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Coots And applejew Exalt The Anderson-ness Of THE DARJEELING LIMITED!!
Merrick here...
Coots & applejew sent in this look at Wes Anderson's THE DARJEELING LIMITED, which releases this weekend.
I'm not the world's biggest Wes Anderson fan (which, evidently, makes me unlike most people in universe), but this one has my interest & I'm looking forward to it. I love the train gag in THE TRAILER.
First up, here's Coots ...
Last week I caught a screening of Wes Anderson’s THE DARJEELING LIMITED in Dallas. Not only did I see the theatrical cut of the movie, but I also saw a short film (about 10 minutes or so) right before the feature. We were told by the publicity guy that it was a short film directed by Wes Anderson that is directly related to THE DARJEELING LIMITED. They apparently plan on using it for promotional stuff on the internet and that it probably won’t be running in front of the movie in theaters. Sucks for you.
So, I’ll start with the short, and then work my way to the feature.
If you’ve seen a Wes Anderson film before, you know what to expect with his stuff: a dry sense of humor and tons of quirkiness spread over very personal…dare I say…intimate plot. Well, this short pretty much leaves the funny at home and is intensely intimate. There are three actors: Jason Schwartzman, Natalie Portman (Bonus.), and some dude that plays a butler. The short film, apparently titled HOTEL CHAVALIER, takes place some time shortly before the events of the feature film. Schwartzman’s character sits alone in a hotel room watching French television. He orders some food, in French, and at one point asks, “How do you say grilled cheese again?” No music. Very funky hotel room. The phone rings again as soon as Schwartz puts it down. Someone unexpected has arrived. It turns out to be Portman, who plays his ex-girlfriend. They exchange some bitter, somber words, and intimacy of the highest order ensues. Portman is absolutely stunning; you’ve seriously never seen her like this. The hair is short, the eyes are dark, and she seems tall next to Schwartzman. In a word, she is sexy. Not like as in, “oh, I wanna have sex with her; she’s hot.” I mean sexy as, “I can’t take my eyes off her. She is commanding the screen. She is in complete control right now, and I like it.” That kind of sexy. Oh, and by the way, she is also hot. And in a particularly intimate scene, Schwartzman, whilst sitting on a bed, undressed Portman while she’s standing in front of him. Her upper body, from the chest up, is offscreen, so the screen is taken up by Schwartzman’s sitting figure and Portman’s torso. He strips her to the skin, and my lord, is it sexy. And yes, Portman is, as one R. Larance would say, “Buckin’ Ass Nekkid.”
Overall, the short film is greatness. It’s a very serious Wes Anderson I don’t think we’ve seen before. It’s very sensual, intimate, and somber. Portman chews up the screen even though she barely says a word. The events in this film set up a lot of what happens in THE DARJEELING LIMITED and will, at the very least, make you fall that much more in love with Schwartzman’s character.
I highly recommend you track this short down. It’s a doozie.
And now, on to the main event…
THE DARJEELING LIMITED, the latest film by Wes Anderson, is pretty much awesome. I wasn’t floored; my jaw wasn’t dropped; everything in this film has been done before, but with THE DARJEELING LIMITED, Anderson has absolutely PERFECTED his style. It is easily his crowing achievement so far. I’ll go ahead and break down what worked in this film by category, for your reading pleasure.
VISUALLY, this movie is incredible. There is ALWAYS something going on. Even if the characters are having a quiet little conversation amongst themselves, Anderson and Co. manage to keep the screen absolutely filled to the brim with visual detail. All of the film’s locales are lavishly decorated in Indian-style things, as most of the movie takes place in India. Some of the cinematography is breath-taking. When the boys make it to the foothills of the Himalayas, the view is breathtaking. But even though the visuals are always sah-weet, they never overpower the most important thing in the movie, which is of course…
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT is very, very fleshed-out. Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman play three American brothers in India trying to get visit their mother, who lives in a Mission at the foothills of the Himalayas. The chemistry between these actors is pretty much stellar; it’s hard to pick which one I like more. They goof, they fight, and they have good times together. One brother keeps secrets from the others, one brother treats the others like babies, and one brother doesn’t really care for the other two. The little idiosyncrasies of the brothers play out like a rock-paper-scissors match, where they all have preferences for certain aspects of another brother’s personality. Confused? Don’t worry; you’ll get it. Once you’re watching the film, it’s not hard to follow because…
THE WRITING is really, really solid. Even though the film is somethin’ like an hour and a half long, it feels quicker, somehow. There aren’t ever really any slow spots, and the dialogue is mostly character-revealing banter and arguing between the brothers. I personally found it to be quite hilarious. There are some great lines that you might find yourself quoting on day, a la Pulp Fiction. The plot is very spiritual nature and is at times very…nebulous, but it doesn’t really need to be anything more. If you look deeper, you’ll find things that might mean more to you than they do to others, but might actually mean nothing at all. I think that’s how the writers (Anderson, Schwartzman, and Roman Coppola) intended it to be. It’s only as deep as you want it to be. The train ride they take where they’re searching for mom is a metaphor for their lives after the death of their father, and in the course of finding mom, they realize that they’re really just finding…that’s right…themselves. A bit cliché, I know, but it works great here.
IN CONCLUSION, THE DARJEELING LIMITED is perhaps the best work Wes Anderson has yet completed. He’s got an All-Star cast with more chemistry than your junior year of high school, a super-interesting, yet somehow subtle visual style, and a very, very different sense of humor. THE DARJEELING LIMITED is maybe a bit more serious and less ludicrous than his past stuff, but if you like THE LIFE AQUATIC and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, you’ll most likely adore THE DARJEELING LIMITED. If you find no humor in quirky, dry movies, avoid this at all costs.
If you use this, call me…
Coots
Next up, applejew...
The Darjeeling Limited
Director: Wes Anderson
Writer(s): Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman
Starring: Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Amara Karan, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston
Synopsis (From IMDB): Three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other -- to become brothers again like they used to be. Their "spiritual quest", however, veers rapidly off-course (due to events involving over-the-counter pain killers, Indian cough syrup, and pepper spray), and they eventually find themselves stranded alone in the middle of the desert with eleven suitcases, a printer, and a laminating machine. At this moment, a new, unplanned journey suddenly begins.
The Darjeeling Limited will be received no doubt like every Wes Anderson movie; a lot of people will love it and a lot of people will hate it. Anderson simply doesn’t work for everyone. Fans of his films try to convince detractors that they just don’t get it, an argument that is not only stupid, but also pointless. Anderson’s films are too original, too creative, too well done, to be loved by everyone. You can’t please them all, right?
I write this because it saddens me to know how many people will hate, and I mean HATE, The Darjeeling Limited. To the Anderson haters out there, it will just come off as more of the same, actually, it will come off as a less funny version of more of the same, a sentiment that is lazy and pisses me off. Yes, it looks and feels like every other Anderson film to date, but its almost as though everything has been refined.
Robert D. Yeoman’s cinematography is award worthy. So much of the film takes place on a train, the Darjeeling Limited, yet never is the cinematography boring. It’s kinetic and creative and lenses India in a way that makes you want to go there and have your own spiritual journey. *Slight Spolier* There’s this great little bit of cinematography/production design where the camera tracks from train compartment to train compartment, revealing what each character is doing and where they are. What makes it so nice is that not every character is on the train. Some are in huts, some planes, some hotel rooms, yet they are still all placed on the train. To clarify, instead of finding a train compartment when panning into the next room, the camera finds a hut on the tracks, or the inside of a plane, or the interior of a hotel room. Get the idea? It was just a clever bit of cinema that was worth mentioning. *End Spoiler*
Still, no matter how good the cinematography may be, the film lives and dies on the strength of the three brothers. If they weren’t believable, if they lacked chemistry, the movie wouldn’t have worked. Rest assured though, Wilson, Brody, and Schwartzman work as brothers. I have brothers myself, and Anderson and his co-writers convey sibling relationships quite excellently. I found myself laughing sometimes not because of a joke on screen, but because something the brothers did was something my brothers and I had done. The way Wilson, Brody, and Schwartzman interact truly is a joy to watch. But Wes Anderson’s characters often are enjoyable to watch. What makes this movie different than anything else Anderson has done before?
Simply, this is the most mature film Anderson has ever made. Yes, its still pretty tongue-in-cheek funny with the occasional wacky occurrence (the scene from the trailer with the pepper spray is laugh out loud funny), but for the most part, the movie is a drama. Each character is dealing with a serious issue. Owen Wilson (Francis) spends the film in heavy bandages due to a motorcycle accident that may or may not have been a suicide attempt. Jason Schwartzman (Jack) can’t get over his ex-girlfriend and goes so far as to listen to her voicemail, who’s code he has stolen. Adrien Brody’s (Peter) wife is pregnant, and he doesn’t know how to deal with that because he always thought they were going to get divorced.
On top of all of these issues, the brothers haven’t spoken in a year, since their father’s funeral, and they are trying to figure out why. There is a heavy emotional weight attached to this film and Anderson writes in some scenes you’d never expect in one of his movies. *Spoilers* For instance, Brody’s character has a child die in his arms, a child he couldn’t save from a raging river. The brothers carry this child to his home and Anderson makes an attempt to show what grieving is like. You meet the boy’s father, the rest of his family, and others in his village, and there is no humor present whatsoever. It is a scene of sole drama. Nothing quirky, or Anderson-y, just sadness and how people deal with sadness. *End Spoilers* The Darjeeling Limited truly is a huge step forward for Anderson. It finds balance unlike anything he’s ever done. Its funny, but its also dramatic, and at points touching enough to bring you to tears (I didn’t cry though because I am a man).
You should go see this movie. It’s a movie about transition, about finding the right roads in life, a theme symbolized in a side character played by Bill Murray. He’s a businessman that misses the train that I can only assume was his train home. That’s the level Anderson is working at now. This is a more adult Anderson; a director that is growing, despite what some may think. I’m excited to see what he has in store for us next.
- by applejew
So, I’ll start with the short, and then work my way to the feature.
If you’ve seen a Wes Anderson film before, you know what to expect with his stuff: a dry sense of humor and tons of quirkiness spread over very personal…dare I say…intimate plot. Well, this short pretty much leaves the funny at home and is intensely intimate. There are three actors: Jason Schwartzman, Natalie Portman (Bonus.), and some dude that plays a butler. The short film, apparently titled HOTEL CHAVALIER, takes place some time shortly before the events of the feature film. Schwartzman’s character sits alone in a hotel room watching French television. He orders some food, in French, and at one point asks, “How do you say grilled cheese again?” No music. Very funky hotel room. The phone rings again as soon as Schwartz puts it down. Someone unexpected has arrived. It turns out to be Portman, who plays his ex-girlfriend. They exchange some bitter, somber words, and intimacy of the highest order ensues. Portman is absolutely stunning; you’ve seriously never seen her like this. The hair is short, the eyes are dark, and she seems tall next to Schwartzman. In a word, she is sexy. Not like as in, “oh, I wanna have sex with her; she’s hot.” I mean sexy as, “I can’t take my eyes off her. She is commanding the screen. She is in complete control right now, and I like it.” That kind of sexy. Oh, and by the way, she is also hot. And in a particularly intimate scene, Schwartzman, whilst sitting on a bed, undressed Portman while she’s standing in front of him. Her upper body, from the chest up, is offscreen, so the screen is taken up by Schwartzman’s sitting figure and Portman’s torso. He strips her to the skin, and my lord, is it sexy. And yes, Portman is, as one R. Larance would say, “Buckin’ Ass Nekkid.”
Overall, the short film is greatness. It’s a very serious Wes Anderson I don’t think we’ve seen before. It’s very sensual, intimate, and somber. Portman chews up the screen even though she barely says a word. The events in this film set up a lot of what happens in THE DARJEELING LIMITED and will, at the very least, make you fall that much more in love with Schwartzman’s character.
I highly recommend you track this short down. It’s a doozie.
And now, on to the main event…
THE DARJEELING LIMITED, the latest film by Wes Anderson, is pretty much awesome. I wasn’t floored; my jaw wasn’t dropped; everything in this film has been done before, but with THE DARJEELING LIMITED, Anderson has absolutely PERFECTED his style. It is easily his crowing achievement so far. I’ll go ahead and break down what worked in this film by category, for your reading pleasure.
VISUALLY, this movie is incredible. There is ALWAYS something going on. Even if the characters are having a quiet little conversation amongst themselves, Anderson and Co. manage to keep the screen absolutely filled to the brim with visual detail. All of the film’s locales are lavishly decorated in Indian-style things, as most of the movie takes place in India. Some of the cinematography is breath-taking. When the boys make it to the foothills of the Himalayas, the view is breathtaking. But even though the visuals are always sah-weet, they never overpower the most important thing in the movie, which is of course…
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT is very, very fleshed-out. Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman play three American brothers in India trying to get visit their mother, who lives in a Mission at the foothills of the Himalayas. The chemistry between these actors is pretty much stellar; it’s hard to pick which one I like more. They goof, they fight, and they have good times together. One brother keeps secrets from the others, one brother treats the others like babies, and one brother doesn’t really care for the other two. The little idiosyncrasies of the brothers play out like a rock-paper-scissors match, where they all have preferences for certain aspects of another brother’s personality. Confused? Don’t worry; you’ll get it. Once you’re watching the film, it’s not hard to follow because…
THE WRITING is really, really solid. Even though the film is somethin’ like an hour and a half long, it feels quicker, somehow. There aren’t ever really any slow spots, and the dialogue is mostly character-revealing banter and arguing between the brothers. I personally found it to be quite hilarious. There are some great lines that you might find yourself quoting on day, a la Pulp Fiction. The plot is very spiritual nature and is at times very…nebulous, but it doesn’t really need to be anything more. If you look deeper, you’ll find things that might mean more to you than they do to others, but might actually mean nothing at all. I think that’s how the writers (Anderson, Schwartzman, and Roman Coppola) intended it to be. It’s only as deep as you want it to be. The train ride they take where they’re searching for mom is a metaphor for their lives after the death of their father, and in the course of finding mom, they realize that they’re really just finding…that’s right…themselves. A bit cliché, I know, but it works great here.
IN CONCLUSION, THE DARJEELING LIMITED is perhaps the best work Wes Anderson has yet completed. He’s got an All-Star cast with more chemistry than your junior year of high school, a super-interesting, yet somehow subtle visual style, and a very, very different sense of humor. THE DARJEELING LIMITED is maybe a bit more serious and less ludicrous than his past stuff, but if you like THE LIFE AQUATIC and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, you’ll most likely adore THE DARJEELING LIMITED. If you find no humor in quirky, dry movies, avoid this at all costs.
If you use this, call me…
Coots
Director: Wes Anderson
Writer(s): Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman
Starring: Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Amara Karan, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston
Synopsis (From IMDB): Three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other -- to become brothers again like they used to be. Their "spiritual quest", however, veers rapidly off-course (due to events involving over-the-counter pain killers, Indian cough syrup, and pepper spray), and they eventually find themselves stranded alone in the middle of the desert with eleven suitcases, a printer, and a laminating machine. At this moment, a new, unplanned journey suddenly begins.
The Darjeeling Limited will be received no doubt like every Wes Anderson movie; a lot of people will love it and a lot of people will hate it. Anderson simply doesn’t work for everyone. Fans of his films try to convince detractors that they just don’t get it, an argument that is not only stupid, but also pointless. Anderson’s films are too original, too creative, too well done, to be loved by everyone. You can’t please them all, right?
I write this because it saddens me to know how many people will hate, and I mean HATE, The Darjeeling Limited. To the Anderson haters out there, it will just come off as more of the same, actually, it will come off as a less funny version of more of the same, a sentiment that is lazy and pisses me off. Yes, it looks and feels like every other Anderson film to date, but its almost as though everything has been refined.
Robert D. Yeoman’s cinematography is award worthy. So much of the film takes place on a train, the Darjeeling Limited, yet never is the cinematography boring. It’s kinetic and creative and lenses India in a way that makes you want to go there and have your own spiritual journey. *Slight Spolier* There’s this great little bit of cinematography/production design where the camera tracks from train compartment to train compartment, revealing what each character is doing and where they are. What makes it so nice is that not every character is on the train. Some are in huts, some planes, some hotel rooms, yet they are still all placed on the train. To clarify, instead of finding a train compartment when panning into the next room, the camera finds a hut on the tracks, or the inside of a plane, or the interior of a hotel room. Get the idea? It was just a clever bit of cinema that was worth mentioning. *End Spoiler*
Still, no matter how good the cinematography may be, the film lives and dies on the strength of the three brothers. If they weren’t believable, if they lacked chemistry, the movie wouldn’t have worked. Rest assured though, Wilson, Brody, and Schwartzman work as brothers. I have brothers myself, and Anderson and his co-writers convey sibling relationships quite excellently. I found myself laughing sometimes not because of a joke on screen, but because something the brothers did was something my brothers and I had done. The way Wilson, Brody, and Schwartzman interact truly is a joy to watch. But Wes Anderson’s characters often are enjoyable to watch. What makes this movie different than anything else Anderson has done before?
Simply, this is the most mature film Anderson has ever made. Yes, its still pretty tongue-in-cheek funny with the occasional wacky occurrence (the scene from the trailer with the pepper spray is laugh out loud funny), but for the most part, the movie is a drama. Each character is dealing with a serious issue. Owen Wilson (Francis) spends the film in heavy bandages due to a motorcycle accident that may or may not have been a suicide attempt. Jason Schwartzman (Jack) can’t get over his ex-girlfriend and goes so far as to listen to her voicemail, who’s code he has stolen. Adrien Brody’s (Peter) wife is pregnant, and he doesn’t know how to deal with that because he always thought they were going to get divorced.
On top of all of these issues, the brothers haven’t spoken in a year, since their father’s funeral, and they are trying to figure out why. There is a heavy emotional weight attached to this film and Anderson writes in some scenes you’d never expect in one of his movies. *Spoilers* For instance, Brody’s character has a child die in his arms, a child he couldn’t save from a raging river. The brothers carry this child to his home and Anderson makes an attempt to show what grieving is like. You meet the boy’s father, the rest of his family, and others in his village, and there is no humor present whatsoever. It is a scene of sole drama. Nothing quirky, or Anderson-y, just sadness and how people deal with sadness. *End Spoilers* The Darjeeling Limited truly is a huge step forward for Anderson. It finds balance unlike anything he’s ever done. Its funny, but its also dramatic, and at points touching enough to bring you to tears (I didn’t cry though because I am a man).
You should go see this movie. It’s a movie about transition, about finding the right roads in life, a theme symbolized in a side character played by Bill Murray. He’s a businessman that misses the train that I can only assume was his train home. That’s the level Anderson is working at now. This is a more adult Anderson; a director that is growing, despite what some may think. I’m excited to see what he has in store for us next.
- by applejew
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weird, no?
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is his best still...what's up with his mr. fox flick?
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will be available for free on iTunes today. There was a WSJ article about it yesterday. Screened yesterday at the NYC Apple store with Schwartzman and Anderson. Thanks for the heads-up AICN.
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IMHO.
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that movie is pure gold, I think it's due to the simplicity of the story. (when compared to his other works)
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Really liked the quirky dry humor of Tennanbaums and Aquatic. My wife hates them both. Guess I'll be seeing this alone. PVIII thanks for the info about itunes. Does seem like something AICN should have informed us of.
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119059131017936814.html
Basically, Anderson is saying that if you don't watch the short before the movie, you're not going to get as much out of the film. -
Bill Murray and his shitty, redheaded twins: can't be topped.
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as his other crap.
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Are you sure it's up there today and not NEXT Tuesday? I can't find anything there yet, but I'll keep an eye out.
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NEW WES ANDERSON FILM FEATURES DEADPAN DELIVERY, METICULOUS ART DIRECTION, CHARACTERS WITH FATHER ISSUES.
LOS ANGELES—Fans who attended a sneak preview Monday of critically acclaimed director Wes Anderson's newest project, The Darjeeling Limited, were surprised to learn that the film features a deadpan comedic tone, highly stylized production design, and a plot centering around unresolved family issues.
"What will he think of next?" audience member Michael Cauley said. "And who could have foreseen the elaborately crafted '60s-era aesthetic, melancholy subtext, and quirky nomenclature—to say nothing of the unexpected curveball of casting Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Bill Murray?"
In a recent review, New York Times film critic A.O. Scott also expressed surprise at the film's cutting-edge soundtrack, which features a Rolling Stones song and three different tracks by the Kinks. -
It sounds like the short film premiere is TONIGHT (Tuesday) at 9 pm at the 4 big city Apple stores. The short film will be on iTunes after the premiere.
http://content.foxsearchlight.com/inside/node/2211 -
here the quote from the WSJ.com:"The short film's premiere will be Tuesday night at Apple stores in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Santa Monica, Calif. Then, starting Wednesday, it will be available as a free download on Apple Inc.'s iTunes Web site." M
My bad guys, sorry to get your hopes up.
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Their superficial 'look at me' style of directing is so phony. They're basically making movies FOR and WITH their friends. Which would be fine,
but it isn't THEIR money. 'Spoiled brat' is what I think when I see a trailer for one of their movies. -
I could respect Royal T, but I found it overloaded and shrill. Life Aquatic was just one dull empty mess except for the fight against the pirates.I think Wes Anderson is a classic example of a filmmaker that I want to like more, but can't. I'll still probably give this a rent.
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"Boo-frickin-hoo" I have ten million in the bank, I've got good looks, I have charisma on the screen so I think I'll kill myself with drugs because I'm "sooo wonely" I can't get the girl I want. Every guy wishes he could change events and be with that one special girl. Every guy has had his heart broken including me. It happens to all of us. Its okay to pine of her, but its not okay to try and kill yourself. Note to Owen Wilson...there are 6.6. billion people on the planet. Roughly 60% are women. You got a pretty fucking good chance to find someone else that fits your criteria. You don't like being an actor? Go work at at Joe job for minimum wage for eight hours a day taking shit from inferior assholes. Also, if you don't want your money, I'll gladly accept it. So quit your bitching and man up.
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Make no mistake: I think he has genuine talent, unlike a lot of the pretenders out there. But he seems to be a one trick pony. I saw the DARJEELING trailer and thought I'd seen it all before: quirky family resolves long unspoken hostilities while surrounded by quirky art direction...and end with characters slow motion walking. I always hope he delivers something as good as his first two movies..and his Amex commercial. That was funny.
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I worked with Wilson on a movie a few years ago, and I couldn't believe the women throwing themselves at him. The guy must've scored with a different girl every week. I now I wouldn't be depressed if that was my life.
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...Good Luck Chuck is playing at a nearby theater just for you!
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So...are we led to believe that women throw themselves at you in search of meaningless sex? I mean, your post did seem to be coming from a first-person perspective. If so, congratulations and try to go easy on the pathetic suicide attempts.
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Mostly because Wes's bag of tricks was still fresh and unexpected then. Now, it kinda feels like his bag of tricks is actually one trick that he keeps using over and over. The Onion hit it right on the head, as they normally do.
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to celebrate. Each film is a gem, and who cares if they all have a similar style, at least it's a unique style. No other film is quite like Wes Anderson's.
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We all HAVE decided to be virgin movie geeks. It was a choice. Not a pathetic result of our own unappealing pettiness, below-average looks, and vacuum of character.
Geeez. -
Anyone?
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No, Jason Schwartzman doesn't stab anyone on the train. Maybe in an earlier cut he did, but not mine.
Also, I asked aintitcool to link to my website if they published my review. It seems they didn't.
www.almostmonumental.com
Come if you dare. -
...the good life can kill you if you're not responsible and being responsible starts with taking charge of your own life and not letting others tell you what to do. Harry Lewis("Key Largo") and his wife created "Hamburger Hamlet" and "Kate Mantilini's." I don't see them all drugged out feeling sorry for themselves and I certainly don't feel sorry for Wilson and will never see another film he's in. So the guy gets laid because he's famous. This is Hollywood. Most of the women here are ready to "star fuck" anyone then move on to the next higher up in the food chain that will further their career. Just ask Demi Moore and Sharon Stone. They're called actresses and if you're smart; you never date one. Go ahead and give them the beef injection during the shoot if that's your thing, but they're damaged goods and you get damaged in the process. I know. I dated several until I wised up and I'll never do it again. You want a serious relationship? Find a girl that isn't in this business. Owen Wilson should have just taken it on the chin, man up and walk away. Instead, he decides, "My life sucks. I don't have the girl I want or can't find the right one. I'm a millionaire loser. Where's my drugs?" The late, great Robert Ryan when he retired, visited orphanages and children's hospitals every day until he died. Now, that's a man. Owen Wilson isn't. He can't stand up for himself. Take it on the chin, Wilson and move on. "Feel sorry for me...boo hoo hoo." Hey, Owen, if you feel so bad, I'll feel sorry for you. Why don't you send me a few hundred thousand. That'll help your conscience. Make you feel better too.
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When I first saw this, i knew I liked it, but i wasn't in love with it the way i was with Rushmore. Then, a few years later, when flying home from a trip to Russia, Tennenbaums was one of the in-flight movies. During that trip home, I watched Tennenbaums three or four times, and every time i watched it, its like it opened itself up to me more and more. Now I consider it to be just as good as Rushmore. I'm kind of going through the same process right now with "The Life Aquatic", which I do admire, but haven't fallen head over heals in love with yet.
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His films are always better on repeat viewing. It took me a few tries to get into The Life Aquatic but once I did I fell in love with that film. I enjoy all his movies, and while I like some more than others, they have always gotten better over time, even if I was ecstatic about the film in the first place.
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Dumb people, and people who know shit about film. Thank you, now off to play Halo 3.
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The elitism is definitely there. Then again, I'm not sure Memories-of-Murder has ever made it through an entire sentence without any glaring grammatical and/or spelling errors.
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I can be bothered watching something that has already been done before!?
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Good call. Because, lord knows, the only thing worse than Rushmore is Boogie Nights. You really seem to have your finger on the pulse of good film/moviemaking.
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Can't recommend it enough. The most entertaining thing I saw at the Venice Film Festival. The heart / stabbing was not in our cut. No mention by the other 2 reviewers of the snake. Got to love the snake. Oh, and Angelica Huston is also wonderful in this. The movie is well worth your hard earned cash.
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I was disappointed with Aquatic - I hope this is a return to form.
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Man.... you are so right... I am just a Joe wokin a job to make ends meet, and still have gorgeous women throwing themselves at mw. But its not what I want... Love is the only true thing you can look for. Everyone has their heatrt broken, but its no reason to do something drastic. Granted, I've thought about drastic measures when I've lost someone Iloved, but to astually follow thru is a pathetic scream for attention. Get over it, life isn't that bad, and you never know when your symbiote, or for the layman, soulmate shall walk into your life.
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Beer and typing Don't mix... remember that kids!!!!
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I had no idea DeVry had a film program. Congratulations on your upcoming career as a grip for 'Reba'. And you're right, Rushmore and Boogie Nights were done 10 years ago. But they'd be just as enjoyable today. That's called being timeless. Something I can't say about 98% of films or filmmakers. And, if I were you, I'd watch Darjeeling Limited and There Will Be Blood before I crawled too far up my own ass.
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god bless you, sir. god bless you. "congrats on your upcoming career as a grip for "reba." brilliant.
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I thought it was Memories-of-Murder. I stand corrected. Here's the thing, Captain Justice: This is a movie website. Everyone here knows something about movies. And everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether you agree with it or not. So coming on here and saying that your went to a couple film classes at your local community college and, therefore, your opinion is right and everyone else's is wrong, well, that's a real quick way to get yourself branded a douche. Yes, you. Not me. Because, last I checked, I'm not the one who smells like vinegar and water.
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much the same place in their careers right now. Both have become derivative of themselves and need to direct SOMEONE ELSES SCRIPT. But they're probably too pompous.
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Actually, everything you type amuses me. But what amuses me the most is that, ostensibly, you're in the same business as the Andersons. I mean, it's one thing for some random schlub to come on here and make a blanket "they suck" comment. But because you're in the "film industry" you're basically implying that you could do better. Yep, just as soon as you finish your shift as Frankie Muniz's assistant on the set of Cody Banks 2, you're gonna go home and write a better screenplay than Rushmore. That's what you're gonna do.
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Is realizing your error and correcting that typo with another typo. The word you're searching for, genius, is penises. By the way, Frankie Muniz wanted me to remind you that he likes his dressing on the side.
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sitting in a tree!
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When a joke is so obvious a DeVry Film School graduate can make it with a minimal of grammatical errors (hint: you're is the same as you are) you know you've fucked up. Now, perhaps you can get back to that spec script you've been trying to get Richard Grieco to read.
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Keep it going guys! I'm loving this! Maybe the winner can box Uwe Boll!
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Apparently, he has another Celebrity Fit Club to do. Otherwise he'd totally be into it. Really, he would.
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I, myself, haven't had this much fun since SirBiatchReturns skipped town. Although this guy makes SBR look like Stephen Hawking.
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There's this guy calling him SnatchVagina who talkbacks on this site. This guy has this longwinded qualifier-heavy formula for using box office revenue and weekly box office drop offs to measure the quality of a film. He refuses to use his own opinion and admit that he feels a film good or bad because he thinks it is "pretentious". You've got to hear this maniac.
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Who's winning?
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I think you've called me a pederast more than I've called you a community college film class dropout. The difference is, my lame joke is relevant.
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I don't think it's fair to say, "if you like Tenenbaums and Life Aquatic" because I think, maybe it's just me, but I think that Life Aquatic is soooo weak in comparison. I loved Tenenbaums and found Life Aquatic lacking. I felt like the character motivations in Tenenbaums were much stronger, much more fleshed-out, than Life Aquatic. Zissou as a character failed to engage me at any point. I never cared about him. Royal and his family, on the other hand, were very engaging. I suspect Life Aquatic suffered from Owen Wilson's absence in the writing. I think Anderson's good at evoking a theme, but he doesn't do that good a job attaching the theme to characters that engage us. I'm pretty sure that's where Owen Wilsom comes in. I could be wrong, but that's how I see it.
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When you get worked up, your grammar and spelling go to hell. It's like you have Tourette's of the keyboard. Ok, here's the deal: You're dumb. Real dumb. And I'm tired of arguing with someone with the I.Q. of a lawn chair. I have better things to do with my time. In fact, just to spite you one last time, I think I'm going to go see 'Good Luck Chuck'. What do you think of that, Cecil B?
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or Owen Wilson's personal problems.
But the Garbageman33/Cap Justice feud is funny. Reminds me of some M-o-M vs. [insert TB's name here] shit. Or my lil' skirmish with some anal retentive cocksucker about Sam Jackson being Nick Fury.
Anyway, my vote goes to garbageman33. I'm pretty sure I've had heated discussion with you in the past (if so, you're probably a douchebag since I'm a peaceful hobbit by nature) BUT you're definitely less of an arrogant "connoisseur" than Cap. Have a very nice fight. -
The rest of us watching you two bitch at eachother. Please continue, it's brightened up my shitty day at work.
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Is that you two were on the same side at the beginning, you both declared that Bottle Rocket was great, but Anderson turned out to be a one trick pony. Then you started flinging shit at eachother. You're both cunts.
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I love seeing irony in action. Allow me to explain, as I'm sure you have no idea what I'm talking about. You're calling ME a retard, but you can't even manage to do that without a glaring grammatical error. There are three words in that sentence. And you managed to get one of them wrong. Good work. And yes, right now I'm sure you're thinking, "Wait, that is too how you spell retard".
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I don't remember having beef with you. I generally don't mess with anyone who doesn't really, really deserve it.
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Thanks for entertaining me. Let me know when your movie comes out. And by "movie" I mean industrial video. Good to see you putting that film degree to good use.
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I think in this game of TB Dodgeball, I'm on GarbageMan's side. I mean, the dude is funny. Cap just seems to get pissy. And the pederast knock really has NOTHING to do with film criticism or the film industry. At least GarbageMan's shots (similar though they may be) are relevent to the subject at hand. I support Cap's argument that there are many directors who pretend to depth while not actually saying or doing anything deep. However, I MORE support GarbageMan's argument that Rushmore (and I would say Tenenbaums) has something to say AND is a good story. Rushmore speaking to maturity and the steps necessary to "grow up". Tenenbaums speaking to what it means to be a family and how you define a "good father". Life Aquatic I find a little hollow. I didn't really see a direction in that one. And Cap's really off by acting as though appreciation for anything before the here and now makes you irrelevent. If you got an MFA, then you have to know how important it is to study the history of film. Including 1998.
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Natalie Portman is naked in this movie (the short). Put that in your drop-out pederast pipes and smoke it. Losers.
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You're a donkey-raping shit eater. Hmmm... nope. Not really relevent. Nor is "fat fucking turd". How is a guy's BMI at all related to this argument? Oh, right, it's not. You're just getting personal because that's what a douchebag would do...
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This seems to be a minority opinion here, but I absolutely love Life Aquatic. I loved RT and Rusmore too but Acquatic the movie and the character of Zissou captivates me everytime I watch it. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it always amazes me when people give Life Aquatic a lot of shit.
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Hey, I thought Hotel Chavalier should have been up on iTunes by now? Can't find it.
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Found it -
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMovie?id=265079483&s=143441 -
This reminds me of some of the classic flame wars of the past, and what's wrong with Reservoir Dogs?As you were.
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I will fuckin kill you.
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I mean, that really got out of hand fast. Looking back in the harsh light of day, well, frankly I’m embarrassed. It was all rather unseemly. As for you, Captain Justice: I wish all your posts were as cohesive and thought-out as your last one. I actually agree with some of it. Unfortunately, you didn’t start out that way. You came off as elitist. As if your opinion had more merit for the simple fact that you went to film school once. And I quote: "I know quite a bit about "film" (like only douchebags use the word "film" exclusively). Got the useless paperwork to prove it too!". But here’s the thing, as a film student, do you really think directors like Wes and PT Anderson are the enemy? As opposed to, say, Tim Story. Why attack directors with a distinctive style? Yes, Wes Anderson may have veered into self-parody with Life Aquatic. I agree. But Pt Anderson? How many directors would have the balls to include a biblical plague in their film? Was it pretentious? Maybe. But it was also the mark of a director supremely confident in his abilities. As for your constant harping on 1998, to me, it doesn’t matter what year a film comes out. Because the great ones (of which I include Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Boogie Nights, Magnolia and half of Punch Drunk Love) could come out today and be every bit as relevant. They’re timeless. Much like this talkback.
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Come get some Knuckle dude!
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garbageman33 gets my vote. it's hard to support anyone who says things like "my MFA from a school that wouldn't let you on the grounds..." who the fuck is this guy? billy mitchell? and i just flat out can't understand a person who doesn't like p.t. anderson. i love wes anderson, but can understand why he gets negative criticism. but pta? what the fuck?
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you tell em' steve dave!
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your last post was good. well-stated! i completely agree. however, i am curious: what do you mean by "half of punch drunk love"? just curious is all.
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I'd have to see it again. I just remember it starting somewhat slowly before really kicking into gear. Overall, it didn't resonate with me the way Boogie Nights and Magnolia did. Then again, it didn't set out to be as grand in scope. But hey, it was fun to see what PT Anderson could do with a genre like "romantic comedy".
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If PT Anderson is such a hack director, how does he attract such incredible talent? I mean, Daniel Day Lewis hasn't done a movie in years. And yet, there he is in There Will Be Blood. Tom Cruise begged for the role in Magnolia even though he'd never done anything like it before. He was smart enough to know that someone like PT Anderson could change the way people thought of him. And it worked. At least until Tom went crazy and started jumping on couches and challenging morning talk show hosts.
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I agree with you that Wes Anderson has squandered some of his remarkable gift by continuing to go back to the same well. But I think PT Anderson continues to reinvent himself with each new movie. Magnolia was nothing like Boogie Nights. As for me asking you to prove yourself worthy of an opinion, I say, show me the post. Because unless I blacked out and some evil force took over my typing hand, that's something I'd never do. Oh, and there's a difference between Ben Kingsley doing a Uwe Boll movie and Tom Cruise begging to be in a PT Anderson film. Ben was clearly just in it for the paycheck. Which would explain why every review I read said that Gandhi totally mailed in his "performance". Compare that to Cruise who put away all his movie star tics and delivered a career best performance for PT.
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And I continue to be baffled by your distaste for PT Anderson. He makes a nearly 3-hour endurance test of a movie that, nonetheless, has an 86% rating on rottentomatoes.com and gets Tom Cruise his first award consideration and, yet, you claim he "fucked it up".
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Who are some of the directors you admire?
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Fine. I'll be sure to call you before I head off to the movies. What's your cell number?
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I loved Election (I and II). No Country for Old Men was breathtaking. Nolan is fantastic, of course. Not sure how Roger Avary and Tony Kaye got included in that esteemed company, though. Roger Avary writes great dialogue, obviously (as Tarantino's movies since Pulp Fiction clearly show). But Killing Zoe and The Rules of Attraction aren't gonna make anyone forget Reservoir Dogs.
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I simply meant that you don't seem to trust anyone else's opinion. Truth is, I'm not a huge fan of rottentomatoes.com myself. But I do have a couple critics (especially Scott Tobias from the Onion) who seem to share my views. See, here's the thing, there's really no way of quantifying whether or not a movie is good. It either works for you or it doesn't. So we're going around and around arguing about whether or not movies (and directors) are good when, in the end, there's no way of telling. It's all up to the individual to decide for himself.
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When it played in Toronto last year. Who but Tony Kaye would do a three-hour abortion documentary? It's like a giant "fuck you" to Hollywood. Ironically, I have friends who've shot commercials with him. Really bad commercials. Foster Farms, to be exact. Apparently, he had quite the cocaine addiction, lost all his money and had to do the cinematic equivalent of giving blowjobs in dark alleys (i.e. directing commercials) to get back on his feet. But I think it humbled him and, if Lake of Fire is any indication, made him a better filmmaker.
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The pro-life people in that clip are so scary, you'd think the film skewed the other way. But, by all acounts, it's incredibly balanced.
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For mortal enemies, we seem to have a lot in common. I go up to Toronto every year. In fact, they printed my synopsis from this year's fest. http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34124
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I actually enjoyed Ounch Drunk Love far more then Boogie Nights. Relatability, I suppose.
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