Wes Anderson's Style

     

        I was familiar with Wes Anderson from watching "Fantastic Mr. Fox" when I was younger. I don't remember much about it, but I liked it but felt like it was pretty weird. They way the stop-motion animation animals moved was uncanny. The characters were animals, but their behavior was almost completely human. Also, the ending was bittersweet, which I appreciated because the other animated movies I saw at the time from studios like Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks had more predictable and had happier endings, and a change was nice to see.

        "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" wasn't the easiest film to follow. However, I appreciated the cinematography right away. The vibrant colors, symmetrical framing, and dry humor are staples of Wes Anderson's style and I loved its unique, indie charm. Bill Murray brought Steve Zissou to life with his acting, along with the writing making him likeable when his is a very flawed person. His relationship with Ned was fun to watch develop, knowing that they weren't related but still bonding nonetheless. It can also be related to Freudian theories about parental figures and their importance.

        The ending was one of my favorites to watch in the moment. It was euphoric seeing Steve being comforted by all of the crewmates and even his rival Hennessey. He has so many feelings kept inside from the deaths of Ned and Esteban, and him finally letting it all out and accepting help from others was really heartwarming. Steve let go of his past hatred and callousness when he decided to not get revenge from the jaguar shark, showing his growth as he gains back some respect from his crew and especially Eleanor.