Ratatouille (5 nominations)
The remarkably consistent Pixar Animation Studios deserves its five Oscar nominations for this wonderful tale of Remy, a rat who loves food, and the young man he turns into a first-rate chef. Embracing the motto of a famous deceased chef, Remy believes “anyone can cook,” and so he does, preparing a variety of delicacies. This despite the protestations of family and friends who are willing to settle for whatever trash they can find.

Ratatouille is an inspirational film for kids and adults—and for critics, who, in the character of Anton Ego, the notorious food critic whose reviews can close down restaurants and ruin great chefs, are ultimately shown to have full hearts.

We critics can be a complaining lot, but when movies are as good as Ratatouille, who needs to be glum?

Juno (4 nominations)
The highest grossing of the Best Picture nominees, Juno is the story of a pregnant teenager who decides to give up her baby for adoption. She finds support for her decision from her father and stepmother but is unprepared for the decisions she must make about the adoptive parents she’s chosen for her child.

Ellen Page is a sensation as Juno, but her sarcastic character is at once too knowing and much too grating. The film’s heart comes from its supporting players:  Jennifer Garner as the adoptive mother; Jason Bateman as the tentative adoptive father; and J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney as Juno’s parents.

Juno is a comedy with few laugh-out-loud moments, but its tone is pleasantly humorous throughout, and the film is downright admirable in choosing life over death.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (4 nominations)
Mathieu Amalric, a memorable figure from Steven Speilberg’s Munich a few years ago, stars as French fashion editor Jean-Dominque Bauby, who suffers from “locked-in syndrome.” The condition leaves him paralyzed throughout his body, except for the ability to blink. He thinks clearly but has no way of sharing his thoughts, until, with the help of the women assisting in his attempts to overcome his condition, he devises a way to share his thoughts.

Artfully filmed by painter and director Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a bittersweet tale of personal triumph, although Bauby’s inner life includes thoughts and ideas that are far from chaste. (The film is rated “PG-13” for nudity, sexual content and some language).