The Works of Wes Anderson
Can we talk about Wes Anderson for a minute? “Wes Anderson who?” For those of you who actually pay attention to good films and know who Anderson is, you can skip to the next paragraph. For those of you who seriously don’t know who this Wes Anderson guy is, let me crack an egg of knowledge on you. Wes Anderson is a director/screenwriter known for his quirky, dark dramatic comedies. He often casts Owen Wilson (who is also sometimes Anderson’s co-writer), Luke Wilson, and Bill Murray in various roles of varying prominence. He’s also gotten some acting icons like James Caan, Angelica Huston, Meryl Streep, and Gene Hackman to grace his films. He’s directed Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and, most recently, Moonrise Kingdom. Maybe you saw him in that American Express commercial from way back when where he’s directing a scene from a movie starring Jason Schwartzmann. Honestly, though, if you don’t know who he is by now then maybe his work isn’t your cup of tea. Maybe Step Up 14: The Last Handstand or The Expendables 7: Where is My Stunt Double? might be more your speed. Okay, moving on. I started watching Anderson’s films while I was in high school and I began with his first film Bottle Rocket. After that, I was hooked. I can’t really pinpoint what it is I like about his films. They’re very calculated-looking, meaning that you can tell a lot went into what the characters were going to wear, how the sets were going to look, what typewriter should be used in a certain scene, etc. A lot of his characters want to be greater than they actually are, something to which everyone can relate. The soundtracks are almost always pitch-perfect (notably Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums). When you’re watching a Wes Anderson film, you know it. It just has this unique feel to it that other films just don’t have. Here are my top three Wes Anderson films:
The Royal Tenenbaums
This was, for a very long time, my favorite film (it’s since been replaced with Sideways). A man, Royal Tenenbaum, tries to reconcile with his family (a family which has ostracized him) by telling them he has cancer. In minor and major ways, he has affected the lives of his wife and his three children. But this is no ordinary family. His wife is a brilliant archaeologist; his oldest son is a great (well, once great) tennis player; his other son was a business whiz before he even hit puberty; and his adopted daughter is a celebrated, albeit depressed, writer. They have all succeeded in one way or another, but none are happy. Everyone is missing something. Royal hopes it’s him.
Margot: You probably don’t even know my middle name.
Royal: That’s a trick question. You don’t have one.
Margot: Helen.
Royal: That was my mother’s name.
Margot: I know it was.
Rushmore
I must admit that my main attraction to this film is Bill Murray. To quote a line from one of my favorite defunct shows (Freaks and Geeks), “Bill Murray is the funniest man on the face of the planet.” In Rushmore, he’s funny, but in a different way. His character, Herman Blume, is a subdued, bored rich man who hates his family (even his family portrait has him painted with an almost painful look on his face). Enter Max Fischer. Max (Jason Schwartzmann) is an overachiever at Rushmore Academy, but he overachieves at things that aren’t worth a damn. Who cares if he’s the founder of the Trap and Skeet Club? Anyway, Herman and Max fall for the same woman, a teacher at Max’s school. The plot might not entice you, but Bill Murray’s performance should.
Herman: (giving a speech to the students at Rushmore) You guys have it real easy. I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn’t matter. You were born rich and you’re going to stay rich. But here’s my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything, but they can’t buy backbone. Don’t let them forget it. Thank you.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
This film is different from all other Anderson films because it is stop-motion animation and I guess you could say it’s a kid’s film. But, no worries, adults can find plenty to enjoy here too (“What the cuss?”). This film is peppered with some of the finest actors’ voices around: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Willem Dafoe, and Bill Murray. Oh, Jason Schwartzmann is in this one too. I’m not one for kid films (I’ve only seen Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King once and I was actually a kid when those movies came out), but it’s actually pretty funny and the soundtrack is a little quirkier than normal, but I still own it.
Franklin Bean: What are you singing, Petey?
Petey:… I just kind of made it up as I went along, really.
Franklin Bean: That’s just weak songwriting! You wrote a bad song, Petey!