Evil Arts and Crafts

I’m sorry if this makes me a plebe, but “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” is officially my favorite Wes Anderson movie.

For me, “The Royal Tennenbaums” and “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” are towering films, but ones to be seen once, appreciated, revered, and never seen again. I have powerful memories associated with each of Anderson’s works, but I’ve never been in any kind of hurry to revisit them. (Compare that to the other contemporary auteur Anderson — Paul Thomas – whose “There Will Be Blood”, “Magnolia”, “Boogie Nights”, and “Punch Drunk Love” I could watch annually and enjoy them more every single time.)

With “Mr. Fox”, Anderson distilled his offbeat sensibilities—all of them, even some of the most dour—through a kid-friendly filter and came up with a singularly manic, inspired piece of family moviemaking that would have been eaten up in my household circa 1985. Is the movie a Hollywood compromise for the ideosyncratic Anderson? Maybe. All I know is that this was one of the best times I’ve had in a movie theater all year—and this in a great year for adult-accessible kids’ movies, which already gave us “Up”, “Coraline”, “Where the Wild Things Are”, and “Ponyo” (which I hated, but I’m apparently wrong, so whatever).

As always, George Clooney is the gold standard for dry, cool comedy, and he’s surrounded by a gaggle of voice actors (Jason Schwartzman, for one) you would never expect to find in a kids’ movie. (Okay, except for Bill Murray, but he’s so far from “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties” territory here that it’s worth forgiving his past missteps.) Paired with a handmade animation style and an indie rock soundtrack that doesn’t sound like the Dreamworks-special indie rock soundtracks that have been de rigeur for kids’ movies since Tom Waits sold his soul to the “Shrek” machine, “Fox” winds up looking like nothing else out there.

It’s whip smart, crackling with wit, and bristling with energy. Maybe it’ll play too serious for the kids, but us grown-ups, it’s a fantastic little confection that’s well worth seeking out. Highest possible recommendations from Evil Arts and Crafts.