Egon & Donci

Sleepy-eyed Egon, an aspiring rocket scientist, and his giggly feline-like companion, Donci, reside in a solar system much like ours in this computer-animated fable from Hungary. The two share a cozy cabin in the mountains, in what could pass for Alaska, Canada, or some other northern locale with ruggedly attractive terrain. While Egon works on his spacecraft and gazes at the heavens though his telescope, Donci (inspired by director Adam Magyar's chubby cat but looking more like a Furby) plays with butterflies and snacks on sausages in his tree house. When an unmanned Earth vessel crashes in their backyard, Egon gets a glimpse, via laser disc, of the planet's wonders and becomes entranced, after which he rounds up Donci and the pair head off to find the blue orb. As they hurtle through the universe, they struggle with their rickety vehicle, explore new worlds, and meet Bobo, another isolated eccentric—although Earth itself remains elusive. The film combines stylized characters with realistic backdrops and excursions into wiggy psychedelia, reminiscent of the special effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Since the twosome rarely speak, they offer some of the same appeal as WALL-E, communicating instead through hums, laughs, and other vocal noises. Egon & Donci seems likely to appeal to both children interested in space travel and adults who gravitate toward surrealistic animated fare like Fantastic Planet, while the interesting soundtrack—ranging from Amon Tobin to Beethoven (with chicken caws and didgeridoos for spice)—adds further interest. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)