Why Yes, I Saw Moonrise Kingdom

It certainly has been more difficult than anticipated to get back into my regular home routine, including but not limited to writing every night. I've done almost nothing productive aside from going to work and unpacking since I've come home late Wednesday night. I'm even starting to feel a little bad about my non-productivity. Luckily I've been really honing my "meh" skills, so I don't have too much guilt yet.

One of the most exciting things I did in California (ya know, besides seeing two of my BFFs and two of my sisters, and two of my favorite nieces) was seeing Moonrise Kingdom. I thought for sure that I would have to wait until the end of June to see it like the rest of the unwashed masses, but zip-a-dee-doo-dah, I saw it in Los Angeles in a theater with leather seats and assigned seating. Scrumptious. 

And the film was de-lightful!

Illustration inspired by Moonrise Kingdom, via thisisnthappiness.com.

I came out of the theater wanting to see it again immediately. There's just so much to look at in a Wes Anderson movie. I'm not really sure how to delineate the plot, but here's a stab: Two young teenagers (fourteen?) meet and secretly write to each other for a year. When Sam returns to the island where Suzy lives, they run away together. They say that they are in love, and maybe they are, but they are both also running away from something terrible in their lives. 

Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, Bruce Willis

True to Wes Anderson's wont, Moonrise Kingdom takes real, difficult, and messy situations and emotions and puts them in an ever so slightly surreal world that is terribly heartbreaking but in a charming and often humorous way. (And in this case, because the main characters are teenagers, there's also a large amount of realistic awkwardness.) Anderson's viewpoint and execution resonate with me in a way that other films don't quite achieve.

Kara Hayward as Suzy and Jared Gilman as Sam.

I've seen internetters say that the teenagers, especially Jared Gilman as Sam, were excellent in the film, but I thought they were okay. Good enough, but still just slightly above okay. The standout for me was Edward Norton as Scout Leader Ward. I've always thought he was an fantastic actor, but he really did something subtle and special in this role. I can't quite put my finger on it, but if I figure it out I'll let you know. June 22 Update: I saw the film again and I thought much better of Gilman's and Hayward's performances. They are indeed very good.

Edward Norton as Scout Master Ward with a couple "Khaki Scouts."

If you have not seen a Wes Anderson movie, I highly recommend them. His attention to detail and aesthetic are unusual, interesting, and detailed. (Now that I think about it, his movies might be single-handedly fueling the hipster aesthetic.) Here is a list of his movies for easy perusal.