So I went to see The Fantastic Mr. Fox last night. Simply put, I thought it was great. The movie is a stop-motion adaptation of the Roald Dahl story of the same name. You might be wondering why I'd be enthusiastically writing about a children's story produced for the big screen. Well the devil is in the details.
Mr. Fox is directed by Wes Anderson, the director of such great movies as Rushmore and The Royal Tennenbaums. You would think a live action director would be somewhat hamstrung by stop motion figures, but this medium doesn't inhibit Anderson's skills a bit. If you've ever seen one of this director's movies, you've probably noticed his penchant for long scenes and awkward silences. These affectations are only enhanced by the medium.
Bringing along his crew of regulars (Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson) and new "faces" like George Clooney, the dialogue on this film just "pops." Everyone plays well off the other cast members. And any film that involves Bill Murray as a demolitions expert will win me over.
Check out the making of the "Whackbat" scene.
Put this all together with a great soundtrack and you have some great fun.
