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!
"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.
"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.
"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.
¨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.
