The Grand Budapest Hotel (Rated R - U.S. theaters)
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Willem Dafoe, Anthony Quinonez
Genre: Comedy
Dwight's Rating: 3.5 Stars
Eleven months! That's how long ago "The Grand Budapest Hotel" was released in movie theaters in the United States. To be exact, it was March 7, 2014. When was it released in theaters in The Bahamas? We're still waiting!
Why should we be concerned about this no-show? Well, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is now tied for the most nominations (nine, along with "Birdman" -- which also has yet to make it to local theaters) for this year's Academy Awards.
Sadly, with the eight movies nominated in the "Best Picture" category, only two have played in wide release in this country. Two! This is the one of the worst records I can recall in years. And as a result, Bahamians have been deprived from seeing some of the best movies of 2014.
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" is definitely on that list. It is one of the most exuberant and thoroughly enjoyable releases of the past year -- a vibrant celebration of filmmaking and of life itself.
The movie is set in the 1930s at the Grand Budapest Hotel, a popular European ski resort, presided over by concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes). Gustave prides himself on providing first-class service to the hotel's guests, including meeting the needs of the many elderly women who stay there -- all their needs! (Wink! Wink!) But when one of Gustave's lovers dies mysteriously, he finds himself the chief suspect in her murder.
Fiennes is simply spectacular as Gustave. While he usually plays the most dour and depressing characters, Fiennes impressively plays against type here, revealing his incredibly funny side and some great comic timing. This should have been an Oscar-nominated performance. And while he was nominated for almost every other "Best Actor" award, like the also Oscar-worthy David Oyelowo ("Selma"), he missed out in what is a crowded field in this category at the Academy Awards.
There are some amazing cameos as well. The film is bursting with many of director Wes Anderson's favorite regulars. The cast includes Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, F. Murray Abraham, Edward Norton, Jude Law, and Willem Dafoe, in a scene-stealing role. But the real star is the film itself.
The always quirky Anderson has crafted a striking visual masterpiece, a feast for the senses that is challenging his animated gem "Fantastic Mr. Fox" as my favorite of his movies. It is so bright and vibrant. Each frame of the picture is a work of art, every single scene seemingly perfectly choreographed.
The set design is an extravagant sight to behold. The attention to detail is astounding. And while unabashedly using miniatures and computer-generated images and effects, it manages to successfully incorporate these with an intoxicating level of sophistication. Of course, nearly all Anderson movies exhibit a marked eccentricity that will not be everybody's cup of tea. Where some might be see brilliance here, others will likely regard it as far too cutesy.
The last Anderson film to play locally, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" of 2004, was immediately relegated to one of the tiny sardine-can rooms the local multiplex has now had the good sense to no longer use. And unfortunately, I'm fairly certain that had "Budapest" come here, one would have been able to throw popcorn around the theater and not be in danger of offending anyone.
Nevertheless, this is a film that should have come to theaters in The Bahamas. And other than the fact that it would not have filled the room, there are no obvious content reasons why it didn't play. It was most unfair to have deprived those who could have appreciated this quality product, especially when you consider the crapola that often fills the cinema here, particularly at this time of the year.
The odds are pretty good this movie will pick up at least a couple of Oscars on February 22. Anderson is definitely in the running for "Best Director", but its best chances are with "Original Screenplay" and "Production Design". "Cinematography" is also a possibility. Despite winning the Golden Globe Award for "Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy", however, a "Best Picture" win at the Academy Awards seems a bit of a long shot.
So what do you do if you want to see "The Grand Budapest Hotel" legally? Well, as it's been nearly 12-months since its release, the film has already played on pay-per-view platforms, and is available on iTunes, and has also recently made its way to HBO. And, of course, there are the many other (probably not-so-legal) ways that you may choose to watch your movies these days. And I assure you -- you would do much better to watch this year-old flick than to watch any of the new ones currently available in theaters today.
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