Asteroid City

Every filmmaker with a distinctive style and unmistakable visuals runs the risk that if they stick to their style at all costs and don't go anywhere, what was fun and unique about their work may become annoying, boring and tiresome over time. Like Wes Anderson and Asteroid City. (06/15/2023)

Going to the cinema to see a new film by Wes Anderson is like visiting a friend you are always happy to see and glad to talk with about everything, regardless whether it makes sense or not. You are simply happy together, and although you have known each other intimately for years, you have not yet grown tired of each other’s company. You leave such a visit with a smile on your face and the feeling that the world is still okay sometimes after all. And you know that you’ll come back. (06/30/2023)

In his recent films, Wes Anderson has tried to push a lot beyond the main storyline to an additional frame story, from which a core plot then unfolds. But while it was novel and measured in The Grand Budapest Hotel  and practically necessary in The French Dispatch, since it was essentially an anthology film, in Asteroid City this metafictional framing becomes a bit of a stumbling block. The main pastel-coloured storyline (or rather, everything you expect after watching the trailer) is constantly disrupted and diluted by a black and white theatrical frame that ultimately strips the main part of the film of all emotional impact and most of its cinematic charm. It's a strange choice even for Anderson and quite a shame. (06/15/2023)

You can’t deny Wes Anderson’s originality, which always leaves me guessing whether I’ll like his new movie or not. I’ve seen some of his works that I absolutely loved, some that barely made it to a mild thumbs-up, and others that dragged on in dreadful boredom. Asteroid City falls into the second category for me, evoking mixed feelings. Parts of the film were thoroughly entertaining, but it also had its dull moments. The interruptions with black-and-white scenes featuring the narrator didn't do it for me. As usual, the movie was visually vibrant, and the cast was stellar. However, the story itself felt lacking. The overall experience was somewhat bland, like a too-weak tea. I just couldn’t muster the enthusiasm I felt with The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox, or Moonrise Kingdom. Thankfully, it didn’t bore me to tears like The Life Aquatic or The Darjeeling Limited. Here’s hoping for better luck next time, Wes. / Lesson learned: If you're heading into the desert, expect heat. (10/31/2023)

I wasn’t sure how to rate this film, it took me a long time. It’s your typical Anderson oddity, and in this colourful oddity there’s also an even bigger oddity in black and white that I believe spoils the film a bit. Otherwise, the colour part of the film is funny, I liked the cinematography a lot, but it lacks something for a higher rating. And yet it's absolutely packed with Hollywood stars. Maybe my expectations were too high. [Festival de Cannes 2023] (05/29/2023)

Absolutely unnecessary, colored, and cluttered nothingness. An exhausting, empty film with annoying characters that have even more annoying dialogues. The forced humor didn't work at all, and the scenes are so kitschy that they are theatrical. The only positive and remarkable thing is that so many A-list actors were in this. (07/16/2023)