Seen recently at Film Streams
My favorite Wes Anderson film is The Royal Tenenbaums. It's a masterpiece of storytelling, style and heart, and it's on my top 10 list of movies ever made. I wanted to love this one almost as much, so I entered the crowded theatre with high hopes, not unlike those lucky Brits with tickets to today's Wimbleton men's singles final to see countryman Andy Murray take on the legendary Roger Federer.
In case you're not a tennis fan, Murray lost. There was a lot to like about his approach to the match, though, and his runner-up acceptance speech will no doubt make him one of the most cheered-for players on the tour. Moonrise Kingdom turned in a similar performance for me. The child leads (Kara Hayward as Suzy and Jared Gilman as Sam), despite their best efforts, can't support the heft of Anderson's thoughts.
If you were alive in 1965, though, you'll marvel at Anderson's attention to detail, from Suzy's white knee-high socks to the braided oval rugs in the Bishop house. (My two oldest brothers were Boy Scouts in Troop 66, so all the neckerchiefs and merit badges and jamborees in the film are part of my collective family memory.) You'll want to book a vacation on this magical island, where you can swim and read overdue library books and listen to vinyl on a battery-operated record player. At least I do.
Bonus Bones: 5
Alas, poor Snoopy. I thought Scouts were supposed to be trustworthy.
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