Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom

I was introduced to Wes Anderson in early college/late high school. I don't remember how or where or exactly when it happened, but I know the movie. It was Rushmore. That strangely European, magically American film of teenage wonderment. It hooked me right away.

After that, I found myself drawn to movies normally out of my comfort zone. The Criterion Collection became a new friend. Before that I liked movies. I watched lots of movies. But they were mostly bad B-movies and weird 1930s serials. I still watched those and kept them in my life, but I graduated to French directors and Japanese epics after that. Though I never seemed to have the money for most of the films I wanted. It was down to renting, which is fine and will be my way for the foreseeable future.

Anyway, I rewatched Life Aquatic with a friend of mine before December his last year. I didn't realize how much of that movie I had forgotten. It made me question the memories I held for all of Anderson's films. Such a great excuse to revisit them.

But despite my fandom for them like most cultural connoisseurs, the greatest thing for me to take away from Wes Anderson was the ability to bring something to a higher art form. To elevate by taking everything seriously and sincerely. Especially the whimsy. When I started this blog, I thought about my favorite books, my paintings, and favorite movies. I wanted this to reach to that. It is most definitely not there yet, but it's a goal to have as I write and post every day. How would I do that with a blog? I think it is possible. Just look at something as simple and once sidelined as crafts. Now, you have Etsy and an entire legion of crafters creating sincere and serious whimsical works.

So as I watch the new trailer, I can't help but feel excited. Excited as I was after watching Rushmore for the first time. And every time a new Anderson movie has come out. I will most definitely be writing a review once this hits the theaters. And possibly revisiting the old ones in the next few months now that I have them in my head.

via The Daily What.