A Vida Aquática com Steve Zissou

What to say about this selection?  Well for starters I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson movies, and Life Aquatic is no exception.  This film does everything right for me.  Bill Murray being quirky and deadpan, Owen Wilson being blond, sexy and delivering his own brand of clueless humor, David Bowie being sung in a foreign language, boobs.  I don't really know what else to ask for.

For one thing, I think Wes Anderson has a brilliant eye for mixing visuals with music.  All of his films are rife with perfect sounding music for whats happening on camera.  As for tLA I cannot imagine how he came across the idea for having someone play acoustic versions of David Bowie in Portuguese but it works. Not just once, but over and over again, it really sets the mood of the movie.

My most recent viewing of this movie has given me slightly different perspective on the mood of the film.  I never realized quite how depressing and downcast the story is.  I realized this last viewing something that should have been obvious to me years ago but this is somewhat a reboot of the Moby Dick story.  Steve has his "white whale" in the jaguar shark, that stole from him his leg in the form of his best friend.

I dig Wes's movies.  I realize that he has a formula and a style that he sticks with and some people just don't get it.  I however think he is incredibly creative and his form works for what he does.

I love this movie and dutifully give it 4 Estrelas out of 5

The Life Aquatic......zzzzz........

I really dislike this movie. It's just a bit too odd for me to follow with any kind of interest.

It does have a bitchin soundtrack though.

I give it one cute fishies out of five.

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou: ESTEBAN! ESTEBAN!

Warning: this review of The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou contains SPOILERS. So unless you want to be spoiled, do not proceed past the spoilers, otherwise you will encounter... spoilers.

The Life Aquatic: A Review Made of Research Turtles

Ah, Wes Anderson...you've done it again. The Life Aquatic is one of my favorite movies of his to date. From the opening scene when the mysterious Jaguar Shark eats poor Esteban, to Bill Murray not only kicking ass, but taking names. This movie has it all, love, betrayal, humor, kick-ass gun fights, David Bowie songs in Portuguese, and of course, life and death being made full circle. Oh, and did I mention Bill fuckin' Murray.

Since this month's theme was Jeff Goldblum I supposes I should talk at least some about him... hmm... let's see... okay, let's face it, Jeff Goldblum plays Jeff Goldblum. But dammit if he doesn't play himself well. I will give him credit though, he does deliver one of my favorite lines in the movie: "They made soup out of my research turtles."

If Wes Anderson does one thing well, it's visuals. Whether it be a school of fluorescent snappers or one long continuous shot showing the entire sub. But luckily this man can do more the just make a nice looking picture. His ability to keep you entertained for an entire hour and a half is something not a lot of filmmakers can do now-a-days.

Wrapping up this review because it's now 10am and I have yet to go to sleep, I give this movie 4 jaguar sharks out of 5.