First impressions after a stay in 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Just got home from a screening of Wes Anderson's new movie The Grand Budapest Hotel and I wanted to share my first impressions of it with you -- without any spoilers I promise.

I should admit that my opinion could have been affected by the fact that I sat next to a fat, cackling, bearded hipster for the entire duration of this film. I mean he was one obnoxious son of a bitch. And yet, I enjoyed this film so much that this clown didn't ruin it for me.

That said, although critics are crowning this Anderson's greatest achievement to date, it wasn't my favorite of his films. Don't get me wrong, I loved it. But then again, I love of all of his films accept for The Darjeeling Limited.

This one (upon first viewing) ranks behind The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom and Fantastic Mr. Fox for me but this is beyond a doubt the best film of this year so far and hopefully will stay in people's minds come next awards season (where Anderson's film have been criminally overlooked for years.) Here are a few more quick thoughts:

* Ralph Fiennes owns this movie. This is my favorite lead performance in an Anderson film since Gene Hackman in The Royal Tenenbaums. They pretty much never nominate comic roles for an Oscar but I can't imagine anyone topping his for the comedy performance Golden Globe.

*I love how Wes Anderson casts actors we never see enough in films, besides regulars like Bill Murray and Owen Wilson. He has great roles for amazing actors like Jeff Goldblum, F. Murray Abraham and Harvey Keitel.

*This may be the most visually splendid movie of Anderson's career, which is saying a lot.

*Anderson eschews his usual classic rock songs in this one and I think this film is better for it. It's a picture that beautifully evokes the period in which its set even if it jumps around in time.

*I love the way the film is framed. It's a story within a story within a story. You'll see what I mean when you see it.

*It has some nice little heartfelt moments of pathos but it never effected me as emotionally as Royal Tenenbaums or even Moonrise Kingdom. I'm not entirely sure why.

Those movies were also art directed within an inch of their lives and were thick in preciousness, but they just moved me more. This movie was more fun entertainment for me.

*This is a random thought but the make-up to make Tilda Swinton look like an old lady was incredible.

*Like most great movies, it's incredibly unpredictable and has more melancholy turns than I expected.

*I would love to see Wes Anderson work in a different, less dainty milieu. I wouldn't want him to change his signature style (the quick pans, dolly shots etc.) but I just think it would be cool to see his take on genre totally outside his comfort zone like a gangster film or a western.

*This movie does have a little bit more of a dark edge to it than the typical Anderson film, which may be why some critics are responding to it more. It earns it's R rating -- I'll put it that way.

*I love how all Anderson films have their own kind of heightened unrealistic dialogue that becomes totally quotable once the credits role. My girlfriend and I were saying "agreed" and "not agreed" when we got home (you'll understand what I mean once you've seen it).

So those are my first thoughts about this film. I am sure I will want to see it again but right now I'm just excited to finally have seen a great film in the theaters for the first time in a couple months. And this is definitely one to see on the big screen. I have no idea what the budget was for this one but it clearly looks like a lot of money well spent. I had so much fun visiting Wes Anderson's unique world of wonders, and I think you will too.