Category Archives: Bill Murray

Trailer Park: The Grand Budapest Hotel

A.K.A. The Hipster “Hangover”

It was only a matter of time before Wes Anderson made a film where every single character has a mustache.

This is about the millionth time I will say this, but Wes Anderson is one of modern cinema’s best directors. Today, the first trailer was released for his upcoming film “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

While every Wes Anderson film basically has the same aesthetic (yellow font, colorful walls, etc.), you can always expect a different story. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” looks like some kind of murder mystery. Indeed, there’s a girl in it named Agatha, who is possibly an allusion to Agatha Christie, who much more educated people tell me was once a famous crime writer.

The only thing that could possibly worry me about “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is that it already seems to combine a lot of Anderson’s other films (“The Darjeeling Limited,” “The Royal Tenenbaums”), and Ed Norton already seems like he’s playing a pretty similar character to the one in “Moonrise Kingdom.” However, these are just assumptions. One trailer cannot tell me so much. For now, I will just assume that Willem Dafoe will once again have an awesome accent like in “The Life Aquatic.”

But just look at the rest of that cast. Ralph Fiennes is not one normally known for comedy (although he is hilarious in “In Bruges”), but he already had me cracking up in this trailer. The cast is one of the most important parts of a Wes Anderson joint (characters are so important), and Fiennes seems like a perfect fit for Anderson’s weird little world.

Wes Anderson has been on a roll lately: his last two films were “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Moonrise Kingdom.” I have faith he can win me over once again with “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” March 2014 can’t come soon enough. Watch the trailer below:

Can Gene Hackman please come out of retirement just to star in one more Wes Anderson film? 

On A Second Viewing: Moonrise Kingdom

One viewing of a Wes Anderson film simply isn’t enough. His films are like the aftertaste of a good meal that won’t go away, and you never want them to go away. Or, a painting where you notice more going on in the background with a more watchful eye. Or, an even more apt comparison here, like a symphony that sounds even better when broken down into smaller pieces.

In “Moonrise Kingdom,” young heroine Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) looks at everything through binoculars. She says that it makes things look closer, even when they aren’t very far away. She also believes it is her super power. I like to imagine that Wes Anderson looks at every film he makes through a pair of binoculars, and that he shares this super power with Suzy: he can see every minuscule detail of life up close in the most vivid of ways.

Through each one of his works, Anderson is inviting the audience more and more to stare into the binoculars at the idiosyncratic universe he has created. After seeing “Moonrise Kingdom” at Cannes, I immediately knew that one viewing wouldn’t suffice. And while I try my best to go in with little to no expectations, I knew I would like it better the second time around. And that I did. It is not that I didn’t like “Moonrise Kingdom” the first time around, it is just that I liked it for different reasons. The first time, I liked it because the Transitive Property of Wes Anderson* required that I like it. I liked it even more on viewing number two because I saw that once again, Wes Anderson defied his detractors and made yet another film in which the characters were more than just cutouts standing against pretty backdrops.

“Moonrise Kingdom” has had its fair share of detractors. Well, most negative reviews were actually positive, with some critical things to say. Many have complained that Anderson’s style and tropes have become too predictable. It is true that there are certain things you will find in every Wes Anderson film, but that is what makes him such a great filmmaker. He tells the same story only loosely every time he makes a film. Like his past works, “Moonrise Kingdom” is about adults who act like children, and children who think they’re adults.

Like any good director, Anderson is constantly trying to improve on the template he first created. On a second viewing, I realized the opening, is more than just a tour of the Bishop household and all of its members. It serves the same purpose as the opening of “The Royal Tenenbaums.” When looking at it through that lens, it makes it even more impressive: characters, and a story, are introduced without saying a single word. Here, we learn that Mr. and Mrs. Bishop can spend their time close to each other, without saying a single word to the other. Mr. Bishop (Bill Murray) lying in a fetal position shows something of a surrender to misery. Mrs. Bishop’s (Frances McDormand) arduous routine shows a predilection toward self-preservation. And then there’s Suzy, sitting above her brothers almost in a separate sphere, reading one of her many adventure novels. Well, everyone in this family seems to be in  the Bishop household seems to be in their own little sphere, with the exception of the three little boys.

Shortly after, we are introduced to the fourth wall breaking narrator (Bob Balaban). With the narrator, Anderson has to break a few cinematic rules in order to introduce the fictional island of New Penzance to the audience, as well as the future hurricane. At this point, Anderson has earned the right to break those rules, because he does it right. 
With the exception of “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Anderson’s other films took place in slightly fantasized versions of real places. In “Moonrise Kingdom,” Anderson invented a place that he can call his own. “Moonrise Kingdom” is a fantasy tale about two children trying to live out a fantasy of their own. 
Then, we are introduced to the Khaki Scouts, another thing that doesn’t exist, yet is a variation of something in reality. That is a good way to define much of Anderson’s work. We meet everyone from Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton), who is a Scout Master first and a math teacher on the side, to the boy with the eye patch (we never do find out his real name). That the entire troop of scouts a family, and many other characters can be so well developed in just 90 minutes is a testament to the power of great writing. Usually, an entire TV series would be needed to delve in to this many characters. Anderson has the power to define someone’s entire personality in just one line of dialogue.

Anderson has another power that is known to most, but doesn’t truly come out until a second viewing. I realized this time around that the characters in all of Anderson’s films exist loosely in a similar world that is not quite our own. This is a world where people act pretty terribly toward each other, and have trouble expressing their true feelings through words. So instead, they define themselves through the clothes they wear, the way they decorate their homes, and the culture that they consume. Look closely and you’ll notice a heavy use of the colors yellow and brown throughout “Moonrise Kingdom.” You can see it in the Khaki Scouts, as well as Sam’s (Jared Gilman) foster home, from his foster father’s yellow and brown plaid shirt, to the chocolate cake that his foster mother is covering with yellow icing in the background. Perhaps it represents a world that is ripe on the outside, yet a little dark on the outside, or a cast of characters who are “yellow” (cowardly).

I also found the second time around that the film is much funnier than I first thought it was. Once again, and I cannot say this enough, it is all about the little things. For example, notice how Sam keeps an inventory list of all of Suzy’s things, or the group of kids in the background of one scene trying to play their recorders. Also, I will mention the very hilarious irony of seeing Jason Schwartzman play a preist. And yes, it’s also funny to see that treehouse, and it’s even funnier (and makes total sense) to see a kid carry around $76 in change. Every kid at one point or another had that much change on them for no good reason.

Working on a Wes Anderson film must be an actor’s paradise. He gives them so much good dialogue and characterization to work with. He has kick-started the careers of its two incredibly promising leads, Hayward and Gilman, who bring equal amounts of heart and humor to the film. I believe one day the two of them will run off once again to become Margot Tenenbaum and Eli Cash. The boy with the lazy eye will probably become Dudley.

Sam and Suzy also remind me of a younger version of Bonnie and Clyde, minus the bloodlust. The story of “Moonrise Kingdom” also felt a little bit like a twist on Terrence Malick’s “Badlands.” The indelible image of Sam and Suzy dancing on the beach to Francoise Hardy’s “Le Temps de l’Amour,” equal parts cute, creepy, and awkward, felt like the scene where Kit (Martin Sheen) and Holly (Sissy Spacek) dance along to “Love is Strange.” Both scenes contain the childlike wonder for trying something completely new.

Anderson’s films are often criticized for not having enough heart. But “Moonrise Kingdom” is one of those films that I just wanted to give a giant hug too. It is pretty on the inside, and the outside. Its intentionally cheesy special effects never make it seem dated. While some have said this film could have taken place during any year, I believe 1965 is the perfect fit. Seeing characters chart out territory on real maps is way more interesting than someone trying to figure out where they are going on Google Maps. Perhaps New Penzance is trapped in the past, just like all of its characters, while the outside world moves on. And for that, I actually think it is better off.

One more note I believe it is proper to end on: the music. It is true that “Moonrise Kingdom” does not have the most standout soundtrack of all of Wes Anderson’s filmography. British Invasion is replaced with British Classical, and there’s a tinge more French than usual. But maybe these characters aren’t ready for The Kinks yet, at least not until they figure out how to put Benjamin Britten’s orchestra together.

How I Rank Wes Anderson’s Films:
1. The Royal Tenenbaums
2. Rushmore
3. Fantastic Mr. Fox
4. Moonrise Kingdom
5. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
6. Bottle Rocket
7. The Darjeeling Limited

*If it includes elaborate sets and anything vintage, then it must be Wes Anderson, and it must almost always be good.

For No Apparent Reason of the Day: Bill Murray Gives a House Tour

Here is a video of Bill Murray giving a tour of the house in “Moonrise Kingdom.” “Moonrise Kingdom” opened a few weeks ago, and I’ve already seen it, so there seems to be no apparent reason that I’m posting it. However, this video contains Bill Murray.

 I can’t tell if Bill Murray is joking or serious most of the time he speaks, which is probably what makes him so mysterious and so awesome at the same time. I take everything he says as words of wisdom. Which is why, after this video, I will never wear short pants again, as according to him doing so is asking to get robbed. Genius.

Also, seeing the details that go into making a set on a Wes Anderson film never ceases to amaze me. I need to see “Moonrise Kingdom” again, and as soon as humanly possible.

The Reel Deal Goes To Cannes #3: There’s Quirkiness in the Air (Must Be a New Wes Anderson Movie!)

Today, The Reel Deal walked the red carpet.

Nobody asked me who I was wearing. Sacha Baron Cohen didn’t try to dump ashes on me. Something I learned when I went to Sundance that has come back to mind now that in order to live some of the most glorious moments, some of the glory must be sacrificed. However, the price was well worth it.

Thanks to something called positive thinking (it’s amazing what it actually can do), I ended up with a ticket for “Moonrise Kingdom.” It wasn’t the flashy premiere that Wes Anderson, Bill Murray, Ed Norton, and Bruce Willis would be at, but something a little quieter also in the one-of-a-kind Lumiere Theater. It is hard to review a movie totally objectively, as one’s experience outside of the movie always impacts the experience of the movie itself. While the excitement of Cannes might have added to my opinion of “Moonrise Kingdom,” it will definetly stand the test of time (more on that in a minute).

Cannes is the kind of place where dreams meet stark reality. There will be more people surrounding a red carpet, hoping to get just one glimpse of a celebrity, than actual celebrities. And you won’t always get what you want, but if you try some time you’ll find that you can get something just as good. When attending a film festival, know that you might see some things that you never imagined you would see in your life, but also remember to set your expectations to a realistic level.

Celebrity Encounters:

  • P. Diddy standing on the ledge of a balcony over his V.I.P. party at the “Famous Club.” I put Famous Club in quotations because the title of the club is in quotations, implying it either isn’t famous or that it isn’t actually there. I can only imagine Kanye wanting to yell “I am golden God!” before jumping, only to have Kanye once again point out that he wrote the Bible.
  • Harvey Weinstein walking down the street. At this point, he is the de facto King of Cannes.

Check out a brief review of Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” after the jump:

Any given film from a great director will serve as a culmination point of all of their previous works. That is why it is hard for a director to have a flawless first feature, and it is also why Wes Anderson’s films so frequently succeed. “Moonrise Kingdom,” his latest effort, combines the dysfunctional family dark comedy of “The Royal Tenenbaums” with the childhood perspective of “Rushmore” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and the perfectly suspended reality of “The Life Aquatic.”

“Moonrise Kingdom” feels like all of the best movies I watched as a kid, but it is much wearier of childhood whimsy. I imagine it is based off of fantasies that Anderson made up for himself when he himself was a child. It is a fine example of his evolving style as a filmmaker, and a long way from when he was first telling stories of book store robberies in Texas in “Bottle Rocket.” This is both his most typical and most different movie yet.

“Moonrise Kingdom” is like an action comedy filled with inspired, gimmicky 60s style special effects. There are many out there who do not like Wes Anderson and can never be convinced to enjoy any of his movies. Well, maybe I can sell you this one by telling you that it made me think of “The Goonies.” A more romantic version of “The Goonies,” albeit.

The film of Anderson’s past have always had an affinity for vintage, so I guess it was about time he made a movie set in 1965. The first detailed location we get is Suzy’s (Kara Hayward), which looks like a giant dollhouse. The house becomes a character istelf.

Suzy is persued by Sam (Jared Gilman), a twelve-year-old who defines too smart for his own good. Sam is a foster child, and Suzy can’t stand even the presence of her parents. The two bond as social outcasts, Suzy constantly fighting with her classmates, and Sam being constantly alienated from the rest of his khaki scout troop. The two run away together and look to form a place where they can forever be away from adults. Perhaps something similar to what Holden Caufield once described.

The adults of “Moonrise Kingdom” might feel underdeveloped as compared to Anderson’s past films, but that’s only because this is the first film he’s ever done from the resentful and precocious perspective of a child. However, seeing Mrs. Bishop (Frances McDormand) and Suzy together, you can see how one was once like the other. As Mr. Bishop, Bill Murray is, well, Bill Murray. Willis is the most deadpan funny and sincere he has ever been. This might be Norton’s funniest performance since “Keeping the Faith.”

The film as a whole is simultaenously adult and childlike. It is a darker and more mature version of a typical childhood fantasy. It is as if you are rooting for and against the fantasy. Sam and Suzy become so likable, yet their love causes chaos for all who care for them.

“Moonrise Kingdom” might be Anderson’s most traditionally structured film to date. However, that doesn’t mean everything works out ever so perfectly. A main character is killed off early on, and the ending, meanwhile, can evoke tears. Anderson also twists around his usual formula and gives us the character montage tracking shot at the begginning, and the slow-mo walk long before the finale.

When comparing this to the rest of Anderson’s oevure, it may not be his best. But on its own, it is still fantastic. This is the kind of movie that I just want to give a big, warm hug to. I love the gimmicky special effects, the Noah’s Ark parallel, and the surprise cameo toward the end of the film from one of the best living actors. Most of all, I love all of the little detail poured into every single shot. It is nice to see so much effort being put into something that people usually don’t give a s**t about.

I will post a longer “Moonrise” review at some point soon, as I will definetly be seeing it again. Look for many more movies to be reviewed up ahead, including a director’s cut of Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America.” I also saw a secret screening today. I cannot reveal the title until an undisclosed later date.

For Groundhog Day: Watch Groundhog Day

If I’m doing something really wrong with my life, then this post will be gone tomorrow and I will be doomed to rewrite it every single day for the rest of my life. Today, is Groundhog Day, a silly little holiday that got a whole new meaning with the release of “Groundhog Day” in 1993.

Just about every person who has brought up today’s holiday has also included some reference to this movie. That is because “Groundhog Day” has officially moved into the spectrum of cinematic classic. When a ten-year-old version of me watched “Groundhog Day” for the first time, little did I know that this Bill Murray comedy would be named by some as one of the best movies ever made, and used by our military as a codeword in Iraq. “Groundhog Day” was not maligned upon its initial release, but it was certainly undervalued. Rarely does a movie such a universally likable quality: movie buffs will admire the model character development, comedy junkies will marvel at Bill Murray’s ingenious deadpan, and those with philosophical minds will admire its attempt to answer age-old quandaries about fate and the possibility of living the same life over and over again.

Phil Connors (Murray) didn’t want to spend February 2 in Punxsutawney for the rest of his life (though he eventually learned to think otherwise). However, “Groundhog Day” is a movie I could watch on repeat and still find something new to appreciate, and something old to continue to enjoy. “Groundhog Day” is not something that should be thought about on Groundhog Day alone; it is a movie for everyday and any day of the year.

Attention Everyone: The New Wes Anderson Trailer Has Arrived

Lately, I’ve been complaining a lot about terrible, no good, misleading trailers for movies. That temporarily ends today, as the trailer for Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” has arrived. Not only does it make this movie look fantastic, but it is most likely showing exactly what we will get, maybe that’s simply because Anderson has a very distinct style of filmmaking. It almost looks like a series of children’s drawings.

I love everything about this trailer. I love the outdated look of it. I love the French soundtrack. I love that it includes a clip of Edward Norton saying the phrase “Jiminy Cricket,” which brings back the use of the phrase “cuss” in “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Anderson’s last movie (and one of my favorite movies of the last decade). I love that the rest of the cast includes Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, and Bill Murray. Seriously can Bill Murray win an Oscar for this role? Just because he’s Bill Murray?

But I digress. Watch the trailer below. Then re-watch it a few more times like I did: