The Grand Budapest Hotel

For a documentary on his latest book release, a writer (Tom Wilkinson) recalls his 1968 visit to the titular mountainous lodge where his younger self (played now by Jude Law) interviews the mysterious owner (F. Murray Abraham) who fondly recalls his days as a bellboy under a rascally yet noble concierge (Ralph Fiennes) and their dastardly misadventures during the German invasion. The Grand Budapest Hotel marks both a maturation and a regression of sorts for Wes Anderson, containing exemplary cinematography in which his murky and expectedly overly quirky story often gets lost--a return to the style over substance form that dominated his earlier films. Fiennes turns in a commanding and engaging lead performance while some of the many character actors make memorable turns (I particularly liked Adrian Brody and Willem Dafoe as a pair of sinister brothers) while others such as Bill Murray and Owen Wilson barely serve a purpose and seem like they just showed up for the catering.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

At the premiere of his latest nature documentary, sea explorer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) vows to take revenge on the shark that took his best friend's life. In addition to members of his regular crew, he is joined by his back/ex-wife (Angelica Huston), a journalist (Cate Blanchett) whom he falls for, and a young man claiming to be his son (Owen Wilson), who take part in a tumultuous expedition. Written with Noah Baumbach, Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" is a formless, self-indulgent, overly artsy, and occasionally amusing film. Murray is too impassive and among the rest of a largely disappointing star cast, Huston, Michael Gambon, and Bud Court come off best. Having recently rewatched all of Anderson's film, "Life Aquatic" is, to my mind, the only project unworthy of his talents and the film that probably gives him a bad reputation with more than a small segment of moviegoers.

The Royal Tenenbaums

Attorney Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) raised three child prodigies (Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson) with his wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston) in their Archer Avenue home, then promptly abandoned his family when they needed him most. Two decades later, finding himself in financial straits and his wife set to marry her accountant (Danny Glover), Royal informs his estranged, dysfunctional clan that he is dying of stomach cancer and reinserts himself back into their lives. "The Royal Tenenbaums" is a great looking, moderately amusing film that finds Wes Anderson (who cowrote the film with Owen Wilson, who is also featured) getting too carried away with his own sensibilities and penchant for art direction whose ship is largely righted by a virtuoso performance from Hackman and other veterans in the cast including Huston, Glover, and Bill Murray.

The Darjeeling Limited

Three brothers (Owen Wilson, ), all reeling in their own way following the death of their father, meet in India and embark on an expansive journey by train, in an attempt to reconcile old wounds. With a surreptitious motive for the trip held by one of the brothers, the trio embark in misadventure after misadventure, each self-revealing and healing by turn. "The Darjeeling Limited" is a gorgeous location film that offers further evidence in the maturation process of Wes Anderson. Bringing his acutely delicate sensibilities to the project, Anderson tells an affecting story and features fines performances from Owen Wilson (who recreates his highly ordered character from "Bottle Rocket"), Jason Schwartzman (who cowrote the screenplay with his cousin Roman Coppola and Anderson) and Adrian Brody. The touching finale also conjures up memories of Powell and Pressburger's great "Black Narcissus."

The Criterion DVD features a simultaneously filmed short featuring Schwartzman and Natalie Portman entitled "Hotel Chevalier" which doesn't work by itself, but fits nicely within the context of the film, and probably should have been included as part of it.

Bottle Rocket

A highly organized neurotic (Owne Wilson) convinces his two friends (Luke Wilson, Robert Musgrave) to rob a book store and then lam at an out of the way hotel in a desolate part of Texas. There while one of the friends falls in love with a kindly maid (Lumi Cavazos), the criminal mastermind plots with a local crime boss (James Caan) for their next big score. "Bottle Rocket" is the amusing and flighty directorial debut from Wes Anderson, which he cowrote with Owen Wilson, who shines in the lead role as the socially challenged Dignan. I've never found his brother Luke to be in possession of the same charismatic charm, and this also premier film debut is no exception. "Bottle Rocket" tends to wander and its material is not very demanding, but it is pleasant and humorous in that particular whimsical way which Anderson would develop and cultivate over the years.

note: On the Criterion DVD, you can view the original "Bottle Rocket" short also featuring Anderson and the Wilson brothers. Made in 199, it is basically a 12 minute black and white microcosm of the film.

Moonrise Kingdom

On an  island off the coast of New England, a misfit orphan abandons his boy scout troop and  runs away with the sullen village girl he had met and fallen in love with the year prior. As a rescue party gathers, which includes the remainder of his squad led by their irrepressible leader (Edward Norton), the girl's emotionally distant parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and the island police captain (Bruce Willis), the well-being of the subject's usually glazed over states of tumult are finally called to the forefront. "Moonrise Kingdom" is a warm and tender letter only to childhood adulation, but also to unrequited love and innocence. It is beautifully shot and wonderfully directed on its Rhode Island locations by Wes Anderson who keeps his fanciful sensibilities in balance, and crafts his grandest and most mature work to date. Its star studded cast, which also includes Tilda Swinton, Bob Balaban, and a very funny Jason Schwartzman are all excellent (Willis deserves award consideration), but its younger, unknown cast also sparkles, especially Jared Gillman and Kara Hayward who play the young lovers. I have often felt held at arm's length by Anderson's overly whimsical work. Watching this film though I realized he is keeping film as art alive, a kind of cinematic tradition that is almost virtually extinct.