Wes Anderson. Either you “get” him or you don’t. His movies are strange and dry. Me? I eat that shit up. I spent a good portion of my college career screaming “Ca-caaawww!” to my old roommate or asking her “What have you ever accomplished with your life that’s so great?” or any of the innumerable Dignan quotes. The thing is, I find Bottle Rocket to be the least accessible of all the WA films. It’s the least stylized, so it doesn’t really have that “Wes Anderson” feel (it does, but it doesn’t, if that makes any sense). In all honesty it’s really just a weird movie.
When I’m trying to lure someone into the cult, I always start with The Royal Tenebaums. Along with being the (I think) the funniest of his movies (most “traditionally” funny, anyway) the cast’s star power makes it accessible. It’s easier for people to digest offbeat comedy from someone they recognize and like. I mean the whole brother sister falling in love, being adopted, wooden finger stuff? I doubt most people would sit through that if Margot Tenebaum were played by some indie actress with nothing but some theater cred and an Independent Spirit nomination under her belt.
I saw The Fantastic Mr. Fox this weekend with a friend who had never seen any Wes Anderson films. He thought it was “ok” - I thought it was great and perfectly Andersonian. Though I’m not sure it was the first WA I would have shown him.
Thoughts? I still say Tenebaums.
