The Grand Budapest Hotel

I had always considered myself an average Wes Anderson fan. My favorite films of his are RUSHMORE and TENNEBAUMS. The others I enjoyed, but they never really stood out for me. I definitely enjoyed MOONRISE KINGDOM upon initial viewing. Then after a while, the sugary sweet love story kind of gave me a toothache.



However, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL really made me appreciate Anderson’s entire body of work as a whole. I also think GRAND BUDAPEST is the bookend to MOONRISE. I just really love when films compliment each other. I view MOONRISE KINGDOM and GRAND BUDAPEST as the yin & yang of Wes Anderson. I have the utmost respect for a filmmaker that can really explore the depths of his talent like this. It shows that he is open to examining his style to keep creating unique and exciting films.



I love the cinematography in GRAND BUDAPEST more than any of his other films. What I loved the most about this film is that there was a bit of underlying darkness within it. Standout roles were certainly Adrien Brody and Willem Dafoe which is interesting since Bill Murray usually outshines all. As the two villains in the film, I enjoyed the fact that they were a little more sinister than other villains in Anderson’s films. I love Bill Murray just as much as the next guy, but he can’t always have the best performances.



It's so easy to get lost in Anderson's universe. His stories remind me of early Tim Burton (pre-PLANET OF THE APES years). They have both created worlds I want to be apart of. I certainly suggest seeing this film as it will bring a smile to your face and make you long for the German alps.