Asteroid City to me was a very passive viewing. No high stakes, no major conflicts, nothing really driving the plot. However, I immensely enjoyed it. I thought it was hilarious, and just watching the interesting characters interact with this weird, small town was enough for me to stay hooked. It also felt like Wes was having a meta commentary about his own movie IN the movie lol. It was strange, sure, but I left the theater very satisfied.
The way you described the film is exactly how "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is. Both feel the same. You have enjoyed Asteroid, but as a Wes fan myself, this Asteroid felt bland. French Dispatch was also a bit disappoiting narratively but still better than Asteriod. Budhapest Hotel is Wes best in shape in terms of everything. Isle f Dogs is his bestest in animation imo too. But glad you enjoyed Asteroid though, I am jealous.
@@YourAverageNicheI had the experience that Once Upon a Time In Hollywood got way more enjoyable on the second viewing, because i wasn't paying too much attention on the plot expecting some sort of narrative. Instead, i could just immerse myself in the world, which was absolutely beautifully shot and choreographed. It also became more obvious that the movie is more of a meta-commentary on cinema and Tarantinos own career. All those things make it one of my favourites from Tarantino, although i can see that some people would not be into that. Anyway, what i wanted to say is that maybe Asteroid City is similar?
The bar scene in Past Lives was at a fancy Italian restaurant so to me the sound feels very diagetic and not unrealistic. There could have been more room for background sound but I don't think this example is as egregious as others. The scene needs to be slow, quiet, and intimate. I think that this particular bar gets us a bit closer to a realistic reason for that. The opening of the film where we hear dining guests whispering to each other about the main characters also implies detail about the restaurant's layout and patrons. We see from the perspective of someone at a table across the restaurant from the bar, showing that there aren't many other patrons at the restaurant and that the place our characters are dining is primarily a upscale restaurant rather than a noisy bar. I think this justifies our characters not having to shout or speak up extra loud in the later scene.
nah the bar is a separate place from the restaurant they eat dinne at. but yeah i disagree with him, in the opening scene it's mentioned that it's 4am, which music would not be blaring at that time in a small cocktail bar.
Isle of dogs, fantastic mr fox, grand Budapest hotel, and moonrise kingdom are probably his best ones in my opinion. Asteroid city was good, but yeah the story is a little confusing.
There’s a certain shot in Past Lives (you know if you know) that I thought really helped bring the whole film together, about how both characters feel about each other despite how much they try to move on
@@HobanProductioncompletely agree! i was a bit disappointed by the movie on a first watch as i didn’t really connect with the characters (and therefore the ending), but as time has passed, the themes have really stuck with me, so i’m interested to see it on a rewatch.
To me Asteroid City’s main conflict comes in the black and white “reality” scenes and the parts where they interject into the play. Search for meaning kind of makes for a weak structure but i thought it conducted the themes of performance vs genuine emotion very well
Really happy that Past Lives worked for you this much. It’s currently my favorite film for the year due to how much it accomplishes without having to overstate anything.
Me and my fiance are both big Wes Anderson fans since Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs, and we both really enjoyed Asteroid City as a commentary on how moments that feel like they should be huge and impactful, usually aren't. The story doesn't present us with a goal or stakes for the characters, because they're just trying to move on with their lives. Normalcy IS the goal of the film, accepting that something tragic and traumatic has happened, and learned that it's not as life-changing as you thought it would be. You aren't a different person after you meet an alien, you're still you. An excellent film that we contrasted with Asteroid City is actually Annihilation. That film also uses an alien impact on Earth as a metaphor for shared trauma, but in that film the message is that people ARE different after they go through something like this. We love both films for different reasons and their opposing views of grief.
I can definitely see Asteroid City not landing with a lot of people. I personally resonated a lot with a theme of creativity feeling inauthentic/performative and how people interface with that, but I could have been reading that into the movie entirely on my own and be way off the mark
After the movie ended, I def heard a couple of complaints and groans from the audience leaving the theatre. The friend i went with wasn’t feeling it either
Your reading is just as correct/valid as any other- there is no mark! I think there’s too much fixation on “objectivity” regarding film in certain corners of the internet, and Asteroid City in particular provides various avenues for speculation. Stuff doesn’t need to have one single “real” explanation!
My sister and I loved it, my buddy not so much. I can appreciate a very pretty box full of good actors where nothing important happens. I want to put this movie in my mouth. Everything looks so neat. Diorama town.
I’m happy that some people that watched it got a good experience out of it. I enjoyed the usual Wes Anderson traits but after 45 minutes it quickly became irritating when I realised that was all it was. For me it lacked any soul or substance like the GBH and I got bored to the point where I stoped trying to make sense of the plot because I was so uninvested.
Past Lives was a great example of "what could have been" and will no doubt be one of my favorite films of the year. You're right about it not getting showy, but still looking good. I do like that the film didn't make Arthur into some sort of jealous husband or trying to get in between Nora and Hae Sung's friendship.
@@aarongutierrez7705 feel that he did at the start but after the bed conversation he seemed to understand, hence why he was waiting for Nora on the steps outside their apartment at the end and hugging her while she cried
When I looked up some interpretations of 'Asteroid City' (let's face it, more people will than not), I read one that focused solely on the idea of 'Just keep telling the story.' Basically, life is full of moments, and sometimes you can't string them together into a cohesive comprehension. That's the interpretation that resonated most with me. And I was pleased that I enjoyed 'Past Lives' much more than I thought I would.
To me, Asteroid City, was very much about there not being a greater meaning to things. The characters keep demanding a meaning to what their characters are supposed to be doing in the production, and the writer doesn't have an answer for them. They keep going back to things like "just tell the story." With that in mind, if it had had a more objective, black and white, here is our conflict and here is us resolving the conflict, I think that would've hurt that theme. I took that as being very intentional, much in the same way I'm sure it was intentional that Montana is not wearing spurs, but has the sound effects for them as he walks.
Past Lives is already one of my favorite films of the year. A patient film, with every aspect being superb yet never showy, which is impressive for a debut film.
To me, Astroid City felt like an artist having a moment of self reflection. If you watch Anderson outside of this, a lot of his blocking, dialogue, and cinematography feel rooted in Stage. For him to then make a movie that is based as a stage play, it feels self referential
I know in Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, the score also does a repetitive thing by having a faint drum beat in the background, but at least in that film it was more subtle and purposeful, as it gives this feeling of the bad guys following the characters through their journey. I feel like that could easily be grating if it didn’t fit the themes of Isle of Dogs, But it’s really complimentary to the experience in my opinion. I really love that film.
Another thing with Isle of Dog's score is that I can think of at least 4 or 5 tracks from it, so those tracks were used a little less than they could've. With Asteroid City I only remember that one track.
5:19 in Past Lives I noticed the time pass in their hairstyles, after the first 12 years, Nora's hair was parted in the middle and Hae Sung's hair was untreated and in his face, after another 12 years Nora's hair is straightened and side parted and Hae Sung's hair is put up with hair product edit: it's pretty subtle, but it's there
Past Lives struck me as average the first time I watched it but really grew on me the more and more I thought to myself about it. I definitely need to see it again.
Ditto. The slow pace and intimate drama didn't make much of an initial impression on me at first, but the more I thought about the film the more I was actually thinking about my own life experiences in relation to it. It got me thinking of my own life trajectory, how I clung onto childhood friends during a more vulnerable part of my twenties and reminisce on how a lot of them fell out of my life. That's a great mark of art, I'd say, that manages to get you thinking and feeling in such a way.
I wish Past Lives had resonated with me to the extent that it clearly has with so many people. I wasn't bored enough to just close the movie, but I couldn't really get invested in any of it.
Asteroid city is definitely a movie that’s been sitting with me since I’ve seen in 3 weeks ago. Weird considering I wasn’t crazy about it but something about it makes me want to watch it again
Asteroid City brings in a bunch of actors for good performances, interesting shots, unique production design, and a feel of new cinema recreating old cinema. Good start for me on Wes Anderson’s filmography. I haven’t seen Past Lives, but it looks interesting.
The fact Adum only criticisms are minor sound design things everyone does and that the characters don’t looked like they’ve aged, really gives you a good idea of the quality of the movie, I’ll have to check it out.
@@haleyxyz Spiderman Across the Spider-Verse really stole my whole heart. I was already a huge fan of the first one and I do think this one took everything that was great and built on it making an incredible movie in every level. I was just floored
I really connected with Asteroid City. I felt like it had a clear message regarding grief and disassociation that paired beautifully with Anderson’s famous framing in the narrative.
Asteroid City for me was almost a perfect movie. The credits rolled and I immediately restarted it and watched it more hooked than the first time. It was pretty striking that there was no real conflict in the film other than characters coming to terms with loss, and processing grief. I lost my mom to her long battle with substance abuse a few months ago, and watching this film really spoke to me, it perfectly summarizes the absurdity of loss and grief specifically how these huge events happen and pass and we struggle to extrapolate meaning from these them, when truthfully there is none. Instead we continue on and even in spite of such an important event, the discovery of E.T life, everything wraps up and keeps going. As I watched the cars pull away from Asteroid City and the credits roll I couldn't help but cry, and then sob. The entire film felt extremely powerful and I do think that if you're not actively processing grief you may lose a lot of the power that this film carries and that's really beautiful, a film that is not afraid to alienate its' audience in order to contain themes relevant to only some. In short Asteroid city felt extremely personal and powerful, I think it had a lot to say and really laid it out front to be easily ingested by those who resonate with its' themes.
I really loved Asteroid City. The progression of actors into characters who must pull themselves back out of this new colorful world by the end is hauntingly real for a lot of us who feel easily entranced by magical realms.
Asteroid City really pissed me off like it finished and I was like fucking why what was the point of all that that felt like so much went into it- good acting, incredible visuals, probably a large amount of control for Wes Anderson, and he just makes a fucking nothingburger movie from it like nothing happened in that movie it was just an excuse to show quirky scenes
I enjoyed Asteroid City while I was watching it, but it wasn't until like a week later that I came down on whether I actually thought it was good or not. Every few days I'd take it out and roll it around in my head a little more, and ultimately came down on thinking it's really good. It's definitely interpretive and part of that week was wondering if it was just bullshit meant to look like it was something without actually *being* anything, and then wondering if that was itself part of the point. But even if that's how it happened, it was damn effective at getting stuck in my mind and demanding I puzzle something out from it. So mission accomplished on its part, not sure what I'd rate it but I highly recommend. If you're into that kind of thing. And already like Wes Anderson movies.
So to Adam's point about Wes's films having a similar tune throughout the soundtrack, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a prime example of that done right. Quite a few songs throughout the film have the "bogus, bunce & bean" hook repurposed to suit the scene better. It's fantastic every time. "Secret bean Cider cellar" (probably better known as the rat's villain theme) is the best version of this
I really gotta rewatch PAST LIVES. I wasn’t in the best headspace. I really loved the way the film allowed performances to play out (the writer/director is a playwright so she prolly wants her scenes to play out similarly). I know I’m just missing something. I really gotta rewatch it, because I know I’d love it with a better mindset going in. Also Adum check out SHOWING UP. Amazing film by the master Kelly Reichardt. Really wonderful and similarly small and beautiful in the way Past Lives is. Love SHOWING UP. I really hope to love PAST LIVES as well.
For me, Past Lives did a great job of that feeling of “what if?” that we all experience. We build up these connections in our heads and wonder what it would be like to bring someone so significant in your life back only for things to be different. And that’s okay, we all grow and change over time.
@@Mordecaialivanoshea Agree. A story about people who love each other deeply but, through the nature of who they are, were never destined to be together.
I liked asteroid city, it was creative, pretty, the characters felt charming and different to me in a way that made me wish i was part of that world. The actors playing the roles were also fun but i didnt understand any of the "you cant wake up if you dont fall asleep stuff"
I liked it as a gag. The film mentioned lulling people to sleep and right before this scene my mum who I saw the film with actually did fall asleep and then got startled awake by this scene. I think that was kinda the point.
@@iainmackenzie9503 OMG its funny you say that honestly because when i saw it in theaters i was honestly exhausted from lack of sleep and work but i wanted to see a movie damnit and started dozing RIGHT AT THAT PART TOO and woke up during that scene 🤣 when i watched it again i still didnt get it but now that you say that, i can see the humor haha
I also really loved Past Lives. It was one of those rare films where the actions of all the characters just made sense and felt mature and realistic. Everyone handles emotional circumstances with a kind of clumsy grace, which felt authentic to me. No flashy here. No hard turns in the plot. So we are instead just left to ponder the value in our own lives of the people who have come in and out of it as we move forward in life.
Haven't seen the other movie, but Asteroid City was so fucking cool! It's no Grand Budapest Hotel, but it was still insanely creative, funny, and cool.
I'm surprised Adum went as easy on Asteroid City as he did. Compared to Grand Budapest, Fantastic Mr. Fox, etc. I thought this movie stunk. There was no fuckin point and by the time the credits rolled I felt like I wasted my time. The Wes Anderson style isnt enough to hold up an entire movie for me.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how movies can be like music, where no matter what the technical quality of a film objectively is, people will naturally feel something about it. It’ll resonate or it won’t. Past Lives feels that way to me, I wonder if everybody whose heart really broke for the characters relates to one of them in some personal way. If you’ve felt some version of what they’ve felt the stakes of the film feel more meaningful, i think.
When they're in bed talking about basically the plot of the movie within the context of Arthur's perspective, I'd guess. I sort of agree, but I feel like it's also important for characterizing his self-aware insecurity about the whole situation and it was where I started seeing more to the character than standard jealous husband tropes. I liked the movie too, it felt a bit writer-y but it's hard to penalize it for that!
I feel very much the opposite of your asteroid city review. Because I personally had only seen one other Wes Anderson film, moonrise kingdom, a few years back and never really thought about it again. Then I saw asteroid city and it absolutely blew me away. It's phonemnal characters and beautiful theme of finding meaning when there is none. I just adored it. I'm a Wes Anderons hater honestly but I adore asteroid city
@rustyshackelford4224 the search for meaning was done so beautifully. The scene where the lead goes to the director and literally just says i don't understand. It's just was soul crushing while also like looking into a mirror. Then the director just says you don't have to understand just feel. Dehjdhdndbdhdhdvhdjdhdhdch that with its great direction, fun editing, good performances, bizarre effects! Makes it one of the most surprising films I've seen all year.
I'm probably close to alone is really loving asteroid city, I feel like it had a strong undertone of trying to make your way through a big world and finding joy in little moments in a way that was really subtle and entertaining to me. It didnt feel plot driven but more experience driven, if that makes sense? Movie of the year for me probably, though I can definitely understand where others are coming from, as this is probably the most "wes anderson" wes anderson film to date
The last three Wes Andrerson films have been the most Wes Anderson films to date, at release. The next will be a powerpoint presention consisting solely of A-ist actors looking not quite into the camera against a background of bright rectangles.
To me, Asteroid City was just like Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: pure masturbation from the Director (in terms of style, cast, subject, OST, etc). I'm not saying it's a good or bad thing - it just is. If you're not into it, you might be in for a rough watch. But despite everything it's still much more enjoyable than 3/4 of the movies making it to cinema these days anyway!
i think asteroid city, from what i can gather, is wes anderson’s “the house that jack built”, in the sense that it forgoes plot entirely for a director exploring the structure, style, and impact of their own films. whatever it is, i think it was glaringly obvious throughout asteroid city that wes anderson is pissed off
I cannot agree with the sound track point more, Im usually one to open up and listen to wes anderson scores because of how wonderfully whimsical they are but this one left me wanting more
Asteroid City actually was my first Wes Anderson film and I ADORED it!! I liked it enough to see it twice and I'd happily go back for a third viewing. I'm a very along-for-the-ride type of viewer, so the lack of clear stakes and all that didn't bother me much. It may sound pretentious but it was an experience rather than a story, and I can appreciate that. It's the kind of movie that's driven by feelings rather than logic or description, you just take from it whatever emotional reaction you get. To me, it felt clearly like a representation of the aftermath of trauma and how life just moves on. Everybody deals with it (trauma) differently-- some people looked for meaning, some didn't. Some got emotional (angry, resistant, confused, sad), but a lot were just numb. Connections were made between people who shared the event that probably wouldn't have been made otherwise. For a while, they were all just,,, stuck. In that. The two things that really strongly gave me that impression were a) the fact the "main" characters (Augie and his family were sorta the closest thing we had to real main characters) just underwent trauma/loss and so much of their storyline was about dealing with the loss of the mom character. And b) the whole way they went about the beginning of the film vs the end of the film. The first shot of Asteroid City itself is reversed at the end of the film, all the way down to the direction of the train and roadrunner. The nuclear bomb testing mentioned at the beginning resumes. The whole thing just very like a very tangible portrayal of how, after a traumatic event, the world around you just goes on as normal, but everything feels numb, and it's all exactly the same but feels different after whatever events have happened to you. I thought it was really powerful.
I watched Asteroid City and while I liked it, I feel like I also got nothing from it. I need to watch it with other people next time to see what they take from it. Because to me, it's just kind of sort of happens. There's some odd moments and then it's over.
Asteroid City and Past Lives are my #1 and #2 films of the year so far, respectively. Thank you for engaging with them and for your praise of Past Lives!
Both of these movies are definitely growers. I really enjoyed my first viewing of Asteroid City, but it took some time for me to love it. Aesthetically it was a wonder to watch, but it definitely strays away from certain conventions. And that could definitely be to its detriment. Past lives on the other hand was very reserved, and initially i thought it was going to be kind of bland, but the writing is what kept me invested. Kind of the opposite of Asteriod City.
Hmm, I look at this as Wes perfecting his craft. I feel like he may be wearing out his welcome to some degree. But, in a vacuum, the work here is strong.
Fun Fact: In Asteroid City, at one point, a radio off-screen plays Slim Whitman's "Indian Love Call", the song that killed all the alien invaders in Mars Attacks! (1996). Bonus Fact: My local movie theatre pulled this movie for no reason and I'm still p*ssed
I honestly loved Asteroid City and I’m not too familiar with his work. I kind of described it as if Wes Anderson combined the visuals & tone of Tim Burton & Quinten Tarantino. One moment in particular reminded me of Mars Attacks including the song they used near the end of that film to kill off the aliens. So, I dunno, I guess films works differently for others since I’ve enjoyed the action and retro 50’s visual style and the soundtrack didn’t bother me at all. I honestly would give it an 8/10, but, that’s just my perspective.
It was the same exact song as in Mars Attack, and I can't fathom it would be a coincidence. Check out Grand Budapest Hotel mate, the pure stylistic exercice is toned down in favor of a much more compelling and surpsizing story imo.
5:00 being in film making iv always keeped this dilemma in mind and it bugs me too but the first time something like this caught my attention was watching the BTS of American Psycho and there is scene in a club with no music playing but the actors are still talking loudly to each other, iv always loved that.
I really struggled with past lives. Everything about it was good enough, but it didn't resonate with me the way I'd hoped after hearing the glowing reviews. There was an interview where the director said something along the lines of wanting her characters to show what love can look like when all parties put each other's feelings ahead of their own, but I felt like everyone was incredibly selfish? The only one who seemed to show the level of consideration she alludes to is the husband towards the end of the film.
Movie was not good, the Indian movie '96 (2018) has the exact same plot but somehow the characters are better written. Past Lives is overrated, you don't even know anything about the characters, she writes books but you never know what kind of stuff she writes or what is her inspiration, same with the guy you don't know anything about his life because every talk is about the infatuation and the destiny talk bs, the separation was not tragic at all, as kids they barely are together, they don't need each other or compliment in any way, the goodbye is meh because she doesn't care at all, and the second time she choose to stop with the skype calls. So the story is never sad. The guy breaks with his girlfriend because of reasons and offscreen, and the movie is too calculated, is not anything special but it tries so hard to convince you that you are watching something special instead of showing it. Characters have not much chemistry and interactions are cringy or awkward. This is not like the Before trilogy at all. Also is the issue yms mentions about 24 years passing in 12 years and 0 years in 12. And people say this is the best movie of the year LOL.
yea it's great to see some honest critical reviews here, the whole film was rly uninspiring and seemed overly pretentious on trying to be profoundly realistic with how awkward scenes are but those p much backfired making it unbearable and unnatural. I agree with the above, nothing really happens.. you'd be better off just reading the synopsis cuz that sums up p much everything lol..
Has your take on Synecdoche New York changed over the years? It feels like a movie about that subject matter would have people changing their opinions with age and experience.
I knew Past Lives would probably make me cry judging from the trailers and hearing Adam talk about it that definitely seems like the case. So I'll probably be streaming this one before crying in a theatre around strangers.
I came away not really liking Asteroid City but loving the music due to two scenes where I thought it was beautifully composed and implemented - the alien landing scene and the smoke break balcony conversation scene.
I loved asteroid city precisely for its passiveness, it felt like a slice of life anime that came to life in a live action. That direction lent pretty well to it's humor and it's character interaction, my favorite being a tie between the boy that made dares and the main characters children. Ultimately it was a step up from the french dispatch for me, which wasn't that good.
Not sure if you’re just trying to avoid spoilers here, but I would love a deeper discussion of the plot and themes of both of these movies, as they’re both ripe for analysis.
Ye Adum does avoid spoilers in his Quickie reviews - they're meant to introduce the audience to his thoughts on a film and whether/why he'd recommend watching it!
0:09 lol I feel called out a bit here because that's exactly my experience. I've watched a few movies from Wes Anderson but my dad hadn't and we went to watch this and by the time it ended he was a little confused but thought the movie was colorful and interesting.
Very uncanny indeed. I was shocked he used CGI instead of stop motion and my friends were like "wait it was CGI?!". It's a very weird bit of animation but I LOVED it!
I miss when Wes was making films like The Darjeeling Limited and The Life Aquatic.. that was a really good era of Wes both embracing the style and having characters with clear, touching, and relatable desires and goals.
I want Adum's score for Asteroid City on a shirt, like his 7/10 or 6/10 shirts, but for the shirt to include the whole ramble he did: "6/10, it's closer to uh, I don't know, I thought it was closer to a 7, and now that I'm talking about it for a bit I'm like, is it closer to a 5? Uh, we'll see, we'll see what it's like on a re-watch, maybe I'll, it'll go up a point, maybe it'll go down a point, but, uh, let's call it a solid 6 for now. THANK YOU." i would wear this shirt everywhere.
The second viewing of this film is completely different experience, at least in my opinion. I was confused the first time round, the second time I came out satisfied and arguably my favourite film from the last few years.
Honestly the biggest issue about Asteroid City for me was a lack of addressing the themes of existentialism and feeling small in the eyes of the universe. Once the alien arrives, everyone feels the weight and the importance of what just happened. They feel uncertain and question their own existence. But I just don’t feel that there’s enough of that explored in the film. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing character moments and bits of dialogue that perfectly encapsulate these feelings and they’re all done in Wes’s signature style. But I wish the film emphasized those things a lot more. Nothing really pertinent happens by the time the movie ends. Still enjoyed it tho
I think that's kind of the point. This major, reality-shaking event happens to them and... so what? It feels like the world should be changed forever, but once the shock is over everything is still the same. It didn't provide any answers, and it didn't leave anything behind. In the cold light of morning, life just... goes on.
@@android19willpwn Even if that was the point, it still felt kinda lazy tbh. If nothing happens to the characters and no change occurs by the end of the movie, it's just hollow. Especially considering the fact that certain character moments were building towards or hinting at some kind of change. But it never happens
As a massive Wes Anderson fan... I completely agree. Personally I wish more time was spent on the actual Astroid City plot as opposed to the cuts to Brian Cranston B&W.... stuff..
French Dispatch was such a mature and obvious next step that Astroid City just felt like it was a slight step back even if it was a little up to interpretation. I enjoyed it but felt like more could have been done with it.
Yeah this was my first Wes Anderson film and you're not wrong. Probably not my best entry point. On leaving the cinema my friend who recommended the film apologized. Which wasn't really necessary as I don't think it's a 'bad' film. Just acquired taste I guess.
Asteroid City to me was a very passive viewing. No high stakes, no major conflicts, nothing really driving the plot. However, I immensely enjoyed it. I thought it was hilarious, and just watching the interesting characters interact with this weird, small town was enough for me to stay hooked. It also felt like Wes was having a meta commentary about his own movie IN the movie lol. It was strange, sure, but I left the theater very satisfied.
The way you described the film is exactly how "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is. Both feel the same. You have enjoyed Asteroid, but as a Wes fan myself, this Asteroid felt bland. French Dispatch was also a bit disappoiting narratively but still better than Asteriod. Budhapest Hotel is Wes best in shape in terms of everything. Isle f Dogs is his bestest in animation imo too. But glad you enjoyed Asteroid though, I am jealous.
@@YourAverageNicheFanstastic Mr. Fox: "Am I a joke to you?"
@@YourAverageNicheIt's called Asteroid City, shortening it to Asteroid just seems disingenuous here.
@@YourAverageNicheI had the experience that Once Upon a Time In Hollywood got way more enjoyable on the second viewing, because i wasn't paying too much attention on the plot expecting some sort of narrative. Instead, i could just immerse myself in the world, which was absolutely beautifully shot and choreographed. It also became more obvious that the movie is more of a meta-commentary on cinema and Tarantinos own career. All those things make it one of my favourites from Tarantino, although i can see that some people would not be into that. Anyway, what i wanted to say is that maybe Asteroid City is similar?
It felt like an AI produced facsimile of a Anderson film, like nothing felt genuine at all.
The bar scene in Past Lives was at a fancy Italian restaurant so to me the sound feels very diagetic and not unrealistic. There could have been more room for background sound but I don't think this example is as egregious as others. The scene needs to be slow, quiet, and intimate. I think that this particular bar gets us a bit closer to a realistic reason for that. The opening of the film where we hear dining guests whispering to each other about the main characters also implies detail about the restaurant's layout and patrons. We see from the perspective of someone at a table across the restaurant from the bar, showing that there aren't many other patrons at the restaurant and that the place our characters are dining is primarily a upscale restaurant rather than a noisy bar. I think this justifies our characters not having to shout or speak up extra loud in the later scene.
nah the bar is a separate place from the restaurant they eat dinne at. but yeah i disagree with him, in the opening scene it's mentioned that it's 4am, which music would not be blaring at that time in a small cocktail bar.
I think having great cinematography while not being too showy/ in your face about is very difficult. Simultaneously holding back and experimenting
Take note, Zack Snyder.
euphoria cough cough
Having never seen a Wes Anderson movie, I really enjoyed Asteroid City despite not knowing what was going on most of the time
It's basically his style to the max. You'd probably like all of his other movies as well if you really liked Asteroid City.
Isle of dogs, fantastic mr fox, grand Budapest hotel, and moonrise kingdom are probably his best ones in my opinion. Asteroid city was good, but yeah the story is a little confusing.
@@Raviouliformioulimy personal faves are Darjeeling, the royal tenenbaums, and moonrise kingdom
I'm in the same boat. I was slightly confused but really interested in checking out his other films now.
@@Raviouliformiouli Don't forget about "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou".
I loved Past Lives. The most enjoyable movie that I've seen this year. I really felt for all of the characters.
I loved at how real it was. No real villains and no real saints. All delving into the inevitability of the limitations of life.
There’s a certain shot in Past Lives (you know if you know) that I thought really helped bring the whole film together, about how both characters feel about each other despite how much they try to move on
God. I haven't been able to see it yet but this film is going to kill me.
@@HobanProduction Yeah I mean that's exactky the sort of thing I like
@@HobanProductioncompletely agree! i was a bit disappointed by the movie on a first watch as i didn’t really connect with the characters (and therefore the ending), but as time has passed, the themes have really stuck with me, so i’m interested to see it on a rewatch.
playground shot?
To me Asteroid City’s main conflict comes in the black and white “reality” scenes and the parts where they interject into the play. Search for meaning kind of makes for a weak structure but i thought it conducted the themes of performance vs genuine emotion very well
Really happy that Past Lives worked for you this much. It’s currently my favorite film for the year due to how much it accomplishes without having to overstate anything.
Me and my fiance are both big Wes Anderson fans since Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs, and we both really enjoyed Asteroid City as a commentary on how moments that feel like they should be huge and impactful, usually aren't. The story doesn't present us with a goal or stakes for the characters, because they're just trying to move on with their lives. Normalcy IS the goal of the film, accepting that something tragic and traumatic has happened, and learned that it's not as life-changing as you thought it would be. You aren't a different person after you meet an alien, you're still you.
An excellent film that we contrasted with Asteroid City is actually Annihilation. That film also uses an alien impact on Earth as a metaphor for shared trauma, but in that film the message is that people ARE different after they go through something like this. We love both films for different reasons and their opposing views of grief.
I can definitely see Asteroid City not landing with a lot of people. I personally resonated a lot with a theme of creativity feeling inauthentic/performative and how people interface with that, but I could have been reading that into the movie entirely on my own and be way off the mark
After the movie ended, I def heard a couple of complaints and groans from the audience leaving the theatre. The friend i went with wasn’t feeling it either
Your reading is just as correct/valid as any other- there is no mark! I think there’s too much fixation on “objectivity” regarding film in certain corners of the internet, and Asteroid City in particular provides various avenues for speculation. Stuff doesn’t need to have one single “real” explanation!
My sister and I loved it, my buddy not so much. I can appreciate a very pretty box full of good actors where nothing important happens.
I want to put this movie in my mouth. Everything looks so neat. Diorama town.
I’m happy that some people that watched it got a good experience out of it. I enjoyed the usual Wes Anderson traits but after 45 minutes it quickly became irritating when I realised that was all it was. For me it lacked any soul or substance like the GBH and I got bored to the point where I stoped trying to make sense of the plot because I was so uninvested.
@@CoolJav48 completely agree
I’ve watched Past Lives in a small movie theater and I was sobbing my eyes out by the end of the movie. 8/10 you will cry.
Past Lives was a great example of "what could have been" and will no doubt be one of my favorite films of the year. You're right about it not getting showy, but still looking good. I do like that the film didn't make Arthur into some sort of jealous husband or trying to get in between Nora and Hae Sung's friendship.
Canon event from the eyes of prosperous Asian person
I’m sorry but Arthur absolutely felt like a jealous or insecure husband lol
lets cuck arthur
@@aarongutierrez7705yes but not overly and dramatically so
@@aarongutierrez7705 feel that he did at the start but after the bed conversation he seemed to understand, hence why he was waiting for Nora on the steps outside their apartment at the end and hugging her while she cried
When I looked up some interpretations of 'Asteroid City' (let's face it, more people will than not), I read one that focused solely on the idea of 'Just keep telling the story.' Basically, life is full of moments, and sometimes you can't string them together into a cohesive comprehension. That's the interpretation that resonated most with me.
And I was pleased that I enjoyed 'Past Lives' much more than I thought I would.
To me, Asteroid City, was very much about there not being a greater meaning to things. The characters keep demanding a meaning to what their characters are supposed to be doing in the production, and the writer doesn't have an answer for them. They keep going back to things like "just tell the story." With that in mind, if it had had a more objective, black and white, here is our conflict and here is us resolving the conflict, I think that would've hurt that theme. I took that as being very intentional, much in the same way I'm sure it was intentional that Montana is not wearing spurs, but has the sound effects for them as he walks.
Past Lives is already one of my favorite films of the year. A patient film, with every aspect being superb yet never showy, which is impressive for a debut film.
To me, Astroid City felt like an artist having a moment of self reflection. If you watch Anderson outside of this, a lot of his blocking, dialogue, and cinematography feel rooted in Stage. For him to then make a movie that is based as a stage play, it feels self referential
It's meta just like de movie is meta within itself
I know in Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, the score also does a repetitive thing by having a faint drum beat in the background, but at least in that film it was more subtle and purposeful, as it gives this feeling of the bad guys following the characters through their journey.
I feel like that could easily be grating if it didn’t fit the themes of Isle of Dogs, But it’s really complimentary to the experience in my opinion. I really love that film.
Another thing with Isle of Dog's score is that I can think of at least 4 or 5 tracks from it, so those tracks were used a little less than they could've. With Asteroid City I only remember that one track.
Fucking loved past lives, made me heartbroken in a really good way. So melancholy and beautiful
5:19 in Past Lives I noticed the time pass in their hairstyles, after the first 12 years, Nora's hair was parted in the middle and Hae Sung's hair was untreated and in his face, after another 12 years Nora's hair is straightened and side parted and Hae Sung's hair is put up with hair product
edit: it's pretty subtle, but it's there
Past Lives struck me as average the first time I watched it but really grew on me the more and more I thought to myself about it. I definitely need to see it again.
The Aftersun effect
Ditto. The slow pace and intimate drama didn't make much of an initial impression on me at first, but the more I thought about the film the more I was actually thinking about my own life experiences in relation to it. It got me thinking of my own life trajectory, how I clung onto childhood friends during a more vulnerable part of my twenties and reminisce on how a lot of them fell out of my life. That's a great mark of art, I'd say, that manages to get you thinking and feeling in such a way.
I wish Past Lives had resonated with me to the extent that it clearly has with so many people. I wasn't bored enough to just close the movie, but I couldn't really get invested in any of it.
So glad you enjoyed Past Lives too! I was pleasantly surprised by it's subdued tone/humble realism paired with a beautiful soundtrack/performance.
Asteroid city is definitely a movie that’s been sitting with me since I’ve seen in 3 weeks ago. Weird considering I wasn’t crazy about it but something about it makes me want to watch it again
Asteroid City brings in a bunch of actors for good performances, interesting shots, unique production design, and a feel of new cinema recreating old cinema. Good start for me on Wes Anderson’s filmography. I haven’t seen Past Lives, but it looks interesting.
The fact Adum only criticisms are minor sound design things everyone does and that the characters don’t looked like they’ve aged, really gives you a good idea of the quality of the movie, I’ll have to check it out.
Past Lives is my second favorite movie this year so far, really loved it
what’s number one?
@@haleyxyz Spiderman Across the Spider-Verse really stole my whole heart. I was already a huge fan of the first one and I do think this one took everything that was great and built on it making an incredible movie in every level. I was just floored
It’s my second favorite except Beau is afraid is my number 1
Asteroid City has the vibe of Wes Anderson parodying himself
I really connected with Asteroid City. I felt like it had a clear message regarding grief and disassociation that paired beautifully with Anderson’s famous framing in the narrative.
City felt like an adult work by Lemony Snicket
Asteroid City for me was almost a perfect movie. The credits rolled and I immediately restarted it and watched it more hooked than the first time. It was pretty striking that there was no real conflict in the film other than characters coming to terms with loss, and processing grief. I lost my mom to her long battle with substance abuse a few months ago, and watching this film really spoke to me, it perfectly summarizes the absurdity of loss and grief specifically how these huge events happen and pass and we struggle to extrapolate meaning from these them, when truthfully there is none. Instead we continue on and even in spite of such an important event, the discovery of E.T life, everything wraps up and keeps going. As I watched the cars pull away from Asteroid City and the credits roll I couldn't help but cry, and then sob. The entire film felt extremely powerful and I do think that if you're not actively processing grief you may lose a lot of the power that this film carries and that's really beautiful, a film that is not afraid to alienate its' audience in order to contain themes relevant to only some. In short Asteroid city felt extremely personal and powerful, I think it had a lot to say and really laid it out front to be easily ingested by those who resonate with its' themes.
I really loved Asteroid City. The progression of actors into characters who must pull themselves back out of this new colorful world by the end is hauntingly real for a lot of us who feel easily entranced by magical realms.
I love your review of Past Lives! The acting and story was so beautiful. Past Lives is my favorite movie of this year!
Past Lives was one of the best films I saw this year, up there with How to Blow Up a Pipeline. Half the people I was in a screen with were crying.
Asteroid City really pissed me off like it finished and I was like fucking why what was the point of all that that felt like so much went into it- good acting, incredible visuals, probably a large amount of control for Wes Anderson, and he just makes a fucking nothingburger movie from it like nothing happened in that movie it was just an excuse to show quirky scenes
I enjoyed Asteroid City while I was watching it, but it wasn't until like a week later that I came down on whether I actually thought it was good or not. Every few days I'd take it out and roll it around in my head a little more, and ultimately came down on thinking it's really good. It's definitely interpretive and part of that week was wondering if it was just bullshit meant to look like it was something without actually *being* anything, and then wondering if that was itself part of the point. But even if that's how it happened, it was damn effective at getting stuck in my mind and demanding I puzzle something out from it. So mission accomplished on its part, not sure what I'd rate it but I highly recommend.
If you're into that kind of thing. And already like Wes Anderson movies.
So to Adam's point about Wes's films having a similar tune throughout the soundtrack, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a prime example of that done right. Quite a few songs throughout the film have the "bogus, bunce & bean" hook repurposed to suit the scene better. It's fantastic every time.
"Secret bean Cider cellar" (probably better known as the rat's villain theme) is the best version of this
I loved Asteroid City, especially as an already big Wes Anderson fan. Though, I don’t think I’ll watch it again for a very long while.
I really gotta rewatch PAST LIVES. I wasn’t in the best headspace.
I really loved the way the film allowed performances to play out (the writer/director is a playwright so she prolly wants her scenes to play out similarly).
I know I’m just missing something. I really gotta rewatch it, because I know I’d love it with a better mindset going in.
Also Adum check out SHOWING UP. Amazing film by the master Kelly Reichardt. Really wonderful and similarly small and beautiful in the way Past Lives is.
Love SHOWING UP. I really hope to love PAST LIVES as well.
For me, Past Lives did a great job of that feeling of “what if?” that we all experience. We build up these connections in our heads and wonder what it would be like to bring someone so significant in your life back only for things to be different. And that’s okay, we all grow and change over time.
@@Mordecaialivanoshea Agree. A story about people who love each other deeply but, through the nature of who they are, were never destined to be together.
I liked asteroid city, it was creative, pretty, the characters felt charming and different to me in a way that made me wish i was part of that world. The actors playing the roles were also fun but i didnt understand any of the "you cant wake up if you dont fall asleep stuff"
I liked it as a gag. The film mentioned lulling people to sleep and right before this scene my mum who I saw the film with actually did fall asleep and then got startled awake by this scene. I think that was kinda the point.
@@iainmackenzie9503 OMG its funny you say that honestly because when i saw it in theaters i was honestly exhausted from lack of sleep and work but i wanted to see a movie damnit and started dozing RIGHT AT THAT PART TOO and woke up during that scene 🤣 when i watched it again i still didnt get it but now that you say that, i can see the humor haha
Grand Budapest Hotel actually had one hell of a story,
Forget Asteroid City
I also really loved Past Lives. It was one of those rare films where the actions of all the characters just made sense and felt mature and realistic. Everyone handles emotional circumstances with a kind of clumsy grace, which felt authentic to me. No flashy here. No hard turns in the plot. So we are instead just left to ponder the value in our own lives of the people who have come in and out of it as we move forward in life.
these are my two favorite movies of the year so far, think that borth of these movies grow on you with more viewings
Haven't seen the other movie, but Asteroid City was so fucking cool! It's no Grand Budapest Hotel, but it was still insanely creative, funny, and cool.
That ending scene was such a punch to the gut it had me sobbing with her lol
I'm surprised Adum went as easy on Asteroid City as he did. Compared to Grand Budapest, Fantastic Mr. Fox, etc. I thought this movie stunk. There was no fuckin point and by the time the credits rolled I felt like I wasted my time. The Wes Anderson style isnt enough to hold up an entire movie for me.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how movies can be like music, where no matter what the technical quality of a film objectively is, people will naturally feel something about it. It’ll resonate or it won’t. Past Lives feels that way to me, I wonder if everybody whose heart really broke for the characters relates to one of them in some personal way. If you’ve felt some version of what they’ve felt the stakes of the film feel more meaningful, i think.
Loved Past Lives. I wasn't aware of Teo Yoo before, thought he was fantastic. What do you think the self aware meta dialogue was that Adam refers to?
When they're in bed talking about basically the plot of the movie within the context of Arthur's perspective, I'd guess. I sort of agree, but I feel like it's also important for characterizing his self-aware insecurity about the whole situation and it was where I started seeing more to the character than standard jealous husband tropes. I liked the movie too, it felt a bit writer-y but it's hard to penalize it for that!
Past Lives was outstanding
I feel very much the opposite of your asteroid city review. Because I personally had only seen one other Wes Anderson film, moonrise kingdom, a few years back and never really thought about it again. Then I saw asteroid city and it absolutely blew me away. It's phonemnal characters and beautiful theme of finding meaning when there is none. I just adored it. I'm a Wes Anderons hater honestly but I adore asteroid city
Why?
@rustyshackelford4224 the search for meaning was done so beautifully. The scene where the lead goes to the director and literally just says i don't understand. It's just was soul crushing while also like looking into a mirror. Then the director just says you don't have to understand just feel. Dehjdhdndbdhdhdvhdjdhdhdch that with its great direction, fun editing, good performances, bizarre effects! Makes it one of the most surprising films I've seen all year.
I'm probably close to alone is really loving asteroid city, I feel like it had a strong undertone of trying to make your way through a big world and finding joy in little moments in a way that was really subtle and entertaining to me. It didnt feel plot driven but more experience driven, if that makes sense? Movie of the year for me probably, though I can definitely understand where others are coming from, as this is probably the most "wes anderson" wes anderson film to date
The last three Wes Andrerson films have been the most Wes Anderson films to date, at release. The next will be a powerpoint presention consisting solely of A-ist actors looking not quite into the camera against a background of bright rectangles.
Yeah you're alone in licking the multi billion production I'm sure of it.
the life aquatic is my favourite movie of all time. absolute masterpiece.
To me, Asteroid City was just like Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: pure masturbation from the Director (in terms of style, cast, subject, OST, etc).
I'm not saying it's a good or bad thing - it just is. If you're not into it, you might be in for a rough watch.
But despite everything it's still much more enjoyable than 3/4 of the movies making it to cinema these days anyway!
i think asteroid city, from what i can gather, is wes anderson’s “the house that jack built”, in the sense that it forgoes plot entirely for a director exploring the structure, style, and impact of their own films. whatever it is, i think it was glaringly obvious throughout asteroid city that wes anderson is pissed off
Asteroid City is Wes Andersons answer to Oppenheimer. They are are pretty similar when you think about it.
Wow I watched this whole thing in 30 seconds, thanks Adum
I cannot agree with the sound track point more, Im usually one to open up and listen to wes anderson scores because of how wonderfully whimsical they are but this one left me wanting more
The Grand Budapest Hotel has such an amazing soundtrack, this one was definitely a step down
Asteroid City actually was my first Wes Anderson film and I ADORED it!! I liked it enough to see it twice and I'd happily go back for a third viewing. I'm a very along-for-the-ride type of viewer, so the lack of clear stakes and all that didn't bother me much. It may sound pretentious but it was an experience rather than a story, and I can appreciate that. It's the kind of movie that's driven by feelings rather than logic or description, you just take from it whatever emotional reaction you get. To me, it felt clearly like a representation of the aftermath of trauma and how life just moves on. Everybody deals with it (trauma) differently-- some people looked for meaning, some didn't. Some got emotional (angry, resistant, confused, sad), but a lot were just numb. Connections were made between people who shared the event that probably wouldn't have been made otherwise. For a while, they were all just,,, stuck. In that. The two things that really strongly gave me that impression were a) the fact the "main" characters (Augie and his family were sorta the closest thing we had to real main characters) just underwent trauma/loss and so much of their storyline was about dealing with the loss of the mom character. And b) the whole way they went about the beginning of the film vs the end of the film. The first shot of Asteroid City itself is reversed at the end of the film, all the way down to the direction of the train and roadrunner. The nuclear bomb testing mentioned at the beginning resumes. The whole thing just very like a very tangible portrayal of how, after a traumatic event, the world around you just goes on as normal, but everything feels numb, and it's all exactly the same but feels different after whatever events have happened to you. I thought it was really powerful.
I watched Asteroid City and while I liked it, I feel like I also got nothing from it. I need to watch it with other people next time to see what they take from it. Because to me, it's just kind of sort of happens. There's some odd moments and then it's over.
Asteroid City and Past Lives are my #1 and #2 films of the year so far, respectively. Thank you for engaging with them and for your praise of Past Lives!
Why is that?
Both of these movies are definitely growers. I really enjoyed my first viewing of Asteroid City, but it took some time for me to love it. Aesthetically it was a wonder to watch, but it definitely strays away from certain conventions. And that could definitely be to its detriment.
Past lives on the other hand was very reserved, and initially i thought it was going to be kind of bland, but the writing is what kept me invested. Kind of the opposite of Asteriod City.
I saw the trailer for past lives when I saw beau was afraid and it immediately caught my eye
Asteroid City is the closest thing to a hangout movie that I’ve ever seen Wes Anderson make.
Hmm, I look at this as Wes perfecting his craft. I feel like he may be wearing out his welcome to some degree. But, in a vacuum, the work here is strong.
Fun Fact: In Asteroid City, at one point, a radio off-screen plays Slim Whitman's "Indian Love Call", the song that killed all the alien invaders in Mars Attacks! (1996).
Bonus Fact: My local movie theatre pulled this movie for no reason and I'm still p*ssed
I honestly loved Asteroid City and I’m not too familiar with his work. I kind of described it as if Wes Anderson combined the visuals & tone of Tim Burton & Quinten Tarantino. One moment in particular reminded me of Mars Attacks including the song they used near the end of that film to kill off the aliens. So, I dunno, I guess films works differently for others since I’ve enjoyed the action and retro 50’s visual style and the soundtrack didn’t bother me at all. I honestly would give it an 8/10, but, that’s just my perspective.
It was the same exact song as in Mars Attack, and I can't fathom it would be a coincidence.
Check out Grand Budapest Hotel mate, the pure stylistic exercice is toned down in favor of a much more compelling and surpsizing story imo.
_Past Lives_ looks like the most beautiful film of the year, plot-wise and thematically.
It absolutely is
Just watched Past Lives. I thought it was really great. A very beautifully shot movie with a simple and effective story.
5:00 being in film making iv always keeped this dilemma in mind and it bugs me too but the first time something like this caught my attention was watching the BTS of American Psycho and there is scene in a club with no music playing but the actors are still talking loudly to each other, iv always loved that.
I really struggled with past lives. Everything about it was good enough, but it didn't resonate with me the way I'd hoped after hearing the glowing reviews. There was an interview where the director said something along the lines of wanting her characters to show what love can look like when all parties put each other's feelings ahead of their own, but I felt like everyone was incredibly selfish? The only one who seemed to show the level of consideration she alludes to is the husband towards the end of the film.
Movie was not good, the Indian movie '96 (2018) has the exact same plot but somehow the characters are better written. Past Lives is overrated, you don't even know anything about the characters, she writes books but you never know what kind of stuff she writes or what is her inspiration, same with the guy you don't know anything about his life because every talk is about the infatuation and the destiny talk bs, the separation was not tragic at all, as kids they barely are together, they don't need each other or compliment in any way, the goodbye is meh because she doesn't care at all, and the second time she choose to stop with the skype calls. So the story is never sad.
The guy breaks with his girlfriend because of reasons and offscreen, and the movie is too calculated, is not anything special but it tries so hard to convince you that you are watching something special instead of showing it.
Characters have not much chemistry and interactions are cringy or awkward. This is not like the Before trilogy at all. Also is the issue yms mentions about 24 years passing in 12 years and 0 years in 12. And people say this is the best movie of the year LOL.
yea it's great to see some honest critical reviews here, the whole film was rly uninspiring and seemed overly pretentious on trying to be profoundly realistic with how awkward scenes are but those p much backfired making it unbearable and unnatural. I agree with the above, nothing really happens.. you'd be better off just reading the synopsis cuz that sums up p much everything lol..
Great review's bro.
THANK YOU ADAM FOR PUTTING INTO WORDS WHAT I COULDNT ABOUT ASTEROID CITY 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Has your take on Synecdoche New York changed over the years? It feels like a movie about that subject matter would have people changing their opinions with age and experience.
I knew Past Lives would probably make me cry judging from the trailers and hearing Adam talk about it that definitely seems like the case. So I'll probably be streaming this one before crying in a theatre around strangers.
if it's still in theaters near you, you should def try to see it on the big screen. it deserves it, don't wait for it to go on streaming!
Nothing wrong with crying.
I came away not really liking Asteroid City but loving the music due to two scenes where I thought it was beautifully composed and implemented - the alien landing scene and the smoke break balcony conversation scene.
I want to watch Past Lives so bad!!!
never been a wes anderson fan but this film was my best of 2024. loved it. The film is all conflict really.
I loved asteroid city precisely for its passiveness, it felt like a slice of life anime that came to life in a live action. That direction lent pretty well to it's humor and it's character interaction, my favorite being a tie between the boy that made dares and the main characters children. Ultimately it was a step up from the french dispatch for me, which wasn't that good.
Not sure if you’re just trying to avoid spoilers here, but I would love a deeper discussion of the plot and themes of both of these movies, as they’re both ripe for analysis.
Ye Adum does avoid spoilers in his Quickie reviews - they're meant to introduce the audience to his thoughts on a film and whether/why he'd recommend watching it!
0:09 lol I feel called out a bit here because that's exactly my experience. I've watched a few movies from Wes Anderson but my dad hadn't and we went to watch this and by the time it ended he was a little confused but thought the movie was colorful and interesting.
Asteroid City felt like Wes Anderson “Wes Andersoned” his own style.
I liked Past Lives but I still can't get over the fact there was a typo in the French signage when they're at Pearson in Toronto
My first thought on Asteroid City was I need to watch it again to see if I liked it or not
Moonrise Kingdom was my first Wes film experience and it was revolting. Fantastic Mr. Fox all the way!
1:28 argentinean spekers be like "Why is adum telling me to stop"?
I found the alien to be very uncanny & a great jumpscare
Very uncanny indeed. I was shocked he used CGI instead of stop motion and my friends were like "wait it was CGI?!". It's a very weird bit of animation but I LOVED it!
I’m glad Edward Norton is starting to do movies again
I miss when Wes was making films like The Darjeeling Limited and The Life Aquatic.. that was a really good era of Wes both embracing the style and having characters with clear, touching, and relatable desires and goals.
I want Adum's score for Asteroid City on a shirt, like his 7/10 or 6/10 shirts, but for the shirt to include the whole ramble he did: "6/10, it's closer to uh, I don't know, I thought it was closer to a 7, and now that I'm talking about it for a bit I'm like, is it closer to a 5? Uh, we'll see, we'll see what it's like on a re-watch, maybe I'll, it'll go up a point, maybe it'll go down a point, but, uh, let's call it a solid 6 for now. THANK YOU."
i would wear this shirt everywhere.
As someone who likes [developed a tolerance to] Glass/Adams/Reich, I kind of liked the two-note score.
The second viewing of this film is completely different experience, at least in my opinion. I was confused the first time round, the second time I came out satisfied and arguably my favourite film from the last few years.
I never watched a wes anderson movie and was confused the entire time. when it ended all of a sudden i burst into tears.
Honestly the biggest issue about Asteroid City for me was a lack of addressing the themes of existentialism and feeling small in the eyes of the universe. Once the alien arrives, everyone feels the weight and the importance of what just happened. They feel uncertain and question their own existence. But I just don’t feel that there’s enough of that explored in the film. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing character moments and bits of dialogue that perfectly encapsulate these feelings and they’re all done in Wes’s signature style. But I wish the film emphasized those things a lot more. Nothing really pertinent happens by the time the movie ends. Still enjoyed it tho
I think that's kind of the point. This major, reality-shaking event happens to them and... so what? It feels like the world should be changed forever, but once the shock is over everything is still the same. It didn't provide any answers, and it didn't leave anything behind. In the cold light of morning, life just... goes on.
@@android19willpwn Even if that was the point, it still felt kinda lazy tbh. If nothing happens to the characters and no change occurs by the end of the movie, it's just hollow. Especially considering the fact that certain character moments were building towards or hinting at some kind of change. But it never happens
As a massive Wes Anderson fan... I completely agree.
Personally I wish more time was spent on the actual Astroid City plot as opposed to the cuts to Brian Cranston B&W.... stuff..
Past Lives destroyed me. Hasn’t had an experience like that since A Ghost Story.
French Dispatch was such a mature and obvious next step that Astroid City just felt like it was a slight step back even if it was a little up to interpretation. I enjoyed it but felt like more could have been done with it.
loved asteroid city , it was the most wes Anderson, anderson movie hes ever done ,the little girls were hilarious
Yeah this was my first Wes Anderson film and you're not wrong. Probably not my best entry point. On leaving the cinema my friend who recommended the film apologized. Which wasn't really necessary as I don't think it's a 'bad' film. Just acquired taste I guess.
Synecdoche, New York review finale?
I love wes anderson's style. Love his films, loved this movie.
Adam slowly slipping into cinema sins mode