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Wheelz 
"FWFR%u2019ing like it%u2019s 1999"
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 Posted - 07/05/2012 : 15:25:46
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I had very little idea what this was going to be about beforehand, but I've generally enjoyed Wes Anderson's films and the ads made it look interesting, so Mrs. Wheelz and I decided to escape the triple-digit 4th of July heat and checked this out.
And we both loved it! If you've seen Anderson's work before, you'll recognize his hand here. It's all very deliberately staged and filmed, with lots of symmetry and fixed-camera shots; the dialogue manages to be at once both sparse and snappy; and the whole thing has a very sepia, dream-like quality.
All of the major adult players hit just the right notes and work well as an ensemble. But it's the kids who steal the show. A pair of unknowns as the pubescent couple on the run do an amazing job of capturing this particular brand of angst without being over-dramatic about it like some bad CW drama. They talk like adults, but they are most decidedly not adults.
On its surface, it's a simple story, told in a rather straightforward manner. Yet hours later I'd find myself thinking of a particular shot or bit of dialogue and working out how it all fits together, and of the recurring themes and visuals and such. Even after a day, It's really sticking with me.
Highly recommended.  |
Edited by - Wheelz on 07/05/2012 15:27:42 |
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Stalean 
"Back...OMG"
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Posted - 07/31/2012 : 21:45:32
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Stalean & kolo recommend Moonrise Kingdom, also.  |
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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 12/10/2012 : 22:07:22
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Wes Anderson's got style. In spades! Also wit, intellect, a highly developed sense of art and nature.
His framing is clear, open, and often reminiscent of such great Japanese directors as Ozu. Anderson understands how pictures tell stories. How the right framing of an empty room, or a pan across a field, or knowing when to keep the camera still and head-on - can reveal as much as pages of empty dialogue.
His dialogue [here with the help of Roman Coppola] says what it needs to with great economy.
His characters are often charming, endearing. He leaves sufficient room for the actors to color in between and surprisingly over the lines.
Surprise is another Anderson tool. Both visual and, even more, conceptual. Like David Lynch fused with Tim Burton at his most imaginative, or Samuel Beckett.
Anderson's actors give him slices of their very best. They prove in scene after scene the adage there are no small parts, only small actors. They play "against type" - and all the better for it.
Tiny, but exquisitely timed shots reveal whole relationships. Quietness - precisely judged - counterpoints emotional explosions. Anderson refuses to condone anyone falling back on habit.
The film is set on an insignificant island, isolated both geographically and in time. It's set several years before Anderson was born. That choice - the mid-1960s - allows for a story with innocence at its heart. It pretends it's a small story, until its moment of drama pounces like a wild animal springing suddenly from a cozy duvet.
The film's main characters are played by Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman - early teens, powerfully attracted by each other's quirkiness. In an era utterly devoid of easy electronics, their journey toward emotion both challenges and encourages.
They're a bit like the Owl and the Pussycat, setting off together as well-prepared as they can be in the circumstances. Understandably inexperienced as actors, they nevertheless rely on their natural intelligence and complete commitment to each moment. Which is what excellent actors do.
Their disappearance from family and friends sets off a search which provides Anderson with a through-line of fun, adventure, danger and more.
In Moonrise Kingdom Bruce Willis reminds us he's a talented man indeed. His authority as an officer of the law cannot quite disguise his loneliness. And, ultimately a hero, he's more effective than John McClane could ever be.
Frances McDormand yet again produces a woman who is newly invented. Along with hubby Bill Murray, she's holding her days together - each taking their separate ways. Ending up running in place. They're often flummoxed by this girl - they're scared and brave and know they're not in control. Sometimes it's hilarious. Sometimes you just want to hug them.
But it really is an ensemble cast - Ed Norton, Harvey Keitel, Bob Balaban, and Jason Schwartzman are all delightful.
And, listen, if Wes Anderson can finally get a performance from Tilda Swinton which lets me believe every word and gesture - and even make me laugh ... that's just icing on this cake!
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Edited by - BaftaBaby on 12/10/2012 22:09:22 |
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Moonrise Kingdom
