…it’s a piece of art. Usually, when I think something like this about a movie, it’s not a good thing. It means I can appreciate the craftsmanship, the visuals, even the deeper meaning of a movie, but I was not entertained.
Now, obviously, people watch movies for different reasons. And accordingly, people make movies for just as many reasons. So a movie that is a piece of art, might absolutely have succeeded at what it tried to do. It just might not be for me.
When I say that the „Grand Budapest Hotel“ (2014) is a piece of art, I mean something different though. I mean it transcends it’s art form to be both a movie AND an artistic masterpiece.
Wes Anderson created a world that is both beautiful and believable, yet in so many details just a little bit off on purpose. It starts early on, with the plaque of the author that narrates the movie as it’s framing device, reading just that: „Author“. It continues with our first look at the hotel. In it’s modern iteration, it is rundown, but in slightly puzzling ways. There is black signage with white letters almost everywhere, for everything that usually doesn’t need signage and it doesn’t feel quite right.
This theme runs through the entire movie – it’s full of gorgeous looking locations that are just different enough to still feel real.
The star-studded cast is truly phenomenal, and is testament to how much respect Wes Anderson has been able to earn in his time in Hollywood.
Another running theme, is characters looking through comically small windows, and once you notice you can’t help but smile every time.
The movie also tells an exciting tale, always with humor, and very rarely with some unexpected brutality. It takes twists and turns, it is never boring.
All in all, I can’t believe it took me over 10 years to get around to this movie. And after this and „The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar“ (2023) I’m really excited to check out all of Wes Anderson’s other movies.
Schreibe einen Kommentar