Cinematical

A rat at the dinner table doesn't sound like a good idea -- unless the rat is Rémy, animated star of Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille. Unlike most real-life rats, he's cute, colorful and presumably disease-free. He also talks. But certainly the most favorable trait found in Rémy is his ability to cook. As the Cyrano-like chef of Gusteau's, operating via the human-hands of Alfredo Linguini, Rémy prepares amazing five-star dishes, including a re-invention of ratatouille that sends a curmudgeonly critic into a state of nostalgic euphoria.

Obviously, Rémy's invitation to thanksgiving dinner would be in the hopes that he could contribute to the meal. Perhaps this is a selfish request of a guest, particularly a non-American guest, but asking for at least one course is not too much to ask of the greatest culinary rodent the world has ever known. I mean, it isn't likely he would want to eat anything as relatively mediocre as I would serve anyway, so he would probably actually prefer to do the whole meal himself.

Another good thing about Rémy: he's small. He doesn't take up much room, which is perfect considering my apartment isn't the biggest in the world. He can sit on the table -- at the head, of course, since he's the guest of honor -- and hopefully tell us about each dish we're trying. But since he will be doing all the work, I guess he could bring along Linguini, Collette and any of his other friends from the movie. Just as long as he doesn't bring the little ghost of Gusteau, because a dead person at the dinner table really doesn't like a good idea.

Kim Voynar would invite ...