Corey Godsey
First off, I must decide what the question is actually asking. My first impression is the simplest form of the question. “Why do I want to see X, in which X is Grand Budapest Hotel, which happens to be the name of the newest film from Wes Anderson?”
My answer to this form of the question is reliability. I have seen all of Wes Anderson’s work and, with the exception of Darjeeling Limited, I have had multiple viewings of each film. I have yet to be disappointed with any of his work. I have always found Anderson’s work to satisfy an itch that no other writer/director can reach. I find the Andersonian style to be funny but in a way that is unlike other comedies. I can’t put my finger on why it’s funny, I just know I laugh hysterically, and more often with each viewing. But these aren’t just comedies. I find myself emotionally drawn to the characters, to the point that I wonder what happens to them after the credits run. But these are more than dramas. When I watch one of his films, I am not watching a movie. I am not checking out of reality for the next 90 minutes, but checking into a new world. It’s not a Hollywood fantasy. It’s a reality so close to my own but in which the characters say all the right things, the things I would want to say (if I had thought of them). These films are in such a class all their own that, I can judge other people by them. I not only find camaraderie with others through these films, but also find it more likely that we will get along handsomely on several topics simply by sharing this movie interest. Because of all of these reasons, I have come to trust Mr. Anderson. I find him to be reliable at producing a quality product and have faith that his next project with live up to the same standard. So why do I want to see X, because Wes Anderson made it. Plain and simple.
But this is the less interesting form of the question. It can also be interpreted as such: What is it about Grand Budapest Hotel that makes me want to (or excited to) watch it?
Beyond the obvious answer I gave above, I am excited to see this movie for a few reasons. From what I have gleaned from the trailer, this film relates itself to some of my favorites of Anderson’s films. As I call tell, the main character is a well-to-do man (perceived or actual) who finds himself fallen from his rank, just like Max Fischer (Rushmore), Royal Tenenbaum (The Royal Tenenbaums) and Steve Zissou (The Life Aquatic). A perceived big shot, M. Gustave, is accused of murder and forced to go out on the lamb, while hiding a treasured painting bequeathed to him from his alleged victim. In the previous films mentioned, the main character must come to grips with his new humble position and typically make amends. Because of this shared character arc, I think Grand Budapest Hotel will rise to the same acclaim as other Andersonian greats.
One cannot discus a Wes Anderson movie without addressing the amazing cast. This film features some of the classic cast members we have come to expect (Schwartzman, Wilson, Murray). It also includes some big names which have appeared in one previous Anderson work (Brody, Dafoe, Norton, Goldblum). These actors have already proved themselves to fit well with Anderson’s style. I am most excited to see how newcomer Ralph Fiennes handles the lead role. I think Fiennes is a wonderful actor but I have only seen him play very serious and stoic roles. I am really interested to see how he adapts to this character that seems quite different than his previous roles. I have no concern that he will live up these expectations, and it is exciting to see actors grow from the projects that they choose.
Speaking of characters, I think all Anderson fans need to take a moment in memory of Kumar Pallana, who passed away last week at the age of 94. Pallana was known for such roles as Pagoda in The Royal Tenenbaums and Mr. Littlejeans in Rushmore. I would love to see one final cameo in the upcoming film or at least a dedication.
In conclusion, do I want to see it? Yes. Will I see it? Yes. Why do I want to see Grand Budapest Hotel? Because Wes Anderson does not disappoint and this film has all the makings to be a top-notch product by even Anderson standards. Can’t wait!
Trad Godsey
I am particularly excited about the upcoming feature, Grand Budapest Hotel, for several reasons. Firstly, I am hoping this film will be better than the director’s last two films, Moonrise Kingdom. Generally I felt that this film relied too heavily on Anderson’s trademark quirks and not enough on the emotion that Anderson is capable of bringing to a film.
There are certain characteristics that have typified Wes Anderson’s films, which we are all familiar with (at least all films after Bottle Rocket). Bright and vivid colors, perpendicular camera angles, emotionless delivery of very emotional dialogue, cigarette smoking, wealthy characters with a laissez faire attitude toward life, and the list goes on. But I never saw these traits as defining Wes Anderson’s filmmaking. Beyond these there can be seen a real progression, even evolution if you will, of Anderson’s ability to capture emotion that often goes unnoticed in our own, ‘everyday’ lives. Beginning with Rushmore, through The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic, and even in The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Darjeeling Limited, Anderson’s quirky style aided the real mission for each respective project: take unrelatable characters and make them very relatable to the audience. In my opinion, Moonrise Kingdom missed the mark in this regard and the result was just a quirky film for hipster devotees of Anderson. I am hoping Grand Budapest Hotel will be a showcase of Anderson’s real genius as a filmmaker, which is much more than quirky dialogue and bright colors.
Secondary reasons I want to see the movie have to do with the cast, particularly Ralph Fiennes first foray into a Wes Anderson film. As a big fan of Ralph Fiennes it is always a delight to see a talented actor expand his/her versatility. I also thought Edward Norton fit really well into the Andersonian style and given a better film, he could make his character really come alive. Many other cast members should make this an entertaining movie. However, I am not going to see this movie because I am sure it will be entertaining. I am not sure that it will and that is why I want to see it.
Mr. Jones
I'm going to go see Grand Budapest because this one time in Boston some friends and I were fed up with it being fucking cold as a shit so we rented like five Wes Anderson movies and watched all of them in two days.
Wes Anderson has us pegged. We'll watch. What's more, we'll write about how we are going to watch and then we'll write about how we watched. In some ways, Wes Anderson having us pegged implies as much. And or, us writing about Anderson says as much about who and what pegs us (no sexual meaning here). Give us a to-the-point Natalie Portman (clothes or no clothes), a catchy pop-ish song, and Jason Bateman and we'll watch and write and then wait for the snow to fall.
I'm going to go see Grand Budapest Hotel because I've really appreciated all of Wes Anderson's movies. Bottle Rocket was like the ultimate permission slip. "Wait, my humor can be in a movie?" That was me asking if things I thought were funny could be in a movie. "Wait, there are other comedy options outside of Saturday Night Live and Adam Sandler?" (Isn't all of Funny People an apology [the Plato type of apology] for Wes Anderson and an apology [the saying sorry type] to all of us that only watched slapstick for formative years of our life?) Bottle Rocket ushered in these types of emotional beckonings. I appreciate that.
I'm also going to see it cause I know I'll be watching like I do in few other movies. I'll notice so much. And I don't, we don't, spend enough time noticing. I think that most of the world religions are asking us to notice things around us. Fabricated noticing is what Wes Anderson is all about. The fostering of this sort of intentional watching makes the first viewing of a Wes Anderson movie more of an event than anything else. And what's so pleasant about this is that watching so intently is always lighthearted in a Wes Anderson movie. He's good at creating a space for a viewer that can be both weighty, in a human condition sort of way, and light, in a sort of, "this is still a movie" kind of way. He makes me watch. Deal with it.
Lastly, I'm going to watch because I like movies and Wes Anderson, in some ways, embodies movies. Famous actors, fun stories, good music, cool images and scenes, memorable lines, something to talk about with your friends later; these are all things that make for good movies. Wes Anderson is good at all of these things and makes use of all of these things. I like to think that he likes movies and that his actors like movies and that makes me like his movies. So I'm going to go see this movie.
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