MOONRISE KINGDOM
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
MSRP: $34.98 but Amazon has the blu-ray combo pack, which includes a digital copy, for $23.99.
Running Time: 1hr 34mins
What’s Going On?
In the summer of 1965, two kids on the island of New Penzance, located on the New England coast, decide to run away together. What ensues is a heartfelt, hilarious, and clever little manhunt.
Who’s In It:
Directed by Wes Anderson, MOONRISE KINGDOM, like many of Anderson’s other films features a knockout cast, which includes regulars like Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman and also features Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Bob Balaban, as well as host of talented youngsters.
If You Like…:
Other Wes Anderson movies, especially more recent ones like THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX, children’s stories, young love, were ever in the boy scouts or girl scouts, wonderfully composed shots, dry humor, and things that are generally wonderful, then check this out.
Special Features:
There are three special features, all of which are very short, and are introduced by Bob Balaban, in character. There’s A Look inside Moonrise Kingdom, Welcome to the Island of New Penzance and an all too brief Set Tour with Bill Murray, only because the intricacies of Anderson’s sets are always something to behold.
Let’s hope that like many of Anderson’s other films, this will get the Criterion treatment with a more robust selection of features.
The Technical Gist
It’s gorgeous. I’d recommend watching it on the biggest TV you’ve got access to just so you can take in all of the detail that’s put into every frame.
The Verdict
Though it may be slightly more approachable than Anderson’s early work, I liked MOORISE KINGDOM quite a bit, perhaps because I could get into the characters and still appreciate the quirk, especially more than I could in movies like THE DARJEELING LIMITED. This is right up there with FANTASTIC MR. FOX, and is sure to please even the most cynical bastards – like me. BUY IT. Read Mel’s review for more.
