A new film from Wes Anderson? YES PLEASE! Anderson, my absolute favorite filmmaker of all time (only to be closely follows by Joss Whedon) is releasing a new film, and I couldn’t be more excited. On May 25th, his new film, Moonrise Kingdom, will hit theaters, and Anderson fans (like myself) will be thrilled.
Why am I so excited? If you haven’t seen any of his films before, I highly recommend going out and watching, well, all of them. Then you would understand a little better why this will be so great. One of the things I love about his films is that Anderson has a way of creating storylines that almost everyone can relate to in one way or another. One of the central themes of the new film focuses on young adults/teens falling in love for the first time, and the want to get away from everyone except the person you love, which is a powerful feeling that everyone experiences at least once growing up.
Moonrise Kingdom is set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965. Two young 12 year-olds fall in love and make a secret pact to run away together and live in the wilderness. Various authorities and parents try to hunt them down as a storm brews off the coast.
Much like his other films, we have a fantastic cast including Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Anderson film veterans Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Bob Balaban. It introduces two new actors Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the boy and girl.
Much like his casting several of the same actors, Anderson also makes sure to incorporate his unique view of the world into every film, even with things that seem small and insignificant can be found in all of his movies.
Be sure to look for these things when watching Moonrise Kingdom as they appear in almost every Anderson film.
- Futura Bold font – normally in yellow for opening credits, titles, or even words on buildings.
- Bill Murray NOT in a comedic only role.
- Slow motions scenes
- Incredible details with enhanced color pallets and wide angled shots.
- Dysfunctional families
- An amazing soundtrack featuring songs or musicians you’ve never heard of.
- Color transitions from bright hues to darker hues.
- Facial close-ups from actors – often panning back and forth.
One of the best parts of Anderson films is how they are shot. This one really feels like it takes place in 1965, from the coloring of the film to the dialogue and mood set by the actors. People who were alive in 1965 might even get a bit nostalgic.
What could make this film falter? In my opinion, nothing. I have seen every single one of his films, even his first one ever the 1996 film Bottle Rocket. Not one of his films has disappointed me. I doubt that this one will. It looks amazing, the cinematography is amazing, and with the cast in place, it doesn’t seem like there is anything holding this film back.
You can watch the trailer below, but I definitely say it is a must see when it hits theaters on May 25th through Focus Features.