Moonrise Kingdom

I have not seen a Wes Anderson film since The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou which I thought was brilliant and can't fathom why I've skipped all his other films until now. But that all changed yesterday when I saw Moonrise Kingdom, the story of two pre-teens who fall in love and runaway together, even though they live on a small, undeveloped island (which I assume is located somewhere on the east coast). Despite its understated exterior, this film is heartwarming and endearing. So grab a red cap, a compass, and a thirst for adventure!

In many ways, this is nothing new for Wes Anderson. And that's not a bad thing. Moonrise Kingdom does for boy scouts/wilderness explorers what Life Aquatic did for marine science documentary filmmakers. It often seems like we've stumbled upon an inside joke between Wes and . . . well, probably himself. The seriousness in which he captures seemingly banal tasks (essentially glorified camping) is at once comical and charming. Yet, as in most Wes Anderson films, this subtle, understated subject is merely a backdrop for much deeper issues such as love, friendship, marital infidelity, and death.

The younger actors handle the material very well. Bruce Willis and Edward Norton slip into the Wes Anderson style of things as if they've been doing it forever. The cast is rounded out with champs like Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman. All-in-all, a stellar cast that yields some great performances.

I would recommend Moonrise Kingdom to anyone who likes Wes Anderson's films. If you "don't get" his other movies, than you should already know that you won't enjoy this one. If you've never seen one, this is a good place to start.