MovieChat Forums > The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) Discussion > Wes Anderson's Best Film?

Wes Anderson's Best Film?

posted 10 years ago by sheagallagher
38 replies | jump to latest

I would say this is possibly Wes Anderson's best movie. Rushmore is my favourite, but that's more for personal reasons. I think The Life Aquatic is his most versatile film as it covers the elements teased in all his prior films, as well as adding more to the mixture

-The caper aspect of Bottle Rocket.
- The rivalry between Max and Herman Blume in Rushmore is similar to that of Steve Zissou and Hennesey, and the father-son relationship is present in both movies.
- Zissou is much like Royal in the respect that he is an aging fellow who craves respect and appreciation.

I haven't really given great examples but does anybody see what I'm getting at? Anyone care to share ideas?

[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

It's generally considered by critics to be his weakest movie, however I find "The Life Aquatic" a funny, quirky and touching movie about who we are and what drives us.

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

I think the Darjeeling Limited would be his weakest, maybe Bottle Rocket too. I did have The Life Aquatic as his weakest for years, but I gave his films a recent rewatch and I enjoyed it far more then I did when I saw it twice when I saw it back in 2004. Not his greatest work.

[–] FilmBuff (7354) a year ago

Darjeeling Limited is near the top for me, though maybe because it speaks to me on a personal level. I recently sat and ranked all 11 of his films with the intention of rewatching them (I've not seen some since they were in theaters), and came up with this:

1. Rushmore
2. The Royal Tenenbaums
3. The Darjeeling Limited
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
5. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
6. The French Dispatch
7. Bottle Rocket
8. The Grand Budapest Hotel
9. Moonrise Kingdom
10. Asteroid City
11. Isle of Dogs

I'll soon rewatch them all and re-rank.

[–] looper007 (1158) 10 months ago

Good list FilmBuff.

Definitely agree with the bottom two would also put The French Dispatch down there, haven't been a fan of Anderson's newer films. Feel very style over substance but you'll have people go to bat for those filsm. I really didn't like Asteroid City at all.

Top 5 for me would be The Grand Budapest Hotel, Rushmore and The Royal Tenebaums. Fantastic Mr Fox and The Life Aquatic would finish it off. I think The life Aquatic is probably biggest switch I've had in recent times on Anderson films. I didn't like it for a good while but after a recent rewatch it's ended up as one of my favourites, go figure.

I've warmed to Darjeeling over the years and it would be in middle of the pack of his films.

[–] FilmBuff (7354) 10 months ago

I've been rewatching them lately. A local theater has showed Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and Royal Tenenbaums this year, and I hope they will follow up with the rest of them. I think I may be on the fence about swapping my 1st and 2nd films, because despite how much I love the characters and interactions in Rushmore, Tenenbaums is a more tightly-plotted and complete film.

I've watched Grand Budapest but once, on opening night, and need to rewatch and re-evaluate it.

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

No not for me, I think Grand Budapest and Rushmore are his masterpieces. I think The Royal Tenenbaums follow them. I was disappointed with The Life Aquatic.. when I first saw it and it was Anderson weakest film for me for quite a while, but after watching it again two or three years ago, I've warmed to it a lot more in recent years. Bill Murray is excellent, and the soundtrack is Anderson's best and that's saying something and the ending still get's me slightly teary eyed, plus William Dafoe is a scene stealer in this. My weak points of it are it takes far too long to get going and interesting, I always thought Cate Blanchett was wasted in this. I'd put it under his most underrated film.

[–] SteveG (1370) 2 years ago

For me and you.... YES!

[–] R_Kane (15828) a year ago

He’s never had a best film, but he’s a certain cure for insomnia.