To be completely honest, gnomes have always kind of freaked me out. I don't like seeing them in people's houses or on their lawns ... it always gives me the creeps. So when I heard that there was going to be a new CG animated film for kids based on the Bard's classic play about the two star-crossed lovers set to the music of Elton John ....its safe to say that I was more than a bit skeptical. But I have to say that Gnomeo and Juliet is a witty, fun, cute and entertaining take on the Shakespearian play, which includes some of John's most beloved songs. Shakespeare, garden Gnomes and the music of Elton John don't necessarily seem like a match made in heaven but the result is smart, funny and very appealing. Director Kelly Asbury ("Shrek The Third") sets a sweet yet smart tone for the film, while Sir Elton's music makes the perfect soundtrack for the movie's animate sequences.

The film also utilizes an exceptional list of performers, in addition to John, who lend their voice talents to the project. Actor James McAvoy ("Wanted") plays Gnomeo (Romeo in the original play), and adds just the right amount of charm and mischievous teen-angst needed for the role. Actress Emily Blunt ("The Devil Wears Prada") is also well cast in her part as Juliet and brings a silly yet regal quality to her character. You truly get the sense from her performance that Juliet is a girl, albeit a gnome, who is trapped by society and her own surroundings, just like in the classic play. But the performance that steals the film is actor Jason Statham's role as Tybalt. The actor, who is best known for his action movies, perfectly lends his on-screen persona to the character and makes him a very threatening antagonist. In some ways, this could be Statham's best performance to date, as the result is a fully fleshed-out, strong yet vulnerable villain.

While these characters are all based on their counterparts from the original play, those are just archetypes and the filmmakers did a good job of filling out those classic archetypes to create new and interesting characters. Acting legends Maggie Smith and Michael Caine, who play Lady Bluebury and Lord Redbrick respectively, also lend a level of authenticity to Shakespeare's material. Fellow British actor, Patrick Stewart ("X-Men"), has a funny cameo as William Shakespeare himself and shares a scene with McAvoy, who will soon be seen playing a younger version of Stewart's Professor X in "X-Men: First Class." In fact, the film is filled with several great voice cameos such as singers Ozzy Osbourne and Dolly Parton, as well as former wrestler Hulk Hogan as the voice of a lawnmower called, "The Terrafimenator." But the best cameo of all belongs to Sir Elton John. His music is the true through-line of the movie and the singer even makes an unforgettable cameo at one point as a gnome version of his signature sequence covered look from the '1970s.

The film opens with a cute scene involving a gnome explaining that what you are about to see is a modern day retelling of the classic Shakespeare tale. The story is set in England and revolves around the garden gnomes that live in neighbors, Lord Capulet and Miss Montague's yards. The two neighbors are constantly fighting and competing over who has the nicer yard while each one is covered with garden gnomes and other decorations. On the Capulet side are the redbricks led by Lord Redbrick (Michael Cain), and his beautiful daughter, Juliet (Emily Blunt). On the Montague side is the blueburys led by Lady Bluebury (Maggie Smith), and her mischievous son Gnomeo (James McAvoy). The two sides hate each other and constantly compete in the alley that separates the two yards, never daring to go in the other gnomes' garden.

After a competition with Tybalt (Jason Stratham) where he cheats, Gnomeo decides that he will have his revenge by infiltrating the redbrick garden and destroying one of their monuments. Meanwhile, Juliet is tired of her father treating her like a fragile statue and she vows to escape the garden in order to capture a beautiful flower in a neighboring yard. On their individual adventures the two future lovers meet and fall for each other, never knowing that the other belongs to their sworn enemies. They continue their courtship until the truth is finally revealed but when Gnomeo is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Juliet has to reevaluate her feelings for him. Eventually war breaks out between the two gardens with the two lovers caught in the middle of it. Each side suffers great losses and now it is up to Gnomeo and Juliet to bring peace to the gnome community before they kill each other.

Other than my own personal issues with gnomes, I only really have one complaint about the movie. I felt that at times it tried to fit in too many pop-culture references. It felt a lot like a spoof-movie at times because so many references were flying from the screen at once. And some were quite old such as a "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" reference. I mean come on, that movie is over ten years old. There must be a more recent reference they could have used, or just don't use any reference at all. The movie is at its best when it is telling the Shakespeare story properly and exploring the sweetness of these characters ... that for the most part are well developed. I will say that there was one pop-culture reference that I enjoyed and it involved Statham's character and a reference to his own film "Death Race." That reference made sense and fit the tone of the film while many of the other seemed like they were forced.

Director Kelly Asbury did an excellent job of bringing these characters to life and adapting the material into a story for all ages. While I don't want to give away the ending of this film, as you can imagine, ending a children's animated movie with a double suicide, like in the play, would not be appropriate and the filmmakers wisely chose to give the film a happy ending instead. But it is really the music of Elton John that ties the movie together. The Grammy winning performer honed his talents writing songs for animated movies with his Oscar winning work on "The Lion King." Although the film only features one new song, a duet with Lady Gaga called "Hello, Hello," it is worth the wait. But the classic John music like, "Crocodile Rock," "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting," "Rocket Man," "Tiny Dancer," and "Bennie and the Jets," is really what makes the movie fun and come alive in a new an interesting way.

In the end, Gnomeo and Juliet is a fun, original and entertaining film for the whole family. I wouldn't recommend this movie for any male over the age of fifteen who doesn't have kids. You are not the target audience. I wouldn't even recommend this as a date movie, unless you are a huge Elton John fan. The movie was really made for families to enjoy together. But if you have young children and are looking for a film to take the kids to this weekend go see "Gnomeo and Juliet." You'll enjoy the story and the music as your children will enjoy the antics of the silly gnomes. This is a children's movie that adult audiences will enjoy and not have to suffer through like some so-called "family films." Even if gnomes creep you out ... you'll still enjoy this movie!