movie review - The Grand Budapest Hotel
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
Toronto, 2016.02.17
This is a Wes Anderson movie in which a hotelier runs afoul of the "pock-marked fascists" in the years leading up to and including WWII. It's recounted by a protege who witnessed the events as a young man. It's got the trademark Anderson whimsy but also a great deal of legitimate action and intrigue. A substantial portion of the film is set in prison, where the hotelier makes fast friends with the resident toughs.
This has a lot going for it as well as a few unnecessary indulgences. A birthmark shaped like Mexico and a bob-sled scene leap to mind. But overall, I was pleased.
Recommended.