TheMarionick I respectfully disagree. I think visuals are much more impressive when done practically than with CGI. As for settings, I don't think settings should be taken into consideration when talking good movies as they can be relatively irrelevent to how good the movie is.
+Shrek Fanboy Wikipedia isn't always reliable but I have to admit although I love guardians of the galaxy it's a movie that wouldn't win academy awards whether it be for special effects or the fact it uses way too much cgi
So the scene when the lobby boy and the owner are being arrested on the train really got me. They're both pinned up against the wall and the lobby boy gets slammed and Ralph Fiennes yells "TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF MY LOBBY BOY!" The look in his eyes as he was pinned against the wall was absolutely priceless and was really the first time I ever felt true emotion pour out of a character in such a genuine manner. The Grand Budapest Hotel wasn't directed... it was crafted... piece by piece, shot by shot, down to the smallest details. 10/10 Goes in my top 25 movies of all time.
GP SMAV And I can make it sound more poetic. "Anderson crafts the film with such intricacy and artistry that it feels more like a painting where each stroke has its own story."
I think Chris did an excellent job describing it when he said the movie is shot as though it's a fantasy, but the characters provide such authentic emotion and acting behind it, that you almost feel as though this place exists somewhere. Such a unique movie, it absolutely is one of my all time favorites.
All of the dialogue in this movie was amazing, but there are a few standouts: "She was dynamite in the sack, by the way" "She was...84" "I've had older" "Did he just throw my cat out the window?" "who is shooting whom?" *conflicting yelling* "Nobody move, you're all under arrest" *Ralph Fiennes reciting poetry as Willem Dafoe is stomping on the edge of the cliff* *Zero pushes Willem Dafoe off the cliff* "HOLY SHIT YOU GOT HIM" There are many more, but these were a smattering of some of my favorites
"I am sorry, I never meant to betray you. They threatened my life, and now they've murdered my only family." "No... Who'd they kill this time?" "My sister" "The one with the club foot?" "Yes." "Those fuckers."
The casting is great. Something I think is interesting that I haven't seen covered in any interviews is that, as far as I can tell, none of the actors speak in anything but their native accents and normal voices.
One of my favorite parts of this movie is that Edward Norton shows up adorned in exotic Eastern European military gear flanked by guards with thick accents, and then he just starts talking like Edward Norton.
+S&S Pictures man shut the fuck up, I agree with you on Birdman winning but "Not even close to Best Picture worthy" yes it is, you have absolutely no idea what you are even talking about
Chris didn't mention but it definitely should be noted the cinematography and score of this film were absolutely sublime. It did indeed win best score at the oscars last week. Any single frame in this film would make a beautiful still photograph. And the script was so beautifully written and eloquent. The humor in the film, both in the dialogue and the way the actors were humorously framed in shots was so perfectly done. Wes Anderson is master of his craft. A++++
Robert Jones I agree with you on that point about any still frame being beautiful. One of the best looking movies I've seen in recent years (that didn't have Roger Deakins behind it).
I absolutely loved every minute of it. It's probably his best film since Rushmore (maybe his best film, period). It's also his darkest film because it's literally about how humanity has turned indecent and immoral with time. But Ralph Fiennes' M. Gustave holds civilisation together with little more than his impeccable manners and his cocky grin. That's really all it takes to create an illusion.
Well despite the countless continuity errors, it’s a fantastic movie no doubt but there was a lot of tiny things where one was okay but after a while it seemed so careless
@@manofocean I suspect the continuity "errors" are in fact a kind of easter egg... Remember, this is just one long beautiful memory, and memories are never perfect... ;)
Great and entertaining film but not quite flawless. There is a glitch in the plot. Why didn't Gustav and Zero discover the Confidential Envelope containing the 2nd Will when they unwrapped Boy With Apple on the train back to the Grand Budapest?
One flaw f murray Abraham is white and Tony relvouri is indian they really look nothing a like I find it hard to believe he is the older version of zero
IMP this is one of the greatest movies of all time. Definitely Wes Andersons best movie. Just beating Moonrise Kingdom. It's one of those movies you can watch over and over again and still enjoy
I was really disappointed by Moonrise Kingdom, saw it at the cinema, thought it was too juvenile, honestly.... For me his best movies are Grand Hotel Budapest first, Life Aquatic second, Fantastic Mr Fox third, and Darjeeling Limited 4th, with the rest in no particular order...
This movie was way funnier than i expected to be i just watched it on Netflix the other day and there a few quotable lines i can remember. "Stop, who's shooting who?" "He probably shags them too." "I sleep with all my friends."
I'm amazed that you didn't mention the absolutely beautiful cinematography and art direction in this film. There were times when my brother and I just, how would you put this, groaned in ecstasy? [ You know what I mean ;) ] at some of the imagery. I can positively say that if any person didn't like anything in the film, you cannot deny that it is a piece of art. Every shot in this film is breathtaking! You usual mention these kinds of things, so the fact that you did not disappoints me (I guess there was just too much in the film to remember!). LOL Maybe the imagery just left a deeper impact on me personally. This is an excellent movie by the way, I highly recommend it (9/10 from me).
As someone who has seen a LOT of films, Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the very best. It is flawless in every way and had Fiennes in his carrer best performance.
One of my all-time favourite movies. CS says it all. It's so original (as are all Wes As films), so funny, so touching and beautifully acted and written.
+gale son So how many languages do you speak, that you feel like you should comment on someone else's writing in a language that is probably foreign to them?
gale son Yes, I do. And better than you, it seems. But not everybody has learned English as their first language. I'd like to see you try writing something in German.
Quick question, I hope you can reply in time...how much sex is in the movie? xD Me and a friend planned to see it, but they're a bit awkward and uncomfortable with sexual content in movies. I know there's a scene where the main character sleeps with the old lady, but is it over after that? Let me know
rockerdax anderson movies hardly have any nudity or sexual scenes. nudity is usually seen in a non sexual way and sexual scenes are mostly implied so i wouldnt expect much
This has been and will continue to be my favourite film because it's unique and I don't think a lot of films can do that any more the neatness and colours blend together
I absolutely loved this movie, I was a big fan of moonrise kingdom, and in my opinion this movie is even better than that. All the performances blew me away, and the creativity in display here is staggering. Plus, the random vulgar outbursts, especially the ones from Adrien Brody, are laugh out loud hilarious. Great review as always Chris, so happy you finally got to see it!
The film just expanded to a bunch of Canadian cities this week, and my goodness did I love this film, and it keeps getting better as I think about it. I love a lot of Wes Anderson movies, but for me this one felt like it had the most elements to it. I wouldn't call it social commentary, but the film had so many layers underneath the fantastic comedy and tension. I loved this movie so much. Can't wait to review it
To this day,. I have not seen a movie like The Grand Budapest Hotel. There is a sense of melancholy behind its comedic disposition. You feel for the characters, so much so in fact that it almost makes you believe that persons who appear to be most shallow might possess a depth of the ocean. Bottom line is, this movie taught me not to judge another individual.
I agree with you wholeheartedly, loved this film. It felt oddly unlike some of Wes Anderson's other movies in some ways, but if anything, I enjoyed seeing him branch out a bit (with all the vulgarity and the massive cast and such). He's tied with Tarantino as my favorite director in the industry at the moment.
I FREAKING love the cinimatography in this film, and it's not something that I usually pick up on, but so much of this movie is so pretty and so much of the shots are symmetical, it's insane!
I finally got to see Grand Budapest Hotel last week and I absolutely loved it. A masterpiece in every possible way. I've really become a huge fan of Wes Anderson as of late.
I saw it last friday and I loved it. Wes Anderson is one of my all time favorite directors and this was one of his better movies. I would give it a 9/10.
This movie is awesome. I'm finding that a lot of my friends and family are enjoying it too, and they're not really film buffs. It's a very enjoyable, relocatable movie with fantastic writing and expert scene construction. I really loved this movie.
Absolutley loved this movie. Ralph Fiennes did a fantastic job of portaying the character of Gustave as this accomplished, hard to please figure with only the highest standards who puts himself first and they perfectly laid Zero out as the rookie underdog you are rooting for. Throughout the movie seeing Gustave getting in trouble and beginning to count on & place his trust in Zero was great. The last scene in the train really got me where he becomes defensive of Zero and says "take your hands off of MY lobby boy". In the beginning Gustave dismisses Zero as this immigrant he could care less about and in the last scene he realizes Zero is in danger because he is an immigrant and refuses to let them take him away.
I wish this review was longer. I really enjoyed this movie, you hit the nail on the head when you explained getting excited during the movie when you realize that you naturally like it and care about what is happening. I hope you do an analyst/spoiler review when it comes out on DVD.
This is Wes Anderson, so you expect it to be incredibly stylish, and it is. Every single technical aspect is amazing and they all complement each other perfectly like clockwork. The quirkiness is still there and the performances are all awesome; Ralph Fiennes is actually hilarious. The jokes work and the physical and verbal humor go well together, and they're of course helped even more by Anderson's direction. However, the screenplay is probably the weakest part. Now that isn't really saying a tom because the production and costume designs are terrific and the cinematography has every single shot perfectly framed, but the script has far too many characters. It actually marginalizes some performances and other characters feel too skimmed over or like they were just in the movie for the sake of recognizable casting. Willem Defoe should have had a much larger role since he was just fun to watch but instead be barely qualifies as a supporting actor. The excess characters were my main (and only) problem, but this is still so much fun. 8.8/10, awesome, two thumbs up, far above average, etc.
Not having flaws doesn't make a perfect movie.I thought the movie was quite amazing but not really mind blowing, it's just really really really good fun.
Sometimes I just want a movie to be good fun, The Grand Budapest Hotel was the best theater experience I had in a long time. I was just curious if he thought there was anything wrong with the film thats all
Nolan BArth I rewatched the movie, and I thought it was a lot better actually second time around, it's just amazing how well constructed, well everything is. Maybe Wes Anderson movies just need a rewatch for most people.
The Audible thing is a bit misleading. You can do the free book but only if you sign up for a membership which is $20 after the first month. Yes you can cancel but it's still a lot of hoops to jump through...
tropicAces That particular response made me "LOL", thank you! :D Hmm, there's always some type of catch re "free", no obligation stuff, so thank you for pointing it out.
Also, it's not as exclusive as Chris says it is. "free audio book THROUGH ME, my gift to you" not true at all, you can already get it for free without Chris. Just go to the website and boom lol
I love talking about movies, and this film was one of the greatest I've seen in the past months. One of those films which you love to revisit. Thank you for reviewing this, and going broader than the general audience in watching films (not just this film, but European movies, Japanese and so on). It's good to see movielovers going further than what's generally put out by studios and watching those films marketed more towards a niche.
I watched this film a few days ago and I was waiting for Chris' review to hear his thoughts on it... I absolutely LOVED Budapest Hotel. I have actually never seen any of Wes Anderson films and after watching this, I need to check out Moonrise and Fantastic Mr. Fox because if they're anything like Budapest, I know I'll love it. Chris summed it up best when he said there are periods in this movie where you think to yourself "wow. I'm actually watching a GOOD movie with characters I genuinely feel for and I have no idea what's going to happen next!" Definite A film, for sure.
"Theater of the Absurd" is the term you are searching for. This is a literary concept I learned freshman year in college as an English major. I bowed to practicality and finished with an Engineering degree, but those first three semesters were quite a learning experience. It's led to a new career for me, as an internet grammar Nazi. :D
I will myself be seeing this in advanced screening. A short excerpt of the film might have added to this review, though I understand that that this hard to achieve when the film is a new limited release. Keep up the good work Stuckmann.
If you had told me before going in that Ralph Fiennes was going to make me laugh so hard, my sides would literally hurt, first I would have said, "Holy shit! You're Chris Stuckmann! Am I being Stuckmannized?" Second, I would have not believed you in the slightest. Wow, would I have been wrong! M. Gustave is the best character I've seen in a long time. Ralph Fiennes deserves an Oscar for his performance in this.
This movie has the most suspenseful scene Wes Anderson ever created. That is, when Jopling is stalking Kovacs in the museum. I bet that is what Chris had in mind when he mentioned "A surprising amount of tension."
Great movie. I didn't have the chance to see its limited release where I am from. I don't really rent movies. Sadly I watch them online in forms of bootleg. The funny thing was, was that this film was very very hard to find online. It seems like no one bootlegged it and decided to put it online for people who were interested in a new Wes Anderson film. So needless to say I had to wait for HBO to premier it.
Just returned from watching the Grand Budapest Hotel. Ralph Fiennes shined so much. Hopefully he's gonna get an oscar nomination this year. I have only watched Fantastic Mr. Fox before during my Freshman english class for a compare/contrast hero essay with Bilbo in the Hobbit, and I still remembered my awe at how non-cliche Mr. Fox seemed. I have always been ashamed for not being able to watch Moonrise Kingdom.
Damn 2014 was fucking STACKED. Whiplash, tgbh, gone girl, interstellar, nightcrawler, boyhood, birdman, the imitation game, chef, american sniper, under the skin and many others oh my fucking god
Just saw this movie, happened upon it really, and I never knew it even existed. So I had no expectations, but it became clear to me, very quickly, that this was going to be a great film.. and it was. Very different, great performances, funny, entertaining - highly recommended indeed!
The way the story is told is something I didn't appreciate till my second viewing. It starts with the young girl going up to the statue and reading Jude Laws book, then we see old Jude Law beginning the story, then we go to young Jude Law at the Hotel being told the story by Zero (and we kinda bounce between young Zero and older Zero a few times) then it wraps up by retracing it's steps with young Jude Law, old Jude Law, and the girl reading his book. This is probably my second/third favorite movie of all time. Such a fantastic movie.
So I FINALLY managed to watch this....and I loved it. Great dialogue, great writing, great performances and SO beautiful! ...compared to a show called "Ahsoka",which I also watched recently, it's just such a brutal contrast of quality.
Agree with everything you said. Ralph Fiennes was so good in the movie. I totally agree with your comment about the lighting during the museum scene. I loved it a lot. My favourite movie of the year so far.
So glad you loved it! In the last month or so I just watched Moonrise Kingdom and Fantastic Mr Fox, and now this is at the top of my to-watch list, I LOVE Wes Anderson.
Great review as always Chris! You have come a long way since your Quick Movie Reviews =) Saw this movie yesterday and like you I loved it. Your right about the miniature thing, they were used and in some scenes you could actually see it very clearly. Dont know if it was on purpose but I'm betting on that it was on purpose, probably for the same reason as he was switching between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio depending on what time period the movie was in. Although the first shot of the hotel was in widescreen wasn't it? And that really looked like a miniature shot. Maybe he did it as a style choice. When you said gratuitous violence, my first thought was "no there wasn't, a little violence sure but not gratuitous" and then I remembered the finger-scene. =D But it was all done masterfully and in good taste I think so that's not a negative for those that might interpret the wording of gratuitous violence as such. Anyway, loved the movie. Ralph Fiennes was brilliant and loved all the cameos. =D
Oh yeah, just remembered that the actor who played the older Zero is the guy they hung from a helicopter in Scarface! This is a really good movie btw. Anderson's style reminds me of the old Jim Henson TV show: 'The Story Teller' for some reason.
![The Grand Budapest Hotel: A Cinematic Gem Dissected [Cinematography, Color, Character]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ilzngc0J8rs/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Grand Budapest Hotel: A Cinematic Gem Dissected [Cinematography, Color, Character]](/img/tr.png)
A comedy that actually really deserves best picture
+TheMarionick Haha GOTG best picture? No.
TheMarionick I respectfully disagree. I think visuals are much more impressive when done practically than with CGI. As for settings, I don't think settings should be taken into consideration when talking good movies as they can be relatively irrelevent to how good the movie is.
+Shrek Fanboy A lot of the "CGI" is actually practical in that film
Bhargav Tata The film featured 2,750 visual effects shots,[146] which make up approximately 90% of the film - Wikipedia. Mhm
+Shrek Fanboy Wikipedia isn't always reliable but I have to admit although I love guardians of the galaxy it's a movie that wouldn't win academy awards whether it be for special effects or the fact it uses way too much cgi
I feel like Wes Anderson is Dr. Seuss's slightly demented son that got into filmmaking. I mean this, in all ways, as a compliment.
Good call, that's how I've always described Wes anderson
Yes!!
My favorite kooky filmmaker 😍☺
So the scene when the lobby boy and the owner are being arrested on the train really got me. They're both pinned up against the wall and the lobby boy gets slammed and Ralph Fiennes yells "TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF MY LOBBY BOY!" The look in his eyes as he was pinned against the wall was absolutely priceless and was really the first time I ever felt true emotion pour out of a character in such a genuine manner. The Grand Budapest Hotel wasn't directed... it was crafted... piece by piece, shot by shot, down to the smallest details. 10/10 Goes in my top 25 movies of all time.
Yes it almost feels like a painting.
Nameless Paladin OMG I never thought of it like that. It is exactly like a moving painting. What a fantastic simile!
GP SMAV And I can make it sound more poetic.
"Anderson crafts the film with such intricacy and artistry that it feels more like a painting where each stroke has its own story."
Nameless Paladin mmmm quite.... indeed....
I think Chris did an excellent job describing it when he said the movie is shot as though it's a fantasy, but the characters provide such authentic emotion and acting behind it, that you almost feel as though this place exists somewhere. Such a unique movie, it absolutely is one of my all time favorites.
All of the dialogue in this movie was amazing, but there are a few standouts:
"She was dynamite in the sack, by the way"
"She was...84"
"I've had older"
"Did he just throw my cat out the window?"
"who is shooting whom?"
*conflicting yelling*
"Nobody move, you're all under arrest"
*Ralph Fiennes reciting poetry as Willem Dafoe is stomping on the edge of the cliff*
*Zero pushes Willem Dafoe off the cliff*
"HOLY SHIT YOU GOT HIM"
There are many more, but these were a smattering of some of my favorites
"I am sorry, I never meant to betray you. They threatened my life, and now they've murdered my only family."
"No... Who'd they kill this time?"
"My sister"
"The one with the club foot?"
"Yes."
"Those fuckers."
"you aught to see his ugly mug this morning-actualy, we a dear frinds"
The whole scene in the confessional was beautiful.
"There's more."
"uh-huh."
"To the story."
"Yes, go on."
The best is Edward Norton's character yelling "Alright Everyone is under arrest"
"It certainly was an enchanting old ruin, but I never managed to see it again."
Wow! The lobby boy's first performance. I can't believe it, he's so good for that being his first performance.
Owen B. Although what was he given? Penis Parker?
@Owen Buckner nah
@Owen Buckner Fuck you, asshole. He was perfectly fine.
The casting is great. Something I think is interesting that I haven't seen covered in any interviews is that, as far as I can tell, none of the actors speak in anything but their native accents and normal voices.
+farfangled Something I noticed while watching this too.
One of my favorite parts of this movie is that Edward Norton shows up adorned in exotic Eastern European military gear flanked by guards with thick accents, and then he just starts talking like Edward Norton.
Holy fuck, I thought nobody else would notice this
Have you heard Saoirse Ronan talk in real life?
I can't believe the Academy didn't give this Best Picture.
Yeah but the academy also didn't give best animation to tale of princess kaguya. The academy has it's ways.
It's a good movie, yes. But it's not even close to Best Picture worthy. Birdman deserved its win.
+S&S Pictures man shut the fuck up, I agree with you on Birdman winning but "Not even close to Best Picture worthy" yes it is, you have absolutely no idea what you are even talking about
+Chris Jones Its called an opinion. Why are you so offended?
David Lionel because when someone says something so stupid about a movie that was great, i gotta call it out
Chris didn't mention but it definitely should be noted the cinematography and score of this film were absolutely sublime. It did indeed win best score at the oscars last week. Any single frame in this film would make a beautiful still photograph. And the script was so beautifully written and eloquent. The humor in the film, both in the dialogue and the way the actors were humorously framed in shots was so perfectly done. Wes Anderson is master of his craft. A++++
Robert Jones I agree with you on that point about any still frame being beautiful. One of the best looking movies I've seen in recent years (that didn't have Roger Deakins behind it).
this is one of thouse movies you just like, you don't know why you just do.
I know exactly why I like this movie. what are you on about
Why is this statement so true 😂
Incredibly cinematography, great acting and a fun plot.
I felt the same thing with Donnie Darko
@@powerforth8400 but The Costume And Set
Is A Masterpiece
I absolutely loved every minute of it. It's probably his best film since Rushmore (maybe his best film, period). It's also his darkest film because it's literally about how humanity has turned indecent and immoral with time. But Ralph Fiennes' M. Gustave holds civilisation together with little more than his impeccable manners and his cocky grin. That's really all it takes to create an illusion.
It really captures the spirit of a Wes Anderson movie, the nostalgia and the kind of comedy that's derived from the battle between order and chaos.
I laughed so hard I was in tears at:
"Me thinks me breathes me last me fears, said he-HOLY SHIT YA GOT HIM!"
Truly an amazing film.
Flawless film.
Venator #5507 And yet he gave it an A instead of an A+
Well despite the countless continuity errors, it’s a fantastic movie no doubt but there was a lot of tiny things where one was okay but after a while it seemed so careless
@@manofocean I suspect the continuity "errors" are in fact a kind of easter egg... Remember, this is just one long beautiful memory, and memories are never perfect... ;)
Great and entertaining film but not quite flawless. There is a glitch in the plot. Why didn't Gustav and Zero discover the Confidential Envelope containing the 2nd Will when they unwrapped Boy With Apple on the train back to the Grand Budapest?
One flaw f murray Abraham is white and Tony relvouri is indian they really look nothing a like I find it hard to believe he is the older version of zero
My favourite movie of the year. A fucking masterpiece.
Willem Dafoe was hilarious in this movie!
Five years later, this comment TRULY made me laugh :D
I think I have not seen a bad performance coming out from him
IMP this is one of the greatest movies of all time. Definitely Wes Andersons best movie. Just beating Moonrise Kingdom. It's one of those movies you can watch over and over again and still enjoy
moonrise was good, but I would be more partial to say that life aquatic is 2nd best to this film =)
I liked a better than Moonrise Kingdom as well, but not by much.
I was really disappointed by Moonrise Kingdom, saw it at the cinema, thought it was too juvenile, honestly.... For me his best movies are Grand Hotel Budapest first, Life Aquatic second, Fantastic Mr Fox third, and Darjeeling Limited 4th, with the rest in no particular order...
I'd say edgar writgh's movies are somewhat similar to this, busy, fast paced and whimsical in their own ways. (especially scott pilgrim)
This movie was way funnier than i expected to be i just watched it on Netflix the other day and there a few quotable lines i can remember.
"Stop, who's shooting who?"
"He probably shags them too."
"I sleep with all my friends."
And
"She's shaking like a shitting dog"
It's "He probably fucks them to."
+Shawn Pool "...truly"
?? It was never on Netflix
Ali Sokni It's been on Netflix for a couple months now it might depend on where you live
The dialog is so good and off-beat.
I absolutely loved this movie. I agree with all you said. It was original and unique and I was engaged with the characters
Wes Anderson goes on my list of top directors of all time
This is hands down the best “holy shit I’m bored I wonder what would be a random movie to watch would be” movie I have ever seen.
How is it boring?
Don't flirt with her!!
Holy crap this film was amazing. Wes Andersen is incredible. I honestly did not want this film to end.
I'm amazed that you didn't mention the absolutely beautiful cinematography and art direction in this film. There were times when my brother and I just, how would you put this, groaned in ecstasy? [ You know what I mean ;) ] at some of the imagery.
I can positively say that if any person didn't like anything in the film, you cannot deny that it is a piece of art. Every shot in this film is breathtaking!
You usual mention these kinds of things, so the fact that you did not disappoints me (I guess there was just too much in the film to remember!). LOL
Maybe the imagery just left a deeper impact on me personally.
This is an excellent movie by the way, I highly recommend it (9/10 from me).
This is by far my favorite film of 2014.
It's probably my favourite so far but isn't that a bit early to say?
Lmao 2 years on and I'm pretty sure it's my favourite movie all time.
Great review, awesome movie! I would recommend this to anyone. :) The artwork in this film is beautiful, sort of cartoonish in some scenes, amazing!
As someone who has seen a LOT of films, Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the very best. It is flawless in every way and had Fiennes in his carrer best performance.
Awesome movie. Wes Anderson is a boss. I've been into his stuff since I saw Rushmore in 2001.
Yeah, in my opinion he hasn't made a bad movie yet! I've loved all his movies.
One of my all-time favourite movies. CS says it all. It's so original (as are all Wes As films), so funny, so touching and beautifully acted and written.
Deserves to win best picture
Why didn't this was an A+???
rafael tiano *wasn't
rafael tiano nice English
Yeah, did he mention any flaws?
+gale son So how many languages do you speak, that you feel like you should comment on someone else's writing in a language that is probably foreign to them?
gale son Yes, I do. And better than you, it seems. But not everybody has learned English as their first language. I'd like to see you try writing something in German.
I saw it two weeks ago and I completely agree with you 100%. It is really good.
Quick question, I hope you can reply in time...how much sex is in the movie? xD Me and a friend planned to see it, but they're a bit awkward and uncomfortable with sexual content in movies. I know there's a scene where the main character sleeps with the old lady, but is it over after that? Let me know
rockerdax anderson movies hardly have any nudity or sexual scenes. nudity is usually seen in a non sexual way and sexual scenes are mostly implied
so i wouldnt expect much
Daniel xD you see it for less than 5 seconds
This has been and will continue to be my favourite film because it's unique and I don't think a lot of films can do that any more the neatness and colours blend together
I absolutely loved this movie, I was a big fan of moonrise kingdom, and in my opinion this movie is even better than that. All the performances blew me away, and the creativity in display here is staggering. Plus, the random vulgar outbursts, especially the ones from Adrien Brody, are laugh out loud hilarious. Great review as always Chris, so happy you finally got to see it!
The film just expanded to a bunch of Canadian cities this week, and my goodness did I love this film, and it keeps getting better as I think about it. I love a lot of Wes Anderson movies, but for me this one felt like it had the most elements to it. I wouldn't call it social commentary, but the film had so many layers underneath the fantastic comedy and tension. I loved this movie so much. Can't wait to review it
Actually, the movie is a flashback within a flashback
True
To this day,. I have not seen a movie like The Grand Budapest Hotel. There is a sense of melancholy behind its comedic disposition. You feel for the characters, so much so in fact that it almost makes you believe that persons who appear to be most shallow might possess a depth of the ocean. Bottom line is, this movie taught me not to judge another individual.
I agree with you wholeheartedly, loved this film. It felt oddly unlike some of Wes Anderson's other movies in some ways, but if anything, I enjoyed seeing him branch out a bit (with all the vulgarity and the massive cast and such). He's tied with Tarantino as my favorite director in the industry at the moment.
I FREAKING love the cinimatography in this film, and it's not something that I usually pick up on, but so much of this movie is so pretty and so much of the shots are symmetical, it's insane!
First Anderson film ey? No joke, all his films are like that. They are so visually appealing.
I finally got to see Grand Budapest Hotel last week and I absolutely loved it. A masterpiece in every possible way. I've really become a huge fan of Wes Anderson as of late.
Great movie !!...the way every scene is framed front & centre, every scene is a painting...hope the photography is on the Oscars list in Feb.
"What's the meaning of this shit??" One of my favorite deliveries. 😂
I fucking LOVE Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson has a thing with men in uniform...
Great review, Chris. Even more excited for this movie now.
reactions to this movie, after watching it:
most of my friends: "what is this movie?"
me: "this movie is awesome! i have to buy it on Blu-ray!"
I saw it last friday and I loved it. Wes Anderson is one of my all time favorite directors and this was one of his better movies. I would give it a 9/10.
This movie is awesome. I'm finding that a lot of my friends and family are enjoying it too, and they're not really film buffs. It's a very enjoyable, relocatable movie with fantastic writing and expert scene construction. I really loved this movie.
Absolutley loved this movie. Ralph Fiennes did a fantastic job of portaying the character of Gustave as this accomplished, hard to please figure with only the highest standards who puts himself first and they perfectly laid Zero out as the rookie underdog you are rooting for. Throughout the movie seeing Gustave getting in trouble and beginning to count on & place his trust in Zero was great. The last scene in the train really got me where he becomes defensive of Zero and says "take your hands off of MY lobby boy". In the beginning Gustave dismisses Zero as this immigrant he could care less about and in the last scene he realizes Zero is in danger because he is an immigrant and refuses to let them take him away.
I wish this review was longer. I really enjoyed this movie, you hit the nail on the head when you explained getting excited during the movie when you realize that you naturally like it and care about what is happening. I hope you do an analyst/spoiler review when it comes out on DVD.
I had so much fun watching this movie! Ralph Fiennes is amazing!!!
One of the best movies of ALL time , should've won a shit ton of oscars
This is Wes Anderson, so you expect it to be incredibly stylish, and it is. Every single technical aspect is amazing and they all complement each other perfectly like clockwork. The quirkiness is still there and the performances are all awesome; Ralph Fiennes is actually hilarious. The jokes work and the physical and verbal humor go well together, and they're of course helped even more by Anderson's direction. However, the screenplay is probably the weakest part. Now that isn't really saying a tom because the production and costume designs are terrific and the cinematography has every single shot perfectly framed, but the script has far too many characters. It actually marginalizes some performances and other characters feel too skimmed over or like they were just in the movie for the sake of recognizable casting. Willem Defoe should have had a much larger role since he was just fun to watch but instead be barely qualifies as a supporting actor. The excess characters were my main (and only) problem, but this is still so much fun. 8.8/10, awesome, two thumbs up, far above average, etc.
A is the new A+
Why wasn't it an A+? You didn't say it had any flaws, I'm just curious?
Not having flaws doesn't make a perfect movie.I thought the movie was quite amazing but not really mind blowing, it's just really really really good fun.
Sometimes I just want a movie to be good fun, The Grand Budapest Hotel was the best theater experience I had in a long time. I was just curious if he thought there was anything wrong with the film thats all
Maype this is just a matter of opinion in the end.
Nolan BArth I rewatched the movie, and I thought it was a lot better actually second time around, it's just amazing how well constructed, well everything is. Maybe Wes Anderson movies just need a rewatch for most people.
It wasn’t an A+ because it ended.
The Audible thing is a bit misleading. You can do the free book but only if you sign up for a membership which is $20 after the first month. Yes you can cancel but it's still a lot of hoops to jump through...
what are you talking about?
TajnyTaktyk... what are YOU talking about what am I talking about?
tropicAces That particular response made me "LOL", thank you! :D Hmm, there's always some type of catch re "free", no obligation stuff, so thank you for pointing it out.
Elizabeth S no problem!
Also, it's not as exclusive as Chris says it is. "free audio book THROUGH ME, my gift to you" not true at all, you can already get it for free without Chris. Just go to the website and boom lol
I can't wait to see this film!
This movie is so darn good. No way it drops out of my top 10 of 2014.
I'd pay full price just for the 1/2 second scene in which Willem Dafoe jumps out of those doors on the skis.
I love talking about movies, and this film was one of the greatest I've seen in the past months. One of those films which you love to revisit.
Thank you for reviewing this, and going broader than the general audience in watching films (not just this film, but European movies, Japanese and so on). It's good to see movielovers going further than what's generally put out by studios and watching those films marketed more towards a niche.
one of my favorite Anderson films, maybe my favorite, but that is hard to say. he is just brilliant.
I watched this film a few days ago and I was waiting for Chris' review to hear his thoughts on it... I absolutely LOVED Budapest Hotel. I have actually never seen any of Wes Anderson films and after watching this, I need to check out Moonrise and Fantastic Mr. Fox because if they're anything like Budapest, I know I'll love it. Chris summed it up best when he said there are periods in this movie where you think to yourself "wow. I'm actually watching a GOOD movie with characters I genuinely feel for and I have no idea what's going to happen next!"
Definite A film, for sure.
Watch The Royal Tenenbaums. Now!
When I watched it on my LCD TV this movie was displayed with 4:3 aspect ratio and pillar box effect. Loved that.
"Theater of the Absurd" is the term you are searching for. This is a literary concept I learned freshman year in college as an English major. I bowed to practicality and finished with an Engineering degree, but those first three semesters were quite a learning experience. It's led to a new career for me, as an internet grammar Nazi. :D
Apart from Schindler's List I rate this as Fiennes' funniest work.
B ?
I will myself be seeing this in advanced screening. A short excerpt of the film might have added to this review, though I understand that that this hard to achieve when the film is a new limited release.
Keep up the good work Stuckmann.
Wes Anderson's best movie (imo):
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Rushmore
3. Fantastic Mr Fox
Finally a really really good movie. We don't need those fancy CGI's if more director's make movie like this. Just pure genius Mr. Wes Anderson.
Did you actually watch the movie? There's definitely use of CGI; I don't think it detracts from the movie at all, but it is technically there.
Anderson likes a lot of illusion and visual deception but he avoids CGI. Miniatures are his stock in trade.
i thought that edward norton had a big part in this movie? but i didn't hear you mention him at all
Because he just played Edward Norton with a mustache and his role wasn't important
+Holly Roxy You might confuse it with his role in Moonrise Kingdom? Which is a lot bigger than it is in here.
If you had told me before going in that Ralph Fiennes was going to make me laugh so hard, my sides would literally hurt, first I would have said, "Holy shit! You're Chris Stuckmann! Am I being Stuckmannized?" Second, I would have not believed you in the slightest. Wow, would I have been wrong! M. Gustave is the best character I've seen in a long time. Ralph Fiennes deserves an Oscar for his performance in this.
I have never actually seen any of Wes Anderson's other films but this one really made me want to.
God I really want chris to review Fantastic Mr. Fox
I just sat smiling the whole way through this film it was magnificent, also the finger scene, oh the finger scene.
This movie was just amazing in every way, probably and maybe my favourite Wes Anderson film and it is definitely my favourite movie of 2014.
This movie was awesome! My favorite element was the handmade back drops, models, backgrounds, and etc...
Top 5 directors.
1.Quentin Tarantino
2.Wes Anderson
3. Steven Spielberg
4.Spike Jonze
5.Francis Ford Coppola
This is my list
Nice Job Scorese should be on that list and move Spike Jonze down.
1.scorsese
2. Tarantino
3. Kubrick
4. Coppola
5. Hitchcock
Nolan>
This movie has the most suspenseful scene Wes Anderson ever created.
That is, when Jopling is stalking Kovacs in the museum.
I bet that is what Chris had in mind when he mentioned "A surprising amount of tension."
Completely agree I loved this movie. It wasn't hippy bullshit & overly quirky like other Wes Anderson movies
This was easily my favorite movie of 2014 and it quickly became one of my favorite movies of all time. Trust me that's not easy.
Great review as always Chris!
Thanks for the free audiobook Chris!
Great movie. I didn't have the chance to see its limited release where I am from. I don't really rent movies. Sadly I watch them online in forms of bootleg. The funny thing was, was that this film was very very hard to find online. It seems like no one bootlegged it and decided to put it online for people who were interested in a new Wes Anderson film. So needless to say I had to wait for HBO to premier it.
Chris, how could anyone dislike your videos. Makes me sad everyone cant enjoy your work.
Wes Anderson, you did it again!!!
Just returned from watching the Grand Budapest Hotel. Ralph Fiennes shined so much. Hopefully he's gonna get an oscar nomination this year. I have only watched Fantastic Mr. Fox before during my Freshman english class for a compare/contrast hero essay with Bilbo in the Hobbit, and I still remembered my awe at how non-cliche Mr. Fox seemed. I have always been ashamed for not being able to watch Moonrise Kingdom.
Damn 2014 was fucking STACKED. Whiplash, tgbh, gone girl, interstellar, nightcrawler, boyhood, birdman, the imitation game, chef, american sniper, under the skin and many others oh my fucking god
under the skin was released in '13 right?
Just saw this movie, happened upon it really, and I never knew it even existed. So I had no expectations, but it became clear to me, very quickly, that this was going to be a great film.. and it was. Very different, great performances, funny, entertaining - highly recommended indeed!
The way the story is told is something I didn't appreciate till my second viewing. It starts with the young girl going up to the statue and reading Jude Laws book, then we see old Jude Law beginning the story, then we go to young Jude Law at the Hotel being told the story by Zero (and we kinda bounce between young Zero and older Zero a few times) then it wraps up by retracing it's steps with young Jude Law, old Jude Law, and the girl reading his book.
This is probably my second/third favorite movie of all time. Such a fantastic movie.
So I FINALLY managed to watch this....and I loved it. Great dialogue, great writing, great performances and SO beautiful!
...compared to a show called "Ahsoka",which I also watched recently, it's just such a brutal contrast of quality.
Agree with everything you said. Ralph Fiennes was so good in the movie. I totally agree with your comment about the lighting during the museum scene. I loved it a lot. My favourite movie of the year so far.
nice opener, great video... i've just ordered the wes anderson collection book and can't wait to see this :)
Just watched this movie and it was amazing! The feel, the acting, it's everything.
So glad you loved it! In the last month or so I just watched Moonrise Kingdom and Fantastic Mr Fox, and now this is at the top of my to-watch list, I LOVE Wes Anderson.
Won 2014 award for best movie but i was like huh , what this, still never seen movie
Great review as always Chris! You have come a long way since your Quick Movie Reviews =)
Saw this movie yesterday and like you I loved it. Your right about the miniature thing, they were used and in some scenes you could actually see it very clearly. Dont know if it was on purpose but I'm betting on that it was on purpose, probably for the same reason as he was switching between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio depending on what time period the movie was in. Although the first shot of the hotel was in widescreen wasn't it? And that really looked like a miniature shot. Maybe he did it as a style choice.
When you said gratuitous violence, my first thought was "no there wasn't, a little violence sure but not gratuitous" and then I remembered the finger-scene. =D But it was all done masterfully and in good taste I think so that's not a negative for those that might interpret the wording of gratuitous violence as such.
Anyway, loved the movie. Ralph Fiennes was brilliant and loved all the cameos. =D
I concur with other comments. The trailer looked great and now your review is icing on the cake. Gonna see it!
I cant wait until my theater gets this movie.
Oh yeah, just remembered that the actor who played the older Zero is the guy they hung from a helicopter in Scarface! This is a really good movie btw. Anderson's style reminds me of the old Jim Henson TV show: 'The Story Teller' for some reason.
I loved this movie. Not my favorite Wes Anderson film, but definitely up there.
Hurray! For original film - so rare...so very rare. :)