Picked up the DVD yesterday.
10/10
Summary
Steve Zissou is a famous oceanographer/documentarian who is out on a mission to destroy the creature that ate his friend. He pulls together a crew including his wife, a journalist, and a guy who claims to be his son.
Review
I have yet to see a Wes Anderson movie that I don't absolutely love. Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums....they're all fantastic! Wes Anderson now raises the bar set by his previous films with The Life Aquatic.
The story mainly focuses on Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) and Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson) as they hunt a creature who killed Zissou's partner. Steve meets Ned in the beginning of the film when Ned proclaims himself to be Steve's son. From their inital meeting, the film then continues on to their various adventures while at sea.
The cast in The Life Aqauatic is absolutely amazing. You have Bill Murray as the self absorbed oceanographer, Owen Wilson as his good hearted son, Angelica Huston as his untrusting wife, Cate Blanchett as a pregnant journalist along for the ride and Willem Dafoe in one of his funniest roles as a ill tempered German.
The script is just as filled with wit and off beat humor as Anderson's previous films. I found myself letting out huge laughs at some points in the film, which is rare with most comedies today. The comedy is pretty strange as with most of Anderson's other films, so if you don't think they are funny then skip this one.
The film also hit me a bit harder than I expected it to. Within the last twenty minutes or so of the film, my eyes started to water a little bit. This is probably Wes Anderson's most personal flick yet even if it does seem to be a bit out there.
Overall, the film is surreal, quirky, touching and beautiful. If you're not sure how the comedy would suit you then go out a rent a copy first. For me though, I'm elated that I have a copy in my collection now.
A few of my friends kept saying how they liked Royal Tenenbaums better, but I thought the Life Aquatic was much funnier.
Possibly my favourite moment was when Jeff Goblum, whilst being held hostage by pirates is being 'rescued' and says to the kidnappers: 'I fold' and consequently gets shot. Very funny.
I too love his work, though I have yet to see Bottle Rocket [and only recently saw Rushmore] But I have to say, I just love the surreal humour in Life Aquatic. One of my favourite recent films.
I'm a huge fan of Royal Tenenbaums and I would probably have to list this one on a par with it. Both are fantastic.
I just couldn't stop laughing when it would show some of Zissou's films. They were EXACTLY how I remember the various Jacque Cousteau (sp?) films we would have to watch in science class. Really brought back a lot of memories and was hilarious.
I love bottle rocket the most probably but all 4 are great.
best line in Life Aquatic has gotta be Jeff Goldbulm... "I'm so angry I could spit"
SaintMort wrote:
> I love bottle rocket the most probably but all 4 are great.
>
> best line in Life Aquatic has gotta be Jeff Goldbulm... "I'm so
> angry I could spit"
I just rewatched this last weekend so I remember it's "I'm so p**sed I could spit"
One of my favorite lines is S. Zissou: "I hate these goddamned dolphins".
You people are keeping me busy. That's four new films for my list. They all sound great.
Life Aquatic
Royal Tannebaums
Bottle Rocket
Rushmore
Sounds like a good director. Might check these out sooner than later. Still trying to catch up on the older films.
Try to see them in order. There is a definite progression and many themes, imagery, words run throughout them. Anderson has his quirks for sure. Some don't like where Anderson is headed but at the very least it is interesting watching "it" happen.
Post Edited (06-08-05 10:03)
Your really getting my curiousity. Hard to find good comedies these days.
Not to overhype, but I like the way he plays with language (he writes these films as well). They hold up to multiple viewings because there's usually a lot more going on than you think at first. His sets (esp. Tenenbaums and Aquatic) are incredibly meticulous. No other "major" director does this. His storyboards are ridiculously detailed.
I think he might be devolping and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
I consider him the closest thing we have to a british comedy writer, I find british comedy to be so smart that some people don't even see the comedy at all, in my opinion.
He is a very symbolic and obsessive complusive on stuff
Examples: Bottle Rocket is shot in 3 thirds based on colors, The first third is almost totally colorless to show the dullness of the characters life, the 2nd third full of bright colors to show his excitement and the final third the colors are more sophisticated for the adults and bright for them to single out their childhood-like attitude
Another one is just the shire fact that he built rooms in the royal tenenbaums house that there weren't even scenes in just because he wanted the house to feel like what he imagined his characters would live in it every room (see making over bonus material)
I never heard of that second part. That's pretty wild.
I agree on the british influence which is just continued in the music he picks. Some people seem confused when they don't get slapstic buffoonery a la Sandler or, sigh, this latest guy from snl. His movies also play much better in urban areas or around universities. His style is sort of impressionistic. I always think of paintings (everything is so planned out), picture books (because people usually dress depending on what they do, like Ned always wearing his pilot uniform), and when I took french in kindergarten in a sort of art building. Lots of easles and smells of paints and pottery and stuff.
Aquatic made me think about those little miniature play sets that Margo made in Tenenbaums. So, Anderson had tiny little sets built into his sets. It was also a lot like the cutaway of the ship.
One of things I noticed was in Rushmore, Tenenbaums, and Aquatic there is at least one relationship that has death in common. There's always always that moment where one goes "I'm a widower" or whatever and the other acknowledges it and says they are too or similar.
One more thing. I caught Bottle Rocket on basic cable and editing was ridiculous. "It's my house a***ole" was changed to "it's my house bristlehead".
lots of putting on and taking off of sunglasses. In Aquatic it was the guy in the hot tub with goggles.
He's a brillant director, I think easily the most love or hate guy in the business
At the risk of sounding pretentious:
I think that Anderson is one of the last real "artists" in the business. Watching any of his films is like watching a 120 minute painting.....if that makes any sense.
>>>>I think that Anderson is one of the last real "artists" in the business. Watching any of his films is like watching a 120 minute painting.....if that makes any sense.
Yup, makes perfect sense.
Also, the offbeat style, which is very un-hollywood is always refreshing. Much like a Kaufman script really, if you are looking for something similar, except with more subtle humour.
Wes Anderson directing a Charlie Kaufman script would be the indie film wet dream
I think a dark and weird horror or sci-fi would be interesting. I guess the rumor is the next will be animated. Maybe stop-motion.