Rats and restaurants. Hardly sounds like the ingredients for a pleasant and appetizing film experience. In the hands of a novice, it would surely be a recipe for disaster. However, entrusted to the creative geniuses at Pixar, it is an unforgettable feast for the senses and they manage to turn Ratatouille into a thoroughly tasty and delightful film. An explosion of charm, virtue and spirit, Ratatouille is not just a shoo-in for the Oscar for best animated film of 2007, but should grace many a list as one of the best of the year. It is that good.

Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) is not your typical run-of-the-gutter rat. Blessed with heightened senses along with a passion for fine cuisine (especially the work of the late French chef Gusteau), Remy has a higher calling than just scrounging through trash bins for scraps like the rest of his rat clan. Motivated by Gusteau's book Anyone Can Cook, Remy sees his passion not as a dream but a mission. When a kitchen encounter with a gun-wielding octogenarian separates Remy from his family, he finds himself alone in the one place where every great chef longs to be: Paris, France. "The best food is in France and the best food in France is in Paris," Remy dreamily reminds us. As fate would have it, Remy is dropped (via the underground water system, of course) right in the heart of the world famous Gusteau's Restaurant—a once-in-a-lifetime chance for any aspiring chef. If only he wasn't a rat!

Remy's shot at greatness comes in the form of a clumsy kitchen helper named Linguini. Remy is able to orchestrate the hand movements of Linguini by hiding underneath his hat and pulling his hair. Through Linguini, Remy is a maestro of culinary masterpieces conducting a whirlwind of new recipes. A virtuoso of creativity and passion, he dazzles and delights the tastebuds of all those who sample his inspired concoctions.

Friendship and trust blossoms between Remy and Linguini as they perpetrate their charade even while under the skeptical eye of Gusteau's chef Skinner (Ian Holm), who is intent on sacrificing quality cuisine for a quick buck by commercializing Gusteau's legacy. The ultimate test comes in the person of the appropriately named food critic Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole in fine form) who is eager to experience the much talked about work of "Chef" Linguini.

Director and screenwriter Brad Bird (who also directed The Incredibles and The Iron Giant), doesn't just succeed in making a good film. He creates a grand work of art—"We are artists!" Remy proclaims at one point. Just as Remy recognizes that cooking is an utter joy, Bird does the same with film in assembling the ingredients of great humor, drama, action, tenderness, and sensitivity. The world's greatest chefs take many ingredients and create not just a meal but a beautiful experience, something that is transcendent. Bird and his team at Pixar accomplish that as well with Ratatouille. What a gift.

When graced with such a gift, one can only give honor to the one who bestows it. Linguini acknowledges that gift is not his. Remy himself recognizes that he is unique in his talent: "You can't change nature!" his well-intentioned but simple-minded brother Emil tells him attempting to dissuade him from pursuing his passion for cooking. It is against nature for a rat to cook, which only proves that his gift has supernatural origins.

When that gift is shared and experienced what should be the response of those who benefit? Pure enjoyment. Savor it, relish it and overflow with thanksgiving. By doing so, one gets a glimpse of the divine. The psalmist wrote, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." The fact that God wrote of His goodness experienced through the senses demonstrates His knowledge of their power. Ratatouille champions the cause of enjoying God through all of life, including food, creativity and art. It is in these things where He makes Himself known. Like Remy, let us pursue our dreams use our gifts with passion and enjoy Him through them.

Gratifying and nourishing on so many levels, Ratatouille is like the perfect meal. You leave totally satisfied but still hungry for more.