The Skeleton Twins (8/10): Bill Hader delivers one of the best performances of the year.

“I see you're getting your sense of humor back.”

The Skeleton Twins was a pleasant surprise which surpassed all my expectations. I wasn’t familiar with director Craig Johnson’s previos film (True Adolescents), and despite having seen Kristen Wiig in some strong dramatic roles before, I didn’t expect Bill Hader to be able to deliver one. I’m glad I finally got around watching this small indie drama because it is one of the best of the year. Despite covering some familiar territory, the chemistry between the two leads is what makes this film stand out. We’ve seen films focus on sibling relationships in the past, but I can’t remember the last time I saw one that felt so authentic as The Skeleton Twins. Their relationship is the core of the film and without strong performances from Hader and Wiig this could have been a disaster considering the material covers some dark subject matters (suicide, adultery, pedophilia) and the characters are flawed. It is hard to pull off an engaging performance when you are given a  flawed character, but both Hader and Wiig deliver solid roles. Their off screen friendship was probably one of the reasons why these two hit it off so well in the film and you actually believed they were siblings. I usually tend to dislike depressive films, but The Skeleton Twins balances these depressing subject matters with some effective comedic moments. There is a perfect balance between the drama and the comedy which feels authentic and never manipulative. Without being overly explicit, the audience can assume that despite the fact that these two siblings have been estranged from each other, they are still very much connected. Their past continues to haunt them, but at the same time you know they belong with each other, and the only possible way to begin a healing process is by sticking together.

The dramatic scenes hit hard, but so does the comedy with some very memorable moments. There is a scene between the twins where the two lip-sync to an 80’s song that stands out. It is perhaps the greatest lip-syncing scene I’ve seen in the history of cinema. There are also many other memorable scenes, and the film is at its peak when it centers on the twins. All the highlights for me involved Wiig and Hader’s characters together: the dentist scene, the lip-synch scene, and the Halloween dress up scene. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like the subplots and supporting characters, but it just proves who strong Wiig and Hader were together. Haider gives the best performance of his career, and so far one of my favorites of the year. Luke Wilson and Ty Burell also deliver solid performances. Wilson’s character plays Wiig’s wife and he is perhaps the most likable character in the film. He may not be the perfect fit for Wiig, but the film never tries to portray him in a negative light in order for the audience to sympathize more with Wiig’s character. That is what made this film feel authentic, the lead characters are broken and damaged people who are trying to heal as they reconnect with each other. This isn’t a feel good comedy, it goes to dark places at times so some audiences might be put off by the depressive tone of the film, but I found it perfectly balanced with some great comedic moments which helped me enjoy the film. Fans of the Sons of Anarchy series might also enjoy Robert Boyd Holbrook’s secondary role in this film. He doesn’t get much screen time, but he does play a key role which helps us understand some of Wiig’s conflicts. The Skeleton Twins might be too honest for some, but I did enjoy this film quite a bit, which was wonderfully written by Johnson and Mark Heyman (Black Swan). The film does have some unnecessary scenes (like the flashbacks and the forced ending), but it is still a solid film where Bill Hader gets to shine and prove he can play dramatic roles as well. 

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: Bottle Rocket (7/10)

"I learned more in the 2 months I spent with Mr. Henry and this crew than I learned in 15 years of academic study."

Bottle Rocket was not only the feature film debut for director Wes Anderson, but it was also the debut for Owen and Luke Wilson who both gave inspiring performances. This is where it all started for Wes Anderson and despite not being a box office hit he slowly built a reputation for himself by remaining unique to his quirky sense of humor. Many criticized the fact that these characters didn't seem real, and that is probably true for all of Anderson's film where he focuses on dysfunctional characters with a whimsical sense of humor. Anderson's comedies are very different and they aren't for mainstream audiences, thus the reason why the screening of this film scored the worst test screening points in the history of Columbia Pictures during that time. I am glad Wes stayed true to his style and didn't sell out because his next films share similar trademarks which he began establishing in Bottle Rocket. This is perhaps his most normal looking film if you take into account the cinematography, but the quirky sense of humor is pretty much the same as well as some other technical aspects of the film (the font title cards at the beginning and the slow motion shot at the end). The same can be said for Owen Wilson who kind of plays this dumb but nice guy character in most of his comedies. It's not Anderson's best work, but his quirky style began taking shape with Bottle Rocket. 

The screenplay was co-written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson from  a short they had made a couple of years earlier. The film opens with Dignan (Owen Wilson) trying to help his best friend, Anthony (Luke Wilson) escape from a mental institution. Dignan has designed a great escape plan, but what he doesn't know is that Anthony can leave the institution upon his free will considering he voluntarily signed up for it after he had a nervous breakdown from exhaustion. This opening scene clearly establishes that Dignan is less sane than Anthony. He has established a long term plan for the two involving a criminal spree. The first step is robbing Anthony's mother's house but they can only take a few valueless items. The idea is that they get some criminal experience so they can catch the attention of Dignan's former boss, Mr. Henry (James Caan), who is sort of a legend in the criminal world. Next they plan a bookstore robbery, but this time they will need a getaway driver so they convince their friend Bob (Robert Musgrave) to join them. After successfully achieving their plan they hide out at a nearby motel where Anthony falls deeply in love with a Paraguayan maid named Inez (Lumi Cavazos). This is where the dysfunctional group of friends breaks down and things take a turn for each one of them.

Bottle Rocket was on Martin Scorsese's list of his top 10 favorite movies of the 90's. The quirky sense of humor isn't for everyone, but fans of Wes Anderson's comedies will really enjoy this considering it was the birthing point of some of his technical achievements. It may be less depressing and cynical in tone than some of his other comedies, but the whimsy characters he creates are very familiar. You can clearly see the fascination he has for exploring these dysfunctional relationships of dorky middle to upper class people. It's a refreshing film and very different from your standard buddy comedy. It's witty and despite not having many hilarious moments, the film does manage to keep a smile on your face for most of its runtime. For a debut performance Owen Wilson really shines on screen and delivers his lines with perfect timing.  I really enjoyed this offbeat comedy although I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who isn't a fan of Wes Anderson. I always recommend my favorite, The Royal Tenenbaums, to people who haven't seen any of his film.