For Your Queue

Hooray – Moonrise Kingdom is now available on DVD and BluRay and other assorted whatnot, allowing you to watch it in your own home. So, by all means, do that!

In the dreamlike world of Wes Anderson’s seventh feature, simple scenes are woven together into a funny, rich love story that captivates from start to finish.

Admittedly, director/co-writer Anderson can be an acquired taste. Deliberately quirky and full of droll humor, his films have fluctuated from deep and meaningful (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums) to groundless and uneven (The Darjeeling Limited). Moonrise Kingdom is perhaps his most complete to date.

Set in an island town off the New England coast in 1965, it follows youngsters Sam and Suzy, kindred spirits who look to each other for comfort as they navigate the minefield that is puberty.

The script is an endearing and never-condescending tribute to adolescence, not only a celebration of it but also a subtle yearning for innocence lost. The direction, production design, cinematography, cast, music—you name it—are all impeccable. Together, they render Moonrise Kingdom downright poetic, and easily one of the best films of the year.

Make it a double feature with an underseen, early Anderson gem, Bottle Rocket. Anderson’s first film as director, working from a script he co-wrote with star Owen Wilson, is an endearing, off kilter heist comedy that ranks among the best films Owen Wilson, his brother Luke, or even Anderson has ever made.

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