Wes Anderson is not just one of the most gifted screenwriters and directors of the 21st century – he is his own genre. Perfect 90-degree camera perspectives, bizarre figures and lovingly arranged compositions of confused stories define every work of the American filmmaker.
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With hardly a director, the A-League actors of Hollywood stand so in line to get a role (or even just a cameo appearance) in a film. If you have time, you should definitely work through the entire filmography of Wes Anderson. You can read here which five films should not be missing.
5. Darjeeling Limited
Three brothers, a deceased father, a alienated mother who heads a Christian monastery in India and a journey to self -discovery. Wes Anderson himself once said about his film “Darjeeling Limited” from 2007 that the idea of a film had appealed to him for a long time: “I always wanted to make a film on the train because I like the idea of a moving place. He goes forward how the story is going forward.”
In “Darjeeling Limited”, Francis (Owen Wilson) organizes a reunification with his younger brothers Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman), who have not seen each other since their father’s death. In order to bring the siblings closer to each other, the three according to Franci’s instructions take excursions, rituals carry out rituals and not only embarrass each other, but also before the irritated locals. Only a dramatic rescue operation makes the three brothers feel a new feeling of cohesion and community – both in terms of themselves, their parents and the country in which they are in.
At the time of publication, “Darjeeling Limited” has developed into a modern classic that laid the foundation for later masterpieces of Wes Anderson such as “Moonrise Kingdom” and “The Grand Hotel Budapest”. The colors, the dynamics, the dry-abstruse humor-all of this makes “Darjeeling Limited” a true Anderson film.
4. The fantastic Mr. Fox
“The fantastic Mr. Fox” is the kind of surprise that you don’t see. Who could have thought that Wes Anderson was completely reinventing the genre of stop-motion films with just one work? The animated film based on the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl tells the story of Mr. Fox (in the original spoken by George Clooney), who has a peaceful life with his wife Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep), her shared son Ash (Jason Schwartzman) and Cousin Kristoffersen (Eric Chase Anderson) – at least until the moment when the adjacent farmers Walter Boggis, Nathan Bunce and Franklin Bean caught chicken claws. Without further ado, the three farmers develop the plan to bring the fox to the route, which starts a rapid chase, which ends with a fleeing of several animals into the sewage system.
Wes Anderson opted for the traditional stop-motion style, which includes the use of twelve pictures per second. A remedy that has paid off: “The fantastic Mr. Fox” shines primarily because of its rawness and unpolished charm. The film, which was also nominated for an Oscar as a best animated film in 2010, acted accordingly as a springboard for a new artistic direction of the director, which was still pursued by the 2018 film “Isle of Dogs – Ataris Reise”.
3. Moonrise Kingdom
One morning the nerded scout Sam (Jared Gilman) does not appear to the appeal and so an abstruse chase is developing under the direction of supervisor Ward (Edward Norton) and island police officer Sharp (Bruce Willis). On a Rhode Island in the typical WESDELSON-RETRO-Chic, the search drives the plot of “Moonrise Kingdom”. But what motivates the film from 2012 is the burgeoning love story between the two growing twelve -year -olds Sam and Suzy (Kara Hayward).
Above all, Sam and Suzy have in common that they do not feel understood by the world. What was initially a penalty friendship becomes reality when-for great love-run away with battery record players and a cat in the transport box. After the escape finally came to rest, in your idyllic tent camp, dance a wonderfully euphoric freedom-boogie-woogie to the sound of your suitcase player. For me editor Annett Scheffel one of the 10 most beautiful vinyl moments.
The location is heading against the backdrop of a storm falling. The scouts are armed as part of the (actually non -violent) rescue operation, which ends in a battle with the fleeting lovers. Director Wes Anderson performs the absurdities of the adult world in any adult figure and at the same moment holds the camera on the two heroes who themselves have to deal with the hurdles of growing up.
2. The Royal Tenenbaums
The quota sprinkler among the WESDENSON films. After the filmmaker was able to come up with several short films, commercials and first feature films such as “1996) and” Rushmore “(1998), he had a trick with” The Royal Tenenbaums “in 2001. Not only the subtle strange and yet melancholic atmosphere, but also the black -humorous representation of a bourgeois family, “The Royal Tenenbaums” has made one of Anderson’s most relevant and best works.
When Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) returns to his family after a few years of separation, he recognizes his (ex-) wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston) and whose three children Richie (Luke Wilson), Margot (Gwynth Paltrow) and Chas (Ben Stiller): The formerly so intelligent and athletic springs developed into neurotic people and his former woman developed Plant to marry the tax advisor Henry Sherman. Without further ado, Tenenbaum deceived cancer to get closer to his family – with unexpected consequences. In a survey by the BBC, the film even reached the 68th place in the 100 most important films of the 21st century.
1. Grand Budapest Hotel
“Grand Budapest Hotel” tells the story of the concierge Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) and his Protegé Zéro Moustafa (Tony Revolori), who began his training as “lobby boy” in the said hotel in 1932. Both are soon involved in a murder case when the female -converting Gustave is to receive the legacy of the old and difficult Madame D. (Tilda Swinton), which, however, died under mysterious circumstances. Together with Zéros loved Agatha (Saoirse Ronan), the two then have to flee the two in front of the contract killer JG Jopling (Willem Dafoe) and Madame DS son, Dmitri Desgoffe (Adrien Brody) in order to bring both themselves and the inherited painting “Young with apple”.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” combines all special elements, clever steps and Weirdo incomes from Wes Anderson in a stunning work. Be it the decorated storyline, the interwoven narrative levels, the visual details or the cinematographic sophistication – all the prices with which the film from 2014 was overwhelmed are more than justified. The work convinces with a fantastic line-up, including Ralph Fiennes as the arrogant-charming Gustave H., Tony Revolori as the naive lobby boy Zéro Moustafa or Adrien Brody as a jealous and greedy inheritance.