see it

Rating: 8/10 (4 January 2014)

Typically there are two kinds of Hollywood movies. The successful ones that transport you into a world which, for just a short while, is preferable to the one you actually live in. And the unsuccessful ones which transport you into a much more disagreeable world where behind-the-scenes dealmakers work tirelessly to create completely forgettable (and often horrible) films that are designed merely to serve the system; that is, put a paycheck in everyone's pocket, and keep the "pipeline" to cable and mobile media full of pudgy product. There is also a third category -- films so good that from the first few frames they transport you not only to a more interesting world than the one you actually inhabit, but a world you never really would want to ever leave. And that in a nutshell is Moonrise Kingdom,one of the most escapist and endearing and unpredictable films ever made. In one of the earliest scenes in the move, a pre-teen boy in a scout uniform busts into the dressing room where a bunch of pre-teen girls are getting ready to put on a opera. Although there are multiple females in the scene, the young lad, with an air of determination that even Sinatra himself would have approved of, singles out one in particular, and manages to pay her a terse, back-handed compliment. The other young ladies in the scene immediately grasp the import of what has taken place. One of them turns to the girl receiving the unwanted attention and says simply, "He likes you." And from that point on, this quirky story of young love never lets up for a moment, and never fails to captivate. The mind-boggling roster of A-list supporting stars, mostly cast against type, only adds to its charm. Edward Norton, formerly of Fight Club and The Hulk, plays a man-boy whose only joy in life is to lead scouts. Bruce Willis gives what many consider his best performance in years as a sad and overlooked sheriff in a town so small that most maps wouldn't even show it. And Bill Murray, once known as the top comic in Hollywood, almost makes you cry.