El fantástico Sr. Zorro

I'm pretty much the sucker for stop motion animation, so this naturally comes with that wee bit of bias, because I surely take my hats off to the filmmakers, especially the modelers and pretty much everyone who has to painstakingly move everything a little bit at a time, which for folks who are impatient (like myself), would already have driven one nuts.

But this crazy effort in bringing to life Roald Dahl's story of a sly fox, is pretty much worth every frame of it. The man hours and intricate designs are something of an old school technique when compared to the latest computer wizardry, but you'll be amazed at what director Wes Anderson and his team managed to come up with, complete with a solid story, likable characters, and plenty of fun.

George Clooney voices Mr Fox, a smug (what else, since Clooney chews these type of roles for breakfast) and wily erm, fox whose specialty is being the chicken thief that he is, providing for family. An incident cutting too close to death has Mr Fox promise Mrs Fox (Meryl Streep) that his thieving days are over, but you know how a leopard cannot change its spots. Soon he moves his family near three farmers Bean (Michael Gambon), Boggis (Robin Hurlstone) and Bunce (Hugo Guinness), and crafts his final hurrah in hitting all three neighbours, only for them to retaliate and demolish Mr Fox's lifestyle, and not to mention his relationship with wife, family and friends, resulting in a battle of wills and wits.

Despite the relatively short run time, the film managed to pack plenty of subplots, characterization, and comedy into one well oiled narrative. You'll surely be one without a sense of humour should you not be able to laugh at anything and everything that Anderson had put on screen, from slapstick to really smart and funny lines that make up every moment of enjoyment in this film. The A-list voice cast also includes the likes of Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Brian Cox, Adrien Brody et al, some of whom you'll know are regulars in Anderson's past works.

And if you had enjoyed his past quirky films, then you'd come to expect the same for Fantastic Mr. Fox, with Wes Andersen's signature touches all over the shop, where he made some departures from Dahl's book, but manage to retain the essence of the story, and through a stroke of luck, finding an alternate ending from Dahl's original manuscript which got adopted here in the film. It's comical, it's smart, it's stop motion and it won't be too long before fans will soon adopt Mr Fox's trademarked whistle-whistle-click-click.

Giving up his life of a chicken thief because of a child on the way, Mr. Fox gets a job as a newspaper writer and lives underground. Years pass, his child is older and he wants to move to a tree and not feel poor anymore. Along the way he takes in his nephew and decides to steal again, from the three biggest farmers no less. The farmers get wise and start a battle against Mr. Fox, his family and all their creature friends.

At first I didn't know if I wanted to see this, the animation looked really bad. But after thinking about it for a bit, I found that it fit into Anderson's style, it was something that he would do. So I gave the film a shot and I'm glad I did. This film has Anderson's signature style all over it, right down to the obvious voice casting, which has the likes of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Owen Wilson, and Willem Dafoe.

A lot of people, and I'm including myself in this bunch, might think nothing of this film. After all, it doesn't have the bright, adventurous feel of the recent Disney/Pixar films that have been dominating the animation scene. I'd even throw Dreamworks into that bunch. Those films are done by people who are at ease in their field, animated director like Brad Bird and John Lasseter know their way around the animation style. Yet here comes auteur Wes Anderson, who has a unique style and sense of comedy. His transition to animation, stop motion animation no less, is smart, funny and a pleasure. Is it his best film? Of course not, but it's one of the more enjoyable ones.

The voice cast all work well, Clooney does a good job as the lead. He has that leadership tone in his voice, that arrogance that is needed for the character. Streep isn't given much to do, so her role as the wife is pretty basic, as is the character. Their son Ash, voice by Bored To Death star Jason Schwartzman was a stand out for me, as was Eric Chase Anderson, as Kristofferson. That name might not sound familiar, that's because his resume only consists of Anderson films. Bill Murray plays a badger and Fox's lawyer, who advises him not to buy the tree house. Fox does anyway and that's why he's in this mess. The animals are really small and live in this world where there are apparently small motorbikes for them to use. They can communicate with the human characters, no one seems to find it odd in this little world they live in. You won't find it odd either, you'll just be enjoying the fun.

Each chapter is subtitled, Fox's Master Plan A, Fox's Master Plan B, etc. They even tell you how time passes in human years and fox years and in a comical bit one human hour compare to one fox hour. You never know how long these hours are in comparison to each other, you don't want to know either, it just adds to the uniqueness of the film. At heart, these characters are still wild animals, as Fox even says this in the film, and the way they eat and "fight" each other proves this.

The film has that Anderson humour and might go over some kids heads. It's dark in some places, as one character dies, but I think they will enjoy it. They won't jump up and down for it like Up, or Finding Nemo. They won't want to go out and buy the latest Mr. Fox stuffed animal or toy. This feels more like a film for adults, it doesn't really cater to the kids, but they will have their bits to laugh at, like the possum who stares blankly at some people for whatever reason.

This film was made from scratch, this world Anderson creates is fun and I had a fun time being in it. The film flies by it's running time and I never found the film dragging. It was in and out. As stated before, the kids might enjoy this, but it's more for adults. There's smoking and there's even a unique way of swearing, which I found funny. The camera movements scream Wes Anderson and if you're a fan, then you will enjoy this very much.

One of my favourite films of the year.

I love this movie. The visuals, the endearment from the characters, the ARCS oh boy the character arcs in this movie are SO SO AMAZING. Anderson makes you feel and care for the characters from square one which is a supremely difficult task to do (most directors/writers instead employ making them dislikable because it's way easier). The visuals are top notch and super original which deserves + 1 star on its own so really this movie gets a 11/10 from me.

The story and the overall effect of this movie to inspire artistic creations and not be afraid of telling a story from your unique perspective is what this movie should really be looked on about. It's a masterpiece.

I can't believe I'm going against the grain on this. It's not a terrible film, in fact it's absolutely charming to look at, but when the gorgeous visuals and aesthetic are taken away, I'm left with a pretty muddy narrative and flat characterization.

I'll admit it: I love stop motion animation. From the crude Christmas classics that are always on TV this time of year to the elegant masterpieces of Tim Burton, I never miss the chance to see classic animation at work. Needless to say, when I heard about Fantastic Mr. Fox, I was excited. A wonderful Rhold Dahl book, beautifully crafted animation, and an illustrious cast all in one package – this was exciting. I'm happy to say that my excitement was justified as Fantastic Mr. Fox is perhaps one of the best new movies I have seen this year.

The story of Fantastic Mr. Fox follows the lives of the Fox family – Mr (George Clooney), Mrs(Meryl Streep), and their son(Jason Schwartzman) – and their animal neighbors and friends. Mr. Fox, once a professional chicken stealer, decides to settle down with his wife after she becomes pregnant and instead take up a career in writing. After moving to a new home in the trunk of a tree, Mr. Fox takes notice in three massive fowl and fruit farms. Risking everything. Mr. Fox decides to embark on one last big job – stealing from all three farms. What happens after that can only be described as pure confusion and debauchery.

As with most Rhold Dahl stories, the book Fantastic Mr. Fox works to both excite kids and humor adults. As a result, the original short story is considered a classic for many families. Though some adaptations of Rhold Dahl classics (see BOTH adaptations of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) have strayed from Dahl's dry, quirky humor, the film version of one of his best loved stories have honored this side of Dahl's story, projecting a humor perhaps more suited to adults than children, but creating an overall story that will appeal to all.

This movie would likely have been impossible without the work of numerous wonderful voice actors. George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Michael Gambon, and Owen Wilson all provide voices in the movie, among other lesser known but still wonderfully talented actors. As a result, the voices blend beautifully into the animation. Instead of feeling like characters with a voice shoved in, the voices and the characters are one.

The animation is perhaps the most appealing aspect of the movie. The script and humor works with the animation in ways traditional or digital animation could not. In many instances, the animation itself provides part of the story. By using a more traditional method, Fantastic Mr. Fox is also able to provide very specific quirks and personalities to each character, something often lost in newer animation. Adding to the animation is a muted, fall palette of colors, giving the entire film a homey, comforting feel.

Animation has become so perverted in recent years. Throwing away emotional appeal for visual appeal, the plethora of slick, computer animated, shiny films are almost unnerving. In such an atmosphere, choosing to make a use traditional animation can often spell anathema for the film. As a result, Fantastic Mr. Fox shines, choosing to pick traditional animation techniques to allow the viewer to relate to and communicate with the film in a way few films are able to do anymore. Though perhaps not for everyone, I would recommend Fantastic Mr. Fox for anyone interested in quirky humor, stop-motion animation, or simply a beautifully crafted and well written story.