Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Director:
Wes Anderson

Writers:
Roald Dahl (novel)
Wes Anderson (written for the screen by)

The second TBMN movie to feature a film based on a book by Roald Dahl, Wes Anderson's debut animation is a toned and textured tryst with a tender tide of anthropormorphic taxidermy. In a word, timeless. Mr. Anderson manages to include enough of his signature moves to keep the auteur theory kicking around more than a couple collegiate classrooms. His recognizable stamp bleeds beneath the familiar mise-en-scene into the winsome pacing, inter-personal plots and peppy dialogue. Yet somehow his persistent penchant for symmetry and out-dated portable listening devices doesn't distract us from the jubilant tale he deftly spins, flips and weaves about us until we discover we're wearing it as a tie. Mr. Anderson's devoted deference to Dahl is the bandanna that blinds us to the standard Anderson suite of charmingly conflicted characters. For the sake of the fans I hope it is not his final foray into the field of fictional adaptation.

Personal perspective to be posted promptly...

3:10 to Yuma

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Director: James Mangold

Writers (WGA): Halsted Welles and Michael Brandt

~ An unseen choice from a loved director ~

This film tumbleweeds through a time when everything could mean nothing in the blink of an eye. The power and riches of the railroad could come through and make all a man's hard work mean nothing. A keen mind and some bloodthirsty sharpshooters could make the order and efficiency of modern travel mean nothing. A neat two hundred dollars could bankrupt the law and a well-trained horse could derail the justice system. Who's worth more dead than alive -the man who's made his living shooting assholes or the only cowboy in the West who can't be bought? It's a long, hard wait for the 3:10 to Yuma before you find out.

This movie was intense! It's a good thing it showed up as a TBMN film or I probably never would have watched it. Bree cooked a DELICIOUS chicken chili, served with tortilla chips. She also made PIMMS cocktails with ginger-ale and a splash of lemon, on ice. AND FOR DESSERT, (or do I mean desert?) there was a cinnamon pepper dark chocolate bar that was SO AWESOME.

In short, Thursday Blind Movie Night has a nice way easing one into films that might not have been their own personal top pick. I'm glad we've started getting more creative with the food because the way to my heart is (clearly) through my stomach.

My pick next week and I haven't decided!! Really want to tie in beef somehow. Speaking of food, I should email Bree for her chicken chili recipe and post it here. The 3:10 to Yuma Southwestern movie night would be a totally fun thing for people to recreate in their own homes.