![]() At least, until the ‘shoe bomber’, and subsequent shoe-removal requirement. when 9/11 happened, and we were all surprised by how little air travel changed….Sure, waits were slightly longer and the presence of armed teenage MP’s could be somewhat unnerving, but most of the talk about how Totally Different it was just came across as hype. That’s really all that’s changed, at least on domestic flights (I wouldn’t know about international)… What wasn’t addressed about air travel? They have that whole sequence in the airport of going through all the security procedures, taking off belts and shoes, they allude to “random” screenings, a couple of shots of how long the lines are, etc. Blitz says : 22nd January, 2010 at 4:42 pm #18 – Kingdom of Heaven (2005) Directors Cut I just think you’re kind of a son of a bitch. Henry: I don’t think you’re an asshole, Royal. But I’d really feel blue if I didn’t think you were going to forgive me. Royal: I’ve always been considered an asshole for about as long as I can remember. And then there’s the dialogue…Īs an example of the quality of the writing, here’s an exchange between Royal and Henry Sherman (Danny Glover). But it’s more serious moments find a way of endearing the film and making it even more memorable. I’ve seen ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ numerous times and this melancomedy (not dramedy!) never fails to make me laugh. Like Quentin Tarantino, Anderson’s films are notable for their music, and ‘Tenenbaums’ is filled with 70’s music from The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison and The Beatles. It’s one of the many stylistic choices that could have threatened the whole thing, but it pays off. The film is narrated by Alec Baldwin and is edited as if it’s being read as an audio book. His animated stop motion film looks, sounds and feels like a companion piece to this. Just see his “The Fantastic Mr Fox” and you’ll understand what I mean. You always know you’re watching a Wes Anderson film. He definitely see’s himself as a 70’s filmmaker. It’s a distinctive look, and that’s difficult to achieve in todays films. It’s a throwback to the 70’s fashion, with a little 60’s and 80’s blended in there as well. The look of the film is one that has since become the Anderson trademark. Your mother was a terribly attractive woman.” or “Anybody interested in grabbing a couple of burgers and hittin’ the cemetery?” It’s noticeable that Anderson’s less successful later films weren’t co-written by Wilson. The dialogue is hilarious, a lot of it due to Royal saying inappropriate or unsympathetic things like “I’m very sorry for your loss. I particularly liked the story of how Pagoda (Kumar Pallana) and Royal met, and Dusty (Seymour Cassel) dishing out medical advice. And each character has individual moments to shine. Anderson and Owen Wilson have filled it with oddball characters, but made them believable. So, hence forth, I’m labelling it a ‘melancomedy’.Ĭredit where credit is due. Sure there are serious moments (in the context of the film), but it achieves more of a state of melancholy. I don’t particularly think it ever strays from being a comedy. I’ve seen this film labelled a ‘dramedy’. Hopefully Hackman will appear in another Anderson film soon. Despite being a jerk to pretty much everyone, he’s never irritating and always amusing. He has a certain cadence that naturally fits with the writing. It’s a brilliant performance and completely unique. He makes what could’ve been just a shifty, selfish bastard into a hilarious shifty, selfish bastard. It was Jason Schwartzman as Max Fischer in ‘Rushmore’, and in ‘Tenenbaums’ it’s Gene Hackman. Much like Wes Anderson’s previous film ‘Rushmore’, this film works as well as it does because of the lead actor. ![]() All these characters (and many more) come together and quirkiness ensues. Eli (Owen Wilson) is the kid across the street who dreamed of being a Tenenbaum and has become a successful novelist. Etheline (Angelica Houston) is their mother, an archaeologist who pushed their potential. Richie (Luke Wilson) is the tennis star who had an unexplained meltdown in the final of a tournament and Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the adopted daughter who became a successful playwright as a child. Chas (Ben Stiller) is a natural businessman who, since the death of his wife in a plane crash, spends his days being overprotective of his two boys. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) is the estranged father of a trio of talented kids, each of whom have since grown up and had meltdowns. I’ll try to get a few out of the way and hopefully something readable will occur. I’ve been stuck trying to write this review, as it’s difficult to put in to words why I like it without pulling out nothing but clichés.
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