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There's an insane amount of PIERROT references, from the narrative down to the visual setup of one of the last scenes. My buddy Sean Burns (critic at Improper Bostonian/Philly Weekly) described it thusly: "Enchanting. PIERROT LE FOU in a miniature dollhouse of Wes-ness. I want to watch it again right now."

Todd McCarthy.

The Fanciful Norwegian wrote:This is apparently reviewed in the current (May/June) Film Comment. Is the issue in the wild yet?

The review is online now.

All behind-the-scenes featurettes should be hosted by a slightly drunk Bill Murray.

Just got back from a matinee screening of Moonrise Kingdom and I think it's Wes Anderson's masterpiece. Loved every minute of it, just pitch-perfect from start to end. Find it really hard to pick favourite moments as there are so many scenes I found unforgettable. Visually too, this is one of Anderson's most beautiful films, Bob Yeoman has created some stunning shots, a standout being the wide shot of the boy scout boats against the black mountains and the dusk, with their lights swaying in the dark. Gorgeous, brilliant filmmaking.

Is this playing anywhere else in the U.S. other than LA and NYC? I didn't realize the the opening weekend was so limited.

EDIT: After looking at the official site, I see that it's opening in a whopping 4 theaters this weekend! Another 26 appear to be scheduled, though, over the next couple of weeks.

Release schedule (through 6/8 so far)

Philadelphia must have said something about Focus Features' mother.

Two NY and two LA is not an uncommon way to start a limited run. It will still be rolling out to major cities throughout June (Denver, June 8!). I saw a post somewhere about the Belcourt in Nashville getting it on the 29th. I'd imagine it won't hit its widest release until mid-July. Probably 700-1,000 theaters eventually depending on how well it does in the first few weeks.

Can't wait to move to DC this summer and finally get movies on the first post-LA/NY tier

It's one thing for there to be a preview week in NY/LA, but these ultra-slow rollouts always confuse me. All the press and buzz and talk show interviews and trailers and reviews are happening now - especially because this film opened Cannes - why would Focus want audiences to move onto the next thing and sort of forget that this came out by the time it gets to their area? The target audiences for films like this aren't just in big cities anymore.

It's a weird rollout, especially since the local art house theatre here in Baltimore has had an elaborate cardboard display for the film out for at least the past month and seemingly won't get it for another month and a half. That's okay, we only just got We Need To Talk About Kevin last month #hatethiscity

This plays at my local multiplex :-k

domino harvey wrote:That's okay, we only just got We Need To Talk About Kevin last month #hatethiscity

No offense to our lovely friends at Oscilloscope, but perhaps you should be glad that you were spared.

Woo hoo, next week! SUCK IT HINTERLANDS!

Hopefully this isn't a result of watching this last night in ecstatic glee, but I'm convinced this is Wes Anderson's greatest film and while not having fully let go of his past themes, it feels like he's definitely exploring new ground.

Anderson isn't known exactly for his restraint regarding costumes, set, design and the shots themselves, but he's certainly pushing it here to the extreme and it's certainly following on the ideas he set up with Fantastic Mr. Fox where every shot almost feels like a diorama. And just like Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Life Aquatic, he really embraces classic effects like stop-motion, sped-up movement (a silent movie technique), miniature scaled sets and other odd effects resulting in some of the greatest shots he's produced, including some particularly interesting silhouette effects. This really does create a zanier film than his fans would probably be use to, but it's certainly a breath of fresh air for his filmography.

But the story itself, the relationships developed in the film are what Anderson is still known for. You sense his love and he's having fun making a story about young, idealized romance that I'm sure everyone dreams about at some point.

Spoiler

At the point they arrive at their beach hideout, it's some of the most genuinely romantic moments I've seen in modern cinema I've seen in a long time while never being saccharine and falling into cute pap. From their dance to the exploration of their sexuality, it feels honest and real in a film that's otherwise fairly goofy.

I feel (though many might disagree) that it's a very different Anderson film and him moving into perhaps more child-like viewpoint in his cinema. The fact that there isn't a single Rolling Stones song should be a clear indicator that perhaps he's trying to move on from what he's exactly known as while not sacrificing his identity and style. It's a terrible shame that Focus Features is releasing this in the typical "indie" fashion. Had this been advertised correctly and done in the right way, this could've been a very commercial feature. It has the elements of what a mainstream audience would like, but hopefully they know what they're doing.

It set the record for the highest per-screen average for any live-action film ever, grossing over a half a million on just four screens this weekend. They're going to use word of mouth to build it slowly, and it should end up with a fairly wide release. Wouldn't be surprised if it had great legs and ran throughout the summer and well into fall like the similarly positioned Midnight in Paris did last year. I'm confident that Focus knows what they're doing.

I live near a major city and still can't see this for at least another 2+ weeks, though. I'm an Anderson fan so I'll see it when it gets here, but I'm unsure whether a casual filmgoer will care by then. I think a release on 600-800 screens a la Borat would've accomplished the same buzz on a larger scale that could be capitalized upon sooner with a quick expansion. Wes Anderson doesn't have the kind of built-in pedigree that Woody Allen does to the public at large.

The platform release is the only civilized form of theatrical distribution.

More theaters/cities added for June 8th

Still no Baltimore - sorry Domino Though it will be opening on June 1st in Bethesda, MD - not sure if that's in the Baltimore area or not.