The reviews for Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox are in, and as it stands now, the soulful director has knocked one out of the proverbial park. After enduring a lukewarm reception for his last film, the picaresque The Darjeeling Limited, Anderson seems to have won over critics with his dizzying stop-motion adaptation of the eponymous Roald Dahl classic. Todd McCarthy of Variety says the film “achieves a feel that is at once coarse-grained and elegant, antiquated and the height of fashion,” while Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter notes that it “brings Wes Anderson’s whimsical melancholy to a kids’ classic.” Starring George Clooney as the titular character, Meryl Streep as his wife, and the usual gang of Wes Andersonites–Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman included–Fantastic Mr. Fox is being hailed for its crackpot comedic timing and tone, which have become beloved staples in the Wes Anderson cannon of misfit aesthetics. After the success of Spike Jonze’s Where The Wild Things Are, Anderson looks to capitalize on the whole “young, hip New York filmmaker tackles beloved children’s book by infusing it with adult sensibilities” trend, and judging by early reactions, he’s done it. Fantastic Mr. Fox opens wide today. Check out the trailer below:

- Daniel Barna