I have a confession to make: I think I love a mouse. Not just any mouse. A very small mouse with huge ears. A mouse named Despereaux. Oh, and I did mention he's animated?
The Tale of Despereaux is a triumphant story about an exiled, courageous mouse who ends up living out his own adventurous fairy tale.
You can't help but fall in love with Despereaux when you first meet him on screen. He's beyond adorable and his quirky personality makes you want to give him a hug immediately. Luckily, I got that chance. Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing an advance screening of The Tale of Despereaux, and who was there? Despereaux himself!
That's right. I hang out with animated characters. Check out the picture above. I had just rolled out of bed (as you can tell from the hair), but that didn't stop a huge grin from forming on my face when I got to take a picture with Despereaux. Even my boyfriend (who you can tell was equally tired), was giddy about our little mouse friend.
It's a reflex action. Despereaux is a mix of some of our favorite characters: Babar (he's French), Fievel (he's a cutie patootie mouse who loses his family), Dumbo (he has extra large ears) and Ratatouille (the story is largely based around food... and oh yeah, a mouse). Am I upset that so many other cartoons are incorporated? Nope, it just makes Despereaux four times cuter!
My advice? Go see The Tale of Despereaux when it comes out tomorrow (December 19). You'll fall in love with Despereaux and cheer him on throughout the movie. Kids and adults will love it (I know -- I was in a theater filled with little kids, and I enjoyed it just as much as they did!). Then, come back here and let me know if we need to start fighting over a mouse!
Also, be sure to check out Momtourage.com's interview with Despereaux's creator.
