It seems that family love is in the air.

This year all three Oscar-nominated titles for the category "Best Animated Feature Film" deal with the blood relationships we hold so near and dear to our hearts.

But while Disney's "Finding Nemo" (about a father and son) might feature talking clown fish and "Brother Bear" (about three brothers) deals with a human-turned-bear, neither one is as quirky and unusual as Sylvain Chomet's "The Triplets of Belleville."

Defying easy categorization, there are really only two things that can be said about "Belleville:" It's French and it's animated.

Hand-drawn by Chomet himself, "The Triplets of Belleville" most closely resembles the animation style used in "The Aristocats" or "101 Dalmations." But even then, Chomet manages to create a look all his own. Using dark hues and extremely exaggerated physical features, "The Triplets of Belleville" tells the tale of Madame Souza who, along with Bruno the dog, embarks on a search for her kidnapped grandson Champion.

The film begins with Madame Souza trying to cheer up the downbeat orphan boy, a task that seems impossible until she discovers his secret love for bicycles. She promptly buys him a tricycle and with driving determination and a relentless whistle, turns Champion into a tall, thin young man with calves the size of footballs.

Madame Souza is dedicated and, to say the least, thrifty, using a vacuum, mixer and lawn mower to massage Champion's muscles after each long day of riding.

Finally, the boy is ready for the ominous Tour de France. But problems arise when Champion is kidnapped at the race by square-shaped French Mafia and taken across the Atlantic to Belleville — a sprawling metropolis closely resembling New York City where everyone seen idling down the street weighs at least 300 pounds and the Statue of Liberty is a fat woman with a hamburger in hand.

After crossing the ocean in a paddleboat in pursuit of her grandson, Madame Souza encounters the famous Triplets of Belleville — three extremely bizarre vaudeville performers harking back to the days of Fred Astaire and Josephine Baker — who, now ancient and decaying but still feisty, take Madame Souza and Bruno in, eventually helping the duo look for Champion.

What makes the film stand out are the weird eccentricities that Chomet gives to each character.

Madame Souza appears to be about two feet tall and has a clubbed foot. Bruno has an obsession with trains and is so overweight he can barely make it down the stairs. And the triplets delight in delectable frog dishes, whether it's a main course of frog kabobs or frogsicles for dessert. The biggest problem in the film lies with Champion, who the audience knows nothing about, aside from the fact that he loves to bike. The audience assumes he appreciates his grandmother although he shows no sign of it — he is completely devoid of emotion, his personality one giant mystery.

Along with the wacky character traits, the other amazing thing about "The Triplets of Belleville" is that there is virtually no dialogue during its 90-odd minutes — allowing for the absence of subtitles — and yet the audience never gets confused.

But this doesn't mean the film lacks sound altogether. The jazzy music accompanying the triplets is particularly catchy, and Bruno's barking and Madame Souza's screeching whistle keep the audience alert. However, while the lack of dialogue works for adults, it won't for children. The pace of the film can become a little trying for even the most patient viewer, as Chomet chooses a more realistic approach over non-stop action-packed sequences.

But overall the method is successful, providing several good laughs along the way, particularly the crazy incomprehensible utterances the triplets emit.

Will "The Triplets of Belleville" walk away with a gold statue in hand? It's possible. But winner or not, this French-animated film is still a weird, wild tale worthy of being seen.

Grade: B