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A review by earth_to_mars
Asteroid City by Wes Anderson
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Am I biased for giving this five stars? Absolutely. But I don't care.
I was so excited when my friend got me this screenplay for the holidays (Thank you, bestie!). It's one of my top three all time favorite films and my all time favorite from Wes Anderson.
As it stands, it's the only book I have marked up to find my favorite quotes and keep track of the parallels between the character Augie Steenbeck and the actor Jones Hall (both played by my favorite actor Jason Schwartzman). The themeing of grief and how it affects both as the play unfolds became more clear with reading the screenplay and keeping track of every hint that the actor was no longer acting in the play.
What, at first glance, feels like a quirky, odd, film of a fictional play about a fictional town in 1955 becomes a rather raw and candid view and interpretation of grief and the extistentialism that comes with it.
This is technically my fourth time experiencing this film/story and I genuinely cried as I've come to understand the character of Jones Hall even more.
Please, if you haven't watched it, watch it. It's worth it.
As a bonus here's some of my favorite (non-spoiler-y) quotes.
I was so excited when my friend got me this screenplay for the holidays (Thank you, bestie!). It's one of my top three all time favorite films and my all time favorite from Wes Anderson.
As it stands, it's the only book I have marked up to find my favorite quotes and keep track of the parallels between the character Augie Steenbeck and the actor Jones Hall (both played by my favorite actor Jason Schwartzman). The themeing of grief and how it affects both as the play unfolds became more clear with reading the screenplay and keeping track of every hint that the actor was no longer acting in the play.
What, at first glance, feels like a quirky, odd, film of a fictional play about a fictional town in 1955 becomes a rather raw and candid view and interpretation of grief and the extistentialism that comes with it.
This is technically my fourth time experiencing this film/story and I genuinely cried as I've come to understand the character of Jones Hall even more.
Please, if you haven't watched it, watch it. It's worth it.
As a bonus here's some of my favorite (non-spoiler-y) quotes.
"-- we watch, transfixed, as you enter into uncharted territories of the brains and spirit. If you wanted to live a nice, quiet, peaceful life: you picked the wrong time to get born."
"I guess the way I read it: he was looking for an excuse to why his heart was beating so fast."
"I think I know now what I realize we are: two catastrophically wounded people who don't express the depths of their pain -- because we don't want to. That's our connection."
"What's the cause? What's the meaning? Why do you always have to dare something?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm afraid, otherwise, nobody'll -- notice -- my existence -- in the universe."
"I don't like the way that guy looked at us."
"Which guy?"
"The alien."
"Oh. How'd he --"
"Like we're doomed."
"It's all worthwhile. In your lifetime. This, I mean."
"OK."
"Your curiosity is your most important asset. Trust it. Trust your curiosity."
"You can't wake up if you don't fall asleep."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, and War