Overview
His hotel concierges are charismatic and committed, while his lobby boys are devoted and delightful. His foxes are nothing short of fantastic, and his dogs are as resourceful as they are adorable. Every time he turns his attention to a family dynamic — be it siblings, strained parent-child relationships or friendships so close they feel like bonds of blood — dysfunction always reigns supreme. And, when all of the above occurs, it does so within immaculately symmetrical yet immensely eccentric frames.
Yes, we're talking about Wes Anderson, and the distinctive body of work the American filmmaker has splashed across cinema screens over the past 27 years. Usually chronicling some kind of caper, often featuring a retro 60s and 70s soundtrack, and styled so meticulously that each image could happily hang on anyone's wall (in fact, he's even curated museum exhibitions), his films are like no one else's. Often brought to life by a familiar cast of faces — Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Anjelica Huston, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Bob Balaban and Edward Norton, to name a few — they firmly resonate on their own frequency. And, understandably so, they've amassed quite a following. But, from a filmography to-date that spans from the indie charm of Bottle Rocket to the out-of-this-world antics of Asteroid City, which is the best?
As always, that's a subjective question. Like ranking Studio Ghibli movies, it's also a task made all the more difficult by a simple fact: Wes Anderson has never made a bad film, not once. That said, while some are flatout masterpieces that will always stand the test of time, others are entertaining but don't necessarily demand multiple rewatches. That's what we found when we revisited the 11 films currently on his resume, and soaked in his inimitable cinematic creations. And, here are the results: our rundown of Anderson's big-screen output from worst — again, not that there's any such thing as a terrible Anderson flick — to best.
11. MOONRISE KINGDOM
By virtue of their format, a ranked list always requires something to come in last place. Moonrise Kingdom earns that honour on Wes Anderson's filmography — not because it isn't great, which it is, but because it's the movie on his resume that sticks in the mind the least. A bittersweet story about first love and finding a home, it's also the rare Anderson film that feels as much a part of its genre as part of the director's oeuvre. In other words, it's definitely an Anderson flick, but it also charts rather recognisable coming-of-age territory. Still, watching 12-year-olds Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward, Us) and Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman, Paterson) set the New England island of New Penzance aflutter when they run off in the name of romance is typically charming.
Moonrise Kingdom streams via Neon, Google Play and iTunes. Read our full review.
10. THE DARJEELING LIMITED
In Anderson's fifth film, three brothers take a train across India in the eponymous locomotive. During their trip, Francis (Owen Wilson, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), Jack (Jason Schwartzman, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and Peter (Adrien Brody, Poker Face) work through their sibling baggage while literally carting around matching orange-hued, monogrammed baggage. It's been a year since they last crossed paths at their father's funeral, and life isn't treating any of them kindly — with Anderson and co-writers Schwartzman and Roman Coppola balancing the brothers' existential malaise with episodic antics both on the train and off. As stylish as any Anderson-directed feature, The Darjeeling Limited is served best by its performances, as well as its touching blend of sadness and humour.
The Darjeeling Limited streams via Disney+, Google Play and iTunes.
9. BOTTLE ROCKET
When Anderson made his feature directorial debut back in 1996, he did so with this crime-comedy caper about three friends planning a series of heists in the absence of any other direction in their lives. Based on a short film of the same name that he helmed two years prior, and co-written with Owen Wilson, who also stars, Bottle Rocket establishes many of the filmmaker's trademarks from the outset — including his penchant for witty interactions, as well as his love of dressing his characters in coordinated outfits. Owen Wilson plays Dignan, the driving force; however, as his recently voluntarily institutionalised best friend Anthony, this is Luke Wilson's (Fired on Mars) time to shine. A third Wilson, their elder brother Andrew (Father Figures), also pops up, because of course he does.
Bottle Rocket streams via iTunes.
8. ISLE OF DOGS
A literal underdog tale about scrappy canines, a plucky orphan and a pooch-hating politician with an evil scheme, Isle of Dogs is one of the most Wes Anderson-esque movies the filmmaker has ever made. Filled with heart, humour and witty dialogue, this doggone delight is constructed with the tail-wagging enthusiasm of man's best friend — and, as well as sporting all the beloved Anderson traits (quirky quests, spirited characters, symmetrical compositions, a distinctive colour palette and a huge cast among them), it tells a stellar story. The setup: when his uncle, Megasaki City's mayor, bans all dogs to Trash Island, 12-year-old Atari (Koyu Rankin, Raymond's Salon) risks his life to follow his four-legged companion. At every moment, the director fills his narrative to the brim like an overflowing bowl of dog treats, spoiling viewers like he'd spoil his own animal companion.
Isle of Dogs streams via Disney+, Google Play and iTunes. Read our full review.
7. THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou will always be Anderson's undersung gem. It's so quintessentially Anderson and, because it's his longest film, it's guilty of sprawling — but every absurdist moment is a marvel. The premise, casting Bill Murray (Ghostbusters: Afterlife) as a Jacques Cousteau-style oceanographer intent on getting revenge on the just-discovered jaguar shark that killed his best friend, is instantly amusing. Trapping a crew of offbeat folks at sea while Zissou pursues his quest provides plenty of comic as well as thoughtful moments, too. The soundtrack of David Bowie songs, including Portuguese-language covers by The Life Aquatic co-star Seu Jorge, sets the pitch-perfect mood. And, visually, Anderson's pans through a cross-section of the ship are always striking. Also, no one has ever watched this film and not immediately wanted a pair of Team Zissou sneakers.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou streams via Disney+ and iTunes.
6. RUSHMORE
In Anderson's 1998 breakout film, there's nothing that Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) loves more than Rushmore Academy. As the director conveys so engagingly, his 15-year-old protagonist has spent the bulk of his life at the exclusive private school — mainly starting extra-curricular clubs, as well as annoying both the headmaster (Brian Cox, Succession) and his classmates with his enthusiasm, all while barely caring about his grades. Then, just as he befriends a wealthy company owner (Bill Murray), Max falls for the new first-grade teacher (Olivia Williams, The Father). One of the best of Anderson's coming-of-age films, Rushmore deploys both Schwartzman and Murray to perfection, while weaving a smart yet also often dark comedy about learning to adjust your dreams.
Rushmore streams via Disney+ and iTunes.
5. FANTASTIC MR FOX
Combine Anderson, a magnificent Roald Dahl-penned all-ages story and stunning stop-motion animation, and you get a match made in cinematic heaven. Dahl wrote the acclaimed 1970 children's novel about the canny and cunning titular fox, of course, while Anderson brings it to vibrant life with a voice cast that includes George Clooney (Ticket to Paradise), Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up), Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe (The Northman) and Owen Wilson (and via a script co-written with Frances Ha, Marriage Story and White Noise's Noah Baumbach, too). While Fantastic Mr Fox is Anderson's first animated feature, he's a natural when it comes to witty comedy paired with playfulness and a whole lot of sight gags. As for the story, it follows Mr Fox's (Clooney) efforts to outsmart a trio of mean farmers — and it's told here with energy, personality and Anderson's usual flair.
Fantastic Mr Fox streams via Disney+, Netflix, Google Play and iTunes.
4. THE FRENCH DISPATCH
Editors fictional and real may disagree — The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun's Arthur Howitzer Jr (Bill Murray) among them — but it's easy to use Wes Anderson's name as both an adjective and a verb. In a sentence that'd never get printed in his latest film's titular tome (and mightn't in The New Yorker, its inspiration, either), The French Dispatch is another one of the most Wes Anderson movies Wes Anderson has ever Wes Andersoned. It spins three main stories and a couple of delightful interludes like it's laying out pieces from its titular magazine, and it's as symmetrical, idiosyncratic, thoughtful and delightful as the writer/director's work has even been. And the cast is packed, and glorious in offbeat performances as always, with Tilda Swinton (Three Thousand Years of Longing), Timothée Chalamet (Bones and All), Benicio Del Toro (No Sudden Move) and Jeffrey Wright (The Batman) among the standouts.
The French Dispatch streams via Disney+, Google Play and iTunes. Read our full review.
3. ASTEROID CITY
Asteroid City is Anderson's 11th movie, also a desert spot known for a hefty crater caused 5000 years ago and a play about said locale. As the film itself tells viewers direct to-camera, however, the latter two — the setting and the theatre show — definitely aren't real, even within the world of the feature itself. Anderson gets especially playful in this film about a Junior Stargazer convention, the motley crew of folks that it brings to town in September 1955 and the otherworldly interloper who causes chaos. Staging a play within a TV show within a movie, he gets as smart and moving as his work has ever been to contemplate art, authenticity, and the emotions found in and processed through works of creativity, too. As the closest thing that the ensemble piece has to leads, Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) are astronomically spectacular, as are the film's look, feel, insightful musings, sense of humour and crater-sized impact.
Asteroid City releases in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, August 10. Read our full review.
2. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Many a well-known actor has graced Anderson's frames. Most have done so multiple times, with Bill Murray appearing in nine of his 11 films thus far. But no one has put in a performance quite like Ralph Fiennes (The Menu) as M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel. As the dedicated concierge at the titular holiday spot in the Republic of Zubrowka, he's a powerhouse — as amusing as he is charming, vibrant, confident, soulful, wily and determined. Indeed, it's no wonder that Anderson lets this layered tale of friendship, war, fascism and tragedy hang off his leading man. The rest of his ensemble cast works a treat, including Saoirse Ronan (See How They Run) and then-newcomer Tony Revolori (Servant), and this is one of Anderson's most aesthetically stunning creations. Still, without Fiennes, it would've lacked quite a bit of its ample magic.
The Grand Budapest Hotel streams via Disney+, Google Play and iTunes. Read our full review.
1. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS
In his first two films, Anderson focused on characters striving for greatness, be it through pulling off heists in Bottle Rocket or tying their identity to their school in Rushmore. In The Royal Tenenbaums, the titular family's three children were all once great. In fact, they were child prodigies. But as adults, their lives have seen more disappointment and joy, a truth that stern widower and finance whiz Chas (Ben Stiller, Locked Down), fiercely private playwright Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow, The Politician) and ex-tennis star Richie (Luke Wilson) are forced to face just as their father (Gene Hackman, Welcome to Mooseport) resurfaces and their mother (Anjelica Huston, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum) prepares to get remarried. Although undeniably whimsical, it's the most melancholy, poignant and deeply felt of the director's features. And, in its visuals and its performances, it's also oh-so-rich with affecting detail.
The Royal Tenenbaums streams via Disney+, Google Play and iTunes.