An Apology to My Friends Who Have Taste

I tried. I really honestly did. I went into it with an open mind. I even went into it wanting to like it. I found an Easter Egg on the DVD and although I hadn't seen the film, I thought the outtake was hilarious. But alas and alack.

I hated The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

There isn't one thing in particular about it I can point to and say "That is why I didn't like the movie." I think it's just hard for me to get into Wes Anderson's style.

All of my friends love his movies, find them at [or near] the pinnacle of comedic filmmaking, and I want to get the joke and share the fun, but I end up sitting and watching and not being able to find out what everyone else is laughing at. In my opinion it feels like Anderson gathers some of the best comedic actors working and then refuses to let them be funny, almost draining the film of laughs. I'm not saying his films aren't funny (I laughed aloud once or twice while watching Aquatic) but the time between those laughs just seem to drag. When I'm not laughing or smiling at something happening on the screen, I find myself bored stiff. I don't really care or root for any of the characters and I sometimes feel like the film is trying too hard to be quirky. And I loathed the CGI marine life.

I enjoyed Bottle Rocket and then seemed to like each of his following movies less and less as they came. I couldn't even finsh Aquatic so maybe I have no reason to dislike the film since I didn't sit through the whole thing (but I didn't finish The Postman either). Still, I didn't find it as utterly boring and mind-numbing as I did The Royal Tennenbaums [and I realize that probably doesn't really come off as a compliment, but it sort of is].

So again, I apologize. I realize most people who read this will disagree and their rebuttals and reasons for liking Anderson's films are more than valid. I'm not saying I'm right and they're wrong. There's just something about my cerebral cortex that doesn't click with Andersonian filmmaking. It must be me, because I trust the opinion of my buddies who are big fans (Grant, Lane, Aaron, and Keith).

I mean hey, I own all three Spy Kids movies on DVD. It's got to be me, right?