Of parentage, parenting and naughty genetic experimentation: Anders Thomas Jensen's wacky/remarkable MEN & CHICKEN

The poster quote comparing this very odd film to a combination of The Three Stooges and The Island of Dr. Moreau is actually not that far afield. MEN & CHICKEN, the Danish/German co-production written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen (Adam's Apples, The Green Butchers) offers more proof, if any were needed, that Mr. Jensen's inclination toward the bizarre remains in full swing. In his latest oddball wonder, the filmmaker takes two rather weird brothers, having discovered that their suddenly dead dad is not their biological father, on a road trip to a very un-populated island on which they meet, greet and get to know their whole-lot-weirder extended family.
Further discovery ensues.

Granted that Mr. Jensen, shown at right, has peopled his movie with an array of characters so far from what most of us would call "normal" that it takes some adjustment to weather this movie. The adjustment is worth it, however, for beyond the very dark comedy and search for sexual outlet of the first maybe two-thirds of the film, the final half hour is so increasingly full of surprise, shock, dismay and hope that, should you persevere, you will leave the movie in quite a different state of mind and heart than you found yourself, even a short time earlier.

Much better-liked in England and on the continent than over here in the USA, the movie offers a combination of philosophy, religion, morality and education all wrapped up in black comedy, mystery and family that results in the kind of intellectually horrifying climax (in which the mystery we've been wondering about for most of the movie is finally solved -- but, don't worry, it's not via blood and guts) followed by a denouement that gives new meaning to the idea of "the other," while simultaneously proving almost unbearably moving -- all the more so because it is not "pushed."

The expert cast is led by two fine Danish actors, the peripatetic and versatile Mads Mikkelsen (above, left) and the not-so-well-known but equally fine David Dencik (above, right). The supporting cast of family "brothers" -- Nicolaj Lie Kaas (below, left),  Søren Malling (center, two photos below) and Nicolas Bro (below, right) -- is equally good, though their countenances are obscured by very effective make-up (all our boys here have a tendency toward the hare-lip and other varied deformities).

Because the movie spends a lot of its time on matters related to sex, along with the inability of this family of men to get any, it may strike some viewers as too crass or gross. Again, stick with the film. Its decision to rub our noses in certain things does have a point. (Dad's nickname, it turns out, is "The Sausage of Death," and not without good reason.)

A word must also be said for the Oscar-worthy set design and the amazing location in which much of the movie was filmed. This is a house to remember,  The special effects, too, are first-rate -- often barely there, and just for a moment or two, so that you may find yourself from time to time asking, Did I just see what I think I saw?

TrustMovies missed this film at the time of its theatrical release, as I suspect many of you also did. No matter. You can catch Men & Chicken now, via its Blu-ray/DVD/Digital copy debut from Drafthouse Films.and MVD Entertainment Group. Running 104 minutes and in Danish with English subtitles, the movie hits the street this Tuesday, October 25 -- for purchase and/or rental.

Get an Oscar nom ready: Desmares & Ekinci's APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD

Golly -- here's an animated movie that our own Republican Party should embrace wholeheartedly! APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD tells the tale of an alternate universe in which all science and scientists have disappeared and consequently the world as we know it has evolved quite differently. We're still using coal for eveything energy-wise. Or we were, until it ran out: Now we're using charcoal from burnt trees.

The men who made this delectable bit of steampunk-inspired animation -- Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci (shown above, with M. Ekinci on the left -- begin their tale around 1900 when certain French scientists are working on a certain pet project for the French royal government, only to have their project gutted and their experiment terminated. Except, of course, it isn't. Because it escapes.

The actual French title of this film is Avril et le monde truqué, which translates into April and the twisted world. But I guess the American distributor's marketing department imagined that our kids just couldn't handle a world that was twisted, so it had to become extraordinary.
Yeah, right.

Still, it's the art that counts, and this April in any kind of world works wonders. The film is the first project to be directed by this talented duo, and I doubt it will be their last.

April/World pits a family of smart scientists, of which our title character is the youngest, against a group of villainous Keystone Kops led by a particularly insistent detective (below) working for the government who dogs the family through thick and thin.

The filmmakers' vision of this dystopian world is full of fun and satire. (Note that, here, the French have their own set of "twin towers," shown three photos up.) All this will not be lost on parents, while kids can simply enjoy the view and the clever, inventive and often surprising story.

There's a little science, a little romance, some savvy chase scenes, the loss (then renewal) of a beloved pet and much, much more. The boys in the audience will get plenty of explosions and war games, while the girls will watch a smart, strong heroine. And everyone will get a kick out of that great talking cat named Darwin (above).

Eventually we leave the steampunk look for the beauty of the jungle (above), where the color palette changes appropriately. Politically, the film provides an interesting take on collaboration-with-the-enemy for the good of society -- pro and con. And ecologically, it is utterly on target. As one character notes toward the exciting finale:

 "Far from humans, nature could survive."

As consistently enjoyable and amusing as the movie is, it actually grows deeper, better and richer as it rolls along. And feminist, too. Who is really in change here turns out to be a blast-and-a-half. April and the Extraordinary World shows us anew what great animation -- via a combination of story, art, style and tone -- can aspire to. And achieve.

The movie, from GKIDS and running 105 minutes, opens  today, March 25, in New York City at the IFC Center), in Los Angeles (at Landmark's NuArt) on April 1, and then expands nationally around the country beginning on April 8.  Note: There are two versions of this film: in French with English subtitles and with English dialog spoken. So make sure you know which version you and the kids are going to see.