Let me know your thoughts on this movie! What was the funniest scene to you? Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema We have a special upload Thursday! I watch UNBREAKABLE, so stay tuned tomorrow! Enjoy the day!
I just love the use of symmetry in Wes Anderson's movies. It's like a portrayal of our necessity to find beauty, meaning and order in the world around us. And he uses this to tell crazy, funny and touching stories. So damn beautiful.
Wes Anderson always uses the same cast of actors in his movies. His most frequent collaborators are Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman.
Þórgísl Thats actually the one Anderson movie that never really connected with me. Not sure why, I’ve given it more than a few chances. I love everything else he’s done.
@@susanmaggiora4800 I don't like it either, but there's something about it. It's a strange one, I can never switch it off once it starts but I honestly can't recommend it xD
@@1ungawa it's my favourite of his, I love nearly all of them for different reasons but this feels like the perfect culmination of Wes Anderson's potential. I hope The French Dispatch pushes even further
I've heard that Wes Anderson went to film school together with Owen Wilson, Anderson's first movie Bottle Rocket even stars Owen and he, just like Bill Murray, pretty much always plays a part in Anderson's movies. If there's anything you can always be guaranteed to find in a W.A. movie, it's great cast and and even greater cinematography.
Wes Anderson is one of those directors who collects actors. It seems every time he casts someone new in one of his movies, they return for every subsequent movie. Pretty much all of the actors you noted add previously worked with Anderson in other movies. It must be something to work on movies with him, because the actors always come back. He is one of my favorite directors, with such a distinct style in regard to everything, including the color palette, set design, cinematography and dialogue. After watching several of his movies, even the cadence with which his actors speak seems purposefully considered. Glad you really enjoyed this movie. Isle of Dogs was directed by Anderson as well, as other have already noted. If you liked that one, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is another stop-motion animated movie he directed (with George Clooney providing the lead voice role). I would also recommend Moonrise Kingdom, although it's hard to go wrong when choosing an Anderson movie.
Bill Murray have said that whenever Wes calls him to be part of a film of his he always says yes even without asking what kind of role, pay etc. He just loves to be a part of his work, dont blame him at all!
I find the story itself to be quite enduring. The movie starts with a young girl reading a book, then we jump to the author writing the book, then we jump into a younger version of author narrating the story, who is being relayed the story by a elder version of one of the main characters. I think it’s a tribute to the power of stories and how they can travel through generations and countries and maybe even languages to reach individuals that they can make an impact on. I just think it’s very powerful. The look of this movie affects me greatly. I saw it in theaters eight times. This movie makes me feel like a kid again. Every time I watch it, I’m just completely enthralled and mesmerized by the imagery. The dialogue as well is frequently genius. Every single phrase and passage of dialogue reads like some absurd, quirky poetry. All around I just think this movie is a masterpiece. This and The Royal Tenanbaums are Wes Anderson’s best IMO.
Eight times in the theaters! That’s pretty damn awesome. Yeah the story itself was in my eyes, pretty damn genius. This film was like a decked out cake with all the incredible toppings, but what really grabs you is the damn cake itself because it was baked so well!
One of the things that impresses me about this movie is how Wes Anderson manages to get all these big name actors (with some being known for acting overly comedic) to act sophisticated and elegantly and still be funny as hell. For example, I didn't know Adrian Brody had such underrated comedic chops. Hell, Wes can even get ahold of freakin' Bill Murray! That should tell you something.
More Wes Anderson movies. Moonrise kingdom and Rushmore are other funny ones of his . The others have some light moments but all of them are hella stylish and well made
Deffo check the trailer for his upcoming film The French Dispatch, huge cast! Bill Murray, who is notoriously hard to get hold of, has said that Wes is the only director who gets an instant YES without even needing to pitch him a movie
I was so excited to see your update. The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of my favorite films directed by Wes Anderson. He is an incredible filmmaker with an unique cinematic style. The movie with the stray dogs you mentioned is Isle of Dogs. Wes Anderson also directed it. I love how awestruck you got whenever you saw a well-known actor in the film. Most of them are recurring cast members in Wes Anderson's films.
Yes! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it along with me. I’m so happy to have created this channel because I’m learning and enjoying the process so much. So much inspiration especially during these dark times! Thank you for the comment friend!
James VS Cinema you are for a treat. I’d also recommend checking out some of Yasujirō Ozu’s work, I think you’d really appreciate his filmmaking skills.
You have no idea how happy I was to see my suggestion of this movie win the poll. And you gushing over it was everything I had hoped for! The puppet-ed dog movie you're talking about is Isle of Dogs, also by Wes Anderson. Since you liked that one, I think you'd really enjoy Anderson's other puppet-ed film, Fantastic Mr. Fox. So happy to see you fall down the Wes Anderson filmography hole. I'm really looking forward to his upcoming film, The French Dispatch, which of course was delayed unfortunately. P.S. - You'll get used to the incredible stacked cast that Anderson is always using in his films. ;)
Hahaha yes honestly thank YOU for suggesting that in the Patreon because I would have never thought of it! Honestly this post is truly here because of your recommendation! Lovely film!
I've seen this movie about 23 times, and I have obsessive compulsive disorder. Your analysis on the framing of this film (i.e. shots being symmetrical and things being centered) gave me a new take on why I love this movie so much. So thank you. It also doesn't hurt that this cast is absolutely bananas.
I love it when movies manage to perfectly blend comedy and sadness together. It's not overly weeping sadness but it's still there, and it's still deep. Then it reminds me what people are talking about when they say it was inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig - Austrian author in the early 1900s. Wrote wonderful but sad short stories, pretty much always starts with one person telling a story about how once another person told him a story. His works include Amok, The Royal Game, and my favourite 'Letter from an Unknown Woman' - I told all my friends about it after I saw the movie starring Joan Fontaine (one of her finest movies), they all hated the main guy and with good reason too. His only full length novel is "Beware of Pity". He managed to escape from Austria before the Nazis came to power (he was Jewish) and lived out the war in Brazil, but he felt so affected by the war that half-way through it he committed a pac suicide with his wife. I can actually hear Monsieur Gustav reading aloud his suicide note, it was very calm, strangely polite.
To me Wes Anderson's films is like those oddly satisfying perfectionist videos. It's like everything delightfully clicks into place in every frame, like the whole movie is a clockwork mechanism. I really enjoy his style. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed that as well.
As a photographer myself, these movies are brilliant. We learn the rule of thirds, which you never put your subject in the middle of your picture. But Wes uses the center in almost all of his shots. Each subject is framed by the set that surrounds what we are to be looking at. Notice how there are next to no camera pans for conversation or action. Each scene is again framed by the subjects surroundings and the camera 98% stays still. Perhaps meant to be like a page of his book. New scene, new page. And the acting. It's like each character is such an exaggeration of themselves and of the moment. These actors must love it. It's as if they are doing stage acting instead of screen acting. Each character is glorious. Love watching your reactions to good movies and good acting. We should all be amazed like you are when watching these films. This is art. This is cinema.
The Ending of this movie got me. I never expected this movie to be sad by viewing the trailer and the feel of it, until the last scenes. Wes Anderson really did a top notch job on playing with the Audience's minds. I felt so connected to Gustave and was confident there would some sort of happy ending.
James I feel like you'll really appreciate Wes Anderson as a photographer, all of his frames are beautiful art. Love how much you appreciate set design, color, and framing. I also love how the aspect ratios change in this one based on which year is being shown.
Wes Anderson is one of my favorites. I was introduced to his work with The Royal Tenenbaums, and it's always held a special place in my heart. But my two favorites, I can't pick just one, are The Darjeeling Limited and The Life Aquatic: With Steve Zissou. Glad you enjoyed this one, man.
oh wes, he's honestly up there with tarantino, villeneuve and nolan in the list of my personal favourites. his style is so distinct he's basically his own genre (and i'm borrowing this expression from honest trailers - btw when you have seen a bunch of his films, i suggest checking out the "every wes anderson movie" honest trailer, it's really brilliant 😄) (the ones for nolan and tarantino are also amazing) i don't think i can choose a favourite from wes anderson but i do rewatch the royal tenenbaums, moonrise kingdom and fantastic mr. fox the most. and there's just something about his colourful and geometrical aesthetic that speaks to me - guess my mild ocd really appreciates the perfectly structured and symmetrical frames a lot 😂
@@JamesVSCinema Lucky us actors love Wes Anderson's work as much as we do so he is able to get an impossible level of talent in his films! I have watched The Royal Tenenbaums film more times than I can count. It has his film making paired with the same level of talent and in my opinion the best musical accompaniment of any of his films. Mark Mothersbaugh did the music in his first few films and went on to do a crazy list of film work least of which was Thor Ragnarok and The lego Movie! I think you would love The Royal Tenebaums even if you have to go watch it off the channel.
I am personally wounded by how many people don't appreciate this film in my own personal life. I VERY much appreciate the fact that YOU APPRECIATED this film. This is my favorite comedy and I love when it gets the respect it deserves.
No matter how many times I watch this, I still laugh when Monsieur Gustave just dips when he realizes he's accused of murder XD Lol doesn't even try to prove himself innocent, he just books it 🤣
It's so great and so sweet to see someone watch a Wes Anderson film for the first time, just reacting to the cast, the camera work, the perfect symmetry, the colours and the all around craziness of the sets design, cause when you have already fallen into the Wes Anderson rabbit hole, you're just like "yep, that's it, that's Wes Anderson, that's why we love him and his films" ^^
I think when I saw you post this, I hadn't seen the film so I'm glad this popped up again in my recommended after watching it. It makes so much sense for you to be watching this film because there is love and attention given to each frame. Beautiful ending how it reminds you that all of this was someone reading a re-telling of a story. Each moment was great. Glad I got to see your insights into this one too!
Great analysis. One of my favourite films, so funny and so sad at the same time and such a feast for the eyes as you note (and the ears - perfect music for the film too.) As for funniest scene I think maybe the first train journey with M. Gustave and Zero ('I've had older.')
"Isle of Dogs" is same Director as "The Grand Budapest Hotel". Wes Anderson films are great, quite quirky, and i love the fact he uses. the same Actors in most of his movies. And i can't wait for "The French Dispatch" to be released.!
19:58 is one of my favorite scenes!!!! i died when i first watched it... thank you so much for this. i've been waiting for people to react/comment on one of my top 2 favorite films of all time (along with moonlight from barry jenkins! highly recommend that one as well) also the old lady from the beginning of the film that was gustave's lover was actually tilda swinton!!!!!
The painting scene 08:25 has a little joke of its own. The painting they steal "boy with apple" is a fictional painting but the painting they hang up as a replacement ("the rest is trash") is a real painting by Egon Schiele and extrememley valuable.
The Royal Tenenbaums, Isle of Dogs, and Moonrise Kingdom are a few of his fantastic movies. WA's Dialogue can be very detailed, expressionless, but deliberate. Color palettes are vivid with imagination and bring you up front and inside his creative world. I'm so happy that you've discovered his modern fairy tales.
the little detail of having different aspect ratios for each period is a nice touch. Owen Wilson has co-wrote a lot of Wes Anderson's films. You're going to love the introduction of the ship in The Life Aquatic
That’s all I need to hear! Seriously brings me so much joy hearing these videos help in that way. I’m rooting for you seriously. One day at a time my friend! Thank you for the love!
When a filmmaker discovers Wes Anderson, he finds out that when Wes calls everyone, everyone says yes without even seeing the script. Especially Bill F*cking Murray.
You are right about the train shots, Anderson builds a track similar to the one that moves the camera and places a small set on the opposite track like the close up of Gustav looking out the window or the inspector looking in
Wes anderson movies are always full of recurrent known actors and full of subtle nuances in color patterns. The camera mouvement is always odd and exquisite. It's a type of comedy that doesn't makes us laugh like crazy but i always find myself with a genuine smile throughout the hole film.
You're reacting to almost all of my favorite movies! If you're getting your suggestions from your community they really have an amazing taste in movies.
It made me so happy that you reacted to this film! :D it had a very special place in my heart when it came out back in 2014. Its whimsical humour never fails to trap me, not to mention it's a gorgeous film with a very interesting story. It's a movie that I can always come back to and feel refreshed and find a new detail that I hadn't noticed in the bg before. Wes Anderson is a very meticulous man when he makes his films. Also the man in prison without a shirt is Harvey Keitel, Mr White from Reservoir Dogs :) If you liked this one, I would also recommend JoJo Rabbit for a movie with really good storytelling and weird humour! Taika Waititi wrote, directed and starred in it so you already know you're in for a wild ride! xd
The train stuff was shot using simple frames on wheels on tracks. Their little train cabin looking out the window at the snow is just 3 walls on wheels. The behind the scenes on this is fascinating to watch. It has such a unique visual style to it. I remember watching it and wondering if they subtitled the movie "A Study in Tracking Shots." But they work so perfectly as part of the story of this tiny little world the hotel is.
Ralph Fiennes is such a great actor. I don't think I've seen a bad performance from him (though I admit I've not seen "The Avengers" - the spoof on the British 60's TV show, not the superhero stuff). There's a little-seen film called Spider where he plays a schizophrenic which is a polar opposite to this role, a difficult film but the acting is remarkable.
James: okay, I'm ready to laugh Me: well, more of an absolute emotional roller coaster shot and told masterfully So glad your patrons voted for this one 😁
Another great Wes Anderson comedy is "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" Clint Eastwood's drama "Mystic River" is a fantastic watch with some great performances by Sean Penn and Tim Robbins Not enough people react to the original "Honey, I shrunk the kids" with some great practical visual effects for the time.
The guy who plays Serge X in this film was also in Inglorious Basterds and Stalingrad (1993). Ralph Fiennes plays Gustave H, but also plays Voldemort in all the Harry Potter films.
Picked up the big book about the movie (not sure what its called but its a lot of behind the scenes stuff) and it mentioned how they chose the different aspect ratios in the movie to give the impression of a story within a story within a story by visually mimicking a book within a book within a book
i watched this 2 years ago, even to this day, i aspire to be this good with framing shots in photography. every single frame in this movie can be used as a still and i love it
Wes Anderson is so low key famous among actors and directors, and his films are so beloved, that he can dial up any number of enthusiastic stars that are willing to drop everything and find a way just to play a minor role in one of his films. Bill Murray is especially hard to reach...and has specific rules for scripts or offers to even reach his desk. For Wes Anderson...only a phone call is required. That is the power of excellence and craftsmanship.
As much as I loved this film. I was blown away by the look and feel of The French Dispatch. I feel it’s Wes at the height of his auteurism. He’s mastered all the techniques in his repertoire and would to see your reaction to the aesthetic. You have an eye for detail and composition and The French Dispatch is a feast for the eyes. Asteroid City is another visual banger by Wes…
You've GOT to watch more Wes Anderson movies! You will love all of them. Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and The Life Aquatic are my favorites.
That was a fantastic movie for sure. I remember how it left me somewhat sad, but...dunno...with a light spirit. Great reaction! I´m sure you´d love "Inside Llewyn Davis". The opening sequence will suck you in in no time.
I saw this yesterday for the first time and I really liked it, it was my first Wes Anderson movie and I must say visually it's phenomenal, Ralph Fiennes is amazing in it too.
Man I love this film so much, so so glad that you enjoyed it. Not sure everybody would agree, but I really think it's Wes' masterpiece. The story is amazing, the cinematography and set design are second to none, the pacing, the dialogue, all of the casting is perfect, and I really can't see anybody other than Ralph Fiennes as Gustave. These are all things Wes Anderson is known for, particularly the style (to the point of mockery) but I think Grand Budapest does a really great job at pulling all that together into a perfectly bowed Mendles cake box. A detail I always appreciate is how the aspect ratio changes with each level of the story being told, from the girl reading, to the author, to his younger self (Jude Law) to Zero. Finally it zooms back through all levels at the end. It's a proper, high spirits story. By the sounds of what you particularly liked, I think you'll get a lot out of Wes Anderson's filmography, there's a reason why every actor in Hollywood is queueing up to star in one of his films, haha. Just check the trailer from his (recently covid postponed) upcoming film The French Dispatch, strong Budapest vibes, and the cast list is insane!
I’m excited for French Dispatch as well!! Now that I’ve seen this I can definitely see similar vibes with that one. I’m glad you liked this movie as much as I did!
so this was after wes' first stop motion and he translated alot of how the camera moves over to live action, there is a great video essay on the subject, on the wipes back and fourth are amazing and in same cases really make there and back again comedy tones so much stronger, composition is another thing he took aswell, you can see so often in fantastic mr fox (you should watch it), i really enjoy that one but of progression for a already well praised director.
Loved when you made the reference to the animated film Isle Of Dogs!! Which is also written, directed and produced by Wes Anderson! You recognized his unique style, which once you see it, is unmistakable in every single one of his films. They look like no one else but Anderson. And no one else makes films like the ones he makes. Love his films so much. They have a distinct look, dialogue, style, themes, framing, humor, wit, and whimsy that’s just unmistakable and absolutely incredible. They are so brilliantly done. Anderson is one of the most unique and greatest living writer/director/filmmakers we have (the other in my opinion is David Lynch). He also develops relationships with actors where they appear in his films over and over, including Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, Jason Schwartzman, Ed Norton, and Luke and Owen Wilson. Check out some of his other films, The Royal Tenenbaums (my personal favorite), Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, and another animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox. He’s incredible. You will fall in live with his films.
Such a great review. Thanks so much for that 😊 ♥. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterpiece. Everything about it is wonderful. It's hilarious and also heartbreaking. Creative film making at it's best. Ralph Fiennes should have won an Oscar. The movie is a work of art, sumptuous and fluid. Everything is perfect, the music, the script, the set design, the costumes, the cinematography, the direction, all of the actors involved, everything is perfect. Some critics dismissed the movie cruelly. I've no idea why, but it gives me some solace critics dismissed Casablanca and Blade Runner too, and they also ended up with egg on their faces.
in the prologue featuring the author when his grandson has the pellet gun, when he stands next to the author he keeps the gun leveled directly at the camera. It’s an ominous little gesture that tells you that this seemingly bright and colorful comedy will end in tragedy.
I saw this in an almost empty theater the last couple weeks it was out. I am absolutely thankful I didn't let it slip by. Same with The Art of Self Defense.
80% of this movie was filmed in the town where i grew up. Its so weird to see places in the movie where i roamed around as kid. Also the second time for ralph fiennes in Görlitz. He did "The Reader" there before.
I watched this movie for the first time not knowing 1 thing about the movie and man i loved this movie! I think that was the best way to watch this movie.
@@JamesVSCinema you should definitely look into more of wes Andersons movies. Hes really creative and gets a lot of big great actors in his movies. He's really artistic with how he shoots/frames his movies.
Let me know your thoughts on this movie! What was the funniest scene to you?
Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema
We have a special upload Thursday! I watch UNBREAKABLE, so stay tuned tomorrow! Enjoy the day!
If you want to keep exploring Wes Anderson, Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou!
If you loved this and you're still unafraid of subtitles, you should really check out Amelié! It has a similar fairytale vibe.
Definitely the punching bit at the end of the reading of the will scene
I just love the use of symmetry in Wes Anderson's movies. It's like a portrayal of our necessity to find beauty, meaning and order in the world around us. And he uses this to tell crazy, funny and touching stories. So damn beautiful.
Might I suggest
Submarine
It’s a lovely romantic comedy with great dialog and shots. Directed by David Ayoade.
Wes Anderson always uses the same cast of actors in his movies. His most frequent collaborators are Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman.
All of them fit his style so effortlessly!
@@JamesVSCinema You will love his film Life Aquatic so much, can't wait!
Þórgísl Thats actually the one Anderson movie that never really connected with me. Not sure why, I’ve given it more than a few chances. I love everything else he’s done.
You forgot Angelica Huston.
@@susanmaggiora4800 I don't like it either, but there's something about it. It's a strange one, I can never switch it off once it starts but I honestly can't recommend it xD
The "stray dog" film is Isle of Dogs, also by Wes Anderson
Gotcha!! Knew they had similar style. Just shows how awesome Wes Anderson is haha
A film you don’t expect to cry during... then it happens.
Say it fast.....it comes out "I Love Dogs".....an intentional Wes Andersonism.
@@JamesVSCinema Similar cast too! Wes Anderson seems to have a line of A-listers who are happy to be in his projects whenever he puts in the call.
@@JamesVSCinema Have you seen Fantastic Mr Fox? Another brilliant and beautiful Wes Anderson piece of art.
Can’t wait for the inevitable Wes Anderson journey you’re about to go on lol, love the channel!
Happy to hear that Michael!! Yes, this film was incredible!
For real
It's a lot of people's gateway into his films nowadays, and it's a great one.
@@1ungawa it's my favourite of his, I love nearly all of them for different reasons but this feels like the perfect culmination of Wes Anderson's potential. I hope The French Dispatch pushes even further
@@chumkrimson8161 fair enough, what don't you like about it? What's you favourite?
I've heard that Wes Anderson went to film school together with Owen Wilson, Anderson's first movie Bottle Rocket even stars Owen and he, just like Bill Murray, pretty much always plays a part in Anderson's movies. If there's anything you can always be guaranteed to find in a W.A. movie, it's great cast and and even greater cinematography.
Hahha that’s a pretty damn cool fact!
Wes Anderson is one of those directors who collects actors. It seems every time he casts someone new in one of his movies, they return for every subsequent movie. Pretty much all of the actors you noted add previously worked with Anderson in other movies. It must be something to work on movies with him, because the actors always come back. He is one of my favorite directors, with such a distinct style in regard to everything, including the color palette, set design, cinematography and dialogue. After watching several of his movies, even the cadence with which his actors speak seems purposefully considered. Glad you really enjoyed this movie.
Isle of Dogs was directed by Anderson as well, as other have already noted. If you liked that one, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is another stop-motion animated movie he directed (with George Clooney providing the lead voice role). I would also recommend Moonrise Kingdom, although it's hard to go wrong when choosing an Anderson movie.
Bill Murray have said that whenever Wes calls him to be part of a film of his he always says yes even without asking what kind of role, pay etc. He just loves to be a part of his work, dont blame him at all!
I find the story itself to be quite enduring. The movie starts with a young girl reading a book, then we jump to the author writing the book, then we jump into a younger version of author narrating the story, who is being relayed the story by a elder version of one of the main characters. I think it’s a tribute to the power of stories and how they can travel through generations and countries and maybe even languages to reach individuals that they can make an impact on. I just think it’s very powerful.
The look of this movie affects me greatly. I saw it in theaters eight times. This movie makes me feel like a kid again. Every time I watch it, I’m just completely enthralled and mesmerized by the imagery.
The dialogue as well is frequently genius. Every single phrase and passage of dialogue reads like some absurd, quirky poetry.
All around I just think this movie is a masterpiece. This and The Royal Tenanbaums are Wes Anderson’s best IMO.
Eight times in the theaters! That’s pretty damn awesome. Yeah the story itself was in my eyes, pretty damn genius. This film was like a decked out cake with all the incredible toppings, but what really grabs you is the damn cake itself because it was baked so well!
Beautiful and perfect analogy James. Couldn’t agree more!
The wonders of writing. Even the poetry recited by Gustave is absurd quieky poetry lol.
@@JamesVSCinema Like a decked out cake. a Courtesan Au Chocolat.
One of the things that impresses me about this movie is how Wes Anderson manages to get all these big name actors (with some being known for acting overly comedic) to act sophisticated and elegantly and still be funny as hell. For example, I didn't know Adrian Brody had such underrated comedic chops. Hell, Wes can even get ahold of freakin' Bill Murray! That should tell you something.
More Wes Anderson movies. Moonrise kingdom and Rushmore are other funny ones of his . The others have some light moments but all of them are hella stylish and well made
Definitely putting more on the polls!
@@JamesVSCinema I agree with Moonrise Kingdom and Rushmore! Also add The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou to that list.
ZombieMom73 how could I forget life aquatic lol my favorite group Halloween costume .
I second Moonrise Kingdom!
This was probably the most "charmed" I've ever felt by a movie in cinema! One of my favorite movies!
Anderson creates dioramas and uses a ton of symmetry and horizontal camera movement. His style seems to get more distinct with each movie.
Most definitely. Composition and framing is a huge plus for me with my style of storytelling
Throw some earlier Wes Anderson movies up there to see how he evolved his style over the years, it is very distinct.
Will do!! Appreciate the comment!
@@JamesVSCinema Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is amazing...
bottle rocket
Sweet, Wes Anderson. Can’t wait for Royal Tennenbaums.
Man the beginning of Tennenbaums right up where Hey Jude plays is so great
Deffo check the trailer for his upcoming film The French Dispatch, huge cast! Bill Murray, who is notoriously hard to get hold of, has said that Wes is the only director who gets an instant YES without even needing to pitch him a movie
I was so excited to see your update. The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of my favorite films directed by Wes Anderson. He is an incredible filmmaker with an unique cinematic style.
The movie with the stray dogs you mentioned is Isle of Dogs. Wes Anderson also directed it.
I love how awestruck you got whenever you saw a well-known actor in the film. Most of them are recurring cast members in Wes Anderson's films.
Yes! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it along with me. I’m so happy to have created this channel because I’m learning and enjoying the process so much. So much inspiration especially during these dark times! Thank you for the comment friend!
I feel a Wes Anderson marathon coming... ;) He’s one of the most consistently brilliant Directors working today.
Honestly wouldn’t doubt a marathon of his work coming soon haha!
James VS Cinema you are for a treat. I’d also recommend checking out some of Yasujirō Ozu’s work, I think you’d really appreciate his filmmaking skills.
You have no idea how happy I was to see my suggestion of this movie win the poll. And you gushing over it was everything I had hoped for! The puppet-ed dog movie you're talking about is Isle of Dogs, also by Wes Anderson. Since you liked that one, I think you'd really enjoy Anderson's other puppet-ed film, Fantastic Mr. Fox. So happy to see you fall down the Wes Anderson filmography hole.
I'm really looking forward to his upcoming film, The French Dispatch, which of course was delayed unfortunately.
P.S. - You'll get used to the incredible stacked cast that Anderson is always using in his films. ;)
Hahaha yes honestly thank YOU for suggesting that in the Patreon because I would have never thought of it! Honestly this post is truly here because of your recommendation! Lovely film!
I've seen this movie about 23 times, and I have obsessive compulsive disorder. Your analysis on the framing of this film (i.e. shots being symmetrical and things being centered) gave me a new take on why I love this movie so much. So thank you.
It also doesn't hurt that this cast is absolutely bananas.
I love it when movies manage to perfectly blend comedy and sadness together. It's not overly weeping sadness but it's still there, and it's still deep. Then it reminds me what people are talking about when they say it was inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig - Austrian author in the early 1900s. Wrote wonderful but sad short stories, pretty much always starts with one person telling a story about how once another person told him a story. His works include Amok, The Royal Game, and my favourite 'Letter from an Unknown Woman' - I told all my friends about it after I saw the movie starring Joan Fontaine (one of her finest movies), they all hated the main guy and with good reason too. His only full length novel is "Beware of Pity". He managed to escape from Austria before the Nazis came to power (he was Jewish) and lived out the war in Brazil, but he felt so affected by the war that half-way through it he committed a pac suicide with his wife. I can actually hear Monsieur Gustav reading aloud his suicide note, it was very calm, strangely polite.
To me Wes Anderson's films is like those oddly satisfying perfectionist videos. It's like everything delightfully clicks into place in every frame, like the whole movie is a clockwork mechanism. I really enjoy his style. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed that as well.
As a photographer myself, these movies are brilliant. We learn the rule of thirds, which you never put your subject in the middle of your picture. But Wes uses the center in almost all of his shots. Each subject is framed by the set that surrounds what we are to be looking at. Notice how there are next to no camera pans for conversation or action. Each scene is again framed by the subjects surroundings and the camera 98% stays still. Perhaps meant to be like a page of his book. New scene, new page.
And the acting. It's like each character is such an exaggeration of themselves and of the moment. These actors must love it. It's as if they are doing stage acting instead of screen acting. Each character is glorious.
Love watching your reactions to good movies and good acting. We should all be amazed like you are when watching these films. This is art. This is cinema.
"The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" should be next...
The film that started my love of Wes Anderson films.
my favourite of his
My personal favorite.
The Ending of this movie got me. I never expected this movie to be sad by viewing the trailer and the feel of it, until the last scenes. Wes Anderson really did a top notch job on playing with the Audience's minds. I felt so connected to Gustave and was confident there would some sort of happy ending.
James I feel like you'll really appreciate Wes Anderson as a photographer, all of his frames are beautiful art. Love how much you appreciate set design, color, and framing. I also love how the aspect ratios change in this one based on which year is being shown.
It’s funny you say that David because I was actually looking into his photography and hitting some notes from it!
Wes Anderson is one of my favorites. I was introduced to his work with The Royal Tenenbaums, and it's always held a special place in my heart. But my two favorites, I can't pick just one, are The Darjeeling Limited and The Life Aquatic: With Steve Zissou. Glad you enjoyed this one, man.
oh wes, he's honestly up there with tarantino, villeneuve and nolan in the list of my personal favourites. his style is so distinct he's basically his own genre (and i'm borrowing this expression from honest trailers - btw when you have seen a bunch of his films, i suggest checking out the "every wes anderson movie" honest trailer, it's really brilliant 😄) (the ones for nolan and tarantino are also amazing)
i don't think i can choose a favourite from wes anderson but i do rewatch the royal tenenbaums, moonrise kingdom and fantastic mr. fox the most. and there's just something about his colourful and geometrical aesthetic that speaks to me - guess my mild ocd really appreciates the perfectly structured and symmetrical frames a lot 😂
His films ooze creativity and honestly I’m here for it from start to end haha 😂
The actor you feel like you know is Harvey Keitel he was in reservoir dogs, pulp fiction and actually dozens of movies ;)
That was Harvey Keitel aka Mr. Wolf aka Mr. White from Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.
I KNEW IT LMAOOOO
@@JamesVSCinema Lucky us actors love Wes Anderson's work as much as we do so he is able to get an impossible level of talent in his films! I have watched The Royal Tenenbaums film more times than I can count. It has his film making paired with the same level of talent and in my opinion the best musical accompaniment of any of his films. Mark Mothersbaugh did the music in his first few films and went on to do a crazy list of film work least of which was Thor Ragnarok and The lego Movie! I think you would love The Royal Tenebaums even if you have to go watch it off the channel.
Eric P I second this! Royal Tenenbaums is a genius piece of filmmaking.
Sooo, you got fell into the We Anderson rabbit hole.
It’s a hole im very happy to have fallen into lmaooo. Join me Austin 😂
@@JamesVSCinema Way ahead of you, and you have to check out more, even if just in your own time.
I am personally wounded by how many people don't appreciate this film in my own personal life. I VERY much appreciate the fact that YOU APPRECIATED this film. This is my favorite comedy and I love when it gets the respect it deserves.
No matter how many times I watch this, I still laugh when Monsieur Gustave just dips when he realizes he's accused of murder XD Lol doesn't even try to prove himself innocent, he just books it 🤣
It's so great and so sweet to see someone watch a Wes Anderson film for the first time, just reacting to the cast, the camera work, the perfect symmetry, the colours and the all around craziness of the sets design, cause when you have already fallen into the Wes Anderson rabbit hole, you're just like "yep, that's it, that's Wes Anderson, that's why we love him and his films" ^^
What i love most about wes anderson is in every movie he has quite an ensemble cast, even in his animated movies.
I think when I saw you post this, I hadn't seen the film so I'm glad this popped up again in my recommended after watching it. It makes so much sense for you to be watching this film because there is love and attention given to each frame. Beautiful ending how it reminds you that all of this was someone reading a re-telling of a story. Each moment was great.
Glad I got to see your insights into this one too!
Great analysis. One of my favourite films, so funny and so sad at the same time and such a feast for the eyes as you note (and the ears - perfect music for the film too.) As for funniest scene I think maybe the first train journey with M. Gustave and Zero ('I've had older.')
"Isle of Dogs" is same Director as "The Grand Budapest Hotel".
Wes Anderson films are great, quite quirky, and i love the fact he uses. the same Actors in most of his movies.
And i can't wait for "The French Dispatch" to be released.!
Ah yes! Funny they have the same actors too! I absolutely love his style
The best way I can describe this is that every single frame is designed as if you were looking at a graphic novel panel.
"Holy shit, you got him!" That is by far the funniest part lol
19:58 is one of my favorite scenes!!!! i died when i first watched it... thank you so much for this. i've been waiting for people to react/comment on one of my top 2 favorite films of all time (along with moonlight from barry jenkins! highly recommend that one as well) also the old lady from the beginning of the film that was gustave's lover was actually tilda swinton!!!!!
Didn’t know I needed this but yes. The shots and color grade in this film are so magical
The painting scene 08:25 has a little joke of its own. The painting they steal "boy with apple" is a fictional painting but the painting they hang up as a replacement ("the rest is trash") is a real painting by Egon Schiele and extrememley valuable.
And Bill Murray is in almost all of his movies, just like the brothers Owen and Luke Wilson ;)
the most beautiful movie of all time. every frame could be a painting i’d hang on my wall
"Whats the Grand Budapest about?"
Ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ
“Holy Shit, you got him!” 🤣🤣
I cracked up so hard from that lmaooo!!
The Royal Tenenbaums, Isle of Dogs, and Moonrise Kingdom are a few of his fantastic movies. WA's Dialogue can be very detailed, expressionless, but deliberate. Color palettes are vivid with imagination and bring you up front and inside his creative world. I'm so happy that you've discovered his modern fairy tales.
Modern fairy tales, that’s a beautiful way to describe his work
Currently binging a bunch of your vids, cant wait to see what other reactions ya have
the little detail of having different aspect ratios for each period is a nice touch.
Owen Wilson has co-wrote a lot of Wes Anderson's films.
You're going to love the introduction of the ship in The Life Aquatic
"This vampire is a problem, man." Got me so good
😂😂😂
The funny thing is you get this because of Defoe's masterful depiction of Nosferatu.
One of my favorites of all time! Loving these reactions in these dark times, thank you!
That’s all I need to hear! Seriously brings me so much joy hearing these videos help in that way. I’m rooting for you seriously. One day at a time my friend! Thank you for the love!
Grand Budapest is always one of my top suggestions to people when I want to show them exquisite, masterclass filmmaking.
20:20 I literally yelled out *"Wow!"* when I saw Owen Wilson. lol
When a filmmaker discovers Wes Anderson, he finds out that when Wes calls everyone, everyone says yes without even seeing the script. Especially Bill F*cking Murray.
You are right about the train shots, Anderson builds a track similar to the one that moves the camera and places a small set on the opposite track like the close up of Gustav looking out the window or the inspector looking in
West Anderson's films are paintings come to life
Wes anderson movies are always full of recurrent known actors and full of subtle nuances in color patterns. The camera mouvement is always odd and exquisite. It's a type of comedy that doesn't makes us laugh like crazy but i always find myself with a genuine smile throughout the hole film.
You're reacting to almost all of my favorite movies! If you're getting your suggestions from your community they really have an amazing taste in movies.
Hahaha that’s so awesome to hear! This community is incredible honestly
It made me so happy that you reacted to this film! :D it had a very special place in my heart when it came out back in 2014. Its whimsical humour never fails to trap me, not to mention it's a gorgeous film with a very interesting story. It's a movie that I can always come back to and feel refreshed and find a new detail that I hadn't noticed in the bg before. Wes Anderson is a very meticulous man when he makes his films. Also the man in prison without a shirt is Harvey Keitel, Mr White from Reservoir Dogs :)
If you liked this one, I would also recommend JoJo Rabbit for a movie with really good storytelling and weird humour! Taika Waititi wrote, directed and starred in it so you already know you're in for a wild ride! xd
Always wanted to check out JoJo Rabbit! Will definitely be on the next polls!!
this channel just keeps reacting to dope stuff l love this movie
This is hands down my favorite Wes Anderson film
"Yo, this vampire is a PROBLEM man." hahahaha
Yo my dude. I just recently found your channel,Great content my guy cool seeing someone enjoy movies as much as me.
It’s all love Andre, glad to hear that from you brotha. Good vibes, great films, awesome community.
The train stuff was shot using simple frames on wheels on tracks. Their little train cabin looking out the window at the snow is just 3 walls on wheels. The behind the scenes on this is fascinating to watch. It has such a unique visual style to it. I remember watching it and wondering if they subtitled the movie "A Study in Tracking Shots." But they work so perfectly as part of the story of this tiny little world the hotel is.
I think this movie to me is like being read a book, with the characters coming to life. It's simply awesome and heavy with emotion.
your dollhouse analogy is spot on to see the pinnacle of that watch the life aqautic Wes Anderson is an absolute master
Ralph Fiennes is such a great actor. I don't think I've seen a bad performance from him (though I admit I've not seen "The Avengers" - the spoof on the British 60's TV show, not the superhero stuff). There's a little-seen film called Spider where he plays a schizophrenic which is a polar opposite to this role, a difficult film but the acting is remarkable.
James: okay, I'm ready to laugh
Me: well, more of an absolute emotional roller coaster shot and told masterfully
So glad your patrons voted for this one 😁
I just discovered him and watched all his movies last weekend! So you came right in time. My fav is The Royal Tenenbaums, and Darjeeling Limited
Can’t wait to dive into more of his films!
It's all filmed at right angles to the structure on the set, which is my favorite way things can be filmed
Another great Wes Anderson comedy is "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou"
Clint Eastwood's drama "Mystic River" is a fantastic watch with some great performances by Sean Penn and Tim Robbins
Not enough people react to the original "Honey, I shrunk the kids" with some great practical visual effects for the time.
Hey AJ appreciate the love! Will definitely have to look into them!
That one shot of the girl on the carousel is GORGEOUS
Some of my favourite camera work together with that car scene from "Children of Man"
Children of men is still a nice favorite of mine on this channel!
Yet to start the video, but gotta say, this channel is pure gold so far, let's watch one of my favorite movies of all time hehe
Ah man! That’s freaking awesome to hear haha this made my day! You guys make it gold honestly. Love this community here!
They all come for Wes Anderson because his films are such a romp. You just can't stop smiling.
The guy who plays Serge X in this film was also in Inglorious Basterds and Stalingrad (1993). Ralph Fiennes plays Gustave H, but also plays Voldemort in all the Harry Potter films.
Picked up the big book about the movie (not sure what its called but its a lot of behind the scenes stuff) and it mentioned how they chose the different aspect ratios in the movie to give the impression of a story within a story within a story by visually mimicking a book within a book within a book
i watched this 2 years ago, even to this day, i aspire to be this good with framing shots in photography. every single frame in this movie can be used as a still and i love it
Wes Anderson is so low key famous among actors and directors, and his films are so beloved, that he can dial up any number of enthusiastic stars that are willing to drop everything and find a way just to play a minor role in one of his films. Bill Murray is especially hard to reach...and has specific rules for scripts or offers to even reach his desk. For Wes Anderson...only a phone call is required. That is the power of excellence and craftsmanship.
As much as I loved this film. I was blown away by the look and feel of The French Dispatch. I feel it’s Wes at the height of his auteurism. He’s mastered all the techniques in his repertoire and would to see your reaction to the aesthetic. You have an eye for detail and composition and The French Dispatch is a feast for the eyes. Asteroid City is another visual banger by Wes…
Btw, you're right. That actor is Harvey Keitel, The Wolf in Pulp Fiction, and Sport in Taxi Driver
Absolutely love this film man ❤️
You've GOT to watch more Wes Anderson movies! You will love all of them. Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and The Life Aquatic are my favorites.
Wes has a specific cast he tends to always use and its awesome. Also the holy shit you got him hit me hard in the funny bone... it does every time
In the reaction to a film full of appreciating aesthetics, I must say: that is a dopeass shirt.
That was a fantastic movie for sure. I remember how it left me somewhat sad, but...dunno...with a light spirit. Great reaction! I´m sure you´d love "Inside Llewyn Davis". The opening sequence will suck you in in no time.
I saw this yesterday for the first time and I really liked it, it was my first Wes Anderson movie and I must say visually it's phenomenal, Ralph Fiennes is amazing in it too.
One of my favorite films from the past 10 years. Can't wait for The French Dispatch.
Is this you’re first Wes Anderson movie? Man, you are in for a treat, and a journey when you inevitably watch his whole filmography.
A whole new world has opened up for you. Wes Anderson is one of my favorite directors. And the favorite of many actors.
Man I love this film so much, so so glad that you enjoyed it. Not sure everybody would agree, but I really think it's Wes' masterpiece. The story is amazing, the cinematography and set design are second to none, the pacing, the dialogue, all of the casting is perfect, and I really can't see anybody other than Ralph Fiennes as Gustave. These are all things Wes Anderson is known for, particularly the style (to the point of mockery) but I think Grand Budapest does a really great job at pulling all that together into a perfectly bowed Mendles cake box.
A detail I always appreciate is how the aspect ratio changes with each level of the story being told, from the girl reading, to the author, to his younger self (Jude Law) to Zero. Finally it zooms back through all levels at the end. It's a proper, high spirits story.
By the sounds of what you particularly liked, I think you'll get a lot out of Wes Anderson's filmography, there's a reason why every actor in Hollywood is queueing up to star in one of his films, haha.
Just check the trailer from his (recently covid postponed) upcoming film The French Dispatch, strong Budapest vibes, and the cast list is insane!
I’m excited for French Dispatch as well!! Now that I’ve seen this I can definitely see similar vibes with that one. I’m glad you liked this movie as much as I did!
Every single moment of this film is supremely enjoyable to look at and watch. It's Wes Anderson firing on all cylinders.
so this was after wes' first stop motion and he translated alot of how the camera moves over to live action, there is a great video essay on the subject, on the wipes back and fourth are amazing and in same cases really make there and back again comedy tones so much stronger, composition is another thing he took aswell, you can see so often in fantastic mr fox (you should watch it), i really enjoy that one but of progression for a already well praised director.
Love how you say, "How is Bill Murray in this movie?" Because it's a We Anderson movie, that's how 😂
The way it was shot reminds me of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Same director, Wes Anderson
Loved when you made the reference to the animated film Isle Of Dogs!! Which is also written, directed and produced by Wes Anderson! You recognized his unique style, which once you see it, is unmistakable in every single one of his films. They look like no one else but Anderson. And no one else makes films like the ones he makes. Love his films so much. They have a distinct look, dialogue, style, themes, framing, humor, wit, and whimsy that’s just unmistakable and absolutely incredible. They are so brilliantly done. Anderson is one of the most unique and greatest living writer/director/filmmakers we have (the other in my opinion is David Lynch). He also develops relationships with actors where they appear in his films over and over, including Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, Jason Schwartzman, Ed Norton, and Luke and Owen Wilson. Check out some of his other films, The Royal Tenenbaums (my personal favorite), Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, and another animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox. He’s incredible. You will fall in live with his films.
Such a great review. Thanks so much for that 😊 ♥. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterpiece. Everything about it is wonderful. It's hilarious and also heartbreaking. Creative film making at it's best. Ralph Fiennes should have won an Oscar. The movie is a work of art, sumptuous and fluid. Everything is perfect, the music, the script, the set design, the costumes, the cinematography, the direction, all of the actors involved, everything is perfect. Some critics dismissed the movie cruelly. I've no idea why, but it gives me some solace critics dismissed Casablanca and Blade Runner too, and they also ended up with egg on their faces.
in the prologue featuring the author when his grandson has the pellet gun, when he stands next to the author he keeps the gun leveled directly at the camera. It’s an ominous little gesture that tells you that this seemingly bright and colorful comedy will end in tragedy.
I saw this in an almost empty theater the last couple weeks it was out.
I am absolutely thankful I didn't let it slip by.
Same with The Art of Self Defense.
80% of this movie was filmed in the town where i grew up. Its so weird to see places in the movie where i roamed around as kid. Also the second time for ralph fiennes in Görlitz. He did "The Reader" there before.
I watched this movie for the first time not knowing 1 thing about the movie and man i loved this movie! I think that was the best way to watch this movie.
Right!? I always enjoy going in blind because man..this film was epic!
@@JamesVSCinema you should definitely look into more of wes Andersons movies. Hes really creative and gets a lot of big great actors in his movies. He's really artistic with how he shoots/frames his movies.