Wes Anderson Movies

Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 7:23 pm

Anyone who’s seen a few Wes Anderson movies can attest to the following: the man loves his primary colors, he enjoys classic rock, and he loves the Wilson brothers (Luke and Owen). He’s also fond of quirky characters, class conflict, and putting his personal stamp on every aspect of a project. That’s why he’s called an auteur.

Since Anderson has only made six films from 1996 until 2009, I decided to skip the “best of” treatment and just discuss all the Wes Anderson movies currently available. I also went ahead and listed his upcoming motion picture, Moonrise Kingdom, scheduled for release in 2012.

If you haven’t already experienced the oddball genius of this University of Texas graduate, head on over to Netflix and become a member. They have all the Wes Anderson movies, and they’ll deliver them to your mailbox (or allow you to stream them online).

Bottle Rocket (1996) – One of Martin Scorsese’s top 10 favorite films of the 1990s, Bottle Rocket marked the debut of Wes Anderson, as well as Luke and Owen Wilson. The latter two (along with Robert Musgrave) form a trio of comical criminals, led onward by the promise of wealth and the “75-year plan” developed by the bumbling Dignan (Owen Wilson). After making the acquaintance of a local con named Mr. Henry (James Caan), they go on the run and find out that a life of crime is way more complicated than first imagined. Meanwhile, Anthony (Luke Wilson) falls for the maid at a hotel where they’re hiding out. A failure at the box office, the film still managed to get Anderson and the Wilsons noticed, and it would later be featured as part of the prestigious Criterion Collection.

Rushmore (1998) – Two years after Bottle Rocket got him noticed, Anderson followed it up with this comedy-drama about an eccentric high school student (Jason Schwartzman) who befriends a wealthy industrialist (Bill Murray) and then competes with him for the affections of a teacher (Olivia Williams). Thanks to his role in the film, Murray finally started getting work as a serious actor, and he received a Golden Globe nomination to boot. Rushmore also stars Brian Cox, Seymour Cassel, Luke Wilson, and Connie Nielsen.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) – The third film co-written by Anderson and Owen Wilson, this comedy-drama focuses on the Tenenbaum family, a dysfunctional group comprised of three child geniuses in an adult slump (Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and Luke Wilson), their absentee father (Gene Hackman), and their archeologist mother (Anjelica Huston). When the patriarch shows back up claiming to have terminal cancer, the whole brood gathers together for the first time in years. That’s when the sparks and comedy really fly, as long-held feelings come bubbling to the surface. Co-starring Owen Wilson, Danny Glover, Bill Murray, and Kumar Pallana. If you’re a fan of J.D. Salinger, you’ll immediately notice the similarities between the Tenenbaums and the Glass family.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) – Dedicated to the memory of Jacques Cousteau, this film follows Steve Zissou (Bill Murray), a noted documentarian and oceanographer, as he seeks to hunt down and destroy the “Jaguar shark” that devoured his partner (Seymour Cassel) on an earlier expedition. Owen Wilson is the newest crew member who may be Zissou’s son, Jeff Goldblum is his longtime nemesis, and Cate Blanchett is a pregnant reporter who follows them around.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007) – Inspired by the works of Satyajit Ray, Jean Renoir, and Louis Malle, Anderson made this spiritual comedy-drama about three brothers (Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson) on a journey through India to be reunited with their mother. As they bond and bicker after a long time apart, Anderson works in his usual themes of upper class idleness, abandonment, and depression. The supporting cast includes Anjelica Huston, Natalie Portman, Bill Murray, Amara Karan, and Waris Ahluwalia.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – For his sixth feature film, Wes Anderson changed gears and turned out a stop-motion animated tale about a fox (voiced by George Clooney) who takes a job as a newspaper columnist, suffers though the presence of his wife’s uber-competent nephew (Eric Chase Anderson), and winds up being hunted by the local farmers. Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, the film also includes the voice talents of Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, and Michael Gambon. The critics loved it, but audiences decided to pass. See it for yourself and make your own judgment.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) – Production has yet to begin for this film, so the details are a bit sketchy. The plot is said to be set in 1960’s New England and revolve around a pair of young lovers who run away together. The locals assume they’ve gone missing, and so a search party filled with quirky characters is formed. The actors said to be in talks to star in the film include Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, and Frances McDormand.

If you’re a fan of ensemble casts and dry humor, give some of these Wes Anderson movies a try. They can all be found at Netflix. We receive a small commission if you sign up through our site.

See also:

  1. Top Dysfunctional Family Movies
  2. Darren Aronofsky Movies
  3. Roman Polanski Movies
  4. PT Anderson Movies
  5. Judd Apatow Movies
  6. Robert Aldrich Movies
  7. Peter Billingsley Movies

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 6th, 2011 at 7:23 pm and is filed under Good Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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