by Manny The Movie Guy

Created on: October 30, 2007

Walt Disney Pictures, the house Mickey Mouse built, returns to rodents for inspiration in the new Pixar animated feature "Ratatouille," one of the most original films this summer. But can the studio succeed in hedging their bets on, yikes, rats?

Comedian Patton Oswalt ("The King of Queens") provides the voice of Remy, a rat who dares to dream the impossible dream of becoming a gourmet chef in a five-star French restaurant.

Remy is a special rat. Besides his unusual dream, he also has a great sense of smell. His nose and his cooking skills lead him to a fantastic adventure that takes him from the countryside, to the sewers of Paris, and eventually, to the restaurant once owned by his culinary hero, the now-deceased Auguste Gusteau (Brad Garrett).

Gusteau, whose mantra "anyone can cook" has been Remy's lifelong motivation. He believes in Gusteau so much that he conjures up his ghost-like image to guide him.

Also helping Remy is a down-and-out garbage boy named Linguini (Lou Romano). Together, the pair carves their own imaginative path to becoming the greatest chef in Paris.

Rats are often cast as villains in the world of animation. Because of their menacing features, they're rarely regarded as screen heroes. But not our Remy. You will root for him to succeed because of his endearing personality.

The question remains: why rats? I went to Pixar Animation Studios to find out.

Director Brad Bird, the executive chef of the film, reveals, "I was really intrigued by the possibilities of the film's premise. It has a huge dramatic tension. A rat is death to a kitchen. So a rat that wants to move into that world? It's the ultimate impossible dream of them all."

I've been a fan of Bird since his 1999 masterpiece "Iron Giant." He knows how to tell a good story. He further showed his spotless storytelling skills by directing his first Pixar film "The Incredibles." And with "Ratatouille," Bird achieves the nearly impossible he'll make you believe a rat can truly cook.

Adding tension to the story is the character named Ego (voiced by the great Peter O'Toole), a food critic who has his own ax to grind against Gusteau. I admire the way Bird and company concludes Ego's storyline. Completing the cast is Janeane Garofalo's Collette, one of the cooks who steals the heart of Linguini.

"Ratatouille" is another notch on Pixar Animation's belt. Not only is the film beautiful to look at (notice the breathtaking beauty of Paris); it is also full of heart.

The heart at the center of "Ratatouille"

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