In Wes Anderson’s 2012 film Moonrise Kingdom, one of the protagonists carries a small collection of stolen library books wherever she goes. If Wes Anderson movies had a scent, they would probably smell like these books: dusty, worn volumes, the kind in the children’s section with yellowed pages, clear plastic wrappers, and illustrated covers. They’re not the glossy paperbacks that sit on the New Releases shelf, but the ones that are tucked away into little-visited corners; not particularly current, but containing the potent, often seductive lure of a far away time. As a director, Anderson seems drawn almost exclusively to objects and styles that have achieved a certain vintage and he often looks towards the past with rosy (or should I say yellow) eyed nostalgia. Although Anderson’s films have taken place in a number of different settings and time periods, this film’s place in time seems particularly suited to the director’s romance with the not-too-distant past. One might almost believe that Anderson chose Moonrise Kingdom’s period, approximately 1965, for the sole purpose of being able to furnish a film so fully with his aesthetic. Indeed, as far as Wes Anderson films go, Moonrise is most certainly his most ornate, and arguably his most style-driven. Plot seems to have been placed on the back-burner here, more a vehicle for changing scenery and witty observations about childhood than the film’s main attraction. This, however, appears to be completely intentional. Rather than a typical plot-driven movie, Moonrise Kingdom functions more as a beautiful gesamtkunstwerk in which each of its elements informs the larger whole, creating what is more a piece of visual art than a movie. Throughout the film, Anderson’s trademark style shines brilliantly—from his wonderfully framed shots to his penchant for muted, warm color. At its best, Moonrise Kingdom combines its various elements to create what I can only describe as an intangible experience—a funny, charming, and visually mesmerizing escape from the present. As a physical document, it is nostalgia objectified. —Max
1. Shift Dress | 2. Coonskin Cap | 3. Leica Binoculars | 4. Knee-High Socks | 5. Green Eyeshadow | 6. Wool Blanket | 7. Oxford Shoes | 8. Pocket Knife | 9. Lone Scout Neckerchief
