Against my better judgement, I decided that Moonrise Kingdom make to my end of the year list I did. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Moonrise Kingdom a lot, but it is this weird love/hate relationship I have with the movie. Wes Anderson has basically distilled his certain look and craft down to a fine science, knowing what makes his movies truly his and filled with the usual themes and subjects we associate with his movies. It’s a veritable check list of items that he uses to make sure it is his movie, while offering us up some wonderful whimsy.
My initial review of the movie basically states, “I wish he would take his impressive composition and style and apply it to a different sort of genre.” Listen, I am a big, big fan of his and absolutely loved The Fantastic Mr. Fox. It was a great to see all the usual players and tropes that fill his movies because I enjoy them in the long run, but man this movie seemed like he took that one scene in Royal Tenenbaums where Richie and Margo run off to the museum. It’s a bit too familiar in some ways cause you know what to expect from the characters, especially the kids and their precocious ways. It kind of seems like Wes Anderson just seems stuck in this realm where kids are adults, adults are kids, and everything is whimsical and set to French music.
Now Directors are absolutely allowed to stick to the same things that work for them, often making them trademarks in their directing style. But take for instance how tired looking Tim Burton movies are starting to become. They are almost too predictable and I wish that to never happen to Wes Anderson. But Moonrise, despite my complaints of familiarity, is a fucking amazing movie. If he is going to stick to his kitsch, then by gone he has got it down to a masterful science. The setting, acting, dry humor and story are absolutely on point in terms of hitting their stride for the audience and it all seems so picturesque.
I can’t help but recommend Moonrise Kingdom to everyone as it is a perfectly crafted movie for all and Wes Anderson demonstrates that he can fine tune his usual checklist of items into a succinct film.
Below is an excerpt of my review and link to the full review.
With all his little touches and idiosyncrasies, Anderson never loses sight of the narrative and themes of the film. This unchained, young love of kids breaking free from the restraints of life and forging their own path in the world is a theme that runs throughout Moonrise. The act of having kids being the adults in the film, is a mirror in which the adult actors see the innocence that they once had and yearn for in the end. But the child actors also fuel the innocence vs. maturity aspect of the film as we see Sam and Suzy share special moments, longing glances, french music swaying and adolescent sexuality exploration.
Full review here.