Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Makes sense, as Anderson and the Coens have a fair bit in common stylistically.

 

I was not bored as it was entertaining, in the cartoonist way described. Did you catch the aspect ratio changing as the story moved between time periods? Saw it for free, as a sneak preview in January.

 

I saw it Sunday with a couple friends and we all loved it. Personally I thought it was brilliant and possibly more accessible to the masses than some of his other features. I had a big grin plastered on my face from the opening until the end, my face hurt from smiling too much.

 

What a glorious confection this is- beautifully packaged, it opens and lays out as a treat to the eye and as you consume it, you are enjoying something you know is sweet and delightful to the finish. When done, you may conclude that these were empty calories, but you'd probably want to go back and do it again, if you hadn't already.
I loved the nostalgic images of an Alpine Europe before the war, the faux Nazis were exactly right, as was the contrast between the elite patrons and the burghers and servants who catered to them. There are far worse ways to spend a couple hours.

 

I finally saw this last night. It was fantastic as I expected. Just beautifully made and crafted. Superlative editing and pacing. Ralph feinnrs was brilliant and hysterical. The Indian lobby boy was just too wonderful and likable. Anderson is so good at getting performances out of young people. Definitely as good as anything the Cohen brothers have done and probably better than a lot of their stuff. Detuned said that he wrote the script by himself but I did see the name of two other writers on credits. I was a little confused by the story within story with story at first but then it all fell into place. Haven't seen F Murray Abraham in a long time and his presence was welcome he was excellent as well. Why this film wasn't given a general opening is beyond me. It's better than just about everything out at the moment. With such a huge cast of stars I just don't understand why the studios didn't take the chance on a release and a little marketing. It reminded me of the very broad farcical comedies of the 60s that came out of England like The Wrong Box with its inventiveness and willingness to breach absurdity. Yet
The film is easily as accessible as any Mel brook's comedy while remaining smart and sassy. I guess there's just no market for adults anymore in Hollywood. It's sad how low Hollywood has set the bar on what constitutes comedy. I would much rather take my family to see this film than the latest Seth Rogan comedy.

 

To be fair the movie is a British/German co-production, it was not produced in Hollywood. It was picked up for distribution by Fox Searchlight which I'm guessing is as big of a release deal as they could get for it.

I agree that the film is VERY accessible and I think it could have done well with a wide release. It has been breaking per-screen average records in the limited release it has received.

 

Yes indeed. Beautifully said.

 

The "Indian lobby boy", Tony Revolori, was born and raised in Anaheim California and is of Guatemalan descent. This is his first big movie. Have any of the stars been on talk shows promoting this? I keep waiting. I know it is having a very slow roll out.

 

Saw it Sunday. It looked great. But since he makes the same movie over and over (and over...) again, one would expect that continuous and constant refinement.

 

All the greats make the same movie over and over again. That's what makes a Bergman movie a Bergman movie, or a Hitchcock movie a Hitchcock movie. Altman, John Ford, Polanski, Kubrick, Hawks.... their films all share similar themes and stylization. It just that we've become so used to films by directors who only know how to copy the last guy's film or the latest TV commericial style that we've become unaccustomed to artistry.

 

a must see !

 

Well, the "Zero Mustafa" name had me fooled!

 

I just caught the trailer to this and look forward to seeing it. I loved MK.

 

Best movie and the most fun I've had at the movies in a long, long time.
Ralph Fiennes was amazing, what an actor.
91% on Rotton Tomatoes.



Go see it folks.

 

Being discussed here:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/wes-andersons-the-grand-budapest-hotel.333692/#post-10046229

[MOD: Threads are now merged. Thank you for posting a link to the original thread. Much appreciated.]

 

Great film...

 

Best movie and the most fun I've had at the movies in a long, long time.
Ralph Fiennes was amazing, what an actor.
91% on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Great film. My other favorite of his is the Royal Tenenbaums.

I'm hoping that Anderson shot more footage of the 1968 setting - enough for a short - that hermetic atmosphere could have been an interesting tangental film scenario in its own right.

 

Saw it last night - really enjoyed it.

Watched Bill Murray on Charlie Rose talking up how it was the most brilliant thing Wes has done.

It's a wonderful piece - but I think I was expecting more of a "Plaza Suite"/"Four Rooms" type picture with madness going on in all rooms and Ralph keeping it all together - but it's not. Thought I was in for a farce (which in a way it is, just not the way I thought).

Still great, but if you're hoping to see a Bill Murray or a Tilda Swinton performance that lasts longer than two seconds, you're not going to get it. In fact, I'd call these one of the shortest cameos on film.

So you don't really know who's in the film for what duration if you're looking at the poster.

But Adrien Brody, Ralph Fiennes, Jeff Goldblum, and Willem Dafoe are all fantastic in this.

Owen Wilson, again in a great film, sticks out like a sore thumb. Couldn't stand him in "Midnight in Paris" either - gotta be the luckiest guy in Texas/Hollywood.

Jeff

 

Just back from the theater. Enjoyed the hell out of GBH. What a great ride. Wes to the max.

 

I really liked Saoirse Ronan in this as well...and they finally let her use her natural accent.

 

Really good movie. Don't know if it's my favorite Anderson, Some of the dark stuff seemed out of place.
But a great way to spend a few hours

 

Fun movie with a great look and pace. Well worth catching.

 

I hope this will be a Criterion Collection Blu-Ray soon!

 

Holy ****! My local mall cinema is now finally screening this! Feets, don't fail me now! Telling the wife I'm going to the market for milk.