A Unique Gem

Rating: 9/10 (5 February 2019)

Moonrise Kingdom chronicles the life of two teenage lovers during the 1960s that flee their New England town, which causes the locals to search for them. The characters involve a marching scout sam, who has been outcasted by the rest of his troop, and an aggressive teenage girl named Suzy, who has shut herself off from the rest of her family. The characters are really what drive the focus of the film, and anyone who is a fan of light hearted and feel-good films should be able to enjoy the film, while also being able to embrace its distinctive dry, sarcastic humor.
The movie is influential to me on a personal level because it was the first film that I saw that made me realize that film can be much more than just entertainment, but it can also balance artistic integrity as well, as evident in the masterful presentation. The first time that my mother had put on the movie, I thought it was going to be very dull and uninteresting based on the plot synopsis, seeing as though I was only eleven at the time. But after watching the film, there was plenty of visual humor and colorful characters to keep my interest.
The cinematography is symmetrical and the editing is used to an almost striking effect that, in my case, mimics a classic storybook that lends itself to multiple viewings (Also, the books that Suzy stole from the library could also represent this idea). This style is also frequently used in Wes Anderson's other films, such as Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), The Grand Budapest Hotel(2014), and, just recently, Isle of Dogs (2018). A lot of the characters behave in a almost monotone manner that makes the dialogue sound a little stilted and monotone at times, however, I believe that it lends itself to a more surrealistic take on more serious issues that the film tackles. The themes that Anderson focuses on are teenage adolescence and childhood and how it juxtaposes with the adult world and how the two perspectives contrast.