rushmore Archives - Movies In Focus

Uncovering Curiosities: Wes Anderson’s THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU

Wes Anderson’s brilliant 2004 film, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is the writer-director’s forgotten masterpiece. It includes Anderson’s usual precise visual style and tropes about broken families and distant fathers, but this time [...]

December 17, 2021

Behind The Scenes: Owen Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow & Wes Anderson On The Set Of THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

The success of 1998’s brilliant Rushmore meant that writer-director Wes Anderson was effectively given carte blanche for his follow-up film. What he delivered was 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, an expertly crafted off-beat family drama [...]

November 18, 2021

Stephen King, Jerry Bruckheimer, Bill Murray And Ethan Coen – A Day For Talent

Maybe it’s prophecy, or just coincidence – but Stephen King (74) Jerry Bruckheimer (78), Bill Murray (71) and Ethan Coen (64) were all born on the same date (21 September). That’s an impressive group of talent to share a birthday. These men [...]

September 21, 2021

Notebook Reviews: THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

Wes Anderson – 2001 A perfect cast heads-up Wes Anderson‘s wonderful follow-up to Rushmore. Gene Hackman is excellent as always although Bill Murray is underused – but the rest of the cast more than make up for that. The soundtrack [...]

May 26, 2021

Behind The Scenes: Wes Anderson Directs Bill Murray On The Set Of 2004’s THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU

A true masterpiece, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is a wonderful piece of cinema. It sees Wes Anderson crafting an experience like no other and showing blatant disregard for convention and the rules. It’s a $50 million art movie with an [...]

January 4, 2021

Notebook Reviews: RUSHMORE

Wes Anderson – 1998 It has the mighty Bill Murray in it, so of course it’s going to be good – but Wes Anderson‘s Rushmore is a fantastic off-beat comedy. It’s anchored by Murray, but Jason Schwartzman is also excellent [...]

September 25, 2020

Behind The Scenes: Bruce Willis & Wes Anderson On The Set Of 2012’s MOONRISE KINGDOM

Moonrise Kingdom is a fairytale; a rose tinted look at the past, with the usual Wes Anderson style. There will be those who will criticise the 2012 release for its lack of reality or depth, but they will have misunderstood Anderson’s point – it [...]

July 14, 2020

Take Me Back… First Trailer For Wes Anderson’s ALL-Star Comedy THE FRENCH DISPATCH

Movies In Focus adores the visual aesthetic of Wes Anderson‘s films. I was captured by his work when I first saw Rushmore way back in 1999 and I’ve been a fan ever since. Anderson’s movies look great. but they also have a [...]

February 12, 2020

Blu-ray Review: Criterion’s Release Of Wes Anderson’s THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU Is The Perfect Way To Present A Masterpiece

To many The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (henceforth known as The Life Aquatic) is Wes Anderson’s creative and commercial misfire, but to others (Movies In Focus included) it’s the writer-director’s forgotten masterpiece. This 2004 release [...]

June 23, 2018