A brilliantly bizarre movie

Rating: 9/10 (22 September 2016)

The Grand Budapest Hotel is unlike anything else I have seen. And for once, that is actually a compliment. Some people may be quick to dismiss this as simply 'style over substance', but I would argue that it has, and exceeds equally brilliantly at both.
In terms of style, this is an excellently shot movie with not one ordinary shot - the cinematography is flawless and includes some very memorable shots. The colours, the music, the ridiculous CGI, and the on-point editing along with every other small detail (like how the shape of the camera lens changes for different time periods) all combine to make a very impressive movie. The cast is almost consistently good, from Ralph Finnes to Bill Murray to Tilda Swinton to Jude Law (although admittedly Edward Norton feels a bit out of place in his role).
In terms of substance, the movie has a depth of heart and feeling that many movies lack. It seeps with nostalgia, and is filled with characters that are surprisingly potent. The movie is filled with a large amount of loss and compassion, yet still makes room for very obvious, and sometimes quite dark, comedy (that certainly hits hard). The ending is subtle but leaves an impact on the audience that will stick with you for a while.
There is not one ordinary thing about this movie. It is comical to the extreme, and with every dose of refreshing originality the movie offers you, along with every marvellous set piece and over the top character, it comes together to form one coherent and bizarre movie, and a great one at that.