Moonrise Kingdom

A thoroughly endearing journey, and one of the most enjoyable and touching movies to land in theaters so far this year.

Moonrise Kingdom is Anderson's most completely satisfying film since the one-two of "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums," in part because it's the perfect distillation of both.

Anderson has the ability to control our emotions just as expertly as his camera.

These characters don't realize they're funny, and the actors are determined not to push it. Willis fares best, playing against in-control type; Murray fans expecting a comedy explosion won't find it here.

Anderson's romantic fantasia is after something much more complicated and profound-an ever-renewing balance between the hopes of youth and the disappointments of age.

Even by his stylistic standards, Anderson has cranked up the artifice.

The result, in the case of Moonrise Kingdom, is what I call transcendentally brainless - an after school special aimed at asinine adolescents over the age of 40.

Moonrise Kingdom is an instant classic. It's a perfect amalgamation of French romance films, childhood adventure films, war movies, prison escape movies, Pulp Fiction, family drama, the environment, and hope. In other words, it's a great Wes Anderson movie! In my opinion it's one of his best films. It's like a cross between The Royal Tenenbaums and Fantastic Mr. Fox. It's beautiful, it's gut wrenching, it's hysterical, it's charming. It's a must see.

Another reasonably good Wes Anderson film with his typical quirkiness and visual panache.

While this movie is masterfully directed, the visuals were impressive and there were a few instances of Anderson's signature quirky humour, Moonrise Kingdom still fell short. The story was boring, the acting was bad from nearly everyone (partly due to the fact that most of the actors were children) and it wasn't particularly funny. If you like Anderson's previous works you may appreciate this movie, but don't expect it to be his masterpiece.

All i could say after seeing this movie was, "What did I just sit through?" Hard to follow story, confusing logic by all characters, and all together too complicated for an average movie goer. if you want to explain what happened to me, go see it, but if not, STEER CLEAR!

The Royal Tenenbaums was the first Wes Anderson film I watched. I liked it (I was 12 when I saw it.) Recently I watched The Grand Budapest Hotel, which I had mixed feelings about. More recently I watched Moonrise Kingdom, which gave rise the the thought: wow, why is this guy so acclaimed? As far as I'm concerned, this movie is just fool's gold. So, the diagnosis. I read up on film theory a lot as it is something I am strongly interested in, and there is a general consensus that you must play by the rules to begin with, but once you become a true auteur and expert in your field, you can basically do what you want. Wes Anderson thinks he has reached that stage, but he really hasn't. Do you know anyone who is a bit alternative, a bit artsy, supposedly 'generous', 'sweet', 'charming' and 'funny'; loved by everyone but you? For me, Wes Anderson is that guy. His characters are basically all the same: mini projections of his own quirky, oddball idiosyncrasies that not only his pseudo intellectual hipster cult love, but his staunch aficionados who also happen to be critics. I really don't see it. He directs the film the same way a 12 year old girl plays with her dollhouse, the characters are shallow and daft. I really couldn't bring myself to care about them. The only scene which moved me was the kissing scene on the beach (I moved my hands over my eyes.) The storyline is slightly risqué, and it doesn't help that the two main characters are precocious brats. I found it shocking that the romanticisation of mental illnesses (something greatly criticised these days) was completely overlooked. Mental instabilities are SERIOUS. They do not make you quirky or cool! The movie felt like taking a cold shower with a toothache. However I suppose a lot of the things I criticised about him are typical of many other directors, even directors I love, for example Fellini always had absurd characters, but I loved them. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that he has a very particular style, you can try and pick his films apart but you'd be splitting hairs: you either love them or hate them.