In a word:  Fantastic (yeah, I know, easy out)

Plot:  Based on a book by Roald Dahl.  Mr. Fox, former chicken thief and all-round scoundrel, has married and settled down to raise a family.  After 2 years (or 15 fox years) of domestic drudgery - the bored Fox decides it's time for one last caper.  He moves his family into a new tree, one situated next to the farms of Boggis, Bunce and Bean, three mean and nasty farmers .   With help from his newly acquired sidekick, an opossum named Kyle, he successfully raids the three farms.  This causes Boggis, Bunce and Bean to band together in their attempt to exterminate Mr. Fox, Mrs. Fox and their son, Ash.  After much mayhem and destruction, the woodland creatures find they must all join forces to save themselves from the dastardly Boggis, Bunce and Bean

Thoughts:  Make no mistake, this is a Wes Anderson movie. You make think he's going off in a new direction, but the trademarks are all there. The family dysfunction, the dry humor, the primary colors, the close-ups, Bill Murray. Yup, it's a Wes Anderson film! While I'm not a huge Andersonfan (I mildly enjoyed Life Aquatic and Royal Tannenbaums), I LOVED this film. I thought the use of stop-motion was terrific, the voice characterizations were wonderful and the subtle nuances in the script to be awesome. In particular, I loved how the wild animals would be so civilized one moment, then go into "wild" mode - growling and snarling at each other and ripping chickens apart.

The voice acting was great.  In particular Clooney as Mr. Fox and Jason Schwartzman as his slightly outcast son, Ash.  I felt for Ash when his near-perfect cousin Kristofferson came to visit, and was glad when he becomes his own fox in the end.  Even the bad guys are well done. Yes, they are mean and nasty - but they are also quite funny.  Though I have to say, whenever Michael Gambon (as Bean) spoke, I felt like Albus Dumbledore was telling someone off. 

What else can you say about a movie with cook foxes, chicken killing, a knife-wielding rat, cider drinking, a rabid beagle and a fox giving a wolf a black power sign besides GO SEE IT!  

If you liked this try: Nightmare Before Christmas; Coraline; The Life Aquatic; Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory