Fantastic Mr Fox
Alas, this film isn't as fantastic as I'd hoped. Yes, it's quite good fun, the old-fashioned stop motion photography is funky and the furry animal puppets look great, but there have been so many outstanding animated movies in recent months - and this doesn't rank among them.
The main problem is that the story is a slight, simple tale which feels stretched and padded. What could have been an entertaining 40 minute feature overstays its welcome by more than half-an-hour. I fear children (and adults!) will lose interest half-way through.
There is also the issue of Wes Anderson's "quirkiness". The director seems obsessed with being odd for the sake of being odd. Several scenes will have you scratching your head (what on earth is the conversation with the wolf all about?), while some of the comic timing is completely off and the bizarre cameo from Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker is painfully awkward.
This is still a better-than-average film. George Clooney and Meryl Streep give perfect vocal performances, there are some delightful moments and I loved Alexandre Desplat's score.
