moonrise kingdom

quirky, funny and would be strange to many. that’s what moonrise kingdom is. i usually read on various sources before watching a film but i did not do such reading about moonrise kingdom. instead, i just went along the ride so to speak. the movie is about early teenage love between sam and suzy and the unusual adults in their midst. in a sense, it was that odd homage to the director’s (wes anderson) childhood.

true to anderson’s quirky style, the movie did not have overly dramatic scenes or score. saturated colors completed the feel about an island that is home to seemingly oddballs. edward norton was a standout as the scout leader who would have wanted to prove himself to his superior but didn’t fare well when sam went away with suzy and the succeeding mishits. bruce willis also did well, as tilda swinton, frances mcdormand and bill murray.

while the idea of teenagers going away and spending “quality time” alone in a deserted beach isn’t a good one, there was a sense of goodwill throughout the movie. more of a small community’s concern with each other. even when there was a touch of adults not knowing how to relate to the kids, there was an air of “good-naturedness” the whole time. frank, witty and even weird at times, the script was well-written and i liked these particular exchanges:

     

sam: i admit we knew we'd get in trouble. that part's true. we knew people would be worried, and we still ran away, anyway. but something also happened, which we didn't do on purpose. when we first met each other, something happened to us.

captain sharp: that's very eloquent. i can't argue against anything you're saying. but then again, i don't have to, 'cause you're 12 years old. look, let's face it, you're probably a much more intelligent person than i am. in fact, i guarantee it. but even smart kids stick they're finger in electrical sockets sometimes. it takes time to figure things out. it's been proven by history. all mankind makes mistakes. it's our job to try to protect you from making the dangerous ones, if we can. we want a slug?

sam: sometimes i stick leaves on my hair. it helps cool your head down.

suzy: hmm. that's a good idea. it might also help if you didn't wear a fur hat.

sam: why do you always use binoculars?

suzy: it helps me see things closer. even if they're not very far away. i pretend it's my magic power.

sam: that sounds like poetry. poems don't always have to rhyme, you know. they're just supposed to be creative.

enjoyable treat... last i read, moonrise kingdom was one of the producers’ guild of america’s ten nominees for outstanding picture for 2012.