Put on your bandit hat.

This weekend, we went to see the movie, Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Haven’t seen it? Well, you should. It’s a stop-motion animated movie based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl, and I’m not sure how ‘loosely based’ because I’ve actually never read this particular book. But the movie has the wry, sometimes dark humor that is classic Roald Dahl.

While it is definitely not your typical ‘cutesy’ animated movie, I was laughing out loud at Mr. and Mrs. Fox (voiced by George Clooney and Meryl Streep), and some of their ‘quotable quotes’.

My favorites? From Mr. Fox… “I don’t like living underground. It makes me feel poor.” And from Mrs. Fox… “Excuse me? Am I being flirted with by a psychotic rat?” (Because face it ladies, haven’t we all been there at some point in our lives?!)

Unexpected dialogue from very earnest characters who just happen to be foxes, badgers, moles, ferrets, and assorted other… um… vermin, and situations you wouldn’t necessarily expect in a kid’s movie. It was ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ for the preschool set.

And I liked it. Mostly because I absolutely love animated movies. I think it was the reason I had children. (okay… maybe *one* of the reasons.)

But I have to admit…when I watch an animated movie, I can’t just sit and enjoy the movie until I ferret out (no pun intended) which actors are lending their voices to the script.

So I’ve discovered that I do this really endearing thing throughout the course of the movie…

Me (whispering): Whose voice is that?

My long-suffering husband: What?

Me: The mole… whose voice is that?!

My long-suffering husband: I don’t know.

Me: Is it John Goodman?

My LSH: I don’t know.

Me: It sounds a little bit like him. Or am I thinking about John Candy?

My LSH: I don’t know.

Me: Which John is which? Is it John Candy or John Goodman?

My LSH: (*sigh) John Candy is dead.

Me: Oh… well, I think it *must* be John Goodman, then.

My LSH: (Silence.)




...Silence...





Me: What about the rabbit? Whose voice is that? Is that Sandra Bullock?

Charming, I know.