If Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012) was a mellow ballad, then his upcoming film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” looks like a thundering symphony. Unlike “Kingdom,” the new film’s trailer doesn’t hold any punches—it actually showcases them, along with chase scenes, a mysterious murder and a brooding, brass-knuckle wearing William Dafoe. But if we know anything about Anderson, it’s that we won’t have to sit through mind-numbing chaos. In each shot, we see attentive detail, some scenes of intentionally flat 4:3 aspect ratio framing and careful colorwork. The film may be a loud and disorienting symphony, but, judging by the trailer, it also looks meticulously orchestrated.
What We Love: Not only is Wes Anderson the sole screenwriter of “Hotel,” but he recruited the cast of virtually his entire filmography (plus Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Tony Revolori) to complete the movie. This film is Anderson’s story alone—an unobstructed reflection of what goes on inside his head—and the trailer is a testament to how wild it can be.
What We Don’t: Wes Anderson has a history of placing his minority characters in the background, most evidently in “The Darjeeling Limited,” where India literally becomes a backdrop for the movie. Hopefully newcomer Tony Revolori is able to bring more character to his role as “Zero,” one of our two protagonists, than just becoming another minority-role outlet for Anderson’s comic relief. We’ll see if he succeeds once the film arrives on March 7, 2014.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku14qN5lsO0
