Moonrise Kingdom (2012) – Review

Review: Moonrise Kingdom is a charming dramedy that is a joy to watch. The film is about young love, in the form of two kids (Suzy and Sam) who run away together to camp out on a small island off the New England Coast. Noticing their disappearance, the town forms a posse to look for them. Writer-director Wes Anderson (here co-writing with Roman Coppola) takes on the narrative with his usual creative flare and quirky sensibilities. His blocking, framing and overall mise en scene are all fantastic as usual, and along with his camera moments (but more so his cutting and what the camera moves achieve) the overall visual shooting style is clearly aligned with his past work but also feels very much like an Yasujiro Ozu film (I thought of An Autumn Afternoon a lot while watching this – how the actors are all shot straight on with 90 or 180 degree cuts/camera moves). The narrative feels like it takes place in an alternate storybook world (not so much a fantasy world – though there is maybe a slight aspect of that too, even though the narrative to an extent and especially the characters are rooted very much in reality) where everything has aesthetic value and the guise of innocence. Many of Anderson’s characters in his past work find themselves looking back with disappointment on all the potential they had in youth but have seemingly squandered, but here Anderson’s leads are young kids just broaching their development into adults (adult feelings and experiences, i.e. maturity) – specifically for Sam and Suzy, finding first love. Sam and Suzy at first glance seem very naïve, as they approach their relationship with complete frankness, honesty and lack of scope (wanting to get married at the age of 12), and yet their love feels absolutely genuine because they get each other (both being outsiders) and in their own innocent way completely buy into their feelings for each other (having not been disillusioned by bad relationships and life experiences involving love yet). Their relationship and its authenticity are what make the film so charming (coupled with Anderson’s style), as the audience can relate to these characters in an almost (if not completely) nostalgic way (while still seeing emotions that are still relevant today in whatever facet of life a viewer may be in). The adult characters (especially Captain Sharp, Scout Master Ward and Mr. and Mrs. Bishop) have seemingly a juxtaposed inherent sadness to them, having been worn down by age and experience. Suzy and Sam’s relationship is simple – they love each other and want to be together, but the adults have much more complex relationships and disappointments that weigh on them. This juxtaposition again plays into a nostalgic emotional response to the film (the film also reminded me of Peter Pan, especially when Suzy is reading to all the Scouts – Wendy and the Lost Boys, in its seeming fight to against the inevitable and impending maturity of these young characters). The narrative and characters are presented wonderfully by Anderson to harken back to being a kid, just on the precipice of growing up – something that resonates with all viewers. Anderson is also mindful of the narrative structure and pacing of his film. This is not quite in the form of a simple and typical three act structure, as the film begins with the characters already setting out to begin their adventure, the preceding events are detailed later in the film in flashbacks (but it still more or less fits into the three act hero’s journey). Anderson keeps the pacing tight and the story moving (but does slow it down in moments to allow Sam and Suzy’s relationship and characters to be fully fleshed out and have time to breathe) to keep the audience engaged (subconsciously) amidst this somewhat more complex style structure. Moonrise Kingdom is a film about growing up, as children are flooded with more adult emotions and feelings. Through his typical remarkable style and ability to create strange and terrific characters, Anderson is able to tell this tale about growing up and young love in such a way as to have it fully resonate with its viewers, filling them with joy, and comment in sort of a self-reflexive way on the emotional state of adulthood and loss of innocence.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Wes Anderson has cultivated such a unique style across his seven feature films that his work is immediately recognizable. With Moonrise Kingdom, fans of his films will get exactly what they expect, while his detractors will probably feel like he is still not growing or changing as a filmmaker, as this film very much feels and looks like his others in many ways. However, I would say that Moonrise Kingdom is more hopeful than his recent live-action films (The Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited) in that it seems as if the characters are all better off at the end than at the beginning, and happier (similar to Rushmore). For the most part, though, this fits neatly in with the rest of his work. Working for the second time with Anderson, composer Alexandre Desplat provides an enchanting and jovial score that perfectly fits the tone and magic of the film. (As usual from Desplat) it is wonderful work (here is a sample). Peter Jarvis and Mark Mothersbaugh also contribute a fine piece to the score as well. Anderson's found music soundtrack is great as well (featuring a lot of Hank Williams). Robert D. Yeoman (who has shot all of Anderson’s live-action films) again collaborates beautifully with Anderson. As with all of their films, the camera plays as much a role in the film as the characters. Yeoman’s lighting along with Adam Stockhausen’s brilliant production design gives the world of the film an almost fantastical feel – it is a beautiful piece of cinema with a great color pallet of greens and browns and just the right mix of reds and pinks. The cast of characters is made up of two young leads, and an ensemble of young and adult characters. Jason Schwartzman (who brings a burst of energy to the film), Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, and Edward Norton are all great in the film (especially Schwartzman and Norton), among these small roles. The two young leads, each making their film debuts, are fantastic. Kara Hayward’s Suzy to some extent takes on the form of Sam’s dream friend (girl), in that she accepts him when seemingly no one else does and the same goes for Sam for Suzy. Hayward plays her to be willful with air of mystery and deep contemplation. Jared Gilman’s Sam is odd, but very likable and friendly, and just does not understand why others seem to dislike him.

Summary & score: Moonrise Kingdom is sort of like a children’s story book written for adults. It has all the charm, joy and nostalgia of youth but also with the sadness and complexity of maturity. 9/10

Wes Anderson – Movies Spotlight – May 2012

Wes Anderson, 42, is known for his eccentric and quirky style, influencing many of America’s new auteur (and non-auteur) filmmakers emerging in the 2000s. Anderson, like many auteurs, writes, directs and produces his films, and has an almost overzealous attention to detail – crafting the mise en scene of every frame to look exactly right. This month he has a new film that he is directing, producing and co-wrote with Roman Coppola called Moonrise Kingdom. While it stars newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, the supporting cast is brilliant featuring Bob Balaban, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, and frequent collaborators Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. It is about two young people that run away from a small New England town, causing the grownups to form a search party to look for them (here is the trailer).

Early Career:

Anderson got his start while attending the University of Texas at Austin. While in school, he made friends with the Wilson brothers (Owen, Luke and Andrew), and made a short with them called Bottle Rocket. They took the short to Sundance, where it was screened and noticed by producers James L. Brooks and Polly Platt. Brooks and Platt brought Anderson and Owen Wilson to Hollywood and commissioned them to write a feature based on the short, giving birth to Anderson’s feature directorial debut (also called) Bottle Rocket. It was a box office failure, but critics began to take notice of Anderson’s talent and unique cinematic style. Most notable among these positive critics is Martin Scorsese who named the film among his ten favorite from the 1990s. Thus, despite the commercial shortcomings of Bottle Rocket, Anderson had carved a niche for himself as an indie art-film director, with cult/pop culture appeal.

Style and Influences:

Wes Anderson films are easily recognizable due to the director’s individual style. Anderson has listed animator Bill Melendez (who worked on Charles Shultz’s Charlie Brown), Shultz, Orson Welles, Francois Truffaut (and really a lot of the French New Wave filmmakers), and Hal Ashby as his major influences – and a lot of their works shows up in his (many times in direct reference). He is a director who explicitly cares about every facet of his films, from the overall aesthetic and thematic look all the way down to the minute detail of which font print material should be presented in (typically Futura). He has a very theatrical style, often breaking the fourth wall visually by drawing attention to how the camera is moving, the significant and highly stylized action blocking, and/or to the artistic touch of a shot or scene – he likes to use wide-angel anamorphic lens, take/double take shots, slow-motion tracking shots, lots of background action, and logistically astounding ‘virtuoso’ shots. The theatre itself plays a role in his films, with stage productions occurring within the films and the use of curtains to signify the beginning or end of chapters in the narrative. Anderson continues to use the same players and filmmaking collaborators on his films (for example, of his seven films including Moonrise Kingdom, Bill Murray has appeared in six, director of photography Robert Yeoman has shot six, and Owen Wilson has co-written and/or appeared in six, and there are many others who have appeared in or worked on two or more). He also constantly plays with the same themes: a broken family circle, someone who was once great but is now in decline, adults who act like children, and more. Anderson often uses a color pallet with subdued washed out colors (especially lots of yellows). And, he infuses his films with brilliant soundtracks, generally made up of British rock from the 1960s and 1970s, but some French pop has started to find its way into his work (probably due to his living in Paris). All these aesthetic and thematic trends across his work make them feel familiar, to an extent that fans know exactly what to expect when they see ‘A Wes Anderson Film’. His films are funny (with wonderfully dry wit) and sad (as many of his characters are quite melancholy), and while they fall under criticism for the role of director being highlighted over the narrative and characters this is more an attack on Anderson not fitting into the general narrative filmmaking style than a comment on the quality of his films (as they are all very good). He is an extraordinarily ambitious filmmaker, in which every element is specifically done to fit both the style and overall narrative of each film. He is truly one of America’s great auteurs.

Rushmore to Fantastic Mr. Fox, the Films of Wes Anderson:

After finishing Bottle Rocket, Anderson decided that he wanted to have complete control over every creative aspect of his films, thus he needed to not only write and direct them he also needed to produce them. He set up American Empirical Pictures as his production company. The new company’s first film was 1998’s Rushmore. Originally set up to be distributed by New Line Cinema, co-writers Anderson and Owen Wilson put the film up for auction, having not come to an agreement over budget. Joe Roth the chair at Walt Disney made them an offer they agreed too and the film went into production. Wilson and Anderson wanted to create a feeling to the story of a Roald Dahl children’s book, but still have a slight edge to it. Max Fisher, the film’s protagonist, was modeled on an amalgamation of Charlie Brown and Snoopy, and he attends a prep school similar to the ones that both the Wilsons and Anderson had attended in Texas. Starring Jason Schwartzman (launching his career), Bill Murray (serving as an indie resurgence for his) and Olivia Williams, the film opened to critical acclaim. Anderson won Best Director at the 1999 Independent Spirit Awards, while Murray took home Best Supporting Actor. For their next project, Anderson and Wilson co-wrote The Royal Tenebaums, influenced in part by the novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The film stars Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Luke Wilson (with Owen Wilson and Bill Murray in support), and was another critical hit of Anderson, as well as a surprise box office hit. Wilson and Anderson were nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the film. To date, it is the last film that Anderson wrote with Wilson – some saying that without Wilson Anderson’s work is less grounded. The Royal Tenenbaums is often considered his best film (but, my favorite is Rushmore). With the box office success of his last film, Anderson amassed a much bigger budget than usual a set out to make (an epic of sorts in) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which he co-wrote with Noah Baumbach. The film stars Bill Murray as a formally great oceanographer and adventurer who goes on one last expedition to find a mythical shark that ate his best friend and kill it. The film is brilliant (at least I think so) – wildly ambitious and strange. Anderson makes what amounts to an action adventure in which characters are melancholy, deadpan and seemingly totally disconnected from the reality in which they exist. Of course, the film was met with mixed reviews and poor box office receipts. However, I contend that the film will long be remembered and held in acclaim (above many other films from 2004, which was a good year, especially for genre films) – plus, Murray is fantastic in it. For his next project, Anderson decided to make a short film in Paris. Hotel Chevalier stars Schwartzman and Natalie Portman (who Anderson recruited through his business side producing partner Scott Rudin, who is probably the best indie film producer in Hollywood). It took two days to shoot in the Hotel Raphael. While editing the film, Anderson realized that Schwartzman’s character closely resembled a character in a new script he was writing and decided to combine both projects (as sort of a part 1 and part 2). Hotel Chevalier was met with much acclaim both for the film (and Anderson’s directing) and for Portman’s performance. Part two became The Darjeeling Limited, which Anderson co-wrote with Roman Coppola and Schwartzman. It stars Owen Wilson, Schwartzman and Adrien Brody, as three brothers who reconnect on a spiritual journey through India. Anderson wanted to make a film in India to pay tribute to his love of the films of Satyajit Ray, and has also stated that Jean Renoir’s The River and Louis Malle’s documentaries on India were major influences on the film. The film opened to mostly critical praise and is called his most mature film as a writer (it is my favorite film of 2007). Anderson’s 2009 film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, began in 2004 as a stop-motion collaboration between himself and Henry Selick (who had worked on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou), but the studio the picture was set up at folded and Selick left to direct Coraline. Co-written by Noah Baumbach, based on the Roald Dahl story and starring George Clooney and Meryl Streep, the film marked Anderson’s first non-live-action film. However, to give it a naturalistic sound to the voice performances, Anderson recorded the dialogue outside with the actors playing their characters. The film is one of Anderson’s best reviewed films, universally loved by the industries top critics. It was nominated for Best Animated film at the 2010 Oscars. What I like about Anderson’s films is that he expects viewers to have a strong knowledge of cinema (its history, filmmakers and how films are made, the process and aesthetic choices), as if he were making them for people who love and live cinema.

Commercials and Producing:

Anderson has produced all but one of his own films, and he also produced 2005’s The Squid and the Whale, written and directed by his co-writer of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (and subsequently Fantastic Mr. Fox) Noah Baumbach. The film was met with critical acclaim and a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination (it, along with The Darjeeling Limited, is among my favorite 25 films from the past decade). He also helped friend Sofia Coppola cast Bill Murray in her film Lost in Translation (credited with a ‘thanks’). While Anderson is best known for directing features, he also has a successful commercial reel. In 2007 directed a few commercials for AT&T as part of their ‘Your Seamless World’ campaign (Reporter; Actor). Next, he starred and directed an American Express ‘My Life, My Card’ commercial with Jason Schwartzman (here). It is a great commercial for fans of Anderson, as it feels like a spoof both of his films and his perceived personality. In 2008, he directed a SoftBank (a Japanese cell phone) commercial with Brad Pitt, inspired by Jacques Tati’s Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (here). Recently, he directed a few commercials for the Hyundai Azera (Modern Life, which I particularly like, and Talk to My Car).

Wes Anderson Career Highlights:

1)      Bottle Rocket (1996) – director, writer (Blu-ray, DVD)

2)      Rushmore (1998)* – director, writer, producer (Blu-ray, DVD)

3)      The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)* – director, writer, producer (DVD, Streaming)

4)      The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)* – director, writer, producer (DVD, Streaming)

5)      The Squid and the Whale (2005)* – producer (DVD, Streaming)

6)      Hotel Chevalier/The Darjeeling Limited (2007)* – director, writer, producer (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

7)      Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – director, writer, producer (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks

Movie of the Week – The Royal Tenenbaums

This week’s movie is The Royal Tenebaums (2001).

The dramedy is about a family of child prodigies that has grown apart. When their estranged father pretends to have cancer in a veiled attempt to make amends for being an asshole his whole life, the family reunites. It is the third feature film from writer-director Wes Anderson, and it is co-written by Owen Wilson (who also co-wrote Rushmore and Bottle Rocket) – he also has a supporting role. Anderson has the same principal crew from his first two features with composer Mark Mothersbaugh (of Devo), director of photography Robert D. Yeoman and production designer David Wasco. The film has a brilliant cast with Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Bill Murray, Danny Glover, Anjelica Huston, and Owen Wilson. Alec Baldwin serves as the narrator. Anderson’s style is at its apex with The Royal Tenenbaums, building off of Rushmore. Every frame has been specifically designed with no detail left unkempt (I love the paintings in Eli’s house, for example). Just from an artistic perspective, the film is marvelous – should you take the time to watch it multiple times paying attention to the background, how the camera moves and how the blocking is staged. Also, how the images flow with the great soundtrack. However, it is also very good from a comedy and drama perspective. The dry witty humor is wonderful, but the drama and characters are even more powerful. It is quite a sad film really. All these characters are damaged, and while there is reconciliation, many are still left with pain. This is a must-see for fans of Anderson’s work. Check out the trailer.

Available on DVD and Streaming

Movie of the Week – The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

This week’s movie is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).

The comedy is about Steve Zissou, a washed up aquatic adventurer who goes on one last exploration with his team of misfits to find and kill the Jaguar Shark, which ate his best friend and partner when he last encountered it. It is the fourth film from writer-director Wes Anderson, and he co-wrote it with Noah Baumbach. Anderson works with the same teams as his first three films, including composer Mark Mothersbaugh (of Devo) and cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman. New to the team is production designer Mark Friedberg (who also designed Anderson’s film The Darjeeling Limited). The cast is fantastic with Bill Murray starring (giving one of his best post-Groundhog Day performances) and supporting work from Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon, and more. From the animation of Henry Selick to the hysterical deadpan line delivery throughout and the brilliant score/David Bowie covers, The Life Aquatic has a lot to like. It is one of the more underrated films of the decade, encompassing a love of filmmaking mixed with both a very funny comedy and striking almost sad character study. I am a huge fan of the film (and really all of Anderson’s work) and highly recommend it to those looking for a more artistic approach to cinema comedy. Check out the trailer.

Available on DVD and Streaming

Movie of the Week – Ghostbusters

This week’s movie is Ghostbusters (1984).

The adventure comedy is about three scientists who decide to open up a ghost-catching business in New York, the first of its kind – little do they know, business is booming because it is the end of the world. In its original conception, the film was much different – taking place in the future with time travel, and it was written as a vehicle for Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi (but Belushi died). The script by Aykroyd and co-star Harold Ramis was reworked with director Ivan Reitman and star Bill Murray coming on board – Reitman coming off the comedy hits Meatballs and Stripes, both with Murray starring. Murray agreed to take the role if Columbia also made his passion project The Razor’s Edge (a film that I think is very underrated). Another change from the original plan was that John Candy was to feature in the supporting role that went to Rick Moranis (who is great in it) but could not due to scheduling conflicts. The rest of the cast is great with Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Ernie Hudson. The film has an excellent crew with composer Elmer Bernstein (whose score is one of my favorites, if not my favorite), cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs and production designer John DeCuir. What I love about the film is how good a film it really is, and how well it has stood the test of time. Many of the films of my childhood (this chief among them) are not nearly as good now as they were then. But, this is not the case for Ghostbusters. The jokes are still very funny (Bill Murray’s dry zaniness is timeless). The story is tight. The aesthetics, directing and performances are all wonderful. Plus, the film champions New York City and is clearly a NYC film (despite all the interiors being shot in a studio in LA). This is one of those films that everyone should see – cinematic entertainment at its best. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming, and to Rent

Movie of the Week - The Darjeeling Limited

This week’s movie is The Darjeeling Limited (2007).

The comedy is about three brothers who have grown apart. They meet up on a train to take a spiritual quest across India with the hopes to find themselves and reignite their bond as brothers. The short film Hotel Chevalier is part 1 (and included on the DVD release) about Jack’s, one of the brothers, meeting in Paris with his ex-girlfriend, a relationship that had been painful and destructive. The short and feature film are both directed and written by Wes Anderson (the feature is also co-written by Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola). On the film, Anderson again works with cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman and production designer Mark Friedberg (who also did The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou). In addition to his typical use of rock/pop from the 60s and 70s for the score, Anderson also takes a lot of pieces from the Merchant-Ivory films (which inspired this film). The cast mixes frequent Anderson cast members like Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray (who has an awesome cameo during the prologue), Wallace Wolodarsky, Waris Ahluwalia, Kumar Pallana, and Anjelica Huston with great new ones like Adrien Brody, Amara Karan, Irrfan Khan, Barbet Schroeder, Camilla Rutherford, and Natalie Portman (who has a cameo, but co-stars in the short). What makes the film great is the artistic style of it – Anderson’s camera and blocking act as a character in the narrative, adding comedy and drama to the piece. The film is very quirky, but even with eccentric and odd characters the narrative feels very honest and connects to its viewers. Wilson’s performance in particular is very good (maybe the best of his career). Stylistically and character wise, the film fits Anderson’s body of work – but a bit like The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, there is more of an edge to the characters. It is a must for fans of Anderson’s films (it is probably my second favorite after Rushmore), and those who enjoy quirky comedies and/or highly stylistic filmmaking. Check out the trailer.

Available on Criterion Collection Blu-ray, DVD and to rent

Movie of the Week - Lost in Translation

This week’s movie is Lost in Translation (2003).

The film is about two lonely people in Tokyo who meet in a hotel bar, and see each other in the hotel over the course of a few days, forming a deep connection. Written and directed by Sofia Coppola (for which she won a best screenplay Oscar), the film is a beautiful tale. Not to mention the standout work by cinematographer Lance Acord (who always does great work, but this might be his best). Composer Kevin Shields, editor Sarah Flack and production designers K.K. Barrett and Anne Ross also contribute top-notch work to the film, making it the wonderfully aesthetically interesting piece that it is. The cast is also very good, with fun bit parts from Anna Farris and Giovanni Ribisi. Co-stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson are both marvelous, giving (possibly) the best performances of their careers. Murray is hilarious in his culture-clashing interactions, but there is a deep sadness to him as well, while Johansson is sweet with an innocent quality to her. What makes the film great is that while nothing really happens, it is completely engaging being both funny and sad. This is a must see for fans of Murray and good cinema, as this is certainly among the best from the last decade (and one of my favorites). Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com or to rent at Netflix.com

Movie of the Week - Rushmore

This week’s movie is Rushmore (1998).

The comedy is about a boy, Max, whose whole life revolves around going to school at Rushmore Academy – so much so that he is the founder and participant in many clubs and activities at the school – but he is also one of the worst students they have. Max falls for a new young teacher and after hatching a grand scheme to win her affections is kicked out of Rushmore. He now must find himself and a new life outside the school. Directed by aesthetics aficionado and master Wes Anderson (who stages everything in every shot) based on the screenplay by himself and Owen Wilson (Anderson is college friends with the Wilsons), the film features Anderson’s directing at its best – shots and scenes are presented as if acts or scenes in a play (which is then taken even further by having plays acted out in the film). Anderson uses the same principal crew members for many of his films and Rushmore has essentially the same crew as his first feature Bottle Rocket. His collaboration with these people enables him to prefect his craft as a director and put out the film just how he wants it to be. His work with director of photography Robert D. Yeoman has always been excellent. Devo front-man Mark Mothersbaugh provides a really great score, accompanied by Anderson’s perfectly placed found music. Editor David Moritz and production designer David Wasco round out the principal group that made Rushmore one of the most aesthetically interesting and innovation films of the 90’s and helped Anderson establish a foothold in Hollywood as an auteur. The film has a great cast overall with good supporting characters, but it is the three leads that truly are wonderful – Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray and Olivia Williams. What makes this film great is its quirky comedy and filmmaking. It is certainly on of the best films of the decade (one of my top 25 favorite all-time films) and a must see of film fans. Check out the trailer.

Available on Criterion Collection and DVD on Amazon.com or to rent at Netflix.com

Movie of the Week - Cradle Will Rock

This week’s movie is Cradle Will Rock (1999).

The film is about politics and art in 1930s America, focused around a liberal musical drama and the attempts to stop its production. Directed by Tim Robbins (its sort of a follow-up to Bob Roberts thematically), the film is a mix between comedy and drama with musical numbers. What makes this film great is its cast and scope. There are wonderful performances throughout, but the film is highlighted by Angus Macfadyen’s Orson Welles and Cary Elwes’s John Houseman constantly arguing. John Cusack plays Nelson Rockefeller, Ruben Blades as Diego Rivera and many other fine performances capture real people (check out the full credits), while there are also fictional characters, like Bill Murray’s vaudevillian ventriloquist, coming to the realization that his era is ending – mirroring industrialist capitalists facing the advent of unions. The scope of the film is vast, encompassing the mood on multiple levels of the time period. The film also features great numbers from the musical it is centered by, along with original music from David Robbins and wonderful cinematography by Jean-Yves Escoffier. For those interested in the period, it is a must see. Check out the trailer.

Cradle Will Rock [DVD]

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – Review

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a wondrous film, composed of adventure, artistic aesthetic sensibility and wry wit. The film is outwardly quirky and yet has a certain charm to it, much like the other works of director Wes Anderson. It is ambitious and tedious in its presentation, in that it spares no detail in its visual composite, every shot, every article of clothing, prop, gesture, camera movement, everything was meticulously designed and executed. Much like Hitchcock, Anderson uses his camera actively and knows exactly how the film will look and play before shooting even commences, and to this degree he is surely one of the prominent auteurs working today. So what does this mean for the film? Anderson and animation director Mark Gustafson have created an astounding piece of art. The film is completely analog with all animation done manually through stop-motion. It is something to behold on a purely aesthetic level. At first, the film seems completely surreal, the animation almost feels foreign, but that fades rapidly, helped along by the well-known voice work, leaving very real characters. The animation becomes warm and inviting and the style meshes quite well with the subject matter. This film is not like anything else seen in Hollywood in some time. As for the narrative structure of the film, it is put together much like the films of the silent era and classic animation, starting with a book opening to the first page and titles that track to progression of the story. The structure works well, but for a film that is just an hour and a half, there are still a few moments where the film does drag a bit. Thus, the storytelling is not as tight as it need be. Maybe that is due to the changing expectations of audiences, most films now have a high number of action beats versus past periods; but like many other aspects of this film, it feels like a classic and not a new release. The story takes its time. It allows for characters to have moments and is not caught up in action for action’s sake. Rather action plays as the story dictates. Anderson has also created a very referential film here. There are a number of allusions to past works and genres. The use of genre in the film is also remarkable. While having an overall feel of adventure and comedy, the film employs other genres to connect to its audience. For example, there is a scene in which the whole town, guns in hand, is waiting for the animals to emerge from their hole. Through shot selection and music cues this scene very much feels like it is straight out of a western, even though it takes place in England and is between townsfolk and anamorphic animals. The ability to use genres effectively by the filmmakers allows the film to bring the audience into the moment without much exposition. It is not often that a director can mesh multiple genres effectively, but Anderson has done so here. The film at its core is about being yourself, accepting who you are and loving and ultimately empowering yourself, as told through a number of diverse characters. Roald Dahl’s work holds up and comes to life, but the adaptation by Anderson and Noah Baumbach gets more to the heart of the story they wanted to tell, which can be seen in the addition of Ash and Kristofferson. Anderson and Baumbach also employ a fair amount of dry humor, possibly spotlighted in the argument between Mr. Fox and his lawyer, Badger. The humor adds another level of enjoyment that adult viewers will appreciate. The voice acting is perfect for the wit and dryness that Anderson wanted to achieve, highlighted by George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Jason Schwartzman work. Anderson’s brother Eric Chase Anderson is also very good voicing Kristofferson. Music selection is trademark of Anderson’s style, and here the selections are unexpected but work quite well. Alexandre Desplat, continuing his trend of late, provides a rich score that works well with the visuals of the film to create an overall atmosphere of adventure and playfulness, but the score is also able to capture the dramatic scenes. If the audience can buy into the animation, to the world of Fantastic Mr. Fox, they are in for a treat of a film. 9/10

Bill Murray – Movies Spotlight – November 2009

Bill Murray, 62, is known for his wacky humor, dry wit, and deadpan delivery – and as one of the comic geniuses to emerge out of the early days of SNL. He continues to be not only one of the funniest but also one of the best actors working today. This month he is featured in the supporting voice role of Badger in the upcoming new film from Wes Anderson, Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Early Career:

Bill Murray got his start on SNL in 1977 as one of the troupe’s stars. In 1979, he made the jump to his feature lead debut in Meatballs and quickly parlayed that into breakthrough supporting roles in Caddyshack and Tootsie, both of which are generally considered to be movie stealing outings by Murray.

In Caddyshack, Murray’s antics are pitted against many of the top comedians of the late 70s and early 80s including Rodney Dangerfield and Chevy Chase, and yet it was Murray that made the biggest impression and garnered adoring fans. It is also with Caddyshack that Murray first worked with future multi-collaborator Harold Ramis, who was directing.

Tootsie was nominated for multiple Oscars in 1983, though Murray’s supporting role was not recognized with a nomination, but in retrospect, his performance is considered the highlight of the film.

Collaborations with Ivan Reitman:

However, it was Murray’s collaborations with Ivan Reitman that made him a star. First, getting his feature break in Reitman’s Meatballs, and then in Stripes. It was the director and actor’s third film together that propelled Murray to international fame – Ghostbusters. Reteaming with SNL buddy Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, Ghostbusters perfectly brought together comedy, special effects and adventure the make it one of the biggest blockbusters of the 80s, spawning the next collaborations between Reitman and Murray, Ghostbusters II and the upcoming Ghostbusters III (assuming it ever actually happens).

Personal Projects:

With the success of Stripes, Tootsie and Caddyshack, Murray had his choice of any project. It was in his best interest to continue make bigger releases like Ghostbusters. So he made a few forgettable comedies like Scrooged and Ghostbusters II, and took a supporting role in Little Shop of Horrors to round out the 80s.

However, he then turned his attention to a more personal project in The Razor’s Edge, a film that he got Columbia Pictures to finance for doing Ghostbusters, an idea he got from Aykroyd, not being able to find a studio to make the film. Here, Murray took a role to grow as an actor, which features his unique quirkiness but also the film has a lot of sadness to it. The film is about a man who serves as a stretcher-barrier during WWI. He is not quite able to recover from the tragedies that he experiences in the war, and so upon his return stateside, he is unable to be with the women he loves and moves to France. The film deals with his journey to find enlightenment and love. The film was not well received at the time, as most people wanted Murray to be funny as opposed to a serious actor, but the film is quite good and deserves another look.

Murray next tried his hand at directing, as he (actor/producer) and Howard Franklin (writer) could not agree on a new director with Jonathan Demme dropping out, with Quick Change, a bank heist comedy co-starring Randy Quaid and Geena Davis; this would be the only time that Murray would be in the director’s chair, again the film was not well received.

1990s, Some Good, Most bad:

The early to mid-90s saw Murray make a hit, and couple cult favorites, and a few not so good movies. 

Murray decided to collaborate again with Harold Ramis, a partnership that had blossomed both critical and commercial successes for the pair. Groundhog Day is the highlight of this part of Murray’s career. It perfectly mixes his brand of comedy with philosophical questions about humanity. However, Murray and Ramis often argued about the tone of the film (Murray wanted it to be more philosophical, while Ramis wanted it to be a comedy) and they had a falling out and have yet to work together again.

Murray then took supporting parts in Tim Burton's Ed Wood and The Farrelly Brothers' Kingpin, in both of which he delivers scene-stealing performances. The rest of this time was spent toiling around in subpar films, highlighted by the absurd Wild Things and the awful Larger Than Life.

Rebirth, Collaborations with Wes Anderson and Jim Jarmusch/Lost in Translation:

Starting in 1998 with Rushmore, Murray reinvented himself as hip once again, whether it was by his project choices, or the new directors that he started working with, he became popular again for a new generation (and a new audience). He transformed himself as the go-to comedian for the independent scene.

Wes Anderson, coming off the indie success of Bottle Rocket, cast Murray as the co-lead in his film Rushmore, which sees Murray battle Jason Schwartzman for the affections of a school teacher. Murray’s performance is wonderful, mixing dry humor, sadness, and hope. There is a sense that their budding friendship saves each of the characters’ lives.

Anderson would continue to work with Murray in some capacity on all his future projects, seeing Murray in supporting roles in The Royale Tenenbaums and upcoming Fantastic Mr. Fox, a cameo in The Darjeeling Limited, and starring in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, another film in which Murray is able to show his great capacity for emotion with almost effortless style, blending dryness and sadness. Murray also kills in a supporting role in Anderson’s latest film Moonrise Kingdom.

With Jim Jarmusch, Murray delves deeper into the indie scene starring first in a film involving a series of conversations in cafes, Coffee and Cigarettes, and then in Broken Flowers, about a man in search of his son, who is in turn looking for him. Murray is also featured in a supporting role in Jarmusch’s latest, The Limits of Control.

Sticking with the indie scene, Murray also made Tim Robbins's fantastic ensemble musical about the turmoil of the 1930s New York, Cradle Will Rock, playing an aging relic (aka a vaudevillian ventriloquist). He then took a chance in a supporting role in Ethan Hawke's reimaging of Hamlet, following it with Andy Garcia's passion project about Havana The Lost City.

In Sofia Coppola's wonderful Lost in Translation, a role that would earn him his first and only Oscar nomination (which he sadly did not win), Murray is brilliant, turning in possibly the best work of his career.

With the critical success of Rushmore and Lost in Translation, along with his masterfully perfect performances in each, Murray has reestablished himself as not only a top comedian, but more importantly as a top actor. However, a purely independent career does not pay the bills (at least not the bills of a movie star), nor does it get an actor the exposure to a broad audience.

Other Films:

So, Murray also took many Hollywood roles during his time reimagining himself. Most supporting parts, Murray notably co-starred in Charlie’s Angels, Osmosis Jones and the lead voice role in the two Garfield films.

Lately, Murray has taken roles in Gil Kenan's follow-up to Monster House, the underrated City of Ember, the indie crime drama Get Low, and he plays FDR in Hyde Park on Hudson.

Cameos:

For those who remember Space Jam from the 90s, know that Murray can be excellent in cameo appearances, and that still continues today. Murray has featured in a few films through memorable cameos in recent years. Some of which work, his cameo in The Darjeeling Limited as a man trying to catch his train at the beginning of the film is likely the best opening to a Wes Anderson film to date. Some of which do not, his cameo in Get Smart, like the movie, is not very good or funny. And some of which steal the movie, his cameo in Zombieland is the highlight of the film as he reenacts a scene from Ghostbusters and pretends to be a zombie.

Future Projects:

Upcoming, Murray is set to feature in both George Clooney’s new film The Monuments Men and Wes Anderson’s seventh feature The Grand Budapest Hotel – both due in late 2013

The Monuments Men is about a crew of art historians who set out on a mission to rescue and recover renowned works of art stolen by the Nazis, before Hitler destroys them. In addition to Clooney and Murray, the film also features Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin, and John Goodman.

As impressive as the cast Clooney has assembled is, Anderson has him beat with The Grand Budapest Hotel. It stars (in addition to Murray) Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, and Mathieu Amalric. The film takes place is the 1930s and 1960s and is about Mr. Gustave, the hotel’s concierge, as he deals with the guests while trying to train his protégé.

Career Highlights:

1)      SNL (1977-1980) – main cast member (DVD, Streaming)

2)      Meatballs (1979) – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

3)      Caddyshack (1980) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

4)      Stripes (1981) – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

5)      Tootsie (1982) – supporting (DVD, Streaming, Trailer)

6)      Ghostbusters (1984)* – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

7)      The Razor’s Edge (1984) – writer, lead (DVD, Trailer)

8)      Little Shop of Horrors (1986) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

9)      Groundhog Day (1993)* – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

10)   Ed Wood (1994) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

11)   Kingpin (1996) – supporting (DVD, Trailer)

12)   Rushmore (1998)* – lead (Blu-ray, Trailer)

13)   Cradle Will Rock (1999) – supporting (DVD, Trailer)

14)   The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

15)   Lost in Translation (2003)* – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

16)   The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)* – lead (DVD, Streaming, Trailer)

17)   Broken Flowers (2005) – lead (DVD, Streaming, Trailer)

18)   The Darjeeling Limited (2007) – cameo (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

19)   Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

20)   Moonrise Kingdom (2012) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

*Editor’s picks