Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2011

Fantastic Mr. Fox: ©2010 Fox and its related entities. All Rights Reserved

The eclectic Wes Anderson (The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited) applies his dryly humorous, visually arresting style to the field of animation with this smart little stop-motion jewel from a story by Roald Dahl. The title fox (voiced by George Clooney) is a retired chicken thief, now a newspaper columnist(?) who, despite a promise to his wife (Meryl Streep), can’t resist raiding nearby farms to steal chickens, geese and cider from Boggis, Bunce and Bean (who nonetheless are equally mean). The three farmers react by declaring all-out war, and the fur and feathers fly. This children’s film for adults is a treat for the eyes; the charmingly retro animation is textured and tactile. For want of a better word, it’s comfortable. Those who happen not to be fans of Anderson will be pleased to find his occasional pretentiousness absent. Mostly. Watch for the many sight gags. And the choice of music—Burl Ives, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Art Tatum—is nothing short of inspired. Supporting voice talent includes Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe and Michael Gambon.