Some of you have already been bore silly by my tales of visiting the USA in 2012 for the Telluride Film Festival and a trip to NYC but I’m going back to the well once more.
Because I am a fool to myself and a danger to others, I decided that my layover in Los Angeles would be enough time to go and watch a film – I needed to to see Moonrise Kingdom to meet my deadline for Capital Times and the Cinematica podcast.
I get through immigration and head to the taxi rank and take a ride to the Arclight in El Segundo (no longer operating since Covid apparently). There I enjoyed the movie, call and wait patiently for a taxi, and then get back to LAX, only to discover that I had put 7.20pm in my calendar for the next check-in, not 1720.
Panic ensues and I run through the terminal like one of those rom-com heroes, just making it to my flight. You can read more of the entertaining details of that leg of the trip here (including my realisation that the motel I’d booked in Denver was next door to the penitentiary and there were signs everywhere advising not to pick up hitch-hikers!).
But the film itself was great and even on that sunny afternoon the audience whooped and hollered – US cinema audiences make a lot more noise than kiwis – and applauded at the end:
The story is also pure Anderson – outsiders finding their own path in the face of the disapproval or simple incomprehension of others. Our old-before-his-time hero for this film is Eagle Scout Sam Shukowsky (Jared Gilman): orphan and outcast, watercolourist and pipe smoker.
The time is 1965 and the place is an island off the coast of New England. Shukowsky has fallen in love beautiful young malcontent, Suzy (Kara Hayward) whose parents just don’t understand. They make a pact to meet in the middle of the island to start an idealistic – and, frankly impossible to maintain – new life.
The two disappearances spark a “scout-and-girl” hunt led by the island’s only police (Willis) and the naïve but dedicated scout master Norton. This is twee Anderson, witty, warm and endearing (if you are me) or glib and annoying (if you are one of the people who didn’t like, say, The Royal Tenenbaums). Despite it’s daffiness there’s a real warmth to the kids’ relationship and the supporting cast are either reliably aligned to type (Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton) or satisfyingly against (Willis).
Also, in that review: The Expendables 2 which I didn’t hate. (“Be prepared for a third edition which I think should be called The Expendables 3: Botox Squad.”)
Where to watch Moonrise Kingdom
Aotearoa: Streaming on Netflix
Australia: Streaming on Netflix, Binge or Paramount+
Canada: Streaming on Prime Video
Ireland and UK: Streaming on Netflix
USA: Digital rental
Great movie. Great director.