ASTEROID CITY - Movie Review

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#asteroidcity

[@mattjazzfan2288]

To me, watching a Wes Anderson film is like going on a sightseeing tour of a beautiful city with a pretentious tour guide who doesn’t know when to shut up.

[@vicoregano]

You're 100% on right!!!

[@disierra-amado5596]

pretencious... that's such an empty word.

[@bentonmarcum8924]

You just described this review

[@ArtPhotographerLindsay]

I really enjoy that your reviews are so simpley done, with no clips, no effects, just you sitting and talking about the movie. Very relaxing and enjoyable. And informative.

[@RB-.-]

Agreed she is the best film reviewer on YT in my opinion. Love that she doesn't sugar coat it & her taste is always unpredictable.

[@rodneyadderton1077]

I agree.

[@PaulNolanofficial]

Maggie you've been a recent and delightful discovery - your ability to articulate your critical perspective is far in excess of many professional critics, and you do something that many of them have forgotten or lost the ability to do - you make me want to watch movies. So, simply put, a heartfelt thank you.

[@123rockfan]

“Why’d he steal the asteroid if he’s such a gentleman?” Literally the only time I chuckled during Asteroid City. And this is coming from someone who thought Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs and The French Dispatch were hilarious. I felt empty while watching it, but interested in buying post cards based off the film.

[@ColombianThunder]

This is definitely Anderson at his most dry

[@AXXXXA]

The French Dispatch is so underrated. It gets better with every rewatch. My favorite Wes, at the moment.

[@drewmcgill5290]

Hell yeah 🤝

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I also think French Dispatch is my fave… it may be his masterpiece, so far. It feels like, somehow the ‘purest’ Wes Anderson film. In the same way that Mulholland Drive seems to me the ‘purest’ David Lynch film. Like they somehow focus their styles in the most direct possible way. Or something.

[@AXXXXA]

Agree. It pains me to see French Dispatch blasphemy

[@AssClapCowboy]

Delusional

[@AssClapCowboy]

@@sub-jec-tiv all technical style without the emotional through line that actually make his films great? Yeah totally the distilled perfection of the Wes Anderson experience 🙄

[@SITO-TV]

Saw it last night - My first Wes Anderson film & although it looked visually stunning ; it made no sense to me . I left the theatre wondering what the heck just happened . This one is an acquired taste ! Not my cup of tea TBH

[@Greg021153]

Speaking as a therapist for many film goers, I was wondering...how did that make you feel? Well, I'm not really a therapist. But I am wondering. Did you find yourself thinking more about the experience, processing it more, tickling it a bit, moving it around to try and digest it better, or is it just gone...having no further effect...

[@RemyCT63]

@@Greg021153 The first thing I found to be absurd was the play within a play. This movie was just BORING. It's mind blowing that the director was able to secure financing to make the film in the first place.

[@ribbz22]

IMO it almost requires a 2nd viewing.

[@superficialwannabe]

I totally agree- this film is very quintessential wes anderson- with strong visuals- but as beautiful as they are- they are not superficial- they mean a lot- and I feel sometimes the pristine imagery is overlooked- when actually the images mean so much. I actually loved the scenes with Scarlett Johansson- the visuals of her in the window- gave me edward hopper- felt extremely melancholic.

[@davidmenke7552]

I just want to give a shout out to your simple backdrop in your videos. Damn near everyone else has their DVDS, film memorabilia and various colored light strands. Nice to see someone who simplifies a little bit, but who also does it her own way.

[@JDoe-gf5oz]

Needs more funco pops and Marvel figures.

[@Khe0ps7]

This was my first Wes Anderson experience, and I didn't expect that the first few minute made me ponder where is this going but rapidly I was caught but the scenery, the construction of the movie, the acting everything made my brain thinking about every little detail I had in front of me. Quickly I understand why people like him, the layer of theme and sub text when you think you found the point another appear. The main take away for me I would say it would be it's a lesson about art, the different stage of struggle during the creation, but also the confidence someone has in himself to stick with his vision to simply conclude with something as naive but so clear as the truth is in the eye of the beholder. It's definetly one of the few movie I saw that make me think, sure I enjoy good entertainment movies with silly joke full of action where you already know how it would end but cinema as an art should have more movie like this where it's make you think beyond the scope of the story you've watch, where you're not just a passive watcher but more of an active learner. Will without a doubt watch the rest of his movie to see where he came from to go there with this.

[@NomadicBrian]

I really think you are getting layers of artistic work in these Wes Anderson films Asteroid City included. The set designs, miniatures and animation for what feels a trip to the Art Gallery and workshop. The dead pan and dialogue at a level of a Theater experience. The actors always seem to put in a great even if short performance and the chemistry comes through. I get you on Scarlett as I recently watched that early killer Alien role then thought of the Marvel and how popular she was in that but love to see her in these more meaty performances. She gets it. Jason, Edward, Adrian, Jeff, Tilda, Willem, Tony Revolori who have been along for much of the ride. Jeffrey Wright who I was pleased to see. Wonderful performances.

[@seansersmylie]

I would love to hear you do more classic european and world films. So many incredible shows are overlooked.

[@TheBloodiac]

I watched the trailer and how the movie looks, immediately spoke to me. I thought " Even if I don't care for the story, at least, it will be a feast for the eyes." Now I'm even more interested. :)

[@that1guy375]

I saw it last night and liked it quite a bit. Pure Americana, with all the good and bad that entails. Not my favorite, I agree, but I liked it better than his last two films. I really enjoyed the framing device, the setup at the start and the connection through out the film. The two themes that interested me was, how people deal with grief and loss, and Anderson's commenting on the creative process, or maybe just his creative process. I will definitely need to see it again before it leaves theaters though.

[@frankwalders]

When there is so much outside but no inside, the outside gets really annoying and pointless.

[@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy]

This film was an experience. Not a very engaging experience but an experience none the less.

[@sanddab]

'Moonrise Kingdom' was the last Wes Anderson movie I really liked, so I'm hoping I like this one more than his last three.

[@WarrenFahyAuthor]

Wes Anderson movies are kind of like mental adult play sets. There's the Ocean Explorer play set and the Swiss Hotel play set. The movies kind of play make believe with the accessories in the play set.

[@Greg021153]

Excellent way to put it. The kid in the adult in the kid. I feel like I knew kids like that when I was a kid. I've searched my memory and can't find any specific one. And yet the feeling remains....

[@llamasarus1]

Didn't like this one, but I'm glad you did. This film felt like it was so in love with it's own pageantry and aesthetics that it didn't feel like it had to tell a coherent story with any clear consequence, purpose, character motivations or stakes to keep me engaged. Of his movies I've only seen Grand Budapest prior to this, which I liked, but seeing this "story within a story within a story" device a again felt very contrived and hacky. Do his other films do that too? I hope Asteroid City is his weakest film because otherwise I'd be playing Russian roulette if I went into his others.

[@RB-.-]

His last film French Dispatch is also a bit meta & story within a story-ish but in a different way. Not my fav. Id recommend Moonrise Kingdom & Bottle Rocket.

[@llamasarus1]

​@@RB-.- I'll have to see Bottle Rocket since being his first film is probably a blank slate before he found his stylistic footing that lead him to Asteroid City.

[@michaelrennie1320]

3:19 It's kind of cool hearing Klaatu barada nikto spoken by my favourite movie reviewer. My grandfather was Michael Rennie, the actor who played Klaatu 😊

[@Phil-For-Reel]

I read the title and for some random reason thought of UHF "Spatula City...Spatula City!"

[@berbank]

You're the most trustworthy reviewer I've found on the internet. Your reviews fit my feelings very closely but you vocalise it better. One question though: is your video flipped horizontally? Why?

[@oztenn]

have you seen past lives yet maggie? By the way, i love your videos so much, you’re easily my favorite creator❤️

[@Nick-ts1qc]

I second the Past Lives request! Dang, incredible film. Still shook by it… would love to hear you speak about it.

[@Bolts_Films]

every day since I saw Asteroid City its stuck in my head and grown on me so much. might be my favorite Wes on a rewatch.

[@mondoenterprises6710]

The Grand Budapest and Royal Tenenbaums and Bottle Rocket are my fave Wes Anderson's. BTW, a sequel to Bottle Rocket could be killer.

[@christianbravo9031]

Hey DFL! You should go see “Past Lives” next while it’s in theaters still. It’s my movie of the year so far - a very moving debut from Celine Song Seeing Asteroid City tonight and then watching this video right after

[@rigelb9025]

''It's the 1950's, a period in America of major external threat, fear of the atomic bomb, fear of nuclear annihilation, extraterrestrial invasion, government oppression and you can feel all of that''. Geez, I could have sworn that sounded a lot like 2023.

[@RB-.-]

Admittedly i didnt love it but I thought it was an improvement over french dispatch; if only for the setting. i love that little desert town so much and its been a while that i saw something that made me want to live there. the vibes were great. just wish i got more out of the story & central themes. everything felt a bit too thin and a bit unfocused. i didnt care for the b/w meta stuff & part of me wishes it was just the actual desert alien story with everything beefed up. which I know sounds like an amateurish take but thats just how i feel with this one.

[@JohnDoe-tm9wz]

"Life Aquatic" is underrated in my opinion.

[@dumbcat]

anyone who does not agree is probably suffering from hydrogen psychosis

[@Scout555]

The depiction of southeast asians in that film was tone deaf cringy at best.

[@greytoeimp]

@@Scout555did you actually see it or do you just repeat what you hear online? Don’t answer it was a rhetorical question

[@greytoeimp]

I would say it's 'rated'. I still liked it but it wasn't as great as I remembered when i saw it more recently.

[@eliotburke1685]

I agree

[@beaudwayful]

I really enjoyed Asteroid City. It builds...

[@ahobimo732]

I agree, Scarjo was downright excellent in Asteroid City. Hers was arguably the strongest performance in the film, which is saying something, given the cast involved. For better or worse, this felt like the most "Wes Anderson" film I've ever seen. It's likely to be unendurable for anyone who doesn't appreciate his peculiar aesthetic. Personally, I was entertained by it, but it felt less emotionally accessible than his other films I've seen. This was the first film he's made where I felt that the style obscured the substance. I'm not sure to what extent this was the result of directorial choices. It could be simply due to the fact that the movie deals with darker themes than Anderson usually explored. But whatever the cause, the film had very little emotional impact on me.

[@axelnavarrete3947]

As much i like wes anderson. I did not like this film i think the wes anderson style just doesn't work with me anymore. I'm starting to think something is wrong with me because everything that is getting so much hype i am not liking.

[@artfigueiredo5223]

Great review, I concur with your assessment of ScarJo.

[@mondoenterprises6710]

I often thought Scarjo was older than her years in most of those earlier movies. I usually like her as an actress. Under the Skin, Don Jon, and Ghost World, and Lost in Translation are probably my faves.

[@ghostdelay6770]

Astetoid City has some really beautiful cinematography. A spectacular looking film. Similarly with the sound design. The autistic in me appreciated the sound of the hammer being used for the sign.

[@requiemheidireprisal7824]

I'm undecided about what to watch. If you can only pick one, which would you pick? I found out Kathleen Kennedy is behind the recent Indiana Jones, so that's a no, and crossed off my list. So: -Jennifer Lawrence American Pie movie -The Flash which has the return of Batman -Or a Wes Anderson jam

[@sergeigen1]

Great review, i totally agree with you about scarlet. The whole play within a play is always cringe and wes was no exception lol.

[@patricktuorto]

Jeff Goldblum as “The Alien” was hilarious to me.

[@jhors7777]

Hi Maggie I love your reviews. I think you nailed this one. And yes, aptly said that Anderson's movies are a "feast for the eyes". My fav's are Budapest Hotel and Moonrise. Asteroid city didn't match up to that bar for me though as I really struggled with the play-within-a-play narrative structure. I agree Scarlet Johansson did a great job, as did Jason Schwartzman. Have you seen the latter in the Fargo TV Series? (imo, worth watching)

[@ttworx2195]

Hey, I just had to say, I stumbled across your channel, and I'm pleasantly surprised! Very inciteful and well, articulated observations! Keep up the good work!

[@lordwestoff]

I’ve been watching your channel for years now and it’s so exciting to see how many subscribers you have now. Well deserved.

[@fpsoftdev]

I adore this movie. It’s so gorgeous, so interesting and so well paced, there’s just very little wrong with it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@Jimmcgurn]

Always look forward to your reviews. So glad you like Asteroid City, as I do. All the usual Anderson things are perfected in this. Brilliant. I thought a lot. And I laughed a LOT! Going again in a couple days.

[@otayonsei]

Loved the "clatu verata nictu" reference feeling of doom that we are feeling about everything these days.

[@TommyLikeTom]

What exactly are you doing with your hands? Is that intentional or is that subconscious? "things are happening here, things are happening there, things are happening, really, everywhere" is a great line for a drill rap

[@RemyCT63]

I love most of the films made by Wes Anderson but this movie was barely watchable. 20 mins into the film I felt the desire to walk out of the theater.

[@jjtt2760]

Very strong movie criticism here. You put into words a few feelings I had but couldn't express. Specifically, I also agree that the themes could have been externally reflected more (assuming you mean in the colour parts of the film). Thanks for the video.

[@decosteruniverse]

Like the review.....noticed you didn't drink shots like you did in the review of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny". Is drinking shots a trait or did that movie drive you to drink? (I'll watch more to get the answer to the former. :)

[@thebossman80s]

I own most of his films but the only one i ever seem to go back to is the darjeeling ltd. Its so easy and relaxing to watch.

[@twt000]

Isle of Dogs not a favorite means you side with the cats.........

[@JohnDoe-bz4yl]

I think the films where you need to watch it a second or even third time to absorb everything are amoung my favourite movies!

[@maebrando]

Strong referencing to Howard Hawk’s Twentieth Century with the beginning staging as well as the train sequences.

[@michaelschmidt1101]

Please review "Sound of Freedom" ... incidentally "Asteroid City" is a 'bit off' bc it is not effectively synthesized... the participants seem both self-absorbed and also 4th wall... so overall it doesn't work... an 'incomplete work'.

[@AXXXXA]

Ok. I just saw it. My most anticipated of the year. Didnt watch the trailer at all, wanted to go in fresh. Thankfully that worked for the incredible Green scene. Wow that scene. Goosebumps. Overall initial reaction: I didnt love it. I love The French Dispatch. I think it’s his most underrated. I think it gets better with every rewatch. Now back to Asteroid. Visually 10/10. I mean some absolutely incredible scenes. Maybe his best yet. But the main issue is I also did not connect. At all. We’ve been getting a lot of Meta Modern movies lately, so that angle of layers fell flat for me. Because the actual play wasn’t very good. I wish it went full on comedy. There were some really funny parts. The casting was great. I want more. I want more in that world. Its disappointing to have that masterful cinematography, photography, color, styling, and directing and just have a lackluster script. Also the score did not hit. It felt like some b sides from French Dispatch. Which is fine (same guy, Alexandre Desplat) , but it needed its own distinct sound to separate it. Shazammed 2 final songs but nothing else stood out. Freight Train is great. Whole French Dispatch score is incredible. I will go see Asteroid again though,although I don’t think theres much more there like there is with French Dispatch on multiple views, the initial viewing is such a feast for the eyes that the quick dialogue gets lost easy. And I just want to visually see it again on a big screen. I mean i still cant believe how he & his team create these worlds. It seems so impossible. Hopefully maybe Ill connect a bit next time and get more out of it. Saw the trailer for Jorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things tonight for the first time. New most anticipated. Looks incredible. The Lobster is a masterpiece. Oh and Jason Schwartzmans facial hair was just bad & distracting imo.

[@Suite_annamite]

Hope you're not intending to skip "The French Dispatch", because it would be great to hear and see what you think of it. *Bonus:* After all, you seem to like Léa Seydoux, and although we all have to put up with Timothée Chalamet for a bit, it's certainly worth English-speaking audiences being introduced to the very promising Lyna Khoudri.

[@JJJJJVVVVVLLLLL]

Tennessee Williams seemed to be the underpinning of everything imo.

[@agitatedmongoose]

I can't wait to see it. I hope you like it. On one hand his movies are becoming almost parodies of themselves. But I was super surprised how funny The Grand Budapest Hotel was. It struck me funny in ways I never expected. I'm hoping for the best with this one.

[@daveweaver7838]

amazing colour pallet, 50's Kodachrome? So rich I love what I've seen on trailer

[@ribbz22]

Damn you are where I was at after a 2nd viewing after your first xD. Props for that and loved this film! For me it is probably mid-high in the Wesography.

[@alangraham5692]

Too many characters and not enough character development. The laughs were light and created more grins than guffaws. A nice looking canvass but not enough substance.

[@plath1756]

Check this out. After recalling how Scarlett stole my heart in Ghost World, I went back and watched an edited clip featuring all her lines in that movie. Halfway through I thought, 'wow! Her delivery kinda reminds of Greta Gerwig's in Frances Ha. And then I realized a plot element in the movie involves the two friends looking for an apartment to live in together, similar to Frances Ha! It's like Noah Baumbach and Greta agreed with me that Scarlett's Rebecca is actually more interesting than Thora's Enid, and decided to make a movie about her instead...

[@sahamation]

I’m a WA fan, and in fact loved French Dispatch…but this was completely a disappointment to me! Lazy ending IMO…felt like either he got tired or out of budget and decided to take a short cut…and structured not too well at all…a lot of fun characters and dialogues but poor structure of the plot just failed at the end ImO

[@Greg021153]

Hmmm...meta...Wes Anderson's whole aesthetic feels meta...making it unavoidably obvious seems anti meta, for some reason. But that's nit picking. Much enjoyed the review.

[@JasonGardener777]

Wonderful review. Bravo!

[@RossM3838]

I have always felt that Wes Anderson’s movies would be far better as shorts. His distinctive style is really cool but gets repititive in frame after frame for 2 hours I will eventually take this one in though

[@theolamp5312]

I have to see this. My favorite Wes film is Moonririse Kingdom. As far as Scarlett Johansson, I'm curious to see what she offers here. I loved her role in Jo Jo Rabbit.

[@dokdirge]

I refuse to leave a comment.

[@farhanrahman7119]

I refuse to reply

[@jwnj9716]

I refuse to like.

[@JoseChavez-rf4ul]

I decline to refuse to do anything.

[@CitizenDevi]

I refuse to refuse.

[@65g4]

i am glad you enjoyed it i just saw it tonight at the New Zealand film festival and loved every minute of it Scarlett was incredible and Jason was great as well. I am seeing it again in two weeks time i cant wait

[@NobuhikuObayashi]

I missed French dispatch. Caught up before asteroid City. Watch it.

[@artgarcia9715]

Their is a lot of actors that impact the movie tremendously

[@arlodante1163]

It’d be awesome if you did a video on the movie Kick-Ass, one of my favourite movies

[@GrahamBall-z9u]

I always look forward to a new Wes Anderson film 😁 another fab review by the way 😁👍

[@daverson8609]

Why is this video flipped?

[@denniszenanywhere]

I can't wait for you to review Past Lives. Didn't like it as much. I think it's overpraised, but would like to know what you think.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I agree that Scarlett Johanson has been getting better and better. Especially in comedy. She’s wonderful in Hail Caesar.

[@playlistaccount]

It sounds like Nope. Kind of. Maybe what Nope couldn’t deliver? idk. i’ve not watched Nope either but there does sound like some comparisons are there at least in story somewhat

[@mikesilva3868]

Great review 😊

[@causingacatastrophe]

Thoughts on the song Climb On Your Tears by The Paper Kites (feat. Aoife O'Donovan)?

[@undrtakr900]

Great review, you earned a new subscriber +1 👍🏽

[@strangastrigo]

It was a beautiful movie but I had trouble enjoying it because it seemed like every adult was trying to speak the same way. I just kept thinking about a fast talking noir detective. All of them sounded like that except the three sisters. In the end they were the only characters I liked. Everyone else was exhausting to listen to.

[@vroomvroomcat8589]

HAROLD'S CAT

[@theurbanloner8879]

The coldest piece .

[@AJM-timecop]

Not sure I picked up that people were afraid of the bomb ...

[@earlybird3668]

"a little bit empty." yes.

[@realDialFforFilm]

I was looking forward to this film, and by all means, I recommend people watch it. But I must say, this is the first time with one of Wes Anderson's films that as I watched it, I asked myself if the novelty of his work can last for much longer. I must admit, this film didn't groove with me.

[@TwoNNsB]

I was considering skipping it, and now you've convinced me I should see it. Great job, as always, Maggie.

[@MirrorDomains]

I agree about Scarlett Johansson she was so good in this movie!

[@aldriel8274]

Hi Maggie 🖐️ Can you please review the 2013 Enemy with Jake Gyllemhaal? Thank you.

[@zachmontminy]

Liked it much better than The French Dispatch. Maybe I'm just not into anthology movies.

[@jaredbailey510]

Hollywood is mocking us with terrible films like asteroid city.

[@daidavies6210]

You need to go see SOUND OF FREEDOM …. Dare you not to cry 😢……Film of the year so far….

[@Anthonycheesman33]

I swear I never want to hear how superhero movies have the same formula .Wes Anderson has about 4 jokes in his tool box the last 5 movies lol.

[@DJaquithFL]

My first reaction is to skip this movie at least from buying it, but if it's on Netflix or streaming service I have I may give it a try but that's it.

[@TacticalVillain]

I fell asleep lmao but i woke up i love his art style but some of his films bore me like Moonrise Kingdom. The Grand budapest is my personal favorite , Fantastic mr fox is the best animated style in my opinion

[@josephr9930]

I loved Wes Anderson but I feel like his movies have become redundant. I have not seen any of his new films since the Grand Budapest Hotel.

[@buzzardbeatniks]

I have so much trouble with Wes Anderson movies, I just really dislike his aesthetic, but even all the way back to Rushmore, when the aesthetic was in its infancy I just wasn't as impressed as all my friends. Now though the look, the quirk and endless parade of stars, it's just really hard for me to get past. The only one I can say I really liked was The Life Aquatic. I enjoyed The Grand Budapest Hotel, but it took a lot to get me in that theater. The trailer to his last movie looked like a parody of his films and I just couldn't be less interested. The trailer to Astroid City is probably the most visually repellent to me of anything I've seen from him. Im afraid Wes Anderson is just one artist (who is admittedly unique and endlessly creative) that never spoke to me.

[@Greg021153]

Life Aquatic stood out for me too. The story or whatever overtook the aesthetic, which usually doesn't happen for me in a Wes Anderson movie. I was momentarily enchanted.

[@rexdominguez9894]

should be called hemorrhoid city

[@playlistaccount]

The maggeth

[@clsrocks007]

Maggie are u a physical media collector?

[@farhanrahman7119]

Never watched a wes Anderson film,gonna start with rushmore i guess.

[@plath1756]

Yeah, I thought it was exquisite. I think The French Dispatch hits me on a more personal level, but both are top-notch in my opinion. The heart of the film exists between Scarlett and Schwartzman, agreed. I've loved Scarlett since Ghostworld, so it's difficult for me to be objective, but I do believe she's found a comfort in playing on-screen mothers that she lacked when most of her roles were centered around her sex appeal. So, for me, the therapeutic romance and the alien's loveable distress, that was all I really needed. Everything else, beautiful filigree. The Isle of Dogs was a heartless doodle in my opinion. 6/10. So glad Wes got his mojo back.