cute as a button and adventure is in his DNA: He's so curious about embracing the whole of life with his eyes wide open that he's unafraid of knives, heights, cats, or anything else a proper mouse is taught to fear and flee. He finds opportunity in every challenge -- through a gleam-in-the-eyes of inspiration or else refusing to give up. He sees exploration and gallantry as so inimical to life that he doesn't understand why other mice don't take naturally to vaulting over mousetraps to ingeniously steal the cheese, springing down into an abyss because that's where his path or destiny or courage takes him, and so on. (I feel like I understand him.) It helps also that Despereaux's chivalry motivates him to serve and help save a fair maiden who's in a bad place. (After he finally reveals himself to her eyes, she asks: "You're a mouse?" He replies with a courtly bow, "I am a gentleman.") The Tale of Despereaux is a wonderful fable about the human spirit of courage and compassion -- and how these things cannot be contained even in one so small in size and so furry in appearance. 4.5 stars.