Fantastic Mr Fox

Based on a book of the same title by Roald Dahl, this is a story of theiving fox battling with some unsavory farmers. Dahl wrote many stories that have been adapted into movies (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda) or shows ("Man from the South", "Skin"). A common theme is fun, or at least interesting, unsavory characters.

The story in the movie is an expanded version of the book, and is adapted in a Wes Anderson style. (Anderson's previous films include The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Darjeeling Limited, and Royal Tenenbaums.) The stop-motion animation is a first for Anderson, though. I particularly enjoyed the look of the film, but I've heard others call it "creepy".

Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean
These horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were none the less equally mean.

Bean is the brains behind the farmers and the only one given much of a role. He is a crack shot, an alcoholic, and a brewer of hard cider. (The cider in the film is clear gold, which is pretty, but probably not what Dahl would have imagined.) Mr Fox is a charming thief whose self-worth comes from impressing his follow animals. When he attracts the ire of the farmers, all of the burrowing animals suffer and know that it is Mr Fox's fault, putting him in a bit of squeeze. And from there it's Bean and Fox to the end.

Four bottles of liquid gold out of five.

Fantastic Mr. Fox at IMDB

The Darjeeling Limited at IMDB

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou at IMDB

The Royal Tenenbaums at IMDB

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at IMDB

Matilda at IMDB

James and the Giant Peach at IMDB

Man from the South at IMDB

Skin at IMDB

Final thought: although rated PG, the audience was largely adult

On movies different than the book

Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang is vastly different in book and movie forms. The list of things the two have in common is shorter than the list of things that changed.

There's an old race car with extraordinary capabilities in both, whistling candy, some of the characters, a trip to the beach. And now I'm running out of similarities.

The book has no Vulgaria, no Vulgarian king who wants to be rid of his wife, no Vulgarian queen afraid of children, no childcatcher or royal toymaker, no plot to kidnap the inventor.

The movie does not have the chocolate shop, the gangsters that rob that shop, the cave hideout of the gangsters, the kids do not get used as part of a robbery scheme, and Monsieur Bon-Bon does not have a secret fudge recipe revealed at the end.

Book is by Ian Flemming (of Bond fame) and screenplay by Roald Dahl (of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame). Albert Broccoli, who is well known for his Bond movies, produced the movie.

Final thought: has made the fudge