The movie is very beautiful, this I have no doubts, but I simply couldn't connect with the stories. The first one was the best, followed by the third and then the second. I was waiting more for a movie with such a great cast.
Léa Seydoux in her uniform and out of it (such a fem fatale). A myriad of amazing visuals and cinematography. This is definitely a movie for visual thinkers.
Not to detract from The French Dispatch's absolutely gorgeous styling (as is expected of Wes Anderson), I found the bullet pace along with the absolutely-packed visual elements and rattling dialogue just far too overwhelming at times. There were so many shots that I wanted everything just to slow down for a minute and breathe so I could take in the absolutely incredible visual splendour of it all. The whole feature is an absolute feast for the eyes, really doubling down on Wes's signature style with every passing frame, but it's also the most impenetrable due to the subject matter it riffs on. I couldn't shake my lack of contextual knowledge of French cinema; so many jokes and scenes are homage and parody of famous French cinematic moments, the feeling of seeing in-jokes play out without the prerequisite knowledge to understand them made me feel a little hollow and cold when I should have been grinning with warmth. I'm also very remedial when it comes to my understanding of the French language, so many of the visual and language goofs in the backgrounds were way over my head.
But did I hate The French Dispatch? Not in the slightest, but my viewing experience was definitely hampered by simply not understanding the broader context of how this production came to be. I think someone on Reddit said it best. The French Dispatch is like being bustled through a foreign museum: everything is beautiful to look at, but each exhibit is gone before you can begin to appreciate it, let alone understand it.
I expected to be surprised by Wes Anderson but I feel that at this point in his career, the director just settled on his beaten routine and does not innovate as he did back in the Rushmore days.
It feels like I'm watching the same Wes Anderson movie over and over again, but every time it's less effective and entertaining. Honestly, how can you screw up a movie with a cast like that? So, so many big names, and yet, he did. Uninteresting and uninspired, which hurts me to say given I'm a big fan of his other works
This movie is too much. Pacing is too fast and superfluous visual virtuosity, while there's no visual continuity at all. You need to refocus every two seconds to a new subject, place, angle of view, colour, shape, style, with an everending stream of dialogues or VO.. I got a headache actually. You get really tired of this jumping from a place and time to another in a manneristic display of the director's inflated ego. Really annoying and tiring movie. I barely managed to stand till the end. They adopted 1000 different visual styles to impress you but it is a cover to hide the emptiness beneath. I don't think the director had anything to say actually.
Awful. If I’d of paid to see this in a cinema I’d be demanding a refund. Instead I’m just wishing that somehow I could get the 2 hours of my life back
Although movies aren’t made to be unforgettable, I think it’s a shame that apart from the first story, I will have forgotten the whole movie by next year or so. It’s absurdly beautiful but the artistic complexity makes it hard to absorb.
In 'The French Dispatch' director Wes Anderson goes all out with his characteristic aesthetic, beautiful visuals, use of colour and attention to detail. The music is great, fantastic even at times. There are more top actors than you could find at an average Oscars party. And visually most of shots are works of art all by them self. It is rather unfortunate that Wes his attention to detail do not translate to a more coherent story as a whole, holding the movie back.
'The French Dispatch' contains three separate stories, only trivially connected by a fourth overarching story about a newspaper and its journalists (based on the origins of a real newspaper.) On their own, each story is serviceable, but unfortunately the guiding story is lacking enough substance to make it work as a whole. The at times rather dense dialogue, riddled with puns and metaphors, also do not help with avoiding confusion. Especially for the average cinema visitor. However, the jokes and puns are often positively unexpected and with a great show of comedic timing, even during otherwise non comedic scenes. And this is without having to resort to the type of subversive humor we so often see nowadays in blockbuster films.
The three stories on their own, especially the rather quirky first one about the convicted murderer, are all interesting and fun enough to make the viewer invested. And although each story is not likely to be strong enough in its current form to carry a whole film, I think they could have benefited from some more time. To give the characters some more and/or better introduction. It would also have the benefit of seeing some more from all the fantastic actors.
I would recommend to watch this movie at (a somewhat larger screen) at home, where you have the option to rewind. That way it is also possible to appreciate the many details in many shots and scenes.
With every movie Wes improves his meticulous and almost obsessive attention to detail in every shot. Considering the visuals; In 'The French Dispatch' he once again trumps every movie Wes Anderson has made before, including the well received 'Budapest Hotel' and his critically acclaimed stop motion films 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' and 'Isle Of Dogs'. Of course there is an ample amount of his characteristic centered camera work, straight angle moving and panning, and the painting-like sets in almost every shot. He plays with aspect ratio and switches between colour and black and white for significant portions of the movie. And there is even a fully (drawn) animated section, which is a lot of fun.
If a movie was only visuals, this one would have been rated a 10/10.
I absolutely enjoyed the music and music timing in this. Composer Alexandre Desplat (who often composed for Wes Anderson his films) made a score that was often subtle, while still reinforcing the atmosphere of the movie and the scene. I also noticed some parts where video and audio were carefully timed to match one another. On a few occasions the music felt like a temporary extra character in the scene, leading the atmosphere instead of only enforcing it, and I found myself actively appreciating it more than I usually do when watching a film.
With all the actors involved, and the limited time they are given, it is difficult to properly discuss acting as a whole. There are so many fantastic actors in this, but the lack of screentime for each of them makes none of them award worthy. I have to mention Benicio del Toro for his acting though. With his menacing performance he outshines most of the other actors. And that is with a cast like this very difficult to do.
Overall I enjoyed this movie a lot, but even though I would like to recommend it, it is difficult to recommend to most people except for people already familiar with Wes Anderson his work. It might be not accessible enough for the average person, with the separate stories and visual style. While for a film fan the story issues can be problematic. Its shortcomings are especially unfortunate, because it likely will be a cause for less people to watch it.
the most visually satisfying work I have ever seen bar none.
we’re talking about Léa Seydoux, right?
Visually great but it’s rarely as interesting as it wants to be.
Visually very good, but boring. The name of the city is very well choosing...
Easily one of the worst films of the 21st century. The inane ramblings of a dull, ordinary, one dimensional man, desperate to be viewed as pretentious and oddball and missing the mark by several country miles. Formulaic, lazy and tedious. The kind of film that bland halfwits will champion, thinking it elevates their understanding of the form to their bland peers. Labeled as a comedy, yet the only person laughing is Yorgos Lanthimos. Avoid like the plague.
Wonderful to look at, but I found the substance to be pretty dull and lacklustre. Hard to recommend.
Visually it has many attractions. Very washed and disjointed film. Only recommended for the director's followers.
Beautiful, probably not his best film, there is something that jars even if I didn't understand what... however visually great, like every other film of his, thanks to his diorama style. Beautiful use of black and white. The story starring Benicio del Toro the one I enjoyed the most.
Wes Anderson's most impenetrable film. Whoever says they got it after only one viewing is lying.
I have seen a ton of reviews that said that if you are a fan of Wes Anderson you'll probably like this movie and if you're not... well.... yeah. While I have liked a few of Anderson's films they are generally lost on me. While the visuals and the acting in this film are absolutely stunning the film goes further into absurdism than any film that I can remember. To be honest I still haven't finished it. There may have been a better film in there but it was overshadowed by the style.
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Maybe the most Wes Anderson of the Wes Anderson films. This movie is very artistic and obviously beautifully shot and when it comes to camera angles, music, and just creativity nobody does it like Wes Anderson. This movie features pretty much every actor you have ever seen in any of his films and that many characters makes it hard to care about the characters. Great acting and great storytelling for each part of the movie but the movie has 3 parts or 3 stories and they don’t all mesh very well which makes you a little confused as a watcher and bored even after a while. As a directing pov this movie is fabulous but writing and the plot in general leaves more to be desired.
A French kiss on the chic.
The French Dispatch is like waking up at 6am and realizing it's Saturday and you can go back to sleep: cozy, delightful and satisfying.
Here's the thing... If you look at the magazine cover displayed at the end of the film, you see the price of the issue is 200 Old Francs. Old Francs. Because in 1960, the French re-evaluated their currency by making 100 old francs worth 1 new franc, but the joke here is a magazine would never be priced in an obsolete currency! It would just say '200 francs' because old francs were never referred to as such until they were no longer valid.
The thought, the detail that went into this throwaway joke that only few viewers would notice is amazing, and yet The French Dispatch is resplendent with these little winks, like surprises behind windows in an advent calendar, just waiting for you to discover them one after the other.
Included among these references are the Frenchisms. Maybe because I've been living in Paris so long but the French touches like the cast (Cécile de France and Lyna Khoudri!) or the inside jokes of the names (the town Ennui-sur-Blasé (Boredom-on-Blasé) or the café Le Sans Blague (The No Kidding)) give The French Dispatch a whole new level of authenticity and local charm.
No, the movie isn't perfect. Perhaps its biggest shortcoming is that it's an anthology film, so not all of the sequences are as equally strong. Still, the idea of using a magazine as a framing device for the stories goes a long way towards selling the concept.
The film, however, isn't just carried by its precious attentions and its directorial touches. No, the cast is just remarkable. Tilda Swinton is extraordinary here, as are Ed Norton, Benicio Del Toro, Adrien Brody, Frances McDormand, Owen Wilson, Saoirse Ronan, Elisabeth Moss and, obviously, Bill Murray...to name but a few.
The French Dispatch may not be to everyone's tastes, but I sat in the cinema before the big screen and caught myself giggling aloud, agape with wonder. When people talk about 'movie magic', they're talking about Wes Anderson, and The French Dispatch sure cast its spell on me.
What a waste of time and space with absolutely zero value of its own to recommend it. I guess sticking some stuff in the middle of the frame and applying b&w filter is enough to get some to start talking about "gorgeous visuals" and "artistic cinematography" and ignore how pretentious and terrible the whole actually is.
Liked Grand Budapest Hotel? This is that movie on crack.
Grand Budapest Hotel was too quirky for you? You should definitely avoid this movie.
As it may seem like an unpopular opinion, I consider this, one of the best works of Wes Anderson, each shot perfectly designed, the color palette's carefully planned which is indeed a habit of Anderson but in this movie he did us justice for this work is visually pleasing as much as it could . Stories far different, merged in the same location and takes the audience as if they were going through a daily newspaper. if it's a cozy night and you need some sparkling element to make it more pleasant, this movie's a winner.
Impeccably well made, supremely enjoyable.
This is only the second Wes Anderson film that I've seen (fwiw, first was 'Moonrise Kingdom' which I didn't like all that much hides) and now I can better understand the hype that man gets. 'The French Dispatch' is quality, plain and simple.
The ensemble cast are a delight, with many a familiar face spread across each segment and each one of them bringing entertaining performances. Frances McDormand would be my standout performer, closely followed by Benicio del Toro. Though, to be honest, all them are terrific - from Owen Wilson to Adrien Brody to Léa Seydoux to Timothée Chalamet to Jeffrey Wright. Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe and Bill Murray star too. Unreal casting, that!
Anthology flicks can be hit-and-miss for me personally, though to be fair my predominant previous exposure to them has been via those cheaply made Disney animated sequels from yesteryear so time will tell if that feeling holds. I'm pleased to say here, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed watching one develop. It helps that this release knits the segments together seamlessly, with stunning cinematography, editing et al. Loved the animated part, too.
:heart:x8
Another beautifully shot, delightfully whimsical movie from Wes Anderson. This is a star-studded affair.
How I rate:
1-3 :heart: = seriously! don't waste your time
4-6 :heart: = you may or may not enjoy this
7-8 :heart: = I expect you will like this too
9-10 :heart: = movies and TV shows I really love!
The first two stories were perfect, but the last one seemed so cheap. It also includes the two sequences that was drawn by hand out of necessity. I guess they were out of money by that point. I love Wes Anderson's style, and I loved that comic book part. But I love them seperately.
Anderson's most grown-up movie yet, and his most ambitious and inventive.
A collection of stories, sketches of an original staging that marks Wes Anderson's style. But the absurdity of some situations works better in his animated characters than in real ones, and he presents here a succession of silliness that ends up being monotonous, lacking in interest, elongated... Actors prostrated to the talent of a director with whom to work gives prestige (now that Woody Allen is dismissed).
It it soooo awfully BORING!
the music and the visual were great, great cast, but the plot was okay. i gotta give 8 out of 10. but it is actually between somewhere 7-8.
Brilliantly whimsical and captivating. Wes Anderson doesn’t disappoint.
I loved this! Such a piece of art, lovely colors, great actors, odd funny stories, and bizarre scenes like typical Wes Anderson movies. I would rewatch it several times. I especially enjoyed the first story :)
Even if you’re not vibing with the story or the comedy, you can still like it just because Wes Anderson’s trademark visuals are so much fun to watch.
I interpret the film as being about glorification and mythologization. It’s about how storytelling can often hide certain parts about people we perceive as important heroes from the past. Whether that’s their mental problems and pretentious character (Benicio del Toro’s painter), arrogance and support on the sidelines (Timothee Chalamet’s student) or just sensationalizing in general (the final story) .
I liked it a lot and was entertained all the way through.
It’s very creative and quirky, the acting is fantastic, the characters are very well drawn and the comedy hit for me.
Didn’t quite get all of Wes’ choices though (he likes to switch between aspect ratios and colour/b&w photography for reasons I can’t see, it doesn’t seem to be motivated in the same way that it was in The Grand Budapest Hotel), which isn't a problem I have with all of his work.
Still, definitely a must watch for any film fan.
8/10
Visually stunning but plot wise completely confusing… Not sure what I watched but at least it was pretty :woman_shrugging_tone3:
Just when you though by Wes Anderson couldn’t be any more Wes Anderson he delivers to you THE FRENCH DISPATCH. The movie’s runtime is approximately 1 million years
This film was about as Wes Anderson as Wes Anderson gets. The casting and acting were incredible, but unfortunately, the story left a bit to be desired. I also felt that the use of three women being portrayed nude was unnecessary, especially in this day and age. If you're a big Anderson fan, I imagine that you'll enjoy this. For those of us who simply find his works amusing, I don't know that there was all that much here other than the performances.
Another visual masterpiece from Wes Anderson! The color palette, the symmetry, the meticulous sets, the impressively rich dialogue and of course the cast create something special. Although I can't quite say I was engaged with all the stories, the first was the best, second was ok and the third was good. Love the inclusion of vivid colors, black & white and animation it changes the recipe and keeps it captivating (which I absolutely needed). Some creative messaging told through visuals, you could look through every frame with a magnifying glass to find some new stuff. The score was very repetitive especially in the last story, but it's a great score. Tilda Swinton talking: after a certain point I had no idea what she was talking about anymore but I just love her voice/accent it's blissful. Léa Seydoux and Jeffrey Wright were also standouts.
Story #1: The Concrete Masterpiece 7/10
Story #2: Revisions to a Manifesto 5/10
Story #3: The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner 6/10
dialogue rich, well written story(?) and visually stunning shots, every single one nicely thought out, well composed, & framed
i really loved Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel, and honestly, The French Dispatch didn't disappoint;
one of my favorite scenes was when Cadazio saw those prisoners and he was like "how'd you get out there" followed by "what do we do", it was hilarious
a simplistic filming approach, without any camera movement, until a whole hour later into the movie
i especially Adored it's editing techniques, and the inclusion of french here and there was a nice plus
Every frame, every note, every word in this movie is a piece of art.
We loved it. Wes Anderson unleashed playing with colors, planes, symmetries, formats. The one I liked the most of his films.
I think I’m burned out on Wes Anderson style.
Not much substance? Probably. But always an eye candy.
"He's not moving.
He's still not moving.
He's still not moving.
He's still not moving.
He's still not moving.
He's still not moving.
He's still not moving."
It's a Wes Anderson movie. If you've seen one, you've seen them all, which isn't as bad as it sounds, depending if you like his movies or not.
Delicious film based on French stereotypes with a wonderful staging and a perfect rhythm.
This was extremely fun! Too wordy for my personal taste, but it does make sense in the context and theme of the newspaper. The visuals are stunning, the stories are innovative and the characters are as anderson-quirky as ever. Nothing too life-changing but always a good time.
A funny and tragic, in a Wes Anderson sort of way, film.
And in a Wes Anderson sort of way, it is a masterpiece. And if you love Wes Anderson and his films of unique and mundane ways of storytelling, you will fall for this film as if a potential loved one you may one day meet or reminisce upon as a distant but close hearted memory.
Not my kind of movie. Kinda like movie 43 great cast but no real story just 3 short stories. Not needed to see in the theater
Shout by manicureVIP 4BlockedParent2022-02-03T12:06:23Z
It’s a pity that such a meticulously choreographed and beautifully staged film ended up being at the same time so dull and empty. Wes Anderson’s idea to combine a tribute to his favorite Nouvelle Vague movies with a vintage magazine live-action is definitely interesting, but with the possible exception of the painter’s article, the stories and characters have very little to say. Instead, it’s just a parade of visually impressive shots and verbal diarrhea, full of details that add little to the story.
I like Anderson’s bittersweet aftertaste and melancholic “end of an era” kind of atmosphere, but I struggled to stay awake during the second half. The ending felt surprisingly warm, though.