Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Film: The Grand Budapest Hotel










GENRE: Comedy/Drama
RATING: 14A for some language, sexual content & violence
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 40 minutes
STARRING: Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, Schindler’s List )
Adrien Brody (Darjeeling Limited), Tony Revolori (newcomer)
DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom, Life Aquatic)
WRITER: Wes Anderson (Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums)
PLOT: A concierge and his trusted lobby boy strike a friendship and find themselves inheriting a painting which causes all sorts of trouble and mystery.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 I love Wes Anderson films. I would say this is my third favourite of his (Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom slightly edge it out). This Anderson film has all the same bells and whistles but I believe this is the most action packed of all his filmography. Very fun stuff.
2 Like usual, it’s the art direction that blows my mind. I love Anderson’s attention to detail. Every location is its own character. I also loved the amount of signage found at the hotel.
3 I like the way Anderson uses trucking to move the camera left or right, it usually ends in a wonderful reveal of quirkiness.
4 There’s a great running gag of inspired speeches getting interrupted. Classic.
5 Again, Anderson gathers a brilliant cast of favourites and newbies. It’s really like he’s putting on a play with every new movie. Fiennes is a fantastic addition to the Anderson family.

RECOMMENDATION: Great fun at the theatre
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Divergent

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