Wes Anderson Film Analysis

Even if your interests don't trend toward cinema's indie side, you probably know Wes Anderson’s name; this comes down to widespread critical praise, award season recognition or if you have seen Bill Murray act in anything since 2000 there is a 25% chance it was an Anderson film. Since directing his debut film in 1996, he's gained increasing visibility among mainstream audiences with each preceding offering. Since then his work has been anticipated by a growing fan base who trust him to deliver his quirky, stylized fantasy worlds and relatable, often familiar characters. With his specialized and immediately recognizable brand of film making he has been the target of in-depth scrutiny, both negative and positive. Anderson has chosen to direct mostly fast paced comedies that hold more serious elements, with themes often centred on grief, adultery, and unlikely friendships. His movies have been known for being unusually character driven, with the plots revolving around thefts and unexpected disappearances. With the expected presence of overhead shots and titled frames, Anderson’s films have a story book feel to them. Visually stunning, his style highlights the child-like imagination and fascination of his characters and offers a subtle and effective way to highlight their many idiosyncrasies, flaws and charms. These characters are either struggling to come to terms with the prospect of adulthood, a longing for the past that can’t be changed, or trapped in their own head. In Moonrise Kingdom, Captain Duffy Sharp played by Bruce Willis is trapped by obligation and conformity, admitting that the one woman he loved; didn’t love him back. He’s covertly having an affair with a married woman and only finds hope and renewal through adopting a little boy, the child he wants to be. In the nearly 2 decades since Anderson …show more content…
It is very noticeable how much thought he puts into the colour schemes, basically branding each film simply through the use of colour. The muted pink of The Grand Budapest Hotel that makes the hotel itself the biggest character in the movie and the vintage boy-scout green in Moonrise Kingdom. The Grand Budapest hotel is one of Anderson’s most pastel piece of confection yet. In this shot, we see Zero played by Tony Revolori and Agatha played by Saoirse Ronan embrace in a car filled with pastry boxes. Just by observing this picture, you can tell Wes Anderson directed it, with the perfectly placed props and obnoxious colouring. The hazy-hued lens through which we peer into his unique world has a retro quality that casts his films in a nostalgia for a time that could have …show more content…
The camera, rather than panning or zooming, actually moves along tracks from left to right or front and back. This gives the viewer an unusual perspective, closer to wandering in and through the scene rather than passive observation. Anderson pulls us through his world. He also draws us in with unnatural symmetry. Out of the several identifiable pieces of Wes Anderson’s unique visual style, symmetry is one highly effective technique that is directly connected to the human mind which helps to make his films extremely appealing. The video playing now represents how centred most of Anderson’s shots are in Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Another style of technical precision used throughout the 8 films is the use of overhead shots. This involves the camera looking down or over the events