There is not a Wes Anderson movie made that I don't absolutely love. I've been a fan since Bottle Rocket came out (to this day, I still Ca-Cooo to get some one's attention from across a room). I would rate The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic probably in my top 25 favorite movies of all time. Basically, what I'm trying to say is, when I first learned he was doing an animated film adaptation of a novel from one of my favorite children's book writers, I was pretty darn excited.
The verdict? Well in short, it was the most fun I've had at the movies in a long time. Everything about it was practically perfect. What I loved most about it was that it was very much a Wes Anderson film. It flawlessly fits in with his other films. George Clooney, in his humorous mood, is great fit for Wes Anderson's quirky style. He didn't compromise the artistic style that makes his movies great simply because it was going to be animated. That's the way it should be.
What makes Fantastic Mr. Fox so much fun is that it's obvious everyone making it is having fun. It doesn't feel labored. And unlike most children's entertainment these days, it doesn't fit some marketing mold that for some reason has been etched in stone. I'm talking about movies like Planet 51 in it's oh-so-obvious jokes and storyline as if there is some list distributed to studios (and let's be honest, children's book publishers as well) that states THIS IS WHAT KIDS LIKE AND NOTHING ELSE. Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of those movies that dispels that myth, showing that kids entertainment doesn't have to pander...it can be different and succeed.
My Grade: FANTASTIC!
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