Streaming Review: ASTEROID CITY
Synopsis: This movie is about a play that is put on about an alien invasion. But, there’s a frame narrative and some surreal metafiction as a lot of characters go to a small town for a Stargazer Event.
Now, like most of Wes Anderson’s films, you will need to watch it a few times to start catching on to what’s going on, the themes, and the underlying philosophy. I’ve seen it a few times and I couldn’t really tell you about the film in detail – just the basics.
The film is visually awesome and there are some deep quotes scattered throughout. But, keep in mind that this is not a light film. It’s definitely not Road House (2024).
You need to really pay attention while watching. I do love a movie with a thick plot like a large burrito that has you feeling the weight of your decision to consume it. You are still happy afterward, but you had to work for it. Bottle Rocket Rocket (1996), I think, was Anderson’s most accessible film. The others, you really need to be in the mood to have an information and artistic overload dumped into your psyche.
The film reminded me of the Robin Williams film Toys (1992) and Southland Tales (2006). These three movies are strange and weird, but not dark. Too often, strange and weird films tend to be gothic, depressing, and take place in a perpetual night.
Asteroid City is one of those movies I wish there was a novelization for. You know, one of those things that were done all the time in the 80’s and 90’s? It would be nice to read.
If you think that I watch too many movies and bring up some films that you’ve never heard of, it is true. I grew up in a psychologically abusive household and movies and food were always there for me. Food gave me comfort and movies gave me an escape.
I didn’t make friends easily in middle school and high school. I did have a best friend. We went to see a lot of movies in the theater and we watched a lot of DVD’s. Even when I lived in Korea, I had summer and winter break off because I was a teacher. The theaters there showed movies twenty-four hours a day, and if you went before 11 AM, a movie ticket was only two dollars.
I just went and saw every movie I could. I mean, why not? It was just a few bucks a week. Even if the movie was bad, I was only out two dollars.
From a Literature teacher’s perspective, I could teach Asteroid City for a whole semester and cover most every part of basic and beginning literary theory, just like Seabiscuit (2003).. However, it would probably bore the students to death. From a screenwriter’s perspective, Asteroid City makes me want to write better. I need to focus more to deliver something great that could be considered true art. As a general viewer, I would be like my father, who asks his son (me) to explain the finer details of the movie to him because he doesn’t get it. Then, he would take what I told him and tell his workmates about the movie so he could sound smart and well read. The last time he called me, it was about Dunkirk (2017) and The Shape of Water (2017).
I’ve always loved movies. My viewing tastes have, of course, changed over the years. I would consider this film to be an art film.
I would recommend it to amateur screenwriters, but I would never suggest the movie to my parents. Asteroid City is one of the reasons I became a cinephile: to see art and philosophy enlighten our lives.
Streaming Review: ASTEROID CITY