Under the Radar
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
I completely disagree with the critics who say Wes Anderson's films are emotionally distant. I think his films are some of the most emotionally complex films in modern cinema. While Bottle Rocket may not be in the full Anderson Style, it does show that Anderson truly puts a lot of emotion into his films, it is just so subdued and subtle, but that is what I love about his films. The emotions are swarming violently beneath the characters' solid exterior and for someone who really looks for it, can see it bubbling fiercely. Steve Zissou and Royal Tenenbaums get me teared up every time I watch them. It takes a lot for movies to get me that emotionally invested.
It's depressing that only there have been only 4 comments on this before mine.
Anyway, I've been looking forward to "Beasts" for a while and as soon as it's anywhere nearby I'm going to see it.
As for "Moonrise Kingdom" I actually just got back from the theater after it was FINALLY released here. What a fantastic film. That's probably Wes Anderson's best work to date.
Anyway, I've been looking forward to "Beasts" for a while and as soon as it's anywhere nearby I'm going to see it.
As for "Moonrise Kingdom" I actually just got back from the theater after it was FINALLY released here. What a fantastic film. That's probably Wes Anderson's best work to date.
Been looking forward to Kingdom since I've been seeing frequent previews and... well... Bill Murray do want. So Bob-Praise for that will compound my efforts to see that one for sure. This is the first time hearing about Beasts. I haven't seen it in any theaters and this isn't a small city. I'll have to try to rent it or something.
Unfortunately I always miss these movies because I live in the freaking boondocks and have to drive hours to get to a theater that is showing movies like these, further compounding the cost of just seeing a movie beyond just the overpriced tickets and concessions.
Oh well, I'll still take cheap-as-dirt housing and rent prices over living closer to movies that aren't just Transformers and Tyler Perry.
Oh well, I'll still take cheap-as-dirt housing and rent prices over living closer to movies that aren't just Transformers and Tyler Perry.
Moonrise Kingdom is excellent, and way more emotional than you'd expect from a Wes Anderson movie. I'd say, even show it to a Wes hater, and they'll be charmed their socks off. Maybe it's cause they were kids, but the emotions rang true, their romance is probably the truest you'll get from any movie this year, and their adventure felt like you were transported there. I felt like I was living alongside them thanks to Anderson's craftwork sensibilities making the camps feel like real places. The climax action setpiece is surprisingly intense and had me at the edge of my seat. The acting is uniformly excellent with surprise turns by Bruce Willis and Ed Norton, Tilda Swinton as "Social Security" is a great running gag, and I laughed my ass off throughout the movie which is hardly something you expect from the director's work where it'd be more of a chuckle.
There is a reason why it's doing so well on the box office, even beating The Avengers on per-theatre averages!
Beasts of the Southern Wild comes out in October here in UK, so will catch it then.
There is a reason why it's doing so well on the box office, even beating The Avengers on per-theatre averages!
Beasts of the Southern Wild comes out in October here in UK, so will catch it then.
Well, bob, if your intent was to make me interested, you've succeeded. A damn shame I'll probably never get to see Beasts, since I live in Utah and the bastards that run the theaters around here make the assumption that nobody around here wants to see any independent or artsy film.
I had to jump through hoops just to see Arrietty.
Still, I don't think I'll pass up the opportunity to see it if it arises.
I had to jump through hoops just to see Arrietty.
Still, I don't think I'll pass up the opportunity to see it if it arises.
No shit.RJ Dalton said:
You'd think that the state that hosts the Sundance Film Festival would give a little attention to the films that stood out there when it comes time for them to pop up in theaters.
I've searched just about every theater listing in the state and found nothing -_-
I completely agree, The Royal Tenenbaums makes me choke up, but The Life Aquatic is the only movie that has ever CONSISTENTLY made me cry. Every damn time.ShinobiJedi42 said:
His Characters are very cold and distant, but they're not emotionless, they're fucked up is what they are. His characters are all emotionally screwed up, and don't know how to show emotion, the Royal Tenebaums was practically about how Emotionally screwed up the whole family was.
They have emotions, their actions show that, they are just jilted, shut up characters, which makes them a thousand times more interesting because you have to watch it again and again to understand what's going on below the surface, you have to work to understand them and feel for them, but you are rewarded for doing so.
Maybe I bias because Wes is my favorite director, next to Quentin Tarrintino, and maybe Same Raimi, but I really think Wes' characters are one of the strongest points of his films.
I'm super super glad that FOR ONCE the local theaters around me are actually playing a smaller indie film. I can't believe I'm actually going to get to see Moonrise in theaters, I'm going sometime this week and I am practically vibrating from excitement... well its either that or malaria... but whatever I'm cool with it...
I used to be pretty big fan of Wes Anderson, and although I think I've cooled to him as I've got older I think I'll still defend him from the accusation of being emotionally distant.
I think what's often missed is that the people in his films are highly constrained by the social conventions which they all operate in. It's a world where everyone's fuck-ups have to be carefully kept under the surface and ultimately revealed in a muted asides or neurotic mannerisms or awkward outbursts.
It's a world where people live lives full of luxury and privilege and which on the surface seem to be idyllic, but are also repressed and trapped by those lives and the expectations which come with them.
I think you can accuse some of his films of being elitist, of being over-focused on the "problems" of a small strata of privileged people, and therefore emotionally distant from most people who don't sympathize with those problems. But you can make the same allegation of Jane Austen. That doesn't mean she's not insightful in any way.
I think what's often missed is that the people in his films are highly constrained by the social conventions which they all operate in. It's a world where everyone's fuck-ups have to be carefully kept under the surface and ultimately revealed in a muted asides or neurotic mannerisms or awkward outbursts.
It's a world where people live lives full of luxury and privilege and which on the surface seem to be idyllic, but are also repressed and trapped by those lives and the expectations which come with them.
I think you can accuse some of his films of being elitist, of being over-focused on the "problems" of a small strata of privileged people, and therefore emotionally distant from most people who don't sympathize with those problems. But you can make the same allegation of Jane Austen. That doesn't mean she's not insightful in any way.
Glad to see more love going around for Moonrise Kingdom. It's strange how much just focusing the movie around children instead of adults changes the tone of the movie from that of Wes Anderson's other work, but instead of the quirky/magical themes and aesthetic clashing with the human elements they seem to finally complement each other.
It also doesn't hurt that for once the kids in this movie weren't treated as another class of humans from adults. Everybody has problems and everybody deals with them (or doesn't deal with them) as best they can.
No idea where the Bruce Willis hatred comes from though. Do people not remember the greatness of the Fifth Element or Die Hard?
It also doesn't hurt that for once the kids in this movie weren't treated as another class of humans from adults. Everybody has problems and everybody deals with them (or doesn't deal with them) as best they can.
No idea where the Bruce Willis hatred comes from though. Do people not remember the greatness of the Fifth Element or Die Hard?
Bruce Willis is an action star, and these days he's an aging action star... Yet, when cast into a film that requires a passionate actor, in my experience, he rises to the occasion. I expect him to be quite good in this.shiajun said: