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Two movies
Mar. 31st, 2014 11:08 pmThe Station Agent (2003)
This quiet indie movie was a real pleasure to watch. It centers around Finbar (Peter Dinklage), a man who moves to rural NJ after his only friend dies and the model train shop where he works is sold. He sets up house in an old train depot and intends to live a solitary life. However, Finbar's intended solitude is interrupted by Joe, the gregarious proprietor of a hot dog and coffee truck who likes to set up shop next to the old depot, and Olivia, a painter. The film centers around the unfolding of these three people and their friendship. Things happen, but there is no big, dramatic plot, but the movie never seems too slow or dull. It's simple and effective. The acting is amazing, especially Dinklage's performance. I particularly loved the fact that the movie did not rely on either a romantic triangle or a pointless existential tragedy to propel the narrative, as so many of these type of stories seem to.
Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
I think this is my absolute favorite of the Wes Anderson films I have seen. It was an utter delight from start to finish. It's a comedy, and a mystery, and a heist movie, with a little romance thrown in. The movie is set at the titular establishment, nestled high in the mountains of the fictional Republic of Zubrowka, in 1932. The story concerns M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) and the adventures that ensue when they become involved in both a murder mystery and an art heist. There is a lot of snappy dialog, witty humor, and some of the most ludicrous chase scenes I've ever seen. There's also time for a sweet romance between Zero and Agatha, a very clever baker (Saoirse Ronan).
One of the other pleasures of Grand Budapest Hotel is the sets. The film has a wonderful sense of place, especially indoor spaces. A lot of the time, I felt like I was actually in the rooms and buildings along with the characters. Anderson made frequent and effective use of hallways, doorways, and walls to frame scenes. Best of all was the terrific use of color palettes - every location had its own distinctive color scheme, from the bright pastels of the hotel in 1932 to the washed out greys and beiges of the Zubrowkan prison, to the brash golds and reds of the hotel in 1968.
Another pleasure was the cast. In addition to the lead roles mentioned above, there were many notable actors appearing smaller but equally fun and awesome parts. Willem Dafoe made a great villainous thug, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson had awesome cameos as other hotel concierges, and Harvey Keitel showed up as a hardened criminal/prisoner. And of course, Tilda Swinton, as one of the hotel's more notable guests.
This quiet indie movie was a real pleasure to watch. It centers around Finbar (Peter Dinklage), a man who moves to rural NJ after his only friend dies and the model train shop where he works is sold. He sets up house in an old train depot and intends to live a solitary life. However, Finbar's intended solitude is interrupted by Joe, the gregarious proprietor of a hot dog and coffee truck who likes to set up shop next to the old depot, and Olivia, a painter. The film centers around the unfolding of these three people and their friendship. Things happen, but there is no big, dramatic plot, but the movie never seems too slow or dull. It's simple and effective. The acting is amazing, especially Dinklage's performance. I particularly loved the fact that the movie did not rely on either a romantic triangle or a pointless existential tragedy to propel the narrative, as so many of these type of stories seem to.
Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
I think this is my absolute favorite of the Wes Anderson films I have seen. It was an utter delight from start to finish. It's a comedy, and a mystery, and a heist movie, with a little romance thrown in. The movie is set at the titular establishment, nestled high in the mountains of the fictional Republic of Zubrowka, in 1932. The story concerns M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) and the adventures that ensue when they become involved in both a murder mystery and an art heist. There is a lot of snappy dialog, witty humor, and some of the most ludicrous chase scenes I've ever seen. There's also time for a sweet romance between Zero and Agatha, a very clever baker (Saoirse Ronan).
One of the other pleasures of Grand Budapest Hotel is the sets. The film has a wonderful sense of place, especially indoor spaces. A lot of the time, I felt like I was actually in the rooms and buildings along with the characters. Anderson made frequent and effective use of hallways, doorways, and walls to frame scenes. Best of all was the terrific use of color palettes - every location had its own distinctive color scheme, from the bright pastels of the hotel in 1932 to the washed out greys and beiges of the Zubrowkan prison, to the brash golds and reds of the hotel in 1968.
Another pleasure was the cast. In addition to the lead roles mentioned above, there were many notable actors appearing smaller but equally fun and awesome parts. Willem Dafoe made a great villainous thug, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson had awesome cameos as other hotel concierges, and Harvey Keitel showed up as a hardened criminal/prisoner. And of course, Tilda Swinton, as one of the hotel's more notable guests.
