"Asteroid City" stars Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, and Jeff Goldblum. Released on June 16, 2023, the film has a group of people attending a Junior Stargazer convention in a desert town. The film was written and directed by Wes Anderson, who also directed films such as "The Royal Tenenbaums", "Fantastic Mr. Fox", "Moonrise Kingdom", and "The French Dispatch". It isn't summer vacation without a small and surrealist film that'll either please or alienate moviegoers. Wes Anderson is pretty much a pro at doing both. After delivering a love letter to journalists set in a French town, the acclaimed filmmaker takes his audiences on another bizarre yet visually unique trip to a stargazing convention in the middle of a desert. A convention like this may seem harmless, but like all the events people go to, many weird things can happen while gazing at the stars, especially when Wes Anderson takes charge. Considering how much I loved Anderson's previous works and there weren't any big movies playing this week, this film is something that I couldn't say no to. Was this convention as engaging and surreal as the filmmaker's other movies? Let's find out. The story follows a group of characters attending the Junior Stargazer convention in a retro-futuristic version of 1955. One of them is Augie Steenbeck (Schwartzman), a war photographer who's reeling from his wife's recent death. While arriving with his teenage son, Woodrow (Ryan), and his three daughters, Augie's car breaks down, resulting in him calling his father-in-law, Stanley Zak (Hanks), to pick up his children. As they're about to celebrate the event, a UFO appears and steals a fragment of a meteorite that created the crater. This resulted in the military placing the entire town under quarantine with everyone inside. During the process, many people attempt to decipher this strange encounter while others face their own problems, with some involving romance. The movie is presented with a metatextual plot depicting the events as a play on television hosted by Bryan Cranston. Amid these events, the film often cuts to another story about the play's creation, with playwright Conrad Earp (Norton) preparing the production. Considering that Anderson's other works are staged as plays, I'm surprised it took him this long to use this structure for one of his films. It's an interesting filmmaking choice that represents the different styles reflecting fiction and reality, with the former depicted in color. It also helps deliver another unique experience that would impress or estrange specific moviegoers. Based on my experience with the film, I'm one of the people who's impressed with the overall result. If you've watched the other movies from Wes Anderson, there's no doubt you'll immediately recognize his signature craft from the very first frame. "Asteroid City" is as Wes Anderson-y as only Wes Anderson can create regarding his direction and screenplay. As someone who enjoys his previous works, I didn't expect anything else besides that. You have the frameworks that display the settings and character positions like art portraits and the camera panning that keeps audiences focused on the action. Well, technically, there isn't a lot of action present in the concept aside from an alien encounter, but you get what I mean. Every piece of detail in the presentation from Anderson's movies is present in "Asteroid City", and it bears repeating that it retains the quirky and bizarre spark that made him a household name. Granted, it's the same style he's been using for years. However, it has the everlasting appeal that I can't help but appreciate the distinction of the craft that's a tad beyond traditional filmmaking. Anderson has a creative mind that's often alienating but also irresistible in its imaginative surroundings. It has worked very well in his other films like "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "Isle of Dogs", and I can undoubtedly say the same for "Asteroid City". Was it a game-changing masterpiece? No, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to enjoy from its eccentric and oddly satisfying craftsmanship. As for Anderson's screenplay, it contains the usual mixture of quirk and deadpan you'd expect from a Wes Anderson movie. Regarding the characters and humor, the film depicts the dysfunctional essence of the dialogue, resulting in some fun and weirdly charming interactions between the wackiness. The only issue I had was that the script mostly struggled with getting its messages across, mainly Augie's struggle with his wife's death. The movie's pacing also felt uneven in some places, including the sequences involving Earp creating the play. Thankfully, it didn't reach the point where it's as dull as watching a history video about space. The cast consists of an impressive list of well-known actors, including some who previously collaborated with Anderson, like Schwartzman, Dafoe, Goldblum, and Swinton. As usual, the actors involved displayed witty charisma in their performances. Jason Schwartzman continues to impress in his main leads regarding his role of Augie, as he delivers an engaging yet humorous depiction of the character's loneliness and quest to rediscover love. Scarlett Johansson was also great for her subtle and magnetic portrayal of Midge Campbell, a television actress and Augie's love interest. I would also credit Jeff Goldblum for his brief appearances as "The Alien". He may not have done much besides stealing the meteorite, but his appearance is enough to drive the film's outlandish premise. One of the few other elements I enjoyed from "Asteroid City" was the cinematography by Anderson's collaborator Robert Yeoman. It beautifully captures the stylized color palettes of the retro 1950s and displays the black-and-white Academy ratio for the television special segments in stellar detail. No matter which formats the film is presented in, the presentation is still a captivating and bizarre sight to witness, like how the characters are mesmerized by the Alien's arrival. The production design was also superb in displaying its fantastical yet practical settings like they're part of a stage since Anderson's movies almost looked like film versions of a play. The settings benefitted enormously from its visual effects, which combined the practical effects with stop-motion and miniatures. Amid the sea of blockbusters that expand their budget with massive CGI overhauls, it's refreshing to see a small-budget movie use the money wisely to provide convincing effects through traditional methods. Of course, I can't forget the superb score by Alexandre Desplat, who's collaborated with Anderson since "Fantastic Mr. Fox". Overall, "Asteroid City" is a surreally compelling trip through the retro-futuristic world of the 1950s that unsurprisingly displays everything we loved about Wes Anderson. However, it is also easy to admit that it'll alienate those unfamiliar with the filmmaker's vibrant and bizarre style. It's far from Anderson's best work regarding its pacing and a couple of narrative issues, but I enjoyed it a bit more than "The French Dispatch". From its eccentric cast to Anderson's uniquely satisfying direction, the film is one of the reasons why I love watching movies. Aside from the blockbusters and traditional stories, I watch movies to experience the uniqueness of a filmmaker's craft. Whether the execution is good or not, I always appreciate the directors who attempt to do something different with the presentation and storytelling and stick to what works for them, with Wes Anderson being one of them. If you're a fan of Anderson's other works, "Asteroid City" is the destination that's worth visiting. B
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