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I’ve had a funny relationship with Wes Anderson. I’ve always thought he was a talented film-maker but something always stopped me from falling head over heels. Truthfully… I never loved Rushmore – I know a lot of people who will look at me differently for saying that, but bar it’s soundtrack, I ‘meh’-ed it.
The only film that hit its spot for me was Fantastic Mr Fox – a film that so utterly surprised and enchanted me that I smile every time I think about it. This was the film where I finally understood Anderson’s absurdist and slightly morbid sense of humour.
So, even with the hype surrounding the film, I was apprehensive about watching The Grand Budapest Hotel… and I was kinda right.
The Grand Budapest Hotel isn’t a bad film – in fact it is a very good film, but I just simply didn’t love it. I felt confused by everything that was happening with the characters on screen and overwhelmed by its visual style. I also felt that the pace of the film wasn’t quite right – it is just too fast. The film didn’t give me a chance to love it.
I truly believe that this is an art/film student’s wet dream of a movie – I totally understand why film critics loved it. But it just isn’t for me.
With that said, I did giggle a lot. Its humour is very much Wes Anderson – by that I mean clever. The jokes are not easy to grab and that is ok.
I also think Ralph Fiennes deserves all the credit he is receiving for his turn as the M. Gustave. It’s funny, I constantly forget what a wonderfully talented actor Fiennes is, but he continues to prove himself over and over again.
And I have to give a lot of credit to Wes Anderson – despite my apprehension, this is a very beautifully shot and technically sound film.
So yeh, It’s ok. If you’re a Wes Anderson fan, you’ll love this. For the rest of us, I am not so sure.
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You can find more reviews at my blog, Chocolate Films.
Just a normal everyday bloke writing about films.