The Grand Budapest Hotel

9/10

This is not a new film but I watched it again yesterday and everytime I have the pleasure to watch it I remember why I love it so much!

This movie is basically a story within a story. In fact it starts in the present with a girl in a park reading a book, in front of a monument of the author. In the book The Author is sitting at his desk in 1985 and narrates the trip he made in 1968 to The Grand Budapest Hotel where he met Mr. Moustafa, who told him the story of how he became the owner of the hotel. And again we go back, to 1932, when M. Gustave was the Grand Budapest’s devoted concierge. The most wonderful thing about this storytelling is how cleverly is done. The present is shot in 16:9, the trip he made in 1968 is shot in classic cinema ratio 2.35:1 and the story of M. Gustave and Zero, the lobby boy, is portrayed in 4:3.

The directing by Wes Anderson here is at his best. I absolutely love his style and the work he’s done here is outstanding. A hand of applause to the cinematography as well, simply marvellous.

This movie is an incredible pleasure to watch. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you wonder what they’re going to find themselves in next. It’s a masterpiece of soft comedy narrated through bright colours and wonderful photography.

And even with Birdman as an opponent this film managed to win 4 of the 9 Oscars it was been nominated for. Surely if The Grand Budapest Hotel came out in a different year it would have won Directing, Writing and Cinematography as well. But as I always say Oscars don’t make a movie better and this film is absolutely fantastic as it is, with or without those Academy Awards.