The Vault #6- The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan

I love Wes Anderson's films, and while The Grand Budapest Hotel isn't my favourite of his films, it's certainly one of his stronger ones. It's pure Wes Anderson, and I mean that in the best way possible. For those who don't know Wes Anderson's work, his films so incredibly stylized in every aspect, from the cinematography and set design, to the writing and soundtrack. All of his films are made in this distinct and instantly recognizable way, and almost all of them use their quirkier aspects to address and explore darker themes. And The Grand Budapest Hotel is no different. The film centres around Zero, the lobby boy of The Grand Budapest Hotel, a prestigious resort located in Nebelsbad in Zubrowka. Basically, the film is about Zero's close friendship with the hotel's concierge, Monsieur Gustave H, who's accused of a crime that he didn't commit. The films then follows the two as they try to clear Gustave's name. The plot of this film is undoubtedly strange, but it's also one that only Wes Anderson could have pulled off, or at least done in this way.

Anderson's style is front and centre in the film, arguably more so than any of his previous works. The script is so unconventional and odd, but also absolutely fantastic. The dialogue is strong in this film. It makes the film, giving it this unique but endearing edge, but it never gets in the way of what matters, the relationship between the two main characters. The friendship between Gustave and Zero is so well done. Wes Anderson struck a perfect balance with these two. It always fits in with Anderson's style, but never once does it feel insincere. Fiennes and Revolori have this magnificent and incredibly strange chemistry. They bounce of each other in this strange but utterly satisfying way. Their relationship is the film's strongest and perhaps most important aspect. The film is at it's best when it's just them talking. As I said before, Anderson's style never gets in the way of the relationship between the two leads. It's a hard thing to do, but Wes Anderson excels at injecting his style into the simple aspects of every day life, like friendship in this case. The strength of the characters is massively helped by the absolutely wonderful acting. Not just from Fiennes and Revolori, but from the entire cast. Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, F. Murray Abraham, they're all fairly great and incredibly charismatic.

The film absolutely oozes Wes Anderson. The cinematography is some of the best I've ever seen, and is just beautiful. The use of colour gives the film such a delicately elegant feel and the soundtrack is so distinct and so wonderful. There are so many shots in this film that are so visually rich and well filmed, and the lack of CGI is so welcome in this day and age. Seriously, practical effects need to make some sort of a comeback. I'm not anti CGI, but sometimes it's better to go practical. Where was I again? Oh right, the cinematography. Colour is incredibly important in film, and Wes Anderson understands that. Every shot in this film looks like a piece of art. It's exquisitely filmed and absolutely beautiful.

So, overall, is The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson's best film? In my opinion, no. I mean, that says more about what an amazing director Anderson is than anything else, because even if it isn't his best, this film is still phenomenal. The story's great, the dialogue's sharp, the acting's incredible, the film looks amazing, the soundtrack is fantastic, the relationship between Zero and Gustave is great, and like all of Wes Anderson's films, it isn't without it's more poignant and thought provoking moments. It's not as dark as The Royal Tenenbaums, or as tender as Moonrise Kingdom, but I feel like it fall somewhere between the two. It's a perfect embodiment of Wes Anderson's talent as a director, and considering that it's his eighth film overall, I think it's pretty clear that Anderson has honed his style perfectly by this point. I mean, it certainly is not for everyone, Wes Anderson's style could potentially alienate some viewers, but you know what? That's really the only thing I can fault this film on. It's charming, tightly scripted and beautifully made. It's definitely one of my favourite films from one of my favourite directors.