Anderson’s most ambitious and impressive film project to date
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With More Than A Year Of Delays, The New Movie Of Wes Anderson: “The French Time.news“, Finally lands in cinemas in Israel. This is Anderson’s love letter to the French press, art and culture, and especially to The New Yorker magazine. A permanent star team will always fill the screens of the director’s films, alongside several new actors joining together, for Anderson’s most ambitious and impressive film project to date. The film takes place around ‘The French Time.news’ – an American magazine produced in France. Founder, Arthur Heitzer Jr. (Bill Marie) Died, and according to his will – the magazine will print a final issue and stop production. The film consists of three short films, which are three articles in a magazine. There is also an introduction and an epilogue that cover the stories with the comprehensive narrative.
The stories are amusing, full of lots of funny and mostly weird moments. It’s basically watching three short films from Anderson’s mind, without unnecessary filters. The events are insane, unusual and full of extreme humor. The cast is great, though not enough of any one, for the characters to be truly fascinating. There is a tortured artist who sits in jail for murder, a young revolutionary chess genius and food critic who eventually joins a strange kidnapping adventure. There are so many stories and ideas piled together to create the film, but none of them feel developed to the end, but maybe that’s the intention ?!
As expected from Anderson’s film, the visuals are simply stunning. The use of color and black-and-white photography are in one word: perfection. It looks and feels like a filmed magazine accompanied by motion. There is one scene, which is actually part of a stage play that one of the characters wrote, and others look fictional and equally magical. Picture freezing frames, with objects hanging in the air, or people swaying a little – full of life every time it happens. The music is just amazing, and the best part of the film includes a great cover of ‘Aline’ by Jarvis Cocker, As well as the song ‘Tu m’as trop menti’, which appeared in “Male, femaleOf Jean-Luc Goddard, Just like the tribute made to Jacques Tati. The soundtrack is charming and playful throughout, capturing the fun tone of Anderson’s film. The dialogue is also full of poignant energy, a kind of inspiration in honor of some of the New Yorker writers who inspired the film.
There are so many movie stars in this movie. It feels like all of Anderson’s constants appear at one point or another. Alongside the main cast who work for the magazine, more are emerging in guest appearances so fast that you will miss them if you blink. By the time the ending subtitles appear (at different angles) half of the people who appeared in the film are forgotten, only to be reminded when their names come up. This has to be Anderson’s biggest casting to date.
“The French Time.news“He’s a lot, and even too much of Anderson. It’s so weird and whimsical that sometimes it’s hard to keep track of all the details in a movie. His very personal love letter to The New Yorker magazine ends up being a little too subservient. However, it still has enough laughs and great moments to make it entertaining and fun, and maybe to soak it all up – you have to watch the movie twice.
The French Time.news The French Dispatch – now in theaters