Ratatouille

Grade: A-

With his latest concoction, the delightful and witty Ratatouille, writer/director Brad Bird extends a winning streak that goes all the way back to his days as an executive consultant during the glory years of The Simpsons in the early 1990s. In 1999 he released The Iron Giant, easily one of the best animated films of all time. And in 2004 he took home an Oscar for the Pixar hit The Incredibles. His new feature spins the tale of Remy, a gourmet rat who follows his culinary dreams to Paris and helps save the sinking reputation of a snooty restaurant. From Remy's wild ride through a sewer to his near death experiences in the bustling kitchen, the action scenes are thrilling (though a bit repetitive after awhile). In his efforts to please kids and adults Bird inevitably stumbles on some hokey moments. But it's easy to forgive a few traces of cheap sentiment when Bird sics Anton Ego - a vitriolic food critic voiced by Peter O'Toole - onto the scene.