Cate Blanchett Movie:

Editorial Review:
The visually ravishing animated movie The Fantastic Mr. Fox follows a fox, voiced by George Clooney and dressed in a natty brown corduroy suit, as he cheerfully and recklessly takes his thieving ways a little too far and brings down the wrath of some sour-faced poultry farmers on his family and friends. Based on a lesser-known book by children's author Roald Dahl (who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach), the movie is the work of Wes Anderson (writer-director of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums), who expanded and elaborated on the original story; the combination is inspired. Anderson's sensibility--his fondness for meticulous compositions, coordinated colors, and narrative filigree--can sometimes seem finicky and stiff in live-action movies, but it's exquisitely suited to the painstaking art of stop-motion animation. Every corner of the screen crackles with visual invention and whimsical humor. The top-notch vocal cast (which also features Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Owen Wilson, and others) create vivid personalities that perfectly mesh with the movie's lush colors and luscious textures. The Fantastic Mr. Fox is an off-beat gem, a giddy mix of adult emotional issues, wild animal behavior, and childlike delight. --Bret Fetzer

The Fantastic Mr. Fox [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Best comedy of the year!
2009-12-16 - When I first heard word of Wes Anderson adapting one of Roald Dahl's books I of course instantly was both interested and concerned. Being a Houstonian I have always felt inclined to support the work of Houston-born writer/director Wes Anderson.

Thus far I've enjoyed his dry sense of humor; kind of like an Americanized version of British humor...but it is also very adult, sophisticated humor, so I couldn't imagine him doing a family movie.

After seeing the movie I have one thing to say...Fantastic Mr. Fox certainly is FANTASTIC! Wes Anderson has made one of the best films of 2009; one that is just as good as his other movies, if not being his best yet! Everything, from voice-actors, to the use of stop animation: this film is perfectly balanced in what is certainly the best comedy of the year.

How did Wes Anderson pull it off? Well, he honestly didn't make this so much as a kid's movie as he did make another entry in his series of odd-ball comedies- only this time cutting back mature subjects to a PG-rating. What results is a very mature comedy that doesn't resort to cheap gimmicks or slapstick for laughs (though there is a bit of slapstick for those kids who won't understand the humor in Anderson's dialog).

The story centers on Mr. Fox (voiced by the always entertaining George Clooney), who is the foxiest fox who ever foxed. An expert chicken thief he likes living dangerously...that is until his lover (voiced by Meryl Streep) becomes pregnant and demands that they settle down. After getting caught in a fox trap he agrees to her terms that if they survive he shall never steal again.

Two years later (which is far more in fox years) the couple is living in a hole with their son, Ash (Jason Schwartzmen). Mr. Fox is a newspaper columnist, who is fairly certain no one actual reads his column and is now upset that he won't amount to anything (like his father) so he decides they must move out. His choice is a tree, but this tree happens to be located next door to the three meanest farmers the animals have ever seen. His lawyer, Badger (voiced by Anderson regular Bill Murray) tries to talk Fox out of his choice home, but he won't hear it.

After moving to the tree they are joined by their nephew Kristofferson (voiced by Eric Chase Anderson) who quickly becomes Ash's center of jealousy. Kristofferson is perfect in just about every way, spending his time meditating while practicing yoga, being naturally gifted in sports - everything Ash wishes he was.

But while those trivial matters go on Mr. Fox can't resist the call of the wild, and with his opossum building superintendent, Kylie (voiced by Wallace Wolodarsky) plans a return to his dangerous life of "cussing with" the farmers' heads. At first this starts as simple crimes, but soon the farmers declare war against Mr. Fox and the entire animal populace! It becomes the job of Fox save everyone from the farmers' wrath...which he caused!

There's also a great (not to mention HILARIOUS) bit involving Willem Dafoe as an insane, finger snapping rat-henchman under the employ of the farmers, but I wouldn't spoil that for the you! You'll have to see the movie to get what I'm talking about.

Fantastic Mr. Fox of course differs from its source material, but for what it is Fantastic Mr. Fox is a great comedy. I say "comedy" instead of "animation" or "Family" movie because its values really are more comedy oriented than they are trying to entertain an entire group of people. In fact, the theater I saw this movie in was full of kids under the age of 10 and very seldom did any of them laugh: the humor was just way over their heads, and I won't hold that against them.

For adults and mat kids over the age of 10 or so Fantastic Mr. Fox is a fantasy comedy full of whimsical characters that will leave them chuckling, and quoting its ingenious script long after they've left the theater. Parents can also approve of the film's message of "everyone has their own individual talents," be it thief, landscape artist, or demolitions expert.

It won't stand up against a movie like Pixar's Up in a `Best Animated Feature' contest, but then again I doubt it was even trying to. What the movie does is set out to be a sophisticated comedy - something that is rated PG, but is just as good as any comedy directly aimed at older audiences. Fantastic Mr. Fox is rated PG but is more adult and sophisticated than this year's smash hit The Hangover.

Fantastic Mr. Fox truly is the most fantastic movie of the year.


Enjoyable, but ...
2009-12-14 - This movie gets under way with everything going for it. Star-powered voicing features George Clooney. Merryl Streep's lovely low tones, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, and more. Stop animation has made huge strides even in the age of CGI, and can provide some of the most innovative and engaging imagery around. Basing a movie on a Roald Dahl book certainly won't hurt it, either - look what Dahl parentage did for 'James and the Giant Peach', the various Willie Wonkas, and lots of others.

So, with all this going for it, the movie just didn't thrill me, and I'm not sure why. The animation, though thoroughly competent, rarely rose above competence - but did so nicely in the "digging" scenes and in any involving smoke. Characters grated on me, especially Mr. Fox himself, who I found irredeemably self-centered, the kind who tends to reward friends' loyalty with some pretty poor behavior. Also, I'll happily go along with a forestful of critters in educated professions and snappy tailoring. Within that context (and within his sharp-looking leisure suit), Fox's claim to being a wild animal rings false - unless "wild" means something more like a frat party than like a jungle.

So, I kept the characters at arm's length, and the artistry wasn't enough to pull me in. I'm glad I saw it, but I'm in no rush to see it again.

-- wiredweird, reviewing the theatrical release

One of the Best in a Long Time
2009-12-12 - It's been a long time since I've seen a movie like this. At first, the animation looks a little cheap. The walks aren't that realistic. But after you get into the story, you don't care. The world is textured. It's beautiful. We don't see this kind of movie anymore, this stop-motion, and I don't know if it's simply just been too long since I've seen other stop-motion films like Chicken Run or what--I was enthralled.

This movie did not have an overly-typical storyline, but at the same time, it was not devoid of one either. The jokes were not written to try and provoke you to laugh out loud; you'll simply find them funny, perhaps to chuckle. But the thing I really loved about the movie was this--there was a lot of life in the film. Real life, something I identified with in the characters.

Don't expect a typical Phase 1, Phase 2, Climax, Ending, kind of film. Don't expect to be drawn into the story and be spit back out. This isn't exactly a story that ends with a clever line--it ends with the characters dancing. But I can guarantee you that you will enjoy this movie. It wasn't a "good" movie. It wasn't a "bad" movie. It was an "enjoyable" movie. And it's a higher honor to be an enjoyable movie rather than just a "good" one.

4.5 stars for this pretty fantastic little film.
2009-12-10 - My family and I saw FANTASTIC MR. FOX on Thanksgiving, one of the busiest movie-going evenings of the year. We were in a group of about 30 folks watching this film...a sad statement. It's one of the wittiest (not just funny, but witty) animated films in a long time, and a truly original piece of filmmaking. When movies like PLANET 51 or ...CHANCE OF MEATBALLS can make 5 times as much at the box office, I can only bemoan how many people have caused their kids (and themselves) to miss out on the experience of seeing how challenging films can be, and how much FUN that can be.

Director Wes Anderson is one of my favorite filmmakers. I know there are MANY people who agree, and MANY MORE who disagree fairly vehemently. For everyone who loved DARJEELING LIMITED, many more found it inert, pretentious, boring or unemotional. Ditto ROYAL TENNANBAUMS. Double ditto LIFE AQUATIC. I admit, Anderson can be a bit "clever" in his style. He films everything from a lower than usual angle. His camera either sits still or moves side to side...seldom in and out. He keeps us at a distance this way...much like his characters tend to be emotionally distant or shut off. The humor in his scripts is often dry and laced with sadness. When his characters to express their emotional sides, it comes in short bursts that demonstrates a form of being stunted. His characters are super smart, and very unwise.

Yet in FANTASTIC MR. FOX, even Anderson's critics are finding much to love. The same filmmaking style is there, but there is also something charming about the way in which he trains his camera on these awkwardly animated figures. They are frequently filmed at "odd" angles, but what this does is allow us to SEE more of the character than we might in a more traditionally framed movie. His reduced depth-of-field works even better with animation...particularly animation this "crude." (It isn't really crude, don't freak out.)

Adapted from the Roahld Dahl story, MR. FOX follows its title character...a dashing, daring young scoundrel of a fox who gives up his dangerous life of chicken-thieving and living on the edge in order to settle down with the love of his life and have a family. Skip ahead some time, and the Foxes are living in an underground den, where dad is a newspaper reporter (an endangered species?) and his son constantly disappoints him by having a singularly UNdaring nature. Fox is a good husband and father, but his true nature constantly nags at him, and in a mad burst, he purchases an above ground tree in which to live. And from there, he can clearly see the facilities of three big, evil farmers. And it's a short step from there to returning (albeit without telling his wife) to a life of thieving and trickery. It makes him feel young again and makes him feel he's being true to his nature. It also gets him, his family and the whole animal community into some SERIOUS trouble.

There really isn't much to the plot, per se. The film is more about little incidents, observations and conversations. And it's all shown to us via stop-motion animation. These furry animals move in a manner frankly reminiscent of the original KING KONG. We see their fur move from frame to frame, where the animators clearly were manipulating the little creatures. They are primitively constructed...and yet the film is 100% true to its own aesthetic throughout. While many scenes look flat (and everything is brown)...there is a feeling of life in every moment. It may be the rippling fur, and it may be the outstanding voice work.

George Clooney plays Mr. Fox and his wife is voiced by Meryl Streep. Jason Schwartzmann is their cowardly, clumsy son. These 3 work together very well, and although I wasn't sitting there the whole time noticing that stars were doing the voices...there was also a sense of familiarity that was very welcome. Clooney has become a master of the "wacky" character (MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, BURN AFTER READING, LEATHERHEADS)...and this movie shows that it is his voice as much as his physicality that makes this work. Schwartzmann plays the "dreary" son much like we'd expect him to...infused with chagrin and sadness.

As I mentioned, Anderson's humor is often coupled with sadness...and we have that here too. Whether Fox is longing for his past life, or his wife wishes her husband was happy with what he had or their son wishes Dad was prouder of him...that sense of sadness is there. These are the richest animated characters in a long time (outside of most Pixar films)...and it's easy to care about these funny looking creatures. There are many delightful other characters as well, including badgers (Bill Murray, hilarious), moles and so on.

But the movie can be readily enjoyed without reading much into it. It's got loads of off-kilter humor (the shots of Fox eating are almost worth the price of admission!), a GREAT soundtrack (Anderson is almost as good as Tarantino at picking great music) and a satisfying conclusion, one that delivers a Hollywood feel, but is uniquely odd as well.

So please do yourself (and the film) a favor, and check out FANTASTIC MR. FOX. It is, indeed, fantastic.

A foxy little film
2009-12-07 - "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is an entertaining, visually pleasing tale based on the classic book by Roald Dahl. In the film, Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) is a former bird thief who goes against the wishes of his wife (voiced by Meryl Streep) and returns to his criminal life. Unfortunately, Mr. Fox takes things a bit too far, and his shenanigans cause three local farmers to wage war on the entire Fox family, which also implicates all the other critters in the area.

Children and adults will enjoy this film, which is beautiful to watch. The movie has great characters and clever dialogue, and it is so much better than most of the animated films being produced today. I highly recommend this movie for the whole family.