Part 46 - Fantastic Mr. Fox

Wes Anderson’s wonderful adaptation of Roald Dahl’s wonderful novel is a rollicking fun film and should bring plenty of smiles and loud laughter to most viewers.

The story is very Dahlian: Fox steals food from evil, ugly farmers and then hosts big party for all the animals of the surrounding area. Anderson and co-writer Baumach use this base and add in a character here there, give it a post-modern edge and then chuck in heaps of British Invasion and folk french music. Anderson has a very specific film making style. Everything from his presentation to how his actor’s speak through the characters is charmingly Anderson-ian (Yes, I have made this up). The open sequence begins with a the Roald Dahl’s book held in front of the camera by an unseen animal. It is reminiscent of the opening sequence of the Royal Tenebaums and Rushmore.


The world Anderson creates is very set and defined. The attention to detail is magnificent, and makes repeated viewings more pleasurable than they normally should be (you always see pick up on new things, happening somewhere in the background). As usual, his actors produce a little something special, and their performances are all fantastic.

I should also add, an obvious point really, but Fantastic Mr. Fox is not a children’s film. Ignore the PG rating and non-film format. If this had been a regular, live action film, it would have been at least rated M for “adult content.’ Don’t take your young kids, their attentions will wain once the gloss of the ‘different’ animation wears off.

A must see film for “Anderson-ians’; they will love the unique and nerdy touches to a rather loved childhood novel.

Part 18 – Corrupted: El Mundo Frio

When it comes to doing things their own damn way, in their own damn time, it is hard to beat the Japanese.

Corrupted are yet another mind-bogglingly band from this little country. A dark, doom, sludge metal band. You think that would be enough. Extreme Metal is normally enough. But no, they feel the need to also sing in Spanish.

So, a Japanese doom band singing in Spanish. That’s enough, surely? Nope. 1 track. Just over 70 minutes long.

El Mundo Frio.

It’s more than a song, or an album. It’s an experience, a wonderful experience. It opens up with 10 minute introduction, a gentle build up. Guitars strumming, low, deep base. Some might say slow. But I say wonderfully gentle. You sink into a light, floaty space, and then the bass kicks in and the doom begins. Commences. Still relatively low key. You’re still floating, but the floaty space is now quite dark and a little choppy.

And then the vocals kick in. By this point, 25 minutes have passed, and you have lost total control. It’s all gone. The singer, whatever his name is, speaks, in his dark, heavy Japanese accent, reciting Spanish lyrics over the music.

After this, he starts to sing: guttural sounds, low, deep and fucking fantastic.

The song does all of this twice. TWICE. And that’s not enough. The first time I heard it, I thought I was in a trance.

A fucking great album.

Part 44 – Old Dogs

I was unfortunate enough to have to sit through this poorly directed, and poorly constructed film. Purchasing the ticket was embarrassing. But waiting at the front of the cinema with hordes of children, parents and old couples was almost too much to bear.

The film itself was terrible. Bad writing, bad acting (Robin Williams really out did himself – a caricature of an actor) and just a ridiculous sequence of events pasted together made it ludicrous film to watch. This was not even pop corn fodder – some scenes, particularly the camping scene, seemed tacked on. Terrible and loud.

A waste of time and money. I thoroughly recommend you tie up your ex-boyfriend of ex-girlfriend (assuming they broke your heart) and subject them to it.