Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009
Directed by Wes Anderson

I've been highly anticipating Wes Anderson's screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox ever since I saw the first preview several months ago. Not only was it not a disappointment, it verily surpassed expectations.

Mr. Fox is something of a gentleman thief, stealing chickens from nearby farms with his wife, until they get busted. After having a child, Mrs. Fox forces her husband to leave his criminal past behind him and to seek legal employment. But the incorrigible Mr. Fox misses his old life of derring-do and falls off the wagon, with the help of his vacant and reluctant landlord. But he messes with the wrong farmers, and they aim to strike back with a vengeance.

I never read the book, unfortunately, but this movie has Anderson's fingerprints all over it. I read that it was originally supposed to be co-directed by The Nightmare Before Christmas animator Henry Selick, but he was tied up with Coraline. This left Anderson to his own devices. About the only thing I was worried about was that he might lay a big hipster boot-print on the face of Dahl's own comedic sensibilities - but apparently Anderson is a big Roald Dahl fan, and it seems to me that he didn't want to mess too much with a good thing. The result is that all the best elements of Anderson's wry, clever comedic touch are infused into an already hilarious story. I remember seeing Anderson's The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou with my girlfriend, and we were frequently the only people laughing in a packed theatre. His frequently deadpan writing style and love of awkward moments definitely seems to alienate mainstream audiences, but I think that I can safely say that there is nothing alienating about Mr. Fox.


Another thing I've come to expect from and love about Anderson's work is his great attention to detail. Set design, wardrobe, lighting, even colour coordination are always hallmarks in his films, making them eminently watchable even when nothing much is happening. Having more or less free reign on Mr. Fox certainly seems to have brought out the best; I've never seen stop-motion animation quite like it. Used to the rougher style of Ray Harryhausen, the otherworldy stylings of Henry Selick, or the cartoonish "Wallace and Grommit" (all excellent in their own way), I was surprised at how organic everything looked in Mr. Fox. From the models for Mr. Fox and his cohorts, to the fabrics and other materials for the clothing and set pieces, everything looks great and surprisingly legit as well - tiny utensils, room decorations, paintings, furniture, carpets, floral arrangements, even some pretty hilarious "bandit hats".

The voice-acting is tops. George Clooney plays the dashing Mr. Fox with egomaniacal vigour. The supporting cast including Meryl Streep, Willem Dafoe, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon - I could go on - are excellent. The dialogue is often quite low-key and dignified, a comedic device Anderson employs in much of his work, but equal kudos to the cast for not overdoing things. It is, after all, a story about a gentleman fox; over-the-top emoting a la Jim Carrey would not suit this material.

So. Mr. Fox is probably not a loyal transcription of Dahl's original story. Some serious daddy issues, goofy existentialism, yoga, a knife-wielding rat - I kinda doubt this was all in the book. Some people want nothing less than complete faithfulness in a movie adaptation. I don't really see the point; why bother to watch the film then, if you have the book and they're both the same? For my money, I was totally satisfied. More than. Don't believe the naysayers. This is not a beloved children's story being ruined by hipster posteuring. It's a wildly successful meeting of two talented humourists, and a brilliant film by any standard. And yet... somehow I get the feeling that the box-office will not be kind to Fantastic Mr. Fox. It's a cussing shame.

9.7

Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke
1997
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

I often debate with myself whether Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away is Miyazaki's finest film, but the fact is that they are both pretty much flawless. You'll have to excuse me if I sound more like a fanatic than a critic when reviewing this animated opus; it's just that good. Full of wonder, action, and romance, it is also a surprisingly complicated and nuanced moral and spiritual allegory, exploring various motivations and perspectives without plotting any clear villains or heroes. A Disney film this ain't.

Princess Mononoke takes place in a mythological Japan at the brink of the iron age. Predominantly a wilderness populated by a multitude of forest gods and other mystical creatures, industry and the desire for conquest is causing a rift between the advancing humans and the gods of old. When Ashitaka, the young prince of a forgotten tribe in the east is cursed by a rampaging demon, he sets out west to find out where it came from. His journey takes him to Tataraba, "Iron Town", an iron manufacturing centre run by the fearless Lady Eboshi, who has pitted herself against the local gods in her quest for land and resources. She is locked in conflict with a mysterious human girl, the Princess Mononoke, who was raised by Moro, a wolf goddess, and who fights by their side. Ashitaka also meets Jiko, a shady character with a task to perform in the forest of the legendary Deer God. Doomed by the demon curse and fascinated by Mononoke, Ashitaka finds himself trying to create peace between the humans and gods.

Princess Mononoke is markedly darker than most of Miyazaki's other films. "The land teems with the twittering of bitter ghosts, dead from war, sick or starved and fallen where they stood," says the cynical Jiko at one point. "A curse, you say? This world is a curse." The overall tone of the movie reminded me most of the bittersweet sadness of the Lord of the Rings novels - a land experiencing the painful transition from mythical to modern, and losing much of its majesty and wonder along the way. In spite of this, there is a typically Miyazakian hopefulness just beneath the surface. The writing is quite eloquent, and the cast of characters is notably free of any clear villains. Miyazaki distances himself from the tradition of Walt Disney by way of exploring the motivations of his many characters. There are no evil witches or treacherous advisors to be found in Mononoke. Each character has his or her own reasons for their actions; each feels that they are acting justly, and in some ways, they are. Lady Eboshi, for instance, appears at first to be overly proud and disrespectful of the gods. With her new technology, she is able to even the playing field, and is responsible for creating the demon which curses Ashitaka. However, she is intent on creating a better society for the many marginalized people she employs and trusts; prostitutes, lepers, she treats these people with respect, and protects them from the ruthless warlords with the dream of creating a united country. Princess Mononoke is seen as a savage and an enemy by the people of Iron Town, but she is fighting to maintain the balance of nature and to protect the gods and the old ways. Ashitaka, as an outsider with nothing to lose, comes to "see with eyes unclouded," in his own words; the result is a nuanced view of the various players and their dreams, fears, and ultimately their humanity. The depth of character and the complexity of the story really puts Mononoke on a higher level than most of the competition. The result is that it isn't exactly a movie for children. Violent and frightening at times, and probably too morally ambiguous for youngsters, Mononoke is definitely geared towards an adult audience. It's no surprise that this was the only one of Miyazaki's films not to be distrubuted by Disney in North America.

I think that a lot of reviewers have miscontrued Princess Mononoke as a mainly ecological moral allegory. However, I think that it has more to do with humankind's rejection of spirituality. Certainly it connects this spirituality with respect for nature, and there is a concern for striking a healthy balance between progress and the preservation of nature. But I think the main theme is humanity's inability to reconcile itself with the mysterious and unknown quantities of mortality - death, as represented by the Deer God, a force of creation and destruction. Humanity struggles against the perceived evil of creative and especially destructive powers that are beyond its control. The allegory of setting out to kill a god in a quest for self-determination and immortality is timeless, and elevates the story beyond a simple tale of fantasy.

I've already spoken of Miyazaki and Studion Ghibli's outstanding artistry in my review of Kiki's Delivery Service, so I'll just say that Princess Mononoke looks and sounds even better. The animation is truly breathtaking. I guarantee you that you will not have seen any animated film that looks better than this, with the possible exception of Spirited Away. The sound is as realistic as it can get. And Joe Hisaishi's beautiful, mournful musical score is one of the best I've heard for any movie, animated or not.

I can't recommend Princess Mononoke highly enough. It is without question a masterpiece, and if you are at all interested in cinema, you owe it to yourself to see it. I can't think of any reason not to give it a perfect rating.

10

Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki's Delivery Service
1989
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Many people are familiar with Hayao Miyazaki and Studion Ghibli because of Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, two of my favourite movies. Miyazaki, often called "the Japanese Walt Disney," has been a prolific creator of animated movies for children and adults (and continues to be, as he just released the well-received Ponyo earlier this year.) The thing is, Miyazaki is better than disney. His characters are more complex, his imagination has no bounds, and there are no embarassing musical interludes to be found in any of his movies. (Yeah, yeah, Disney was pretty good too...)

I'm a bit obsessed with this guy - actually I bought all of his movies together earlier this year, a bit of an impulse buy. But really, they're probably the most consistent collection of animated feature films you will ever get your hands on, so don't hesitate to do so.

Kiki's Delivery Service is markedly different from most of the other Studio Ghibli films. It's a story about a thirteen-year-old witch who leaves home for a year on a traditional pilgrimmage before becoming a proper witch. It does not contain: antagonists; magic, other than flying on a broom and a talking cat; battles; a handsome prince. All of this works in its favour. A relatively conflict-free film, it's mostly about Kiki's attempts at establishing herself in the world and building her confidence.

Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that this would be the most boring movie in the world. Actually, it's totally engaging from the very beginning, but in a very down-to-earth way; it's actually a movie you can relate to. After leaving home, Kiki finds herself in a beautifully realized, bustling seaside city that she adopts as her new home. Lacking any other magical skills, she decides to use her flying ability to start a delivery service (surprise surprise.) While there, she meets Tombo, a young aviation enthusiast who takes an immediate shine to her (but not so much the other way around.) Of course, business and the opposite sex are both pretty difficult for a thirteen-year-old girl. Kiki also has a tendency to get depressed, especially when the world doesn't meet her rather naive standards of kindness and decency.

This is the kind of kid's movie that children should actually be watching. Forget the implicit message in Disney films that you've gotta marry a rich prince or end up an old hag; forget "ultimate good vs. ultimate evil." Kids might actually learn something from this independent girl who makes a go of it while not asking too much of life, and is thoroughly decent to everybody she meets.

But the real reason I love this movie is the animation. Absolutely stunning, kick-ass, awesome animation. Every scene is beautiful. Even when nothing is happening in th emovie, there is something interesting to look at. The level of artistry in any Miyazaki film is, I think, unparallelled anywhere else. Kiki's Delivery Service is no exception. It's a joy just to see simple sights such as a busy street, geese in flight, a small bakery, the movement of grass in the wind. If there were no plot whatsoever, I would still watch this movie. Dialing down the high fantasy aspects of many of his other films, Miyazaki finds in KDS a certain wonder in the mundane - I almost wish he would make some more movies like it.

I would recommend this movie to mostly anybody. Fans of old-school animation in particular will be in heaven. Kids should really enjoy it also, provided they haven't been screwed up already by the sex and action shit that Hollywood seems intent on directing their way. If even a bitter cynic like myself can enjoy KDS, I suppose only a totaly soulless bastard would find it less than completely charming. One of the best from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki.

9.4

By the way, I watched it in Japanese with English subtitles, but English dub is available on the same disc from Disney (who bought the rights to many of the Studio Ghibli titles.) I have no idea how the dubbing is, and I don't intend to find out because it drives me crazy.