Wes Anderson

I don't think we've covered this topic yet, but oh well.

In my opinion, he’s produced some of the best cinema in the United States over the last decade. I only saw Bottle Rocket once, ages ago on a cable channel, and it didn't really grab me. But his last two films changed everything. Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums are the kind of movies you can revisit anytime; the dialogue is brilliant and the scenes are seamless every single time. Owen Wilson co-wrote both with Wes Anderson, and those two truly know their craft. What are your thoughts on this director?

I’m a fan of the Tenenbaums, though I haven't quite gotten around to seeing the rest yet.

Anderson quickly carved out a signature aesthetic and found himself a unique niche within modern cinema.

I can't help but feel he still has quite a bit of growing to do, though.
Whether you look at Rushmore or Tennenbaum ( I actually haven't sat down to watch Bottle Rocket, even though I remember seeing it on > ages ago ), his narrative structure tends to start falling apart right around the second act.

It seems like you just can't sustain a movie that relies solely on eccentric characters dressed in quirky, colorful outfits and their various personal hang-ups. 😁

...
I've been noticing people on the > message boards going back and forth over whether David O. Russell's latest, I (Heart) Huckabees, is just a total rip-off of Tennenbaum😁.

Richard Hernandez13 said:It seems you can't make a movie based solely on eccentric characters in quirky, colorful outfits dealing with their own little issues. 😁

Fair point, though the story in Tenenbaum feels a bit more grounded and doesn't drift quite as much. We'll see his next project and draw a final conclusion then...

For me, the only real issue I have with Anderson is how he handles the endings

It's like, he just doesn't seem to know when to call it quits on a movie

It happened with >, >, and his newest one, >

Instead of just crafting one solid resolution to wrap everything up, he kind of creates this pile of tiny little sub-endings that just end up making things way more complicated... I don't really know how else to put it, but I guess anyone who's seen his stuff knows what I mean

So, yeah, it feels like every single one of his films is maybe, I don't know, about 20 minutes too long

That’s pretty much the only thing I’d ever complain about 😢

Good grief, I was actually holding out hope that this thread might have some life left in it:
here is a little holiday short from Wes Anderson:

while we all wait for his animated feature Isle of Dogs

Was he still just a young, up-and-coming director back thirteen years ago? 😬 Well, just today, he’s basically proving everything people already suspected about him...

Honestly, I find his work gets better and better as time goes on. That's why I'm so incredibly hyped for Isle of Dogs! 😁

Hands down the best Honest trailers I've seen 😬

Personally, I think 😁

Steven Newman50 said:The best Honest trailers 😬so far

Man, honestly, 😁me too

Hands down one of my favorites👍

Steven Newman50 said:Best Honest trailers 😬

Honestly, if you ask me 😁

I already mentioned this in the chat, but they absolutely nailed it. 🙏

Richard Wilson4 said:I already mentioned this in the chat, but seriously, they absolutely nailed it... 🙏

I saw it when it first dropped too, but I figured it definitely deserved a spot on this thread... 😁

Some of his movies are absolute gems—I mean, *Royal* or *Grand Budapest Hotel* are top-tier for me. But then there were some that totally missed the mark, like *Fantastic Mr. Fox* or *The Darjeeling Limited*. Others I found just... okay? Nothing to write home about, kind of mid, like *The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou* or *Moonrise Kingdom*. That said, I’m still super drawn to his whole vibe and those quirky characters he builds. It feels a little bit "pre-hipster," if you know what I mean! Does anyone have recommendations for something with a similar feel?

Bill Murray 😍 He is hands down the absolute best part of any Wes Anderson movie. I am obsessed with his dance moves! 🎉

I guess Wes Anderson just isn't my cup of tea. Most of his movies—like > or >—tend to feel pretty dull to me; they don't really offer any deep insights or unique experiences that grab my attention. I actually didn't even make it to the end of >, which is honestly a bit unusual for me since I usually stick with a movie until the credits roll, even if it's bad.
Of course, he creates this incredibly cohesive little universe where everything works perfectly. His films are visually stunning and bursting with color, featuring those eccentric, larger-than-life characters and that quirky sense of humor he’s known for. But for some reason, I just can't find a personal connection to it all. Don't get me wrong, I did find myself laughing a few times during >, and I think I expected a bit more from > than what I actually got...

Personally, I feel like > and > are a bit of a step down for him, though—everything else he’s done is pretty much flawless. I’ve always been a fan of how he plays with color palettes, especially those pops of red and yellow. And that subtle, dry sense of humor? It's just great. If we're talking about his work alongside > Anderson, he’s definitely at his peak here. 😁 Honestly, I'd easily slot both of them into my top 10 directors of all time.

That Scout film totally floored me. I checked out after maybe thirty minutes... just a total overdose of centered compositions. It feels weird if a director doesn't insist on being bizarre and using those saturated colors in every single shot.

Has anyone mentioned the budget for "Isle of Dogs" anywhere?

I was digging around for my box office thread and couldn't find a thing.

So, is Isle of Dogs only playing at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival? I noticed it was pulled from the AMC Theatres trailers.

I didn't even realize he was filming something new! The Grand Budapest Hotel. It’s already feeling like summer out here, and then this trailer just drops (though I rarely watch them—I don't really need a sneak peek to know if a movie looks good).

Anyway, everyone is pretty much counting down the days until 👍

The entire cast is a disaster, and the trailer looks like your typical Wes Anderson flick.