p e n g u i n d e v i l

Though I haven’t seen his newest film, one thing that my experience with his four earlier films has unequivocally shown me about Wes Anderson is that each of his films is better that the previous one. Case in Point? The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Not only is it the best film of his that I have seen, it is certainly also in my list of top hundred favorite movies. What does it have going that makes it so great? A lot… It features: Yet another great role for Bill Murray in this, “senior statesman does indie” phase of his career, a great soundtrack that is not only fairly original but quite fetching and very well placed (primarily consisting of Mark Mothersbaugh music and Seu Jorge’s Portuguese covers of Bowie songs, two of the handful of major actress that I actually like (Angelica Houston and Cate Blanchett), Willem Defoe and Jeff Goldblum in some of their best roles, a great bunch of sets (the cut-away ship still makes a big impression on me, even my third time through the movie), a great story, pirates and, not only Michael Gambon but also Bud Cort as the Bond Company Stooge (the only appearance of his I have seen aside from Harold and Maude)! All in all a fun band of characters out on a ridiculous mission.

The Life Aquatic is the story of Steve Zissou, an oceanographer and filmmaker (in the mold of Jacques Cousteau) who is rather incompetent and is on the verge of being washed up when his chief partner is killed by a mysterious “shark”. Zissou decides to make his next project the pursuit and destruction of this animal. Joined by Owen Wilson (who may be his son), and having to contend with his wife (who has been the brains behind his career and who was/is involved with his rival…), Hennessy (an arrogant explorer who hogs all of the grant money) and a reporter who is writing a piece on him that may or may not turn out to be positive. He takes his crew on an adventure that goes wrong in every way possible with misadventure around every corner, an awkward love triangle, not enough funding and pirates! All in the hopes of getting some vengeance and restarting his career.

Oh, and did I mention how great the life-size cut-away ship is?

In the same vein (sort of) we watched Explorers. One of my favorite kids movies. It stars young Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix as two of three boys who discover, via Tron-like dreams, a plan for a circuit board. Making this board gives them a wonderful little device that enables them to travel wherever they want to. Of course, as in The Last Starfighter and This Island Earth, the dream is a set up by aliens to establish contact with appropriate earthlings. One of the few movies with kids as main characters that I can stand, as they aren’t as terribly portrayed as usual. In fact, they are pretty well and it is the non-kid characters that come across as ridiculous… Especially the aliens (um, spoiler) who are done in a way that would seem somewhat clever and fun if it wasn’t overdone to the extent that it is. But all in all, a fun kids movie that is reminiscent of The Goonies.