Why The Grand Budapest Hotel Is Definitely Worth a Visit

- http://thegrandbudapestrp.tumblr.com/

Aren't we all more or less attracted by shiny objects? As toddlers we were. In kindergarten we were. In high school we really were. And even though we're getting better at hiding and transferring this primal instinct, we still are: attracted by shiny objects.

Wes Anderson is one the most talented, living craftsmen who make shiny objects. He taps the sunshine, freezes the quicksilver and literally blows the dust from the treasures of ancient (European) families. I have talked about Wes Anderson and his films before, at length. With the surprising arrival of The Grand Budapest Hotel to a cinema "near" me, I finally have more to talk about. A wise man once said that it is "the most Anderson that Anderson ever Andersoned" or something among those lines, and it's about the truest thing you could say about this film. It has the carefully and lovingly designed sets that create an atmosphere of a doll's house, the craziest... oh well, there's no evading the word, quirkiest characters, played by the most hyped actors. It has the props, the songs and the poetry. And - this is probably the most important thing - it has Europe. If we're being very black-and-white about it, Hollywood produces glamorous, entertaining movies while European films are thought-provoking and low-budget. Europe would not have made a film like The Grand Budapest Hotel. Nor would the United States. It's an inbetweener, a curious outsider, a cinematic weirdo. And that's part of why I love it so much.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is not just a film though, it is a place as well - and this is important to remember. It's a similarity that the film shares with Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom, which just so happen to be some of my favorite Wes Anderson movies. To be true, most of his movies are some of my favorite Wes Anderson movies. Still, his latest work stands out from the little crowd. It's a pink bubble of nostalgia, romance and Ralph Fiennes being funny. Shining bright till the credits. 

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

2013 • USA/ Germany • English/ French

director Wes Anderson

authors Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness, (Stefan Zweig)

★ Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan

FINAL FRAME

„You're looking so well darling, you really are.“

Benvenuti to Cannes 2014 | 8½

Yesterday was the first day of Cannes and it was the first time I saw a film with the intriguing title of 8½.

I'm not talking about that blending mode or the amount of films Fellini had made up until 1963 - or am I? 8½ premiered at the Cannes Film Festival that year and it became an instant success. 41 years after its release, it was honored by being selected for the official poster of the festival and it became one of the two films I decided to watch in order to forget I wasn't attending the festival. 8½ is a strange film that plays with your perception of reality and the world of dreams and also is fully aware of its sexiness as a black-and-white Italian film. Never again have the screens of our cinemas experienced such stylishness and they perhaps never will. Marcello Mastroianni strolls the hotel hallways, Dolce Vita beaches and film sets in a film set like a God who just so happens to pay us peasants a visit while also maintaining an oddly fragile flavor in his character. Obviously (question mark?) he represents director Fellini himself, who - according to film bibles - directed himself out of an existential crisis with this film. Fellini blends the oddity and dreaminess of La Strada with the hedonism from La Dolce Vita into some of the most delicious, intriguing cinematic mush I have tasted yet. (Or did I just say that because those are the Fellini films I have seen?). Beside the clever script, abstract imagery and intellectually stimulating dialogue, it's also, surprisingly, the sound that makes 8½ stand out in cinematic history. Whether it's the buzz from the door, the clicking of polished heels on marble or that all-Italian beach swoosh, the sound of this film sweeps you away and draws you in at the same time. 

I think I know what the title stands for now: the 8½th heaven.

8½

1963 • Italy • Italian/ English/ French/ German

director Frederico Fellini

authors Frederico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Brunello Rondi

★ Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimee

FINAL FRAME

„What is this flash of joy that's giving me new life?“

Blind Spot Fixed: American History X

I can't discuss American History X - which, just to give you an impression, should land somewhere up in my Top 10 films of all time - without discussing my initial expectations for it. Along with Once Upon a Time in the West, this was the movie from blind spot list that I expected least from, mainly because I knew the least about it. The title had always made me think of some slightly preachy yet solid, typical 'universally good movie' about Malcolm X and black oppression. At least I was slightly right about that last one, but surprisingly there is no trace of Malcolm X in this movie at all. Lincoln may have been mentioned, which brings me to my first point: Movie buffs have been talking a lot about racism in the last two years with Lincoln and 12 Years a Slave being released and overall cherished. These were two movies that left me very cold and didn't trigger much of the aspired emotional reaction in me, which has convinced quite a few people I talk to about movies that I am a racist (jokingly... I hope). For example, one of these people was very surprised when I told him that I had actually fairly enjoyed this year's Fruitvale Station, me being a racist and all. I can't wait to tell him what I think of American History X (hint: it begins with M and ends with ASTERPIECE)*.

Blind Spot Fixed: Memento

Memento was easily one of my blind spot films that I was most excited to watch. It's Stevee Taylor's favorite movie of all time, which in itself is worth a thousand reasons I should watch it, and in the top 10 of countless lists floating around the internet - including many an IMDB Top list. In contrary to many other of my blind spots, I actually knew about Memento a long time before I moved to the island of film lovers (as Ryan McNeil - sort of - puts it: the more movies you watch, the more blind spots you never even knew you had, you discover). I owe this knowledge to one of the sides of Indian cinema that I've always been critical of: it's affection for remaking films from other corners of the world (primarily Hollywood blockbusters). So Ghajini, a 2008 Bollywood hit remake of Memento, marked my first encounter with the Memento Mori story. Ironically enough, this movie was also a Hindi-language remake of the 2005 Kollywood (Tamil-language) film of the same name by the same director. At any rate, Ghajini was fairly enjoyable, mainly because of its cinematography and the man who turns iron into gold, Indian superstar Aamir Khan. However, it didn't ignite a burning desire to watch the original Memento in me.

My 9 UNOFFICIALLY Favorite Films of 2013

You already know my 9 UNOFFICIALY Least Favorite Films of 2013, now it's time to take a look at the most magnificent, most wonderful, most splendid film viewing experiences that I've had with some movies from the last year.

Let me remind you once more; I have only seen 35 films of 2013 (one more than in the previous list since yesterday's 12 Years a Slave) due to various reasons, I do not claim this list to represent the 'best' of the year nor am I going so far as to make it an official list. That list is going to be published some time at the end of the year. Or perhaps even later, who knows? I'd love to wait until I've seen 100 films from the year but that's a very high aim. Perhaps 50 or 70 will suffice.

But back to the UNOFFICIAL list - let's start with the bottom of the top then, shall we?

Fabulous Filmic Fashion and more: SPRING BREAKERS

FABULOUS FILMIC FASHION is back with a bang, providing you with the hottest summer wear from the coolest flick of this year so far. And probably a lot bit of non-fashion related raving. Spring Break Forever, Bitches.

Harmony Korine's layered, colourful and inspiring portrayal of the annual American celebration of hedonism entitled 'Spring Break' is by far my favorite movie of the year so far. Since his latest movie is the first I've seen and on the way to become my favorite of 2013, I can't help but notice how similar these circumstances are to my introduction to Wes Anderson through Moonrise Kingdom last year. If you remember, it was one of those instant favorites that soon led to an obsession, making me watch every single one of Anderson's movies (even though they're not that many).

Much like Moonrise Kingdom, Spring Breakers is a very stylish movie with visuals that are almost painfully beautiful, the bright colours burning their way through your retina into your heart. A small and interesting difference between the two movies may be that while there's one incontestably heavenly creature in Moonrise Kingdom and the rest are rather quirky beauties, in Spring Breakers each of the four main characters is an incontestably heavenly creature (look-wise anyways) and Alien is a rather quirky... beauty.

Watching The Star Wars Trilogy - For the First Time in My Life

Yes, it's me. The only person who hadn't seen Star Wars... until a few days ago! I have had the trilogy in the back of my head for years, but simply couldn't get over my idea of sci-fi not being "my piece of cake". In fact, I had been very fascinated by Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth, so I don't know why the hell I couldn't accept that sci-fi was indeed one of the thickest layers in my piece of cake. But prejudice isn't easy to overcome, and I had to wait for the right kind of Doctor to arrive until I finally got it.

Blood. Music. Robert.

Also read: Blood. Music. Ryan.

France/ Canada/ Portugal/ Italy, 2012

Cosmopolis

Directed and written by David Cronenberg

Based on a novel by Don DeLillo

★ Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Sarah Gadon

                    

Obviously, Cosmopolis is a film that causes opinions to differ. It is theatric and filled with complex dialogue and ambiguities, and there was a moment where I could have chosen to think, "This is it. I'm out". But I decided not to. Mainly because the introduction sequence was so classy.

Classy is the right word. It describes this film very well. I read that some people found it stylish but in its content too self-indulgent and pretentious, but I don't agree. While watching the movie I considered this opinion, but was immediately captured by the story itself again, deciding I wouldn't jump on either side of the fence before finishing the movie. It's like certain books that you find hard to get through; the dialogue is tiring and confusing, and you just don't "get" what it's supposed to tell you. Then the revelation when you're finished and can't get this work of art out of your mind, you keep dwelling on it, certain scenes and underlying thoughts keep popping up in your head. You realize the works value.

That's How You Do Tragedy

India, 1957

Pyaasa - प्यासा

 "Thirsty"

Directed by Guru Dutt

Written by Abrar Alvi

★ Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha

        

Sight & Sound, Time Magazine, Indiatimes and the critics and audience of yesterday and today - Pyaasa enchants everyone. It has been one of my top must-see-films, ranking as high as The Godfather, Fight Club and Kill Bill did in their respective times. So I put myself together and figured that my goal of seeing more (especially Indian) classics fit the fact that youtube has become a great source to watch these for free. (Link for this movie).

What can I say; of course Pyaasa is as fantastic as everyone says. It's the tragic story of the poet Vijay who is first neglected by his family, love and the publishers, and finds his only friends in the prostitute Gulab who adores his poems, and a poor massager. But the tragedy doesn't end here, for of course Vijay and his first love who is now married, meet again, and Vijay detects that there is more cruelty in the world than he would have ever imagined.

This Is Our Kingdom

USA, 2012

Moonrise Kingdom

Directed by Wes Anderson

Written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

★ Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward

         

Watching Moonrise Kingdom was an informative event for me. I learned several important things, starting with my realizing that Wes Anderson is one of the greatest filmmakers I know (judging from this film), to realizing that I still wish I'd have lived in the 60s, to finally and definitely realizing that when there's a hype in the blogosphere, there's a reason for it. 

On Re-Watching The Dreamers

It had been almost exactly two years since I had seen The Dreamers, when in the middle of June 2012, I found that I had to re-watch it. That very night. 

Lost in This Film

USA, 2003

Lost in Translation

Directed and written by Sofia Coppola

★ Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson

        

Two people meet and spend a short time together, feeling they have known each other for life. And after that time is over, the two part and carry on with their respective lives, perhaps never to meet again.

Climbing to the Tops: Fight Club (1999) in 10 Thoughts

1. I think I like this. The narration is cool, Edward Norton has the perfect voice and face for this seemingly frustrated middle-aged guy-next-door. I like the IKEA-animation-scene too. 

Oh, and there's Helena Bonham Carter. Everyone says this is their favourite performance of hers... might be true, I mean, look at her hair. Hair like that is a sure indicator of a great role. 

2. Although this is starting out pretty well, I'm kind of scared that it won't be as good as everyone says. I mean, sure it's good, but great, amazing - fantastic? But it would be nice for a change, to see something definitely and univocally mind-blowing. Most things I've seen lately are good but you know... somewhere in the 8-area. I want to be able to say "THIS IS A 10!" (or almost a ten) right after a movie has finished.

3. Okay, maybe this is the movie I've been waiting for. I feel... newborn, in a way. I want to fight somebody. Hey, anyone here to fight? Oh, I'm just alone in my room...

SO WHAT? I'll just fight an imaginary friend... huah... HAH... HAYA! Nice shot! WOOOHOO!

... Ah, that felt good. So now, what's going on in the movie...?

4. You know, the worst thing about borrowing DVDs at the library (I know, it can't match with the fact that it's free), is when it F***ing doesn't work. Or if one scene doesn't work, and you have to jump over to the next one. I HATE THAT!

5. My initial assumption was that Brad Pitt was going to be the eye-candy of this movie, but actually Edward Norton develops a strange attraction too, especially in those fight scenes. I mean, he's quite different from Pitt, but there's something about him. At least in this movie. And of course his character is awesomely written, but I don't want to spoil things for the people who haven't seen this yet. (I know you're out there, I saw you when I was out there myself, until yesterday night!).

6. Is David Fincher a God or something? I didn't realize until I saw this one, how amazing a director he actually is! Although I liked The Social Network and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo a lot, and truly love The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I was never completely convinced by his greatness. His immense greatness!

7. Oh, twists... the best thing about good movies, the worst thing about bad ones. It's all about finding the right balance between unexpected/ awesome and unrealistic/weird. Guess what, this one belongs to the first kind.

8. When this movie came out, I was four years old. I wish I had seen it on the big screen! But you know, I really thought it was newer. It doesn't look old. Not at all, actually - it looks AWESOME!

9. This film shouldn't be my current treasure. It should be my... current reason to live. Current life philosophy. Current... current source of awesomeness!

10. This isn't the most well-written or insightful article I've ever written, so I can just stop pretending and really tell you what I have to say: I don't have anything to say. Fight Club is awesome, and people have said that before. It's one of the best films I've ever seen, and people have said that before. It maybe changed my life, at least a little, my view on life. And people have said that before. 

So let's celebrate and say it again: LET'S TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB - TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT FIGHT CLUB!

The Final Word:

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