It seems very chic at the moment to not dig Wes Anderson anymore. If pressed everyone seems to give a luke warm response as to why they don’t really want to watch him anymore, (they're too absurd, I don't believe the characters, no one talks like that, I don't really relate). there is an overwhelming sense that his films are becoming (or always have been) mediocre, or maybe it's just the people that I know. Given, he’s not a perfect filmmaker, the non-sequitors can become overbearing and too conveniently witty, the cast of reoccurring actors are become caricatures of themselves in the world of his films (Noah Baumbach’s as well, as long as we’re on the subject) )I’ve grown a bit tired of the new Bill Murray (Broken Flowers, Tenenbaum’s, Lost in Translation, Life Aquatic, etc. etc.) he’s great but its becoming a shtick) (speaking of non-sequitors) but the greatest filmmakers America has produced have consistently had these same things said about their catalogue of work. Maybe not these exact things, but it's damn near impossible to make a run of films that people would consider brialliant. And if there was really little to scrutinize the films couldn't be something fresh and intriguing.
So what’s the point? I’m not trying to bash his films; in fact, though I'm not uniformally enthralled by his work, I'm somewhat of a fan, I'll for sure go see Darjeeling Limited and probably The Fantastic Mr. Fox (if it is actually ever going to come out). Anyway, there is already a lot of bashing his new film, Darjeeling Limited. This morning I've been reading a few blog entries and articles about the film and I’ve decided that I’m excited for the film. Though, I’m getting tired of these ‘new indy’ films that thrive on certain American actors and the nearly non-sequitor dialogue that is becoming a fad, (Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach, Jim Jarmusch, David O. Russell, again, etc. etc.), but Anderson is good at it. I’m excited for the film. Did I say that already? I'll do it again. I'm excited for the film. The addition of Adrien Brody to his cast of regulars (here Schwartzman, Wilson, Murray, Huston, Etc. Etc.) is a logical addition and the stills that have leaked online and the reviews from the few people who’ve read the script are intriguing. But the real point is that this is all ridiculous. Having this much buzz before anyone really knows anything is absurd. I'm helplessly intrigued and disgusted with myself for being intrigued. there is no trailer, there is really nothing any average person can know aobut the film, but Google Darjeeling Limited and you'll come up with hundreds of hits. Hundreds. fucking hundreds.
So really all I'm getting at is that I’m sick of films getting heaps of online buzz and hype before they are even releasing trailers, it’s silly and its doing exactly what the studio execs pray for. Free, organic buzz, well maybe its not all organic, but that doesn't mean anything to them, they aren't reading the articles and blogs. But here I am responding to it all, and, basically, falling in line. Fuck it, I’m excited for the movie and I suck for caring. It's all absurdity and consumerism seeping into our daily lives, making products matter to us, but whatever. I'm excited for the film, I hate hype and buzz, but am drawn to it, unwittingly.
But really, look at that photo, doesn't it look like zaniness is about to ensue? Who, tell me who, who doesn't enjoy a little zaniness?
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