"The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Wes Anderson's Latest Masterpiece

Every Wes Anderson movie seems to exceed the previous one.  In terms of scope, ambition and style - each one adds to the whimsical genre that he has created for himself.  The newly released "Grand Budapest Hotel" continues that upward trend with a bold, fast-paced, hilarious, literary story featuring an endless parade of stars.

Following the success and ambitions of "Moonrise Kingdom," Mr. Anderson pushes his creative and cinematic limits with a highly imaginative comedy set in a fictional Eastern European country in 1932.  It's actually a story told in multiple flashbacks - a story within a story within a story within a story - thus making the audience both enthralled by, and dubious of, the storytellers' integrity.

The main plot focuses on Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) - the sophisticated, old-world concierge of the mountaintop resort.  Meticulous and proper, yet also profane and sneaky, Gustave's life mission is to maintain the highest standards of service and luxury for the grand hotel.  Even in 1932 he's a bit anachronistic.  Much like the movie's director, his perfectionist eye for detail is all about the personal, handmade touches of class that few people in the later generations notice or appreciate.

Gustave also has the habit of seducing older women.  MUCH older women who happen to be rich.  When Madame D. (Tilda Swinton) dies and leaves a priceless painting to Gustave, her family takes an elaborate revenge on the unsuspecting concierge.  What follows is an action-packed, genre-bending journey across the snowcapped chalets of prewar Europe, where we encounter the likes of Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, and Adrien Brody. 

This is Wes Anderson's most commercial movie to date, blending humor and thrills, while limiting the arthouse eccentricities.  It's a near perfect journey to an imaginative world, where both the narrators and audience recognize a bygone era.  Not just the opulence of European aristocracy, or the analog delights of handwritten notes, but also the beauty of original filmmaking.  Undoubtedly it's one of the more inventive and unpredictable movies we'll see this year.  It's not based on a comic book, or a remake, or a sequel.  But a good, old fashioned original story.

The one flaw is that with so many great character cameos, I wanted more.  Adrien Brody's sulking, menacing Dmitri could have been better utilized as a villain.  He only briefly appears, and is more of a caricature than a three-dimensional antagonist.  It's always great to see Owen Wilson, who practically steals the show in his brief 2 minutes of screen time, but again such a tease leaves the audience wanting more.  Clocking in at just over 90 minutes, I could have sat through a much longer version, and with these actors it would have been a pleasure.

Miniature set display from Arclight Theater, Hollywood.

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" is fun entertainment, but also nostalgic and melancholy.  I left the theater reflecting on the past.  Distant memories and details that we haphazardly choose to remember - and not just ones filtered through movies (although that happened too).  I realize it's only March, but I'm certain "The Grand Budapest Hotel" will be remembered  when the Oscar nominations are announced next year.   

2014 Oscars Recap

The 86^th Annual Academy Awards proved to be a thrilling mix of glitz, gravitas and blockbuster.  It was an exciting show, hosted by second time emcee Ellen DeGeneres, who dished out witty jokes while pulling such memorable gags as ordering pizza for the audience, and taking an impromptu star-studded photo with Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lawrence and Julia Roberts.

The big winners were split between the powerful slavery drama 12 Years a Slave, which won Best Picture, and with the innovative sci-fi spectacle Gravity, which won Best Director plus six other technical awards.

Although it only won three Oscars, 12 Years A Slave made the biggest impact.  By winning the top honor, it marked the first time a film made by a black director won Best Picture.  In addition, it won Best Adapted Screenplay for John Ridley’s excellent script of the 150 year old memoir by Solomon Northup.  In one of the most deserving honors, Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o won for Best Supporting Actress in her first ever movie.

12 Years A Slave writer John Ridley

Gravity’s total of seven Oscars led the night, highlighted by Mexican born Alfonso Cuarón winning Best Director – a first for a Latin American filmmaker.  Gravity also scored wins for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

Gravity Director Alfonso Cuaron

The true-life AIDS drama Dallas Buyers Club also won three key victories:  Matthew McConaughey for Best Actor, Jared Leto for Best Supporting Actor, and a much deserved Makeup and Hairstyling award.

Matthew McConaughey

Cate Blanchett won Best Actress for "Blue Jasmine."  This is her second Oscar, after winning Best Supporting Actress for portraying Katherine Hepburn in 2004's "The Aviator."  This win also represents another milestone:  five straight decades an actress in a Woody Allen movie has won an Oscar.

Cate Blanchett

The evening's other multiple winners included The Great Gatsby, which won for Best Costumes and Best Production Design.  Also, the Disney movie Frozen won for Best Animated Feature, along with Best Original Song for the hit “Let It Go.”

The Best Foreign Language Film went to Italian director Paolo Sorrentino’s Felini-esque comedy The Great Beauty.  This was the first Italian film to win this honor in fifteen years since Life is Beautiful.

The Best Documentary Feature went to 20 Feet from Stardom, the riveting story of the many backup singers who struggle for recognition in popular music.  Singer Darlene Love made a memorable acceptance speech when she broke into song to show that she is more than a supporting role player.

Other highlights for the evening included a touching Wizard of Oz tribute, where Pink sang “Over the Rainbow” – the Oscar winning best song from 75 years ago!

Pink sings "Over the Rainbow"

Once again, the In Memoriam tribute was especially moving.  It’s always sad to remember the recently departed legends which this year included Joan Fontaine, Esther Williams, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  The tribute was capped off by Better Midler’s stirring rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings.”