I was going to pass on this one, but the prospect of another Kelly Asbury helmed animated film (the director responsible for the most excellent Shrek 2) lured me in.  And while I don't think it comes close to matching the level of enjoyment derived from his previous work, Asbury's Gnomeo & Juliet is still a likeable outing.

The movie's overall look is bright and fun.  The gnomes and outdoor garden settings lend a colorful aesthetic to the proceedings, and the character designs are surprisingly varied.  Indeed, G&J's best asset is in its diversity of characters, accompanied by an equally diverse voice cast; predominantly British, but with a smattering of American here and there, there's no short supply of dynamics on display.  The titular relationship between James McAvoy's Gnomeo and Emily Blunt's Juliet is sweet and believable, while the seething and stuffy rivalry between clan leaders is effortlessly spun by Michael Caine and Maggie Smith.  Main antagonist Jason Statham pairs well with his right-hand crony Ozzy Osbourne, but most deserving is the ever-talented Jim Cummings, who lends great personality to a plastic flamingo with a fun, kooky, over-the-top Spanish accent.

Music is a keen highlight, a pleasant mash-up between James Newton Howard's underscore and bouncy Elton John remakes headed up by the Rocket Man himself.  The Nelly Furtado cover of "Crocodile Rock" is especially fun, and the highly anticipated duet between John and Lady Gaga, "Hello Hello," is a cheerfully breezy outing.  (It's regrettable that they they've chosen not to release the Gaga version on album, that the only way you can hear it is in the movie itself.  Didn't take folks long to create makeshift recordings, but I've yet to come across one for the unabridged end credits.)

Gnomeo & Juliet is a decent, if somewhat inconsequential piece of animation.  The visuals deliver a nice punch, but the storytelling's penchant for slapstick and sight gags gives off a cartoon flair that the kids will likely appreciate more than adults.  It's a cute but fluffy endeavor that manages to catch you off guard when the story takes a tragic turn or two (this is a retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, after all), and the overall idea plays off better than expected, thanks to a game cast and brisk pacing.

With the home release of the movie hitting later this month, it looks like folks have been able to snag a clean recording early.  So, let's all do a dizzy dance.