The Grand Budapest Hotel

Samir Mehta: “It ruled.”

A masterwork. Wes Anderson's best, most thoroughly accessible and engaging film (beating the Royal Tenenbaums!) Like Tarantino in Inglourious Basterds, Anderson has really matured and uses his key skills (visual composition, off-beat characters, and witty scripts) less as a crutch and in more balance with the rest of his tool-kit. The result is a touching, hilarious, truly grand story that hints at the depth and sorrow of 20th century European history. Amazing performances all around. Willem Defoe steals many, many scenes and Ralph Fiennes is at his best since Schindler's List.

− December 31, 2014 • more by Samir • log in or create an account to reply

Scott Hardie: I need to watch The Royal Tenenbaums again. It was my first Anderson film and I really disliked it, finding it pretentious and overbearing. But I've liked enough of his other titles since then to name two of them the best movies that I saw all year, so I think I was just young and unprepared for that kind of movie. It's time to try Tenenbaums again, and to see the few other Anderson titles that still remain unseen. Congratulations, Fantastic Mr. Fox, you're finally in my Netflix queue. − January 2, 2015 • more by Scott

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Scott Hardie: “It ruled.”

Outstanding movie! Wes Anderson has perfected his brand of magical realism, and in it, created this generously intricate world for his characters' adventures to unfold. I loved the nonstop wit and brisk cleverness, as if the movie was under some kind of stopwatch and was racing to get out as many ideas as it could in time. The celebrity cameos were a little distracting, but it was worth it to see so many welcome faces from Anderson's other films. Ralph Fiennes is excellent in the lead role, demonstrating his rarely-seen gift for comedy. I wanted this movie to go on forever.

− December 31, 2014 • more by Scott • log in or create an account to reply

Evie Totty: I hate I haven't seen this yet. Came out at a bad time of year for me... Had been looking forward to it for some time! − January 3, 2015 • more by Evie

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Erik Bates: “It ruled.”

I'm biased. I'll admit this. When I know it's a Wes Anderson film, I go in expecting quirky, dry humor, interesting cinematography, and a pace that will bore my wife to death.

Mission accomplished, Wes.

All that being said, I think this is my favorite Wes Anderson film to date.

− February 23, 2015 • more by Erik • log in or create an account to reply

Scott Hardie: Really? The pace was slow? I thought everybody kept talking and moving so quickly, like the movie was so crammed with detail that it had to hurry to keep up. Then again, perhaps the plot advanced slowly even if the characters didn't. − February 24, 2015 • more by Scott

Erik Bates: Maybe it's not the pace that bores her. I'm not really sure, to tell you the truth. There's a category of films that she lovingly calls "you movies." As in, "Being Llewyn Davis? That looks like a you movie."

Also falling into this category are Garden State, Nebraska, The Master (despite my dislike of it), and The Music Never Stopped, just to name a few (from my list of reviewed movies from this site).

Side note: I have yet to see Being Llewyn Davis, though I desperately want to. − February 24, 2015 • more by Erik

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Evie Totty: “It ruled.”

I wish Wes Anderson would make a TV series. To watch that madcap stuff happening week in and week out would be just ridiculous. I'm especially a fan of the way the scenes FEEL like they are set pieces - like you are watching a play that's been filmed and everything is just a backdrop.

And Tilda Swinton! Such a chameleon. She had a teeny tiny part - but I didn't even know it was her until the credits.

Such a fun movie

− March 21, 2015 • more by Evie • log in or create an account to reply

Scott Hardie: I'm glad to see that you finally got to watch this and that you liked it. :-) It would be tough to pull off this kind of delicate tone for a sustained period of time like a TV series, but damn what a good show that would be. Good idea. − March 21, 2015 • more by Scott

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