Kavan Joyce

one of my favourite pieces of media, full stop. this show is entirely flawless and so self aware and beautiful that every rewatch feels special. it's a crying shame that it's not available on any streaming services, because something like this needs to be immortalised and available for everyone to watch

Of typical fashion for any film of Wes Anderson's, this movie was whimsical and confusing in the best possible way. It should be noted that his films are not for everyone, as is evident by the 2 star overall reviews for this film, however I genuinely believe this movie is worth a watch. The story is interesting, the visuals are of typical Wes Anderson fashion, with many mid shots and camera shots centered on the person instead of using the rule of thirds as most filmographers do, and the plot is interesting enough to warrant a second watch. It's also worth not just discrediting this film at face value, as closer analysis may reveal all is not as it seems, "You can't wake up if you don't fall asleep," after all. One thing that people seem to be ignoring though it is blaringly obvious is the fact that the black and white sequences are NOT the "real world," within the confines of the film. It is set out like this as a coping mechanism by the protagonist to deal with the loss of his wife; if he makes everything seem fake, he no longer has to face the reality of the situation. This is especially evident in the balcony scene when he is told he won't be able to find fresh air outside, and then with the conversation with this dead wife, it becomes even more obvious. People rating this movie low because of their lack of understanding of the nuances surrounding the films Wes creates is evident when they discredit this film simply as "oh it's a play framed as a movie" when in reality it's the entire opposite.