A cinematic delight.

Rating: 9/10 (21 April 2014)

Wes Anderson is nothing if not unique. His legion of art-house fans adore him for being fresh, chic and not conforming to mainstream marketability. Others only see pretension, pomposity and arty- fartiness (I'm somewhere in the middle). There should be nary an argument about the likability of Grand Budapest though, it's a cinematic delight from start to finish. Anderson leaves no artistic stone unturned; mixing genres, framing four stories (spanning multiple generations) within each other like a Russian nesting doll, toying with aspect ratios and even dabbling in black and white cinematography. The meticulously designed sets, lavish costumes and gorgeous lighting fill each frame with intricate beauty and are ideally accompanied by Alexandre Desplat's sumptuous score. It's all pulled together by Anderson's own cracking script, which supplies a fulfilling narrative and graces the huge ensemble cast with side-splitting one liners. And what a phenomenal cast it is. Outstanding as Gustave H, the suave and enigmatic concierge of the titular hotel, Ralph Fiennes leads a roster that boasts 3 Oscar winners, 8 Oscar nominees and, naturally for a Wes Anderson picture, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson. Uproarious, intriguing, dazzling and affecting – a must see for lovers of old-school cinema.