Bad Moonrising, by David Bax

You may also like...

7 Responses

  1. Scott Nye says:

    In my own defense, as a card-carrying member of the Wes Anderson Fan Club (the paper is 10-years-aged cardstock, and the letters on it are carefully arranged so as to look slightly, but not grotesquely, made by a somewhat advanced eight-year-old; it’s not laminated because that’s for squares), I think the stasis to which you refer is the precise reason we easily, and happily, accept each and every new film by the increasingly assured filmmaker. Only instead of “stasis,” I’d say “consistent artistic imperative,” or something along those lines; it’s something we responded to from the start, and are unlikely to cease.

    “These people may not expect anything more than a retread of earlier films from Anderson but, I wonder, does Anderson expect anything more of himself?”

    You could substitute Ozu for Anderson and apply the same statement to him, but I don’t think it adds up to much. Some filmmakers seek to explore new worlds each time out, others are content to meditate on common concerns. Neither are inherently wrong. But I saw plenty of advancement, especially aesthetically, in MK (oh, man, that climax), a subject I’ll save until the readers have a chance at it themselves.

    • Battleship Pretension says:

      I agree with most of your points but I want to point out that a “retread” is not the same as a “revisit.” I’m not calling Anderson out for sticking to the same modes and themes. I’m calling him out for doing so in a way that feels to me like he’s on autopilot. At least, it feels like that for much of the film’s first half. I agree with you, the climax is pretty darn good.

      – David

  2. antho42 says:

    I do not like it when reviewers analyse the “fans” of a film. It is a condescending, and some might say, a “hipster-like” move. Unless there is fan service, fans have nothing to do with the artwork itself. The artwork speaks for itself only.

    • Battleship Pretension says:

      While I make reference to how Anderson’s fans perceive him, I think you’ll find that my criticisms of the film are limited to the film itself.

      And if being condescending is a “hipster-like” move then you are king of the hipsters!

      – David

  3. Franco Asmaeil says:

    “These actors aren’t paring down the ornamentations of their performances. They’re simply trying to remain still so as not to knock over anything.”

    Those lines justify the film and this piece.

    Reply to antho42: I don’t think David cares about being labeled a hipster. After all, he wears ties.

  4. Adam DeLisle says:

    All I have to say is that I love the title for the review.

  5. MilkMan says:

    While it might be hard for you to believe, every person has a different sense of humor. Some find Wes’ jokes to be hilarious, you don’t. Get over it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Verified by MonsterInsights