By Samir Mathur, Contributing writer
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MOONRISE KINGDOM opens at Enzian tomorrow (June 21st). Click here for showtimes and to buy tickets.
There's a good chance that you already know how you'll feel about 'Moonrise Kingdom'. Many people have a pretty strong opinion about Wes Anderson's films, be it positive or negative. For those of us who think he's great, and enjoy the director's work, his first new (live action) film in five years is the cause for great celebration. (I'm bummed I was out of town for Stardust's Anderson theme-night this past weekend). I'm happy to report that 'Moonrise Kingdom' delivers all the joys that fans have come to expect from a Wes Anderson film. To its detriment, perhaps, this means that people who aren't believers are unlikely to be converted, but... who cares about those people, right?
I don't want to say too much about the plot, but you can know that it's set in New England, on the island of New Penzance, in the 1960s. The film's plots center around two kids, Sam and Suzy, both outcasts in their own ways, who decide to run away together. These characters carry most of the film's emotional heft, and the actors - Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward - are ace. Hayward, particularly, is fantastic - Lana Del Ray by way of Margot Tenenbaum. The grown ups who are charged with finding them may be older in years, but have just as many issues. Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton are all welcome new additions to the Anderson stable, while national treasure Bill Murray is at his understated, shoe-throwing, tree-chopping best. Bob Balaban serves as a loose narrator, and also is very funny.
There are fireworks, dances, loud bursts of classical music, escapes, marriages, lightning, a character named 'Social Services', a dangerous-looking treehouse. It's sweet in a way that feels earned and deserved. Like many, I was underwhelmed by 'The Darjeeling Limited', so I'm really happy to see that Anderson has bounced back with a new film that's really great. Make sure you buy tickets for this in advance, because it's going to be very, very crowded.
Staff page | Twitter | Tumblr
MOONRISE KINGDOM opens at Enzian tomorrow (June 21st). Click here for showtimes and to buy tickets.
There's a good chance that you already know how you'll feel about 'Moonrise Kingdom'. Many people have a pretty strong opinion about Wes Anderson's films, be it positive or negative. For those of us who think he's great, and enjoy the director's work, his first new (live action) film in five years is the cause for great celebration. (I'm bummed I was out of town for Stardust's Anderson theme-night this past weekend). I'm happy to report that 'Moonrise Kingdom' delivers all the joys that fans have come to expect from a Wes Anderson film. To its detriment, perhaps, this means that people who aren't believers are unlikely to be converted, but... who cares about those people, right?
I don't want to say too much about the plot, but you can know that it's set in New England, on the island of New Penzance, in the 1960s. The film's plots center around two kids, Sam and Suzy, both outcasts in their own ways, who decide to run away together. These characters carry most of the film's emotional heft, and the actors - Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward - are ace. Hayward, particularly, is fantastic - Lana Del Ray by way of Margot Tenenbaum. The grown ups who are charged with finding them may be older in years, but have just as many issues. Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton are all welcome new additions to the Anderson stable, while national treasure Bill Murray is at his understated, shoe-throwing, tree-chopping best. Bob Balaban serves as a loose narrator, and also is very funny.
There are fireworks, dances, loud bursts of classical music, escapes, marriages, lightning, a character named 'Social Services', a dangerous-looking treehouse. It's sweet in a way that feels earned and deserved. Like many, I was underwhelmed by 'The Darjeeling Limited', so I'm really happy to see that Anderson has bounced back with a new film that's really great. Make sure you buy tickets for this in advance, because it's going to be very, very crowded.