The Grand Budapest Hotel
First screened in March 2014 / Most recently screened in February 2015
Director: Wes Anderson. Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law, Tom Wilkinson, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Mathieu Amalric, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel, Léa Seydoux, Giselda Volodi, Larry Pine, Florian Lukas, Karl Markovics, Volker Michalowski, Bob Balaban, Fisher Stevens, Waris Ahluwalia, Wallace Wolodarsky, Neal Huff, Jella Niemann. Screenplay: Wes Anderson, based on a screen story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (inspired by the fiction of Stefan Zweig).

 Twitter Capsule: (2014) Clever frames, cuts. Fiennes, Desplat deliver. Still feel I'm touring a gameboard without really playing.

Second Capsule: (2015) Underestimated this one. Ballistic denouement still a letdown, but ambitious in design, tonal balance.

VOR: ⑤  Anderson admirably stretches his style toward new themes, especially in admittedly sketchier second half. May not work perfectly, but it tries.


Photo © 2014 Fox Searchlight Pictures/Indian Paintbrush

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: B+

(in March 2014: B–)
Academy Award Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture
Best Director: Wes Anderson
Best Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness
Best Cinematography: Robert D. Yeoman
★Best Production Design: Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock
★Best Costume Design: Milena Canonero
Best Film Editing: Barney Pilling
★Best Original Score: Alexandre Desplat
★Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier

Golden Globe Nominations and Winners:
★Best Picture (Musical/Comedy)
Best Director: Wes Anderson
Best Actor (Musical/Comedy): Ralph Fiennes
Best Screenplay: Wes Anderson

Other Awards:
New York Film Critics Circle: Best Screenplay
Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Screenplay; Best Production Design (Adam Stockhausen)
National Society of Film Critics: Best Screenplay
Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Production Design
Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Original Screenplay; Best Cinematography (Robert Yeoman; tie); Best Production Design
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