Director Spotlight: Wes Anderson
We recommend our favorites from the whimsical world of Wes. And we review DUUUUNE.
Wes Anderson’s weird and wonderful world is back in The French Dispatch, which releases in theaters nationwide today. We’re dedicating this edition of the newsletter to one of the most singular and stylish filmmakers alive. If you’re already a Wes fan, great, let’s dive in on the best of his movies streaming now. If you’re ambivalent or allergic to the charm and whimsy of his work, maybe we can convince you to consider him again.
After we recommend some Wes Anderson streaming options, you can find Drew and Billy’s top 5 rankings, as well as our thoughts on last weekend’s massive new release DUNE. Read, subscribe, and let us know what you think!
Drew recommends…
Moonrise Kingdom (streaming on HBO)
It’s very common for a Wes Anderson film to feature a laundry list of famous and talented actors. Moonrise Kingdom was no exception, however the difference with his 2012 coming-of-age tale is that the two leads were kids who had never even auditioned for a role before. In Rushmore, a high-school aged Jason Schwartzman played the lead in his debut film role, but he’s from a Hollywood family (his mother is Talia Shire and his uncle is Francis Ford Coppola), so it wasn’t necessarily a surprise when he showed acting chops. With Moonrise Kingdom, it was a pretty big risk to put the movie on the shoulders of two young novice actors to pull off this story of young love and the pains of growing up.
Fortunately, one of Anderson’s strengths has always been his eye for casting. As Sam and Suzy, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward were inspired choices to play runaway lovers alienated by the adults in their lives. They both embody the passion, awkwardness, and misguided intentions of some of Anderson’s best characters. Surrounding them are some of the most well-known actors of the last few decades with Bill Murray and Frances McDormand as Suzy’s parents trapped in a loveless marriage, Bruce Willis as a melancholy policeman, and Edward Norton as Sam’s earnest Scout Master.
The perfect casting is enhanced by Anderson’s signature aesthetic that was even further elevated in Moonrise Kingdom. Somehow a story set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s could not have been a better fit for the Wes Anderson experience. As orderly and manicured as every Anderson film is, this could be his most immaculate creation. There’s not a false note hit, both technically and emotionally. The evocative music, the clean camera movements, and the symmetrical framing beautifully belie the messy interior lives of the characters on screen. This is the dynamic at the heart of all of his films, but it has never been more poignant and tender-hearted as it is in Moonrise Kingdom.
Rushmore (streaming on Hulu)
This is a re-post from a September 2019 newsletter
Max Fischer is one of Wes Anderson’s best creations. The protagonist of Rushmore is both an insensitive little punk and a lovable busybody. Max, played by Jason Schwartzman in his very first role, is involved in just about every extracurricular activity offered at Rushmore Academy -- the only problem is his grades are failing while he’s off serving as debate team captain and founding the trap and skeet club.
Rushmore also might be Wes Anderson’s best film. It’s one of those movies I could watch on a loop, due to its understated humor and eccentric characters that only get funnier with each viewing. Co-written with his pal Owen Wilson, this idiosyncratic coming-of-age film is a total delight that still manages to carry some emotional weight. Max is the epitome of precocious and he thinks he already knows it all. Of course, we come to see that certainly isn’t true, in amusing fashion. Mostly thanks to Schwartman’s impressive performance, a character that at first glance may appear to be an obnoxious kid turns out to have more interior depth than we thought.
Isle of Dogs (streaming on Disney Plus)
This is a re-post from a February 2019 newsletter
If you like dogs and/or Wes Anderson movies, I can guarantee you’ll enjoy the pleasant and endearing Isle of Dogs. With witty humor and just the right amount of sentiment, Anderson has lovingly crafted this homage to Japanese cinema and culture that doubles as a tribute to Man’s Best Friend (say the movie’s title really fast). The animation is beyond gorgeous (Anderson tops his own work in Fantastic Mr. Fox by a mile) and the voice acting is superb (Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, and I could keep going).
Billy recommends…
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (streaming on Amazon Prime)
A father/son crisis movie where the father is the one in crisis. That is also quirky and funny? Wes Anderson is one of the few directors who can throw his flair into a story like that. His style always seems to work because there is always a clear theme that can describe the movie, but no description can fully prepare someone who isn’t privy to his style.
This story revolves around the legendary documentary filmmaker Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) and his crew. His previous eight documentaries have not been received as fondly as the ones that made him famous and now people are questioning the authenticity of his whole career. Nay… questioning the authenticity of his whole life.
It becomes abundantly clear that he is not the most honest person, but gets a close group of ne'er-do-wells to work for him. Each member of the Zissou society is a person he pseudo-rescued over the years, creating a loyalty amongst the crew that cannot be broken. No pirate attack, surprise son in his 30s, or rival ex’s can get in the way. This group of people consist of amazing actors such as Willem Dafoe and a bunch of character “that guy” actors. They truly are the driving force behind the hilarious madness that ensues.
The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou might be my suggestion for anyone who needs to jump into Wes Anderson for the first time. It is the first transition into the ultra quirky while holding on to more charm than he has after this. There is not a director that hits the film nerds and casual filmgoers so perfectly.
Top 5 Wes Anderson Films
Drew:
Rushmore
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Moonrise Kingdom
Bottle Rocket
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Billy:
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Rushmore
Bottle Rocket
Recent Release Mini-Reviews
Dune (in theaters and streaming on HBO Max)
Billy: Hans Zimmer needs to chill (very solid score, but I needed some more moments of silence with the characters). The first act of exposition is not done in a way that lets me connect with a lot of the characters. Once the first act climax hits, Denis really hits his stride. He can finally shoot the desert beautifully and set the audience on the story that he clearly wants to tell. Also, thankfully Denis shot most of the ending with a more subdued score from Zimmer. The ending made me really excited for what hopefully is to come. - 3.5 / 5 Apples
Drew: A find-the-biggest-screen-you-can movie if there ever was one, Dune miraculously lives up to the burdensome expectations placed upon this sci-fi adventure epic. Director Denis Villeneuve has been building to this kind of commercial and artistic achievement for some time, and his Dune translates an “unfilmable” book with astounding and strange beauty. The casting is on point as well, with each character played by an actor more than up to the task. I went in with little knowledge of the novel or previous adaptations, and I found myself almost immediately getting swept up in the grand world-building and breathtaking action. I know Dune is available on HBO Max right now, but if you’re able to get to a theater to see it, it’s a cinematic experience unlike any other. - 4.5 / 5 Apples