Wes Anderson period film: The Grand Budapest Hotel

[Metatron]

I am a fan of Wes Anderson, especially of his films Bottle Rocket and Rushmore.
Imho with his last couple of films the quirky/eccentric thing was starting to get a bit old.

But this looks very promising:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_grand_budapest_hotel/

I think a period film is a great way to freshen up his act.
And would you look at the cast...! Incredible.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I enjoyed his first four films but I think he dropped the ball badly with the Darjeeling Express. I haven't seen his most recent film, with the children or whatever. I am cautious about this one - let's hope he gets his groove back!

 

[herringbonekid]

trailer:

[video=youtube_share;1Fg5iWmQjwk]http://youtu.be/1Fg5iWmQjwk[/video]

 

[1mach1]

I am excited to see the film. He has not been as hot as he was early on in his career, but I enjoyed Moonrise Kingdom very much. Fox and Darjeeling did not pay out for me.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I liked most of his movies. Grand Budapest Hotel is finally a movie I must see on the big screen. I can't wait.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I am in no rush to see this. While I REALLY liked some of Wes Anderson's earlier films (Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums, The Djarleeing Limited, Fantstic Mr. Fox), I didn't like Moonrise Kingdom at all. I felt it was much too self-aware of how adorably cute it was, and I didn't believe a single character or situation in it. (A character named "Social Services" - really?!?) I found the animals in Mr. Fox vastly more relatable! It was just too precious... and felt so bogus.

Anyway, the new film looks like it's going to be another dazzling romp through Anderson's vivid imagination... with little or no connection to an actual human story.

 

[Feraud]

I've thoroughly enjoyed most of Anderson's work. Darjeeling Express was a big miss for me. There was very little about the story line I could connect to. The three main leads were way too old to be whining their way through India with obscenely expensive Louis Vuitton luggage.
It was also after this film that Anderson's style felt to me painfully self aware. Meticulous detail to sets are great but not at the expense of a story.

Having said that I am looking forward to GBH. I'm hoping for a return to form.

 

[Metatron]

The last two posts hit the nail on the head. The eccentricity started to lose it's subtlety in the last few films.
It doesn't really seem like he's going to regain it this time round, but the setting might provide a more suitable frame to support the pomp this time.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We're supposed to get this next month -- Fox is insisting we take it for the whole month of April, so it better be good.

"Moonrise Kingdom" did a very good business for us a couple years back, but I found it insufferably twee. And excessively yellow -- everybody looked like they had jaundice.

 

[BobbyKennedy]

Seeing it tomorrow! I'll let you folks know how it was.

 

[Zombie_61]

I saw The Grand Budapest Hotel today, and I'd put it in the same category as Moonrise Kingdom--I enjoyed watching it, but I didn't find it to be particularly memorable and I don't have the desire to see it again any time soon.

 

[Metatron]

I watched it last night. I enjoyed it! In my opinion the best out of his most recent films, in that the marriage of plot/setting and art direction is very harmonious.
Some of the more slapstick moments were a bit reminiscent of the Marx brothers, the fictional but familiar setting reminding me of Tintin.
Great fun.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Saw it on monday. A great movie and I will buy the DVD when it comes out. Yes, it was kitsch and more far away from authentic 1930s but unlike "The Great Gatsby" I found the fantasy version quite original. Everything was made with so much care and love for small details. The fictional "european" setting worked quite well. The german gibberish here and there made me chuckle too.

Here is an article about the graphic designer who worked for the movie. Old school printing
http://www.theprowlster.com/read/people/annie-atkins
http://www.nylonmag.com/gallery-overlay?post_id=11455

 

[Chasseur]

It was great frothy fun, sweet and light like one of Miendle's pastries. Best Wes Anderson film I've seen in long while, nice he didn't take himself too seriously (like I felt he did in Darjeeling...). Also, its worth seeing in theatres since its beautiful.

But I'm an easy audience, I love the 1930s, old hotels and I am fascinated by the remnants of the Habsburg Empire. So it was a trap for me

 

[Metatron]

One nice detail was the decadent posh 1930s vs soulless 1960s eastern block decor.

 

[Zombie_61]

...But I'm an easy audience, I love the 1930s, old hotels and I am fascinated by the remnants of the Habsburg Empire. So it was a trap for me

I think this is one of the reasons I liked The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou so much. In my younger days I spent a lot of time on and around fishing boats and I love the ocean, so Anderson had me hooked (no pun intended) with the movie's settings.

 

[MikeKardec]

I loved it but it is very GOOFY. One thing I was quite impressed with, it seemed that Ralph Fiennes was channeling Peter Sellers in some wonderful way ... not copying or imitating, just picking up on that amazing comic spirit from Sellers greatest days. It's wonderful he's had a chance to be a very funny man, he's had so many roles that are deadly serious.

 

[Guttersnipe]

It was great frothy fun, sweet and light like one of Miendle's pastries. Best Wes Anderson film I've seen in long while, nice he didn't take himself too seriously (like I felt he did in Darjeeling...). Also, its worth seeing in theatres since its beautiful.

But I'm an easy audience, I love the 1930s, old hotels and I am fascinated by the remnants of the Habsburg Empire. So it was a trap for me

I totally agree. I felt that the stylized storybookesque nature of the sets and costumes lent themselves perfectly to time and place. I really liked the end credit that notes the story was inspired by Stefan Zweig's The World of Yesterday.

Off topic: Chasseur, if you are fascinated with the remnants of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and since I know you like Alan Furst's novel, you must read Kingdom of Shadows. The protagonist is an aristocratic, but somewhat threadbare, former hussar from Hungry!

 

[Chasseur]

Guttersnipe:
I've read that one actually, good one but not my favorite of his books. Probably, Dark Voyage or the Polish Officer gets my vote for my favorites of his. I need to read Zelig's work as well.

 

[Bugguy]

I saw it this weekend and enjoyed it much more than I expected. They even had a small part for Bill Murray; how could you go wrong? I guess I need to see a few more Wes Anderson flicks,