Disney-Pixar's 'Ratatouille' simply yummy

Animated films are an odd lot. In theory, they are created for children. In reality they appeal to the child in everyone. Odd, but so marvelous. How dreary would life be without the animated gifts of the Walt Disney Studios: "Fantasia," "Lady and the Tramp," "Cinderella," "The Lion King" and dozens more that have enchanted moviegoers for decades. Enter the world of Pixar Animation, and we take that Disney magic to the next level with "Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc.," "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles."And so we arrive at "Ratatouille" (pronounced rat-a-TOO-ee), the latest animated feature from the Disney-Pixar factory. What a treat to experience an animated film made, dare I say it, for grownups. Yes, it's rated G, but that also stands for glorious, because "Ratatouille" is a veritable feast of sounds, sights, story and so-vivid-you-could-almost-smell-them aromas of a five-star Parisian restaurant kitchen. The unwieldy yet perfect title refers to the ultimate French peasant dish, a stewlike concoction that would send many a snooty Parisian running for the cafe exit. Not so for the lowest life form in Paris - the rats. In this case, the varmints are a tight-knit clan led by Django (voice of Brian Dennehy) and his sons Emile (Peter Sohn) and Remy (Patton Oswalt).Remy is the hero of our story, and what an incredible gastronomic tale it turns out to be. Seems Remy is not content to be "the nose" of the rat pack - his amazing sense of smell ensures his family and friends will never eat a morsel that is rancid, poisoned or otherwise compromised. Remy is well-read and loves food, not because it is a necessity, but because it is something that brings joy to his existence and smiles to those who appreciate it for its complexities as well as its obvious pleasures. Remy is a rodent metrosexual, if you will, whose dream is to be a five-star chef because, according to his human Food Channel mentor, Chef Auguste Gusteau (Brad Garrett), "anyone can cook." And cook Remy does, but in one of the most cleverly conceived buddy-picture slapstick ways.When Gusteau dies suddenly from a broken heart after his five-star restaurant loses one of its precious ratings points, Remy, through a wildly exciting mishap, finds himself separated from the rat pack. The kitchen of Gusteau's eatery is now helmed by the former sous-chef, a maniacal oaf named Skinner (the delectable Sir Ian Holm), who not so much desires to continue the Gusteau legacy as he wants to cash in on his former boss's celebrity.The eclectic kitchen staff is quirky and feisty, thanks to the assertive Collette (Janeane Garofalo), who has had to work much harder than the guys to make it in the male-dominated world of French haute cuisine. Then a gangly young lad named Linguini (Lou Romano) arrives in Skinner's kitchen as the new busboy/garbage-taker-outer - in short, the lowest life form in the human culinary world. Or so some would like to believe.The amazing journey that Remy and Skinner take in "Ratatouille" will make you wonder why animation needs to hide behind the mantle of "It's for children, but grownups will like it, too." This one's for Mom and Dad, and yep, the kids will like it, too."Ratatouille" is a bit contrived in spots, but in between is a film that will make you laugh out loud, cringe with uneasiness (we are, after all, talking about rats in a kitchen) and leave the theater with a hearty appetite. And yes, it offers a message for all the kiddies out there: Pursue your dreams with the all the gusto you can. How positively delicious.