Ryan McNeilConfession: I was late to the Wes Anderson party.
By “late” I mean that by the time I arrived, half the guests were passed out, slow songs were on the stereo, the food was all cold, and the booze was all gone.
I didn’t see BOTTLE ROCKET until four years ago. RUSHMORE, ROYAL, and AQUATIC I thought were only “OK” on release. I didn’t dislike them exactly, but also didn’t latch on the way many did at the time. Actually, that might have been part of the problem. Hearing so many around me wax on about how amazing these films were made me feel…”off”?…isolated…pick an ostracizing adjective, I felt it.
However, the two years in between AQUATIC and DARJEELING, something clicked. It all started landing for me – both the new material, and the old. So while I often feel strange about pointing to DARJEELING as my favorite of his films (the comment section is below: bring it), I have to think that it’s because it was the first of his films that I loved at first sight.
Good thing I’m on-board now, because it would appear as though THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL is the most Andersonian Anderson film that ever Andersoned!
I like Darjeeling Limited a lot so no complaints from me. My favourite is Rushmore though.
I’m already obsessed with this film. I have watched the trailer 5686993739748937383 times and the poster is literally on every virtual space I can find. The cast, the look, the slightly lighter tone which I don’t think will be all that light in the actual movie but that’s okay ‘cuz Wes Anderson is awesome- love!
In case I’ve never mentioned it before – thanks for almost always leaving comments on the trailer posts.
Glad to know I’m not alone in my Darjeeling love!
The one thing I like about speculating on Anderson’s films is the way the film’s tone isn’t all that evident from the trailer. Usually the trailers all have that same “Anderson” quality to them, right? Things like the sadness, or maturity don’t come forward until the film unspools.
Can’t wait!