Movie Review: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Saoirse Ronan, Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Owen Wilson, Mathieu Amalric, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson

I mentioned in my reviews of Bottle Rocket and Moonrise Kingdom that Wes Anderson has a very distinct style and vision with every film. Film goers should know going in what to expect from the universe he creates each time, yet know there will be surprises and gems along the way to revel in. His latest film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, may just be his most ambitious story yet.

The story of The Grand Budapest Hotel and one of its concierges has inspired a book that has left a lasting impression on its readers throughout the decades since its release. It's author (Wilkinson) looks back at where it all started. As a young writer (now played by Jude Law), he sat down with Zero Moustafa (Abraham) who still maintains the luxury hotel despite the fact it has seen its better days. The customers are few and far between, but he still lives in the same quaint room he once lived in when he was just a small lobby boy. The hotel rests in the fictional Republic of Zumbrowka somewhere in Central Europe.

As a young lobby boy Moustafa (Revolori) worked under the guidance of M. Gustave H. (Fiennes), the concierge and life of The Grand Budapest Hotel. M. Gustave H. was a beloved man who ran the hotel with a distinct style and directness. He always had these special relationships with many of his female guests, one of them being the wealthy 84-year-old Madame D (Swinton). She is found dead of an apparent murder and the mystery of her death leaves everyone scrambling. As family and friends gather for the reading of her will, it is revealed that Gustave has been bequeathed her painting "Boy with Apple" which sets off a fury of anger at the hands of her son Dmitri (Brody). He accuses Gustave of her murder in order to get that painting. Gustave and Zero are able to escape with the painting without the family knowing. It is not long before Gustave is put in jail for the murder of Madame D. Zero uses the help of local baker Agatha (Ronan) to help Gustave escape from prison.

Where do I even begin when it comes to a movie that is so full of delicious morsels and layers to feast upon? One of the things I love about Anderson as a writer is that he always comes up with these wildly imaginative characters. As an actor, I would relish in playing any role he has written. It is quite apparent that actors love to work with him as he has a repertory of actors that are always willing to come out and play. No matter how big or small the part happens to be, these actors put their egos aside (ahem, Edward Norton) and give it their all. Whether they carry the movie like Ralph Fiennes or have a couple of scenes like Owen Wilson or Jason Schwartzman, it is quite apparent that Anderson cares about his actors and that his characters are vital aspects to every one of his movies. The make-up and costume designers must have a field day knowing they have this wild palette to incorporate their touches to make each individual stand out from the next. Here's hoping they receive some recognition from the Academy next year.

If your local movie theater pays attention to the instructions it received, you will notice that the film will be shown in three different aspect ratios according to the various timelines that the story covers. All three ratios are within the 1.85:1 ratio. Anderson and his longtime cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman have specifically shot the film with these framing ratios in the mind. You will notice that the during the 1930s segment, the picture is in a square shaped framing ratio. Many films of the time period like The Wizard of Oz were shown in this ratio. This idea and the cinematography with it adds some interesting dimensions you don't always find in movies these days. What I love about the Anderson and Yeoman collaboration is that you could look at any frame from this movie and there is a story within itself.

The Grand Budapest Hotel covers all sorts of genres of storytelling, and Anderson captures each one of them with just the right touch that is needed. Sometimes comedies that cross genres feel a bit off. Tropic Thunder tried that, but I thought it was pretty unsuccessful. This zany madcap fun ride is a mix of comedy, adventure/action, murder mystery, and a little love story. It’s hard not to think about certain films of the past like The Shining with its orange color palette and historic hotel feel. It really makes me miss these types of hotels that have beautiful architecture, character, and stories within its walls. I have stayed at many old hotels in Europe over the years, and the big hotel chains just don’t have the same sort of character. The ensemble comedic caper aspect of the film brings me back to Clue and Murder by Death. The moment where Zero and Gustave are zipping through the snowy mountains reminded me of some of James Bond’s adventures. It is evident that Anderson has been inspired by the caper films of the past.

Anderson’s rich script is wordy and witty with so much juicy text and wordplay it will take a couple of viewings to take it all in. His cast, led by the incomparable Ralph Fiennes, have taken on these characters that are far different than their usual fare. Fiennes may just have one of the best characters Anderson has ever created. Tilda Swinton is another scene-stealer despite her limited time on screen. I cannot wait to see it again as there is so much to pick up and study upon each viewing.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? YES. Wes Anderson is ALWAYS worth a trip to the movies in my book.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Review: THE MONUMENTS MEN

THE MONUMENTS MEN
Director: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin, Dimitri Leonidas, Cate Blanchett

As we all know George Clooney is a man of many talents. He has won Oscars for acting (Syriana) and producing (Argo) and has been nominated for his writing and directing efforts (Good Night, and Good Luck). These are just some of the high caliber credits under his belt. Plus, he is pretty darn good to look at on any given day of the week. His latest project, The Monuments Men, has him wearing many hats again as he acts, directs, writes, and produces the film. He enlisted the help of an all-star cast with Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, and his good pal Matt Damon. This all sounds like a winning combination for this little known lesson in art history.

Lieutenant Frank Stokes (Clooney) has been granted permission from President Roosevelt to form a troop of men to rescue precious buildings, monuments, and art that could be lost and damaged in the war or stolen by Hitler’s men for the Fuhrer museum. The group known as “The Monuments Men” consists of various architects, art historians, and curators who are not fit for war by any means. The physical aspects of boot camp pose a challenge for some of the men.  Their experience with firing a gun and knowing how to survive in the battlefield is minimal at best. Stokes and his men haven’t a clue as to where the Nazi party is keeping their stolen goods, so they split off into pairs to track down the various pieces and collections that have gone missing.

Like I mentioned previously, Clooney co-wrote and produced the film with his partner Grant Heslov. I think Clooney may have bitten off more than he can chew here. There is a lack of specificity that plays throughout the film that is quite apparent early on. They have this general layout for the story but they don’t infuse it with anything meaty to grab onto. The group of guys are written quite generic at best and are not given anything juicy for the actors to play with regarding character development. Clooney casts these great character actors that are probably all his friends, but no one is playing outside their comfort zone. Yes, they each have fun little moments here and there. Bill Murray has a touching scene listening to a recording of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, but that’s just one scene. Are we supposed to take away that by casting all of these comedic actors that can also do drama that it’s funny and ironic that they are the ones going into war to save the art? Clooney and Heslov didn’t write the comedy strong enough to make it that apparent. Cate Blanchett is thrown into the mix but her beginning scenes feel a bit off kilter as well. She plays a French art curator that is also working to save and protect certain pieces from being captured by the Nazis. Her scenes seem to flow better once Matt Damon’s character enters the picture. There is a fun joke about the Damon character not speaking French properly. Again, it’s a decent gag like some others, but the thread that runs between them is not very strong or supportive.

A really great musical score composed for any given movie can elevate the story by bringing out the suspense and tension in any given scene. Sometimes if a score is mediocre it fades into the background and you don’t notice it. I normally love the work of Alexandre Desplat (Philomena, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). There can be these beautiful and melodic choices in his work that carry us through certain scenes. His score for The Monuments Men is quite jarring. It often times doesn’t match the tone of the film or of the action going on in each scene. I partly blame Clooney and Heslov for not having a clear voice and structure in the film. Desplat’s score makes that even more apparent. It often feels like it is used as a crutch to carry scenes along and cover transitions where dialogue seems to be lacking.

The film was originally set to be released in December 2013. It was naturally thought of as being a heavy Oscar contender with Clooney and Heslov attached to it.  After news broke that the release was being pushed to February, it was a clear sign that the film was in rough shape. The "official" wording was that it wouldn't be ready in time. I think it's evident that the studio knew that there was no way it could compete with the other films released around that time. Clooney brings forth an important story about the importance of art in our culture and how tragic it would have been to have lost all of these pieces. I am by no means an art historian, but I was able to stay engaged as someone that has been to his fair share of art museums. The bigger problem is that they don't really know how to tell this story with a precise and distinct vision to it. The writing is a general wash without any careful eye on character choices or what tone they want the film to have. My husband loves history and has been reading about Truman's life recently, so he was able to connect more dots and have a better understanding of the war details that I missed out on. I wouldn't consider myself bored by the movie as the basic premise is intriguing. There are some nice moments here and there, but they don't add up to a great movie.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? No. Clooney, Damon, Murray, and Blanchett have far better movies out there to chose from. On the other hand, you may find the film enlightening if you are a big history buff.

RATING: 2 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

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Movie Trailer: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Director/Writer: Wes Anderson
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Tom Wilkinson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Tony Revolori

I always look forward to the latest from creative genius Wes Anderson. His last film, Moonrise Kingdom, was ranked #2 on my Top 10 of 2012 list. Like always he has gathered an all-star cast many of whom are regulars to his stories. Ralph Fiennes stars as Gustave H., the legendary concierge of The Grand Budapest Hotel with newcomer Tony Revolori as his protégé, Zero.

Here is the official synopsis:

“The Grand Budapest Hotel tells of a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars and his friendship with a young employee who becomes his trusted protégé. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting, the battle for an enormous family fortune and the slow and then sudden upheavals that transformed Europe during the first half of the 20th century.”

I was grinning ear to ear when I first watched this trailer. It looks just as crazy and wacky as his other stuff. What are your first impressions? Do you have a favorite Anderson movie? Feel free to sound off in the comments section!

Release Date: March 7, 2014

Here's the trailer:

Movie Review: MOONRISE KINGDOM

MOONRISE KINGDOM
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand



A sweet little love story is at the heart of Wes Anderson's latest cinematic adventure. Twelve year old Sam Shakusky(Gilman) is an outcast in every way. He is currently a "khaki scout" at Camp Ivanhoe led by Scout Master Ward (Norton). None of his scout mates like him. He was also put up for adoption, and his new parents don't feel like they need him back. Over the past year, he has been writing letters to Suzy Bishop (Hayward) who is another twelve year old outcast. Her parents Mr. Bishop (Murray) and Mrs. Bishop (McDormand) are quite eccentric themselves. Mrs. Bishop seems to always be speaking through a megaphone.



Sam and Suzy decide to run away together. Being the scout that he is, he is equipped with every piece of camping and survival equipment under the sun. She brings along some books and some records and her trusty binoculars. I think they run away despite the fact they know at some point they will get caught. During role call Scout Master Ward realizes one of the scouts is missing. They go to Sam's tent and realize he left Shawshank Redemption style. He cuts a hole out of his tent and covers it with a poster. He contacts Captain Sharp (Willis) and a search team is assembled. Scout Master Ward, the scouts, and Mr. and Mrs. Bishop set out to find Sam and Suzy. Captain Sharp contacts Social Services (Swinton) when it is determined Sam's adoptive parents don't want him back if they find him.



One of the elements of the movie I was so fascinated with was the cinematography. Robert D. Yeoman is the cinematographer and has worked on all of Anderson's movies. His way of capturing the color palette and life on the island was exquisite. Every shot looked to be specifically chosen and set up for a very specific reason. Each frame looks like a picture. There is mood, feeling, and energy with each shot. You will notice a predominant use of tight close up shots throughout the movie. Many times you are looking at one character through the eyes of another character or you are looking at a prop or object from their eyes. The opening segment, which is a tour of the Bishop house, is ingenious.



The opening credits introduces us to the list of characters we will see in this kingdom along with the names of each actor playing them. Like any Wes Anderson movie, you know you are in for a treat when certain names pop up. Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman are regulars in every Anderson adventure. It takes a certain kind of actor to be successful in an Anderson movie. They are often asked to play someone quirky and peculiar, often times outside of the general body of characters an actor is used to playing. McDormand and Swinton are perfect as these types of characters so they are always welcome in Anderson's world from now on in my opinion. I was surprised to see Harvey Keitel's name pop up in the credits, but he is terrific as well. This is the first movie for Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. You would never know that as they created unique characters and carried the movie quite well. I always look forward to a new Wes Anderson movie whenever I hear one announced. He is one of the most original and creative writer/directors working today. He always provides a one-of-a-kind creative vision that is truly his own. When you see one of his movies, you know it is a Wes Anderson movie. Moonrise Kingdom is his best work since The Royal Tenenbaums.

RATING: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)