Aloha (5/10): The incoherent plot is almost saved by its feel good ending.

"You sold your soul so many times, nobody's buying anymore.”

The final 20 minutes of Aloha completely feel like a Cameron Crowe movie since it ties everything up neatly without being overly cheesy. It still is sentimental and has a couple of quotable lines, especially in a scene where Rachel McAdams is reading a letter from her husband. It also has some funny moments, my favorite being the scene in which Bradley Cooper and John Krasinski stare at each other understanding what the other is saying without speaking a single word (but we get to read the subtitles and it is a hilarious scene). Aloha ended in a rather strong note for me, but unfortunately the film is 105 minutes long and the first two thirds of the film make very little sense. The introduction of every character in this movie is done in such a rushed way that none of them feel authentic or interesting. The plot is a mess and it is all over the place at times so I agree with all the hate the film is receiving, but I honestly don’t know how Crowe managed to engage me in those final 20 minutes considering I didn’t care for these characters or their story, so I will give him some credit for at least ending Aloha on a strong note. At the beginning of every year, I make a list of my most anticipated films and Aloha was one of the top 10 movies I was looking forward to basically because I’m a Cameron Crowe fan and have enjoyed all his previous movies (I defended his lesser films: We Bought a Zoo and Elizabethtown, which I was a strong fan of). It also didn’t hurt that he had a wonderful cast to work with: Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, Emma Stone, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, and Alec Baldwin. And to top it off Crowe was setting the story in the gorgeous islands of Hawaii. So what could go wrong? Everything did from the writing to the casting of the characters and in the end I simply couldn’t defend Crowe on this one. At least I went into it with much lower expectations so I wasn’t disappointed and ended up mildly enjoying it for its final twenty minutes. I still have to catch up with Crowe’s earlier film, Say Anything, and hopefully after watching that he will regain my trust again.

Aloha centers on Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper), a military contractor who is returning to Hawaii after 13 years to convince the King of the island (Dennis Bumpy Kanahele) into giving them a 20 minute blessing in the approval of an Air Force gate. Brian is currently working for a millionaire named Carson Welch (Bill Murray), who is planning on launching a satellite from there. Brian’s ex girlfriend, Tracy (Rachel McAdams), continues to live in the island, but she is married now with Woody (John Krasinski) and has two children. Upon Brian’s arrival the two meet up and they continue to be very fond of each other. During his visit, an Airforce pilot named Allison (Emma Stone) is assigned as his watch dog and despite an awkward introduction the two begin to form a friendship, thus creating a sort of love triangle. Danny McBride and Alec Baldwin have small supporting roles as military officials. 

The plot doesn't make much sense throughout the entire film and the narrative seems to be missing something. I don't know if it's the way the film was edited or simply because of the screenplay but it is incoherent. Crowe has always excelled as a writer so it's difficult to understand what went wrong here. The entire mythology surrounding Hawaii and their belief doesn't make much sense either and it doesn't add anything interesting. For example, Tracy's son, played by Jaeden Lieberher, is always filming everyone with his camera and talking about more of the island's mythology, while Allison also seems to be in awe of the spiritual energy of Hawaii, and she tells everyone she meets that she is one quarter Hawaiian. That Emma Stone was cast in this role is the least of the film's problems (I've met many white folks who are Asian descent and you'd never notice it). As much as I love Murray and Baldwin, their characters are given nothing to work with here and they are completely wasted. Cooper, Stone, and McAdams had a rough start but eventually their characters grew on me. Krasinski is the actor who comes out of this film best, but I'm afraid Crowe missed out on an excellent opportunity to direct these talented actors in such a wonderful location.

Stripes (6/10): Before Ghostbusters they were Stripes.

“We are the wretched refuse. We're the underdog. We're mutts! But there's no animal that's more faithful, that's more loyal, more lovable than the mutt.”

Comedies have changed drastically over time and some of the humor that used to work in the past doesn’t anymore, but there is something nostalgic about revisiting that unique style. During the early 80’s there were a number of films centering around military cadet training such as Private Benjamin, Taps, Stripes, An Officer and a Gentleman, and so on. These irreverent comedies weren’t afraid of being politically incorrect, so some of the jokes might feel offensive and incredibly sexist in today’s world (which was the case in Stripes). Coming off fresh from his success in Meatballs, director Ivan Reitman decided to team up once again with Bill Murray for this military comedy. At the time, Murray was mostly known for his work in Saturday Night Live and the National Lampoon Radio Hour. He had gained some recognition for his roles in Meatballs and Caddyshack, but he was just getting warmed up with what would soon be his big break: Ghostbusters. Murray convinced Reitman to hire Harold Ramis to play his sidekick in Stripes, and despite having collaborated in writing the scripts for Animal House and Caddyshack, he had no prior experience as an actor. Reitman gave him the opportunity in Stripes and it marked the beginning of a successful collaboration between the three. And that is why I think Stripes is an important film because it helped pave the path for what was to come. It doesn’t hurt that Bill Murray is the star of this film because he is an actor who always elevates the material he’s in with his charisma and charm. He also shares great chemistry with Harold Ramis, who also proves to have a great sense of comedic timing. A lot of their dialogue was improvised and it helped the two were good friends before filming this. Include a funny supporting performance from John Candy and you have yourself a decent comedy with some hilarious and memorable scenes. 

The film introduces us to John Winger (Bill Murray) a struggling photographer who is working as a taxi driver. When a passenger begins getting on his nerves, he decides he’s not going to take it anymore. He stops the cab in the middle of a bridge and throws the keys out to the river. Things don’t get better when he arrives home and discovers his girlfriend is walking out on him for being a slacker and not going anywhere in life. John isn’t sure what to do with his life, so he convinces his best friend, Russell (Harold Ramis) to join the Army with him. They don’t do it out of a sense of patriotism or anything, but because they know men in uniform are attractive and they also want to get in shape. Once they enlist, their training begins under the sturdy hand of Sergeant Hulka (Warren Oates). John doesn’t take this army thing seriously and that gets him and the troop in trouble most of the time. What he does find is romance, as he and Russell begin escorting two female MPs, Stella (P.J. Soles) and Louise (Sean Young), which makes the experience all that more fun for them, but this eventually will lead the platoon inadvertently into enemy territory. 

Bill Murray proves he’s always been an expert at playing these wisecracking cocky characters and he does it in a very charming way so it’s easy to sympathize with him. The film does seem a bit unbalanced however with a final climactic act that seems taken out of another movie, but I still enjoyed its dumb humor. Stripes isn’t as popular as some of Murray’s later work, but it’s interesting to see his beginnings and realize he always had his charm. Stripes is an irreverent comedy, but it is unique in that it is quite restrained for what it is trying to say and do, and that is because of the way Murray and Ramis downplayed their characters. Stripes might not be one of Reitman’s best films but it is still an enjoyable watch.

St. Vincent (7/10): Bill Murray makes it worth your time.

“I honestly don’t remember.”

If you happen to look at the poster for St. Vincent you might go into it expecting a full blown comedy, but you would be surprised because this film takes a much more dramatic and sentimental approach. There are several funny scenes of course because Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy are involved, but it’s also touching and emotional. There are many comparisons in tone with Jack Nicholson’s As Good As it Gets because the lead character is a grumpy old jerk who the audience is forced to sympathize with. It is a very fine line that an actor has to walk through when portraying a character such as this because the performances can seem cartoonish and forced at times, but Bill Murray pulls it off in a very authentic way. His character actually feels real in this movie despite all the flaws with the script and the overly familiar plot. St. Vincent follows pretty much all the cliches in the genre where you have this grumpy man being softened by a kid in need of a father figure (think Up, Big Daddy, Bad Words, Bad Santa, among others). Even Michael Douglas starred in a similar role this year in And So It Goes. The difference however with that film is that Bill Murray was able to make his character feel believable. St. Vincent is worth the watch because you get to see one of the greatest comedic actors in a lead role, and that is something rare these days. The film may be formulaic and sentimental but Murray makes up for its flaws and turns this into an enjoyable experience. I have no idea where the Oscar buzz came from because it isn’t even close to being a groundbreaking film. It is way too familiar and full of cliches, but Bill Murray gets to do what he does best and that for me is a good enough reason for recommending this film. Director and screenwriter Theodore Melfi’s greatest asset is Bill Murray; without him this film wouldn’t even be talked about. 

I know that I’m being unfair with the rest of the cast by giving Bill Murray all the credit, but there are also some very interesting performances from them as well. It was a pleasure to see Melissa McCarthy playing a hard working single mother. For the first time she didn’t get a character that was screaming all the time (she is funny doing that but she was getting typecast). She gives a genuine and toned down performance and I hope she gets more roles like this. Naomi Watts played a Russian hooker (a lady of the night is how Murray’s character explains it to the kid) and I actually enjoyed her performance as well. I thought she nailed the accent and had some funny scenes. Chris O’Dowd shines as the teacher of a Catholic school and Terrence Howard makes a couple of screen presences as well. The sweet kid is played by Jaeden Lieberher and he also delivers a believable performance and shares great chemistry with Murray. This is the sort of sentimental film which audiences will love, and thanks to a strong cast many critics may be won over as well despite all the flaws. In the end my major complaints are that everything is resolved a little too tightly and some of the subplots could have been explored a lot better (like Murray’s relationship with his wife). It is a feel good movie which Murray sells really well despite being mean spirited throughout most of the film.

My Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel (8/10)

"Did he just throw my cat out of the window?"

If you were to walk blind folded into a movie, you'd only need 5 seconds to recognize you are watching a Wes Anderson film. His quirky sense of humor and stylized films are so unique that he manages to draw us in to this colorful world effortlessly. The Grand Budapest Hotel is no exception, and once again Anderson introduces us to a quirky setting full of dysfunctional yet amusing characters. In my opinion there was no better setting for an Anderson film than a fictional country in Eastern Europe like the one in The Grand Budapest Hotel where these gigantic and beautiful ancient castles fit his style perfectly. At times his films feel like you are turning the page of an illustrated book from one scene to the next and that is what is so unique about his style. I am a huge fan of his films and wasn't disappointed with his latest effort although I wouldn't consider it amongst his best work (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Moonrise Kingdom are my favorites). I do acknowledge however that his films tend to grow on me upon rewatches so it may manage to make it near the top of my list in the future. Once again watching an Anderson film proved to be a wonderful and unique experience, and I laughed hard during many scenes. Anderson never seems to lose his touch as there are several memorable moments throughout the film.

No one can deny Wes Anderson's creativity and it is just a pleasure to experience what his quirky mind is going to come up with next. The dialogue is brilliant once again and several characters stand out. Ralph Fiennes in the lead role as the hotel concierge is brilliant as is his apprentice, Tony Revolori. The two have great chemistry together as Fiennes' character sort of becomes the parent figure of the young lobby boy, which Anderson always loves to explore in his films. The epic cast was brilliant as well, and it was good to see Anderson's frequent collaborators on screen together once again. They may not have much screen time, but Anderson fans will appreciate every second they are on screen (Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Tilda Swinton). The highlight of the film for me were the spectacular and hilarious chase scenes through the gorgeous Alps background and Willem Dafoe's comedic performance. The way Anderson edited those scenes was extremely funny as well. I really liked the quirky soundtrack  which just added to my overall enjoyment of the film. I only wish the film would've explored the romantic relationship between Tony Revolori and Saoirse Ronan a bit more and that it wouldn't have concluded in such an open ended way. It was still a lot of fun!

My Review: Groundhog Day (9/10)

"What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?"  "That about sums it up for me."

There are films that don't necessarily need inventive and artistic camera shots, or groundbreaking special effects, or even gorgeous cinematography to be considered masterpieces. Sometimes a film like Groundhog Day comes along with a smart and charming story with performances and characters that are so well developed that it automatically connects with audiences by reaching for the heart, and turning it into an instant classic. With a premise that might seem boring due to the fact that the lead character has to repeat and live the same day over and over again in a small Pennsylvania town, director Harold Ramis manages to catch our attention by creating interesting characters and through a witty script he introduces important themes such as existentialism in a rather refreshing and light way. It is a very spiritual film without ever feeling religious. In a way the story reminded me of Dickens' A Christmas Story where you have an egocentric and arrogant character who is transformed once he experiences a supernatural event. In Groundhog Day the transformation is much more subtle while at times it does go to dark places. Ironically Bill Murray went on to play Scrooge in one of the many adaptations of Dickens' classic tale. Murray is the heart and soul of this film and although he is hard to like at the beginning of the film there is something about his performance that keeps us interested in him. This isn't one of those laugh out loud comedies (I don't think I laughed at a single scene), but it is so charming that it is impossible to resist and it leaves you with a smile on your face during its entire running time. Once it ends we realize how philosophical this film really was, but Ramis kept us so entertained that we didn't really pick up on it until the very end.

The original screenplay for Groundhog Day was co-written by Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin. It centers on a weatherman named Phil Connors (Bill Murray) working as a TV meteorologist for a local Pittsburgh station. Phil is an arrogant narcissist who is expecting to work for a more important broadcasting channel soon. On the eve of Groundhog Day, he is sent to the small town of Punxsutawney to cover the annual festivities along with his producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell), and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott) with whom he doesn't get along very well. Phil hates this assignment which he has covered over the past four years so he doesn't put much effort into his report. After covering the event an unexpected blizzard forces the roads to close so Phil and his crew are stuck in Punxsutawney for another day. The next day Phil wakes up and realizes he has to relive Groundhog Day all over again and he's the only one that notices that the day unfolds in the exact same way. Everyone else seems to be living the day for the first time, but he finds himself stuck in the same day over and over again like if he were trapped in a loop hole with no way out.

The premise seemed boring for me at first considering I thought it was going to repeat itself too many times, but Murray's character is so fun and he relives each day in so many different ways that it managed to keep me entertained. At first Phil feels like he has gone mad and tries to rationalize things, but once he realizes his fate he decides to take advantage of it. Being the self centered person he is, Phil lives knowing he wont have to suffer any consequences, but eventually he grows tired of this hedonistic lifestyle. He feels so desperate that he tries to commit suicide in every possible way, but no matter what he does he still wakes up the next morning reliving Groundhog Day. Eventually Phil gives up on living for himself and begins looking at others and caring for them. He begins to find purpose and joy in life in helping others. Ramis has made a deeply spiritual and philosophical film without the audience realizing it at first. It could have become tedious and preachy, but it never does because the characters are subtly transformed and the growing chemistry between Phil and Rita is believable. Ramis found a way to reach out to our hearts and remind us that life isn't about living for ourselves, but finding pleasure in helping and caring for others. Groundhog Day is a movie about self-improvement and becoming a better person and I can't think of a better actor to have pulled it off so well as Bill Murray did in his transformation here.

My Review: Rushmore (10/10)

"The secret, I don't know... I guess you've just gotta find something you love to do and then... do it for the rest of your life. For me, it's going to Rushmore."

The Royal Tenenbaums has always been my favorite Wes Anderson movie and I always thought it was because it was the first one of his that I had seen, but it can officially move over now because I have a new favorite: Rushmore. This film was so charming, the soundtrack so cool, and the characters so well developed that I was completely in love with it once the credits started rolling. Not only is it my favorite Wes Anderson film, but it also belongs on my all time favorite list as well. I am a sucker for coming of age stories and this was a great one with perhaps one of Anderson's best developed characters from all his filmography: Max Fischer. All of Anderson's films have a similar style with offbeat and quirky themes and a hyper reality where the characters sometimes resemble those we imagine in our heads when we are reading a fantasy book. At times they are hard to connect with because they seem to belong in another time and place, but Wes manages to draw us into his world kind of like in the same way we are drawn to a theater play. That is why I also loved the special touches from Anderson as he incorporates school plays with wonderful productions into his movies. I think Rushmore is his most complete film with a charming ending, a memorable odd couple pairing, and a weird love triangle that features some of Anderson's most romantic work (similar in that sense to Moonrise Kingdom). As much as I enjoyed his first film, Bottle Rocket, it was Rushmore where he truly defines and finds his style with those production designs that seem taken from a stage play or a colorful children's book (especially seen in the scenes where Max visits the principal's office). I absolutely fell in love with Rushmore and this will be the measuring stick for Wes Anderson's films from now on.

This wonderful and witty screenplay written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson begins with a dream sequence where Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is in math class solving an extremely difficult equation and thus saving his classmates from ever having to open a math book again. His friend, Dirk (Mason Gamble), awakes him just before a millionaire industrialist named Herman Blue (Bill Murray) is about to begin his chapel speech. He has two sons in Rushmore Academy, one of the most expensive and prestigious schools in the country. Max is fascinated by this man's speech and so at the end he introduces himself to Herman and the two form a special bond together. Max is in love with Rushmore and his entire life revolves around the school and he finds in Herman someone who has achieved the success he's aiming for, while Herman is a disillusioned man who has lost his purpose in life and sees in Max someone determined who enjoys life. Up to this point one would think Max is the perfect student, but the school's headmaster, Dr. Guggenheim (Brian Cox) explains to Herman that he actually is the worst scholarly student due to his involvement in dozens of extracurricular activities (such as being the editor of the school newspaper, president of the chess, astronomy, beekeeping, and French clubs, captain of the fencing team, and director of the school play). Unlike the rest of the students, Max isn't a wealthy kid, his father Bert (Seymour Cassel) is a barber, so he's a scholarship student that is about to lose it due to his bad grades. Max and Herman's friendship is tested when they both fall in love with the widowed first grade teacher, Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams). This is were the thin line between friends and enemies begin as Max and Herman begin a feud over Miss Cross.

What makes Rushmore stand out above other Wes Anderson films (I have liked all of them) is the great pairing of Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray's characters. Both of them, despite having completely opposite personalities, complete each other because they see in each other what they want to become. Max aspires to be successful in life and doesn't want to become a barber like his father (that is why he always lies about his profession), while Herman despite having it all is completely disillusioned with his marriage and spoiled children. Max's passion for life is what captivates Herman because it is what he has lost. This bond is broken once Rosemary enters the picture and they both become infatuated with winning her love. Max will do anything for her, including building a giant aquarium in the school's baseball diamond or directing a successful play. Max is my favorite character despite not being entirely likable, while Murray's portrayal of Herman is sensational. He delivers one of his best and most memorable performances and shines in each scene he shares with Max or Rosemary. There are several hilarious lines and quirky moments that also balanced out perfectly with the more subtle emotional and romantic ones. This film has a lot of heart and Anderson really delivers here with his unique style (a lot of his trademarks can be found here like the slow-motion and wide angle shots, the inclusion of at least one Rolling Stones song on the soundtrack, the underwater shot, and the influence of the Charlie Brown cartoon). It's an inspired film and Anderson creates a unique world that at times seems distant from reality, but somehow he manages to create these rich characters that are easy to identify with or relate to in such a way that they manage to touch us without being overly sentimental.

My Review: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (8/10)

"In 10 days I'm going to set out to find the shark that ate my friend and destroy it. Anyone who wants to tag along is more than welcome."

Wes Anderson is one of those few directors whose style and quirky sense of humor is so unique that you could tell what films he's directed only by catching a few seconds of any scene from his movies. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is perhaps his most divisive film, and I can understand why considering it is heavily stylized (the set pieces in this film are gorgeous), but it isn't really as funny as most of his other films. I stand in the middle with The Life Aquatic, I don't think it's his best film, but I still enjoyed it a little more than The Darjeeling Limited. My first Wes Anderson movie continues to be my favorite, The Royal Tenenbaums, which introduced me to the rest of his work. What this film has going for it is that Bill Murray plays the lead character and has much more screen time than in the other Anderson films. He is such a terrific actor that anything he does would catch my attention. In this film Murray nails his portrayal of a tired and warn out ocean adventure documentary film maker undergoing a life crisis. Murray carries the film since the rest of the cast isn't as well developed as other characters in Anderson movies. The Life Aquatic may not be as funny as other Anderson films, but it does have the familiar quirky tone and other trademarks of his that we have come to love. It's a lovely tribute to the great Jacques Cousteau and fans will appreciate this film very much.

Written by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach (from The Squid and The Whale fame) this original screenplay focuses on a middle aged ocean adventure documentary film maker named Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) who is preparing for what could be his final expedition along with his crew to hunt down a mysterious jaguar shark who recently ate his partner. Steve introduces the different members of his crew during a screening of his latest film. Among the many crew members there's his wife, Eleanor (Anjelica Huston) who usually finances his expeditions, his assistant Klaus (Willem Dafoe), and Pele (Seu Jorge) who basically contributes to the soundtrack of this film by singing portuguese covers of David Bowie songs. Before he sets out on his final expedition, a man named Ned (Owen Wilson) shows up claiming he might be his son so Steve decides to bring him on board the Belafonte (his ship) in order to bond with him. A beautiful journalist named Jane (Cate Blanchett) also accompanies them on their mission to find the deadly shark, but some armed pirates interfere with their plans.

One of the things I enjoy the most about Wes Anderson's films is that you never know what direction the plot is going to go. He creates some quirky, colorful, and unique characters and Murray's Steve Zissou is another memorable one. The rest of the cast doesn't add much to the film with the exception of Willem Dafoe who has several funny scenes and Jeff Goldblum whom I would have liked to see more of. The Life Aquatic is one of Anderson's most stylized films, I loved the set pieces and the tracking shots of the different interior compartments in the Belafonte. It also has some familiar themes we see in most of Anderson's films. The crew in this film plays like the broken families he usually explores, and once again one of the men is seeking the approval of a parent figure. I had a fun experience with this film that does get off track at times, but it comes back at you every time. Despite being weird, it is delightful, charming, and highly entertaining.

My Review: The Monuments Men (6/10)

"If you destroy their achievements, their history, it's like they never existed."

When I heard George Clooney was going to direct a film about a World War II platoon tasked by Roosevelt to rescue art masterpieces, and that Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, and John Goodman were all going to co-star with him, I was sure it was going to win all kinds of awards and was highly anticipating it. Then when the film release was changed to February my expectations for it lowered tremendously, so I wasn't expecting much from The Monuments Men by the time I went to see it. This allowed me to actually enjoy the film a bit more despite the fact that it didn't come close to reaching its potential. It's a slow building film based on a true historic and important event, and the film doesn't stop reminding us of this fact considering it keeps on stating its self importance through the main characters. The film felt forced during those scenes where we were constantly reminded why the mission was so important and worth the human sacrifice. Despite failing in its grand ambitions and never quite figuring out the tone of the film, it's still worth seeing for the great cast. There were also several scenes that stood out in this war picture that included some comedy, but overall the film felt incomplete at times missing something. The word disappointment comes to mind considering how much potential The Monuments Men had, but it was still entertaining despite some of the misfires in Clooney's film.

The script was adapted by George Clooney and Grant Heslov from Robert Edsel's book about the world's greatest treasure hunt in history. Frank Stokes (George Clooney) is tasked by President Roosevelt to form a platoon with the mission of going into Germany and rescuing art masterpieces from the Nazis who had stolen them from their owners (mostly Jewish collectors) for Hitler's collection. Frank quickly froms a team of seven guys consisting of museum directors, curators, and art historians with very little experience in war. The Monuments Men, as they called themselves, was conformed by Frank, James Granger (Matt Damon), Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), Walter Garfield (John Goodman), Jean Claude Clermont (Jean Dujardin), Donald Jeffries (Hugh Bonneville), and Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban). Despite their little military experience they began a race against time in order to rescue these valuable art pieces and return them to their owners before Hitler destroyed them all.

There are some fun moments in The Monuments Men thanks in most part to the incredible cast, but one can't help and think about how underused they were. The characters were all very poorly developed and they only served to move along the story. I still can recall several funny scenes that were enough for me personally to watch and recommend this film. It's too bad the movie never manages to deliver the importance of the subject matter despite repeating the message constantly. I don't think it did these men justice for their contribution to humanity, but at least we got to know their story and enjoy a light hearted film about them.

My Review: Moonrise Kingdom (9/10)

¨We're in love. We just want to be together. What's wrong with that? ¨

You either love Wes Anderson movies or you hate them. I am on the loving side since I always find his movies to be hysterical and original. Moonrise Kingdom is a great film with some pretty interesting performances as well. It has been five years since Anderson directed a feature film (that wasn`t animated) and the wait is finally over. His last film, The Darjeeling Limited, came out in 2007 and it was a very funny movie, but Moonrise Kingdom is superior in my opinion. I wouldn’t say Moonrise Kingdom is Wes Anderson´s best work but I know fans of his defer on what their favorite movie of his is. Some enjoy his first film, Bottle Rocket the most; but others have found Rushmore to be his best work. I still think The Royal Tenenbaums is his best film, and it probably has to do with it being the first film of his that I watched. Fans of Wes Anderson probably would agree with me that the first film of his that they watched is their favorite one because of the originality and inventiveness of his style. He has unique trademarks which he uses for all of his films so you probably could recognize his work in the first minute of the movie. His films always seem to deal with some sort of broken family issue where the children don’t get along with their parents or are being raised by a single parent. He also uses a lot of color in his films; yellow, green and red predominate. Anderson makes very personal films and sometimes his movies seem to repeat themselves, but he has a unique style that separates his work from other Hollywood comedies. The central theme of his movies are always quirky and bizarre, but in a good way. Moonrise Kingdom is in my opinion his most romantic work.

The story is set on the small island of New Penzance off the coast of New England in 1965, a few days before a big storm is to arrive. Walt (Bill Murray) and Laura Bishop (Frances McDormand) live on the island with their three sons and daughter named Suzy (Kara Hayward). Suzy is very troubled; she doesn’t get along with her parents and doesn’t have many friends. She befriends a young scout named Sam (Jared Gilman) who is at the other side of the island in a summer camp. Sam decides to escape from camp, meet up with Suzy secretly, with whom he`s been corresponding through letters, and run off together. Scout Master Randy (Edward Norton) discovers that Sam has escaped from camp and decides to send the rest of the scouts on a search hunt. He also notifies Police Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) about the escape and the Captain connects the disappearance of both children and concludes that they have run off together. While Suzy and Sam hike and set camp together while fleeing from the search party they fall in love with each other. The Captain discovers that Sam is really an orphan and that his foster parents won`t accept him back so he has to notify Social Services (Tilda Swinton) about the incident. Sam and Suzy will do what it takes to stay together and not be found, while the entire town begins searching for them.

Once again Wes Anderson works alongside Bill Murray and his cousin Jason Schwartzman who has a small role in this film. He`s worked with them in almost all of his films, but the difference here in Moonrise Kingdom is that the true stars of the film are the kid actors: Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Hayward reminded me a lot of Gwyneth Paltrow in The Royal Tenenbaums. They are great in this movie and had a lot of chemistry together. Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, and Edward Norton also give the film a funny and quirky touch to it. Wes Anderson`s trademarks are all over this film and the tone is similar to the others, but it also has some touches that differentiate it from his other works. Having the kids be the stars of the film is a first for him, and the film does have a romantic touch to it despite maintaining a depressive mood throughout. As always Wes Anderson wrote the screenplay for his film, although this time he co-wrote it with Roman Coppola who had worked with him in The Darjeeling Limited as well. His first films were co-written along with Owen Wilson, and Noah Baumbach has also worked with him in a couple of projects as well. His screenplays are always full of quirky humor and bizarre scenarios. That is one of the reasons I love his movies so much. Moonrise Kingdom is a film that Wes Anderson fans will enjoy quite a bit.

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My Review: Zombieland (7/10)

¨This lady could have avoided becoming a human Happy Meal. Woulda... coulda... shoulda¨

(7/10) Zombieland counts with a very talented cast but it isn`t among the funniest movies of the year. Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin are among the best young talents and if you include Woody Harrelson`s experience and a cameo from the extremely funny Bill Murray then you would expect a lot more from this movie. Don`t get me wrong, I enjoyed this film, it had some very funny moments and funny dialogues, but I was expecting much more from it because of all the hype coming from the critics. I wouldn`t include Zombieland in the horror genre, it isn`t scary and it doesn`t try to be either. It`s more of a satire on zombie movies like Shaun of the Dead was. Actually, first time director Ruben Fleischer said he was inspired to make this movie after watching Shaun of the Dead. It still has some action, gore, and good special effects, but the main ingredient in this film is the comedy and you wouldn`t expect less from these actors. When you have a zombie get killed by a falling piano from a building you know you can`t take the violence seriously. One of the things I enjoyed the most in this film was the dialogue. Taking a phrase from Harrelson`s character, Tallahassee, and rephrasing it I would say: ¨[this movie] totally blows! .... my mind. Just fun for the whole family.¨

Jesse Eisenberg, who recently was in another comedy - Adventureland, plays Columbus one of the few survivors in a world where pretty much everyone has turned into a zombie. He has survived because he lives by what he calls survival rules which are displayed throughout the movie while the action takes place. The film is narrated by Columbus. Eisenberg plays his ussual self and he reminds me a lot of Micheal Cera. Columbus meets Tallahassee (Woody Harelson), a fearless zombie killer who has a weakness for twinkies (or as they call them in Mexico: el submarino) and will get into danger just to get his hands on them. Columbus and Tallahassee form an unlikely duo and decide to take a road trip. During their trip they encounter Wichita (Emma Stone known for her role in Superbad) and her sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin, My Sister`s Keeper) who happen to be con artists and take their possesions. The four end up together despite having trust issues and not wanting to become involved with each other, which could serve as a satire on American society where you find neighbors trying to keep a distance from each other. The highlight of the movie is when they decide to visit a celebrity`s mansion and have an encounter with him, but I will not give any more of the movie away.

Overall this movie works as a comedy, it is a satire on zombie movies which have bombarded Hollywood over the recent years in the same way vampires are nowadays. Don`t go into this movie expecting horror, because this movie is 95% comedy. There are several funny lines and at less than 90 minutes the movie is short enough for you to enjoy it. The survival rules were pretty funny and the scene in which Columbus narrates his encounter with his hot neighbor who almost ends up eating him was also hilarious. Despite all this, I still think there were much funnier movies out this year like The Hangover, World`s Greatest Dad, Adventureland, and I Love You, Man. Anyways this movie still is a lot of fun and one you will enjoy. My favorite zomby movie (but I ain`t much of a zombie fan so it ain`t saying much). To end this review, I would like to quote one of the many funny lines in the film: ¨In those moments where you're not quite sure if the undead are really dead, dead, don't get all stingy with your bullets. I mean, one more clean shot to the head, and this lady could have avoided becoming a human Happy Meal. Woulda... coulda... shoulda.¨