To help you along the way, weve gone ahead and ranked the best Wes Anderson movies.
What Makes Wes Anderson Movies Classic?
To say Wes Anderson is a visionary is an understatement.
viaimdb.com
Texan-born, Anderson first found his footing in the 90salongside college friend and frequent collaborator, Owen Wilson.
However, it wasnt until 2001 with the release ofThe Royal Tenenbaumsthat Anderson captured mainstream attention.
He hasnt always had the best time maintaining it.
Even his worst films have merit whilst the best are acclaimed for good reason.
(The Life Aquaticcritics certainly attest to this.)
His limited catalog also makes ranking difficult.
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This isnt necessarily a bad thing.
Wes Anderson is a director whos found his rhythm.
Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrien Brody star as three brothers.
As the title may imply, the backdrop is India.
The film is set on a literal train ride about self-discovery and the oftentimes strained relationships between adult siblings.
The Darjeeling Limiteddoesnt shy away from a visceral color palette and highly stylized shots.
Unfortunately, emotional depth is lost within the films absentminded narrative.
Like many films from the late 2000s,The Darjeeling Limitedis an okay movie that hasnt aged well.
Accompanied by the masterful compositions of Alexandre Desplat,Isle of Dogsis a movie aboutmans best friend.
The director earned criticism forhis portrayal of Japanese culture.
The fact that very little of the Japanese dialogue has subtitles was also a strange choice.
Theres a lot to like in theIsle of Dogs, but its best not to take it too seriously.
The film stars several of Anderons long-time collaborators, including Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, and Jason Schwartzman.
Were also introduced to a selection of new faces.
Unfortunately, it makes for a somewhat convoluted plotline thats a little distracting, even for the casual viewer.
AlthoughThe French Dispatchmisses the mark, it is proof of Andersons ability to grow as an artist.
The concept is rather cockamamie, though thisisa Wes Anderson movie.
Arguably, Steve Zissou did more for Bill Murray than it did for Anderson.
His characters sardonic humor and eccentric yet emotionally reserved disposition fully put hisGhostbusterspersona to rest.
Starring and co-written by Owen Wilson,Bottle Rocketfollows Dignan, awannabe criminalwith dreams of glory.
Bottle Rocketdelivers everything we love about the Wilson brothers.
Dignans vainglorious yet boyish antics are reminiscent of Andersons future characters.
Bottle Rocketis evidence of Andersons early talent.
While not amazing, it holds up surprisingly well.
5.Fantastic Mr. Fox(2009)
2009sFantastic Mr. Foxwas Wes Andersons first foray into stop motion animation.
What follows is an elegant breakdown of family dynamics, supported by an autumnal color scheme and fantastical worldbuilding.
TheFantastic Mr. Foxis a childrens movie, but there is something for adults here too.
This film shows us just how deep Andersons imagination goes.
Despite being one of his earliest concoctions,Rushmoreranks highly amongst fans.
Whereas Anderson was finding his footing inBottle Rocket,Rushmorefirmly establishes the Wes Anderson brand.
Rushmorewas also Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murrays first collaboration with Anderson.
Schwartzman plays Max Fischer, a 15-year-old prep school student who manages to be both overly ambitious and witless.
Meanwhile, Murray stars as Herman Blume, a depressed businessman.
Endearing if, of course, odd.
Sam is a skilled outdoorsman with a penchant for protocol while Suzy is an unexpected firebrand.
Her own impulses perfectly complement Sams pubescent self-importance.
In true Anderson fashion, not even the adults are all that self-aware.
Moonrise Kingdomsaw success at the box office and earned Anderson several Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
The Royal Tenenbaumsis the perfect example.
Chas (Ben Stiller) is a math genius, widower, and father of two boys.
Richie (Luke Wilson) is a washed-up tennis wizard.
Meanwhile, Margot (Gwyenth Paltrow) is their adoptive sister, a playwright stuck in an unhappy marriage.
Bill Murray and Owen Wilson also return in supporting roles.
The misadventure that follows is so delightful, we shant say more.
We also realizeThe Royal Tenenbaumsis a tough act to followbut Wes Anderson has managed to outdo himself.
Everything from the exuberant use of color to the finely crafted sets and meticulous cinematography dazzles the senses.
The Grand Budapest Hotelis, in our humble opinion, the best Wes Anderson film so far.
We highly recommend watching this gem, if nothing else.
Final Thoughts
Wes Andersons films are aesthetically pleasing as they are devastatingly heartfelt.
