Pixar may not "have a monopoly on funny and heartfelt animation" but this film does nothing to dispel the fact that they may have a monopoly on well made animation. These characters look like some rather cheaply made stuffed animals that's been sitting in somebody's garage or a few years, getting a little ratty looking.

But the story does indeed come across as endearing and funny. I will await its release and also hope for the best.

I think people need to remember when animation and imagination went hand in hand. I look forward to this, and if the story line is good, then my imagination will truly get to run free again.

I can't wait to see this film! The book is great, and it looks like Wes Anderson is infusing it with his own brand of humor, and it looks like it'll be an amalgamation of Dahl-wackiness and Anderson sweetness, and it'll just be, well… fantastic!

I also can't wait to see "Where the Wild Things Are." Two children's novels being adapted by arthouse directors and being release within a month of each other? Exciting!

Very excited about this one. Huge Wes Anderson fan. Can't understand why people would be complaining about this. Especially if they're fans of Wes' other films. Stop motion is perfect for Wes. And glad to see pixar doesn't have a monopoly on funny and heartfelt animation. Because though pixar movies are good i think they're highly over rated. I enjoy stop motion much more. Thanks mainly to Henry Selick. But it looks from this movie Wes perfected what Henry began.

I'll probably catch this one, too, but ultimately, I believe it'll fail. Financially, and probably in terms of story: my spider sense tells me I'm getting a bait and switch somehow.

@Patricia: Um I think that they should be applauded for using traditional stop-motion animation, it takes a hell of a lot more work. These days we're seeing endless amounts of crap being pumped out by 3D companies that are looking to make a quick buck. While CGI may look more polished (in some cases), I don't think it would have held the charm necessary for such a beloved child's book.

"Cheaply made stuffed animals?" Don't be a moron. Handcrafting little tiny puppets from scratch must have been incredibly difficult.