So I got caught up on all of Wes Anderson's movie since I've really liked some of them and I can appreciate a quirky director with a quirky vision, and I've come to the conclusion that, on the whole, yeah, I like Wes's movies fine, but I don't think I can call him one of my favorite directors. I really like his production design and cinematography, which is mesmerizing to look, but too often his dry sense of humor, surreal dialogue, and emotionally detached characters just don't really resonate with me. Still, glad to knock these off my to-watch list.
With the exception of Bottle Rocket, which I've not seen and not sure I'll ever see, here's my ranking of all his movies.
10 - Asteroid City - Not bad, but it kinda spreads itself too thin. Crazy to see Wes going full David Lynch at the end.
9 - Moonrise Kingdom - Actually saw this one a while back. I remember really wanting to like it, but being kind of disappointed. I should rewatch it some time.
8 - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Mostly kind of dull, but man that ending goes a long way towards redeeming it. Maybe the best scene Wes has ever produced.
7 - The French Dispatch - Yeah, this one definitely needs a second watch since I couldn't follow what was happening half the time. Great production value though.
6 - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Another one I really wanted to like, but, I dunno. This movie just doesn't add up to me and I wasn't sure what it was getting at.
5 - The Darjeeling Limited - A relatively simple Wes outing, but still delightful, and I'm a sucker for trains.
4 - Rushmore - A charming and entertaining story where Wes starts to really develop his style.
3 - The Royal Tenenbaums - Definitely the first "true" Wes Anderson movie. Engaging and funny, though I could've done without the incest subplot.
2 - Isle of Dogs - I guess this is a pretty divisive movie, but, I dunno, I found it really charming and funny.
1 - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Duh.
Oh yeah, and I have seen The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, but that's not a full theatrical movie, so I'm not listing it here.