Is there anything else opening this week besides Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox? Well, yes, there is, but who really cares? Certainly, I don’t. It’s been two years since Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited came out and that’s too long—even if this is actually a smaller gap than usual (three years seems to be the average).

Since I started reviewing movies for the Xpress a few years ago, it’s been my policy (and a notion I picked up from Ken) to watch as many theatrical releases as possible, especially the great big blockbusters that clog up multiplexes every week. Part of this is necessary for building the movie fan’s greatest asset, a frame of reference, but also to understand what is happening within the world of film at large.