Welcome to a movie that is not a movie. Of course, there are many movies like this, these things on film more monument than story, but so often those feel like mistakes, like stories that never started, while this is a movie that doesn't try, that simply pulls back a heavy red curtain to reveal something endlessly charming and somewhat tired, in every noble sense of that word. Bill Murray at his weary, deadpan best; Willem Dafoe as the boyish German; Owen Wilson with that nose again; Anjelica Huston looking like Iggy Pop in drag; Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum and Seu Jorge singing David Bowie in Portuguese. The sets alone are the stuff of little boy's dreams ... all sixties gadgetry and fantastical forts and all things miniature that fly and sail and slide underwater. What more do you want?
People are always telling me that my work is too dark. So I've put up this sunnier story, but even it has a shadow, as its original publisher – a fine Atlantic Canadian literary magazine called the Gaspereau Review – is no longer in business. ---------------- It was a simple enough thing and that thing was simply this: Edmund Kelley was a gentleman. Of course his mom called him her 'little gentleman', as in 'Oh Edmund, you are my perfect little gentleman,' which did seem to hold to a certain logic that these type of things often follow, considering her affection for him and the fact that he was, after all, only ten years old. Still, Edmund himself was not particularly fond of the diminutive aspect of that title. Gentleman was enough; gentleman summed up the whole thing rather nicely, thank you. He was definitely a more refined version of your average child. He lived in a state of perpetual Sunday m
That movie chokes me up at a very specific part, it's probably so generic that it does but it gets me every time.
ReplyDeleteNot my favorite Wes Anderson movie, but I do often listen to Seu Jorge's Bowie cover album.
ReplyDeleteThis of course, is not important at all, but just a way to let you know I read your post.
Um, I'm Jeannette, not Jon. I was logged into his account for very legitimate reasons, I promise.
ReplyDeleteLet me get this straight ... you and Jon are the same person?!?
ReplyDeletenothing. there is nothing more I could want. it's perfect
ReplyDeleteexcept that fish in the sandwich bag. I want that.
Would Owen Wilson still be Owen Wilson without that nose?
ReplyDeleteI guess he wouldn't. He'd just be Luke Wilson, and that would just be sad.
ReplyDeletei just loved all the light up control panel submarine stuff. i am still trying to create all this "control panel" stuff with my nephews. my sisters aren't interested so thankfully one of them gave me new friends who are. whew!
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