Asteroid City (Wes Anderson, June 16th, 2023) Movie • Page 5

This was pretty fun imo. The alien design ruled.

 

this was fun

 

Alien posing for the camera got one of the hardest laughs in a theater I’ve heard in a while. Amazing.

 

the man knows how to make an image. probably not top tier Wes for me but really enjoyed it. Jeffery Wright was born for his roles in Wes films.

 

Not to sound pervy but does ScarJo use a body double for nude scenes? I only ask because in the movie it brings up using a body double for nude scenes. Like, if she did, that'd be very meta or whatever you'd call it

 

I feel like they did because it cuts away to the mirror.

 

She didn't use a body double in Under the Skin, but I assumed they did for Asteroid City, just given the conversation.

 

I read that she didn’t and that Wes Anderson was v uncomfortable

https://uproxx.com/movies/scarlett-johansson-nude-scene-asteroid-city/

 

I really loved this. The alien scene got me

 

christ, this movie hasn't been in theaters for a week

 

Anderson is one of the independent filmmakers that actually makes money, and this was somewhat wide. This is cutting off its own potential and then they will complain how independent films don't make money in theaters.

 

That same criticism is floated literally every time he releases a new movie. At this point it just comes off like people can’t actually think of anything substantive to criticize

 

I think you’re really overlooking the heart that is still very much present over his past decade of films. The heightened style and largely monotone acting works specifically the characters are often emotionally blocked off from each other, and it makes it all the more impactful whenever the character does break through that and strongly expresses themselves in one way or another. Basically every movie of his revolves around characters having incredibly deep emotional bonds to each other, like even outside of romantic relationships you have stuff like Zero and Gustave in GBH, or just the entire plot of Isle of Dogs being a kid searching for his dog

 

what was the tweet?

 

on digital July 11 i think

 

got it. was worried someone was saying it was leaving theaters already.

 

what a delightful film

 

It was very interesting. The alien is by far the best part. So well done.

 

This was beautifully shot, but I didn't really like it and found it very confusing. Just spent most of the movie saying "what the fuck is going on?"

Loved Grand Budapest though. This movie was just weird as hell.

 

it was definitely one of his more convoluted framing devices, but I didn’t really feel like it took away from the main story.

 

I don't even know what the story was lol

 

I feel like the framing device almost is the main story. About how art and life influence and bleed into each other. I think it's a story about telling stories and how we can work through and deal with things like grief/confusion in our own lives by doing so.

 

I believe and love the interpretation that we're watching a performance of the play that's happening after Ed Norton's "real life" character died and Schwartzman the actor character is processing his grief over that while acting in the play about a man who's wife has just died. I think the "play" itself is delightful and standalone could have been a wonderful Wes movie, but the death of a lover angle really earns the use of the framing device for me.

I still don't really get the you can't wake up if you don't go to sleep bit but honestly I don't feel like that takes away from what I took out of it.

 

Its obviously a very interpretable line so it can mean a bunch of different things. I'm terms of the play though I see it as meaning you can't come to these realisations about yourself and your life if you don't go on the journey through the art, either as an actor, a writer or even an observer. Engaging with these stories and characters as if they're real is the falling asleep and the realisations or comfort they bring is the waking up.

 

My take is that this was a movie that was good and fun.