Like Ratatouille’s dreaded critic, Anton Ego, I sat down before Brad Bird’s latest Pixar concoction, my notepad open, my pen primed, waiting to record every notable morsel from this new cinematic smorgasbord. Like Ego, I’ll not only praise, but champion those deserving films which receive undue neglect. But beware, formulaic summer blockbusters: You will rue the day you met the wrath of my critical gaze!Pixar continues its winning streak with “Ratatouille,” a gorgeously-animated fable about pursuing one’s dreams that thematically complements Bird’s previous film, “The Incredibles.” “Ratatouille” is an outsider-gaining-acceptance tale about Remy, a rat from the French countryside with a refined palate and a talent for the culinary arts. When he’s separated from his boorish, scavenger family, Remy finds himself at the restaurant of his cooking idol, Auguste Gusteau. How can a gourmand rat pursue his dream when all the sous chefs want to cut off his tail with a carving knife a-la a certain visually impaired trio of blind mice?Bird once said he felt like punching anyone who calls animation a genre, rather than an art form. How could anyone still deny the artistic value of animation? Especially since the best animated films not only dazzle children but engage adults. Movies like “Finding Nemo” entertain children with their lovable characters and vibrant colors, yet also speak to adults about parenting, separation anxiety, and children growing up.”Ratatouille” is no exception, with its densely-layered screenplay, brimming with everything from useful culinary tips to a sophisticated inquiry into values and standards that would make “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” writer Robert Pirsig take notice.In particular, Bird is fascinated with what defines quality. Is our perception of quality subjective, lying within our own expectations and the artificial aesthetic guidelines defined by critics (Anton Ego and myself)? Or is it objective, intrinsic to the object or being? For that matter, can excellence achieved through hard work stand up to latent talent? The super-hero homage “The Incredibles” suggests the answer is no, that excellence is an innate quality unaffected by effort. In fact, the villain of the piece, Syndrome, wants to artificially give everyone superpowers, so that when everyone is “special,” no one will be. “Ratatouille,” on the other hand, seeks to democratize excellence with its depiction of the talented rat chef, Remy. But the key here is not that everyone can become a great chef or a master of any field solely through hard work. Instead, great talent can come from any background, whether man or rat.No one can doubt, though, the talent of the animators who visualized this confection for the eyes. With animated tracking shots worthy of Stanley Kubrick, Wellesian depth of field, and the most restaurateur whimsy packed into any given shot, “Ratatouille” draws upon the finest ingredients from the artists’ palate for a cinematic feast that is sweet but never gives you a sugar high. Even Anton Ego would be pleased.Reach Christian Blauvelt at [email protected].