At this point this is just like iconic Wes Anderson, no? I think this is still one of my favorites because it was my introduction to Anderson's style and the peak of his and Owen Wilson's writing partnership (for me). Also, fun fact I did not realize until I looked this up: the narrator is Alec Baldwin! What? Sixteen years later and I'm still learning new facts and noticing new details about this gem. I mean, everything: the acting, the peerless Mark Mothersbaugh soundtrack plus the mix of retro-cool pop/rock/folk hits, the novel-esque plot structure, the perfectly realized world of the story told through setting and cinematography, it's just such a lovely film to watch. And the perfect introduction to the quotable, stylish Anderson world. And the part where Ben Stiller's Chaz confesses to his ne'er-do-well absentee father that "it's been a difficult year", after the death of his wife, seriously makes me cry every time. The thing that always amazes me about Anderson is that despite how excessively stylized his movies can be, he still manages to create real pathos. Despite the voiceover narration, despite all the montages used to present all the peccadilloes of our titular family, despite the often purposefully intrusive soundtrack, despite the often deadpan delivery many of the actors are using (Owen Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bill Murray) you still find yourself caring about these people by the end of the film.
Every time I watch this I am completely distracted by these paintings. I'm not sure if that's the point but I could not for the life of me tell you what these characters discuss in this scene.
Ugh. This part gets me too.
Modern classic.
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