“Set in the 1960s, a pair of young lovers flee their New England island town, prompting a local search party led by the Sheriff and the girl’s parents to fan out and find them.”
1. "the casting is inspired" In response to Reply # 0
that image of Edward Norton as the nerdly camp leader is priceless. everyone else looks like they're not *quite* in the right film but in a perfectly thoughtful way.
i have to admit i'm kinda intrigued based on the cast tho.
I must admit, when I read the synopsis, I never imagined the "young lovers" to be kids. Seeing kids in the main roles kinda threw me off for a moment. However, the casting (Ed Norton, Schwarztman, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Bruce Willis- is amazing. I had no idea Bruce Willis was involved!
The film seems to have a strong fantasy element, in term of the set design and aesthetics in general, as if the fantasy of Fantastic Mr. Fox carried over. I like it.
6. "Either Royal Tennebaum or The Darjeeling Limited right?" In response to Reply # 4
Anderson can be super indulgent (The Darjeeling Limited). The bad sign is that this was written with Roman Coppola who he also co-wrote The Darjeeling Limited. It seems Owen Wilson was the writing partner for his first three films. Maybe that's the collaboration that makes the difference.
********** the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.
10. "No love for Royal T?" In response to Reply # 9
********** the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.
13. "Saw this shit yesterday morning...great fucking flick" In response to Reply # 0
Wes knocks another one out of the park. Everyone kills it. Only problem is sometimes I felt like I was watching a pedophile film. Some of the shit those two kids do I was like eeehhhh...
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 65926 posts
Thu May-24-12 08:04 AM
28. "I loved the scene you're talking about." In response to Reply # 13
Felt honest. Lord knows when I was 12, even though I didn't know SHIT about women, kissing, sex, etc., I definitely woulda jumped at the chance to find out, lol. Plus there are enough one-liners thrown in that it never gets uncomfortably intimate (to be honest, no encounters that are even remotely sexual when you're 12 are *truly* intimate anyway).
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 65926 posts
Thu May-24-12 08:02 AM
27. "It's his most straightforward comedy to date. I really liked it." In response to Reply # 0
Anderson's style is at its strongest when presenting the world from a child's point of view-- it's really always children's-book-ish in both look and sound, so it's not a surprise that a movie about two kids would be one of his best.
There's less emphasis on the bittersweet here-- he never really leans on it, just allowing it to exist within the action instead of lingering (one of the main things I didn't like about Aquatic and Darjeeling, these turns to darkness that seemed to insist to the watcher that the films were "deep"). In fact, some of the more emotional moments are broken up by big laughs-- an instant classic Anderson one-liner comes from the kid during what could be a sad dark moment at one point.
Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman are by far the adults most at ease with the Anderson dialogue, but Willis' role is pretty tailored to him and Norton does good work. (I also was surprised by how comfortable Keitel seemed with his moments.) But the stars are the kids-- they give us a 60s European romance through 12 year olds, which not only had me consistently laughing but also got me strangely emotionally invested by the end. It's never as moving as Rushmore or the best parts of Tenenbaums, but it's definitely his best flick otherwise.
It'll all rely on whether you dig the kids or not. And although the romance will make some somewhat uncomfortable, it feels real and stays funny. Kudos to Anderson for pulling off at least one of the scenes that he does with that romance.
33. "Really, really dug it." In response to Reply # 0
Loved the performances of the kids (the boy in particular had his own kind of nerd swag that was dope), as well as what Bruce and Edward Norton gave us. It seemed like Bill Murray was just there, not that that's a big complaint but it seemed if you got rid of him you wouldn't be missing very much, other than the chance to see Bill shirtless carrying an ax.
The story held together pretty well, I was glad that the kids running away didn't take up the entire run time. Loved the unpredictability of how everything played out.
I thought it was very cute, innocent (even with the kids dancing in their drawls by the lake) and inventive. I think that after this and The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson is back on track...
36. "RE: They shot this in RI..yet its not playing here." In response to Reply # 34
Is the Avon the only "art-house" in providence? That's the only one I know of. If so, that sucks, because they only have one fucking screen. I bet it will be at least a couple weeks before they show Moonrise Kingdom...
35. "a parable for adults, and refreshingly earnest." In response to Reply # 0 Sat Jun-02-12 12:01 AM by will_5198
the kids here are grown-ups, and the grown-ups are kids -- it's role reversal, playing on Anderson's trademark of adult adolescence.
there's more gravity to the kids' actions (they fight with guns and knives; the adults throw shoes at each other), and they possess a candidness we seem to lose as adults. kids are direct -- Sam and Suzy speak their feelings, even if they harm. contrast that with the incompetent adults, who talk around their issues or keep them internalized with an audio diary. the chase for Sam and Suzy, coupled with a Biblical act, finally make few of them confront the difference.
as far as the aesthetic -- and that's a big part of every Anderson movie -- the visual storybook style is perfect. more reined in than some of his past work, and helped by a focus on kids (who play better to his idiosyncrasies than adults).
38. "Really really enjoyed this" In response to Reply # 0
Up there with FMF ~~~~ When you are born, you cry, and the world rejoices. Live so that when you die, you rejoice, and the world cries. ~~~~ You cannot hate people for their own good.
43. "the contrast between their relationship and the kids'" In response to Reply # 40
was both acute and affectingly basic. as lawyers, I'm sure they analyzed every plus and minus before getting married -- yet their inability to communicate honestly drove them apart (megaphone = talking loud without saying anything). that bedroom scene was probably their most genuine moment in years.
41. "I really enjoyed it" In response to Reply # 0
Took a friend who's never seen a Wes film and she was tickled pink. I was laughing loud at a few of the gags in the film. I love the humor in these types of films. Wes movies always make me feel by the end that I should be doing more with my life. The kids always seems to have it figured out.
44. "My favorite movie of 2012 so far" In response to Reply # 0
This movie was awesome. That dialogue was great to me, and the acting was perfect. There were parts I was laughing just watching them make faces at each other.
I will definitely buy this movie, cuz I will show a chick this movie and see if she likes it.
¿If a fat guy falls in the woods and there is no one around to see it, do the trees laugh?
Easily my second favorite Wes flick after Royal Ts (and RT is in my top 10 of the last 12 years). I loved that he returned to that obsessive painterly framing of shots and keeping the colors of shots/scenes in the same palette / mood. that style of shooting just really keeps me inside of the film, geeking at the little things that bring frames to life.
the development of the characters is balanced and emotive, and the acting by the two main youth, Bruce, Norton, Tilda and McDormand is damn near perfection. Schwarts and Keitel's cameos were nice too.
it was a clever quiet comedy that was very dark at times, and used youth to tell an adult story. the scene once they get to what they eventually name MK is a bit pederast, but it works.
overall this is my favorite film of the year, tied with The Grey, and solidifies Wes as top 5 current working director in my book, really top 3 with PTA and Inarritu. i got his filmography as follows 1. RT 2. MK 3. Fox 4. TLA 5. DL 6. Rushmore (will never see or agree on this films greatness, ever. it bores me to shit at times)
It's in my top 10 for the year (still have a few to see) for sure.
My ranking of Wes Anderson flicks:
1. Rushmore 2. Fantastic Mr. Fox 3. Moonrise Kingdom 4. The Life Aquatic 5. Bottle Rocket 6. Royal Tenenbaums
I didn't see Darjeeling Limited.
I will never understand the hate for Life Aquatic, nor will I understand the love for Royal Tenenbaums, but I can say all his movies are decent at the very least. I love the SHIT out of Fantastic Mr. Fox...moreso than most.
------------------------------ @ryanrmoran
"If anything, the Mavs' dominance this early means they'll be smoking people by mid-season." - Orbit_Established, 10/30/2012
57. "Life Aquatic felt "forced"" In response to Reply # 56 Thu Jan-03-13 09:03 AM by magilla vanilla
There are some great set-pieces in it, but I don't know, I can never really get invested in that movie. And I should want to, because it's the most Bill Murray, who's the most perfect actor for Anderson's stuff. But it just feels. . . distant or cold, where Tenenbaums is driven, I feel, by warmth. Royal's fuckups are all driven by joie de vivre and overwhelming love for the family that he doesn't know how to express. Whereas Zissou feels like he's sleepwalking.
Maybe that's really it- Hackman is really the most perfect actor for Anderson, while Bill is better suited as a support or "second lead" role like Rushmore, where the melancholy he does so well with Wes doesn't drag the film down.
58. "Why can I not bring mself to watch this movie?" In response to Reply # 0
Really liked Rushmore. Liked Bottle rockets. Loved Royal Tennebaums. Enjoyed Life Acqautic. But by Darjeeling Limited I really reacted very negatively to the Wes Anderson look and feel. Darjeeling Limited just seemed super self-indulgent and I kind of had enough of it.
SO bad so that on a Saturday night with nothing to watch, I decided to watch nothing rather than watch this film. Cast seems impressive but the trailer did nothing for me. weird.
********** "naive as the dry leaves on the ground looking past the trees to the blue sky asking 'why me?'" -Blu
