Wes Anderson is known for his astounding cinematography, stylistic visuals and quirky sense of dry humor. His insane attention to detail has made him an icon in the film industry.
I ranked his entire filmography from his debut “Bottle Rocket” to his most recent film “Asteroid City.”
- “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (2004)
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In last place, we have “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.” Zissou is a famous oceanographer who sails into the sea to take revenge on the rare jaguar shark who killed his friend Esteban.
In my opinion, this felt stale and not a crazy amount of action. While still visually appealing, it lacked the substance of a plot to rank higher on my list.
- “Rushmore” (1998)
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Now, this is a hot take, but I put “Rushmore” in 10th place. It’s about a young student named Max who attends Rushmore Academy and quickly falls in love with his teacher while bonding with the father of his two schoolmates.
I couldn’t connect with this film because of the weird relationship between Max and Ms. Cross, the schoolteacher. There were some good bits in the movie, but it wasn’t enough to save the film for me.
- “Bottle Rocket” (1996)
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Anderson’s debut, “Bottle Rocket,” built the foundation of techniques that he would use in his later films.
In this story, we follow Anthony, who, after being released from a mental hospital, joins his best friend Dignan on an outrageous crime spree.
This was a fun little movie to watch. It doesn’t have that substantial of a plot but makes up for it through humor and goofiness.
The movie did tend to drag on a bit in between each of the heists but was a good start to Anderson’s career.
- “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)
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This movie is the true birthplace of Anderson’s modern style. “The Royal Tenenbaums” is about (you guessed it) the Tenenbaum family, which is split apart by the actions of the father, Royal Tenenbaum.
One day, Royal decides to try and sneak his way back into the family, so he pretends to have a deadly illness.
This film has a very “Arrested Development” feel and is a very dense piece of work. In other words, it can be mysterious at times and it’s inconclusive as to how you are supposed to interpret some scenes.
That’s the main reason I ranked this so low; I didn’t grasp the meaning behind some of the deadpan scenes. I also generally dislike the use of love triangles in films.
- “Isle of Dogs” (2018)
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This is the less popular animated movie with wild animals by Anderson.
In this movie, Mayor Kenji Kobayashi makes an executive decree, forcing all of the canine pets of Megasaki City onto a garbage dump called “Trash Island.” Atari, a 12-year-old boy, ventures in a mini plane into Trash Island to find his dog Spots.
While this doesn’t compare to “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” it still has a lot to love about it. The arc between Chief and Atari is a wonderful story to watch unfold.
- “The Darjeeling Limited” (2007)
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“The Darjeeling Limited” is about three brothers who haven’t spoken in over a year and reunite to go on a spiritual journey in India.
This has to be one of the most underrated Anderson films out of the whole list. It is a bit toned down style-wise, but it is a very character-driven film.
It has top-notch writing and performances that serve the story of the three brothers well.
- “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012)
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“Moonrise Kingdom” is Anderson’s most wholesome film. It follows Sam and Suzy, two 12-year-olds who have fallen in love and made a pact to run away together.
This movie is so unbelievably cute and beautiful to see. Watching makes you feel like a kid again, which pairs well with the yellow color grading of the film.
Overall, this is an adorable movie I would see again with friends and family.
- “Asteroid City” (2023)
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“Asteroid City” is Anderson’s most recent work and most layered to date. It takes place in a fictional American desert town in 1955, and world-changing events disrupt a Space Cadet convention.
With this project, Anderson was much more introspective than his previous works and it played in his favor. The play within a play aspect is such a fun concept to watch unfold, and the meaning of the film really resonates with me.
You’re going to need a rewatch though if you want to understand the deep themes packed into this film.
- “The French Dispatch” (2021)
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“The French Dispatch” is the best directed in Anderson’s filmography. It is impeccably entertaining and quite engaging.
It’s about a weekly American newspaper printed in a French city in the 1950s and tells a collection of short stories published in “The French Dispatch.”
Many people tend to rank this film low because the short stories are not long enough to connect with the characters, but I wholeheartedly disagree.
It does lack a lot of thematic depth that enhances other Anderson films, but it is laced with some of the best visuals to date and has an insane amount of detail.
- “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014)
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This film happens to be the first Anderson movie I ever saw.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” is about a European ski resort in which concierge, Gustave, runs with the newly hired help of Zero, the lobby boy.
When one of Gustave’s lovers dies mysteriously, he inherits a priceless painting and also becomes the chief suspect in her murder.
This movie is full of twists and turns and will keep you wanting more. Like all Anderson films, it’s visually beautiful and has fantastic acting while building an amazing character dynamic between Gustave and Zero.
- “FanTASTIC Mr. Fox” (2009)
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To finish this list off, we have “Fantastic Mr. Fox” in first place.
This story follows Mr. Fox, a wild animal thief who is lying to his family while he completes one last heist to set himself up for their future.
This film is the most visually appealing work of art I have ever seen. From the animation to the plot to the overall message, it can’t be beat. The amount of detail in each shot is practically insane.
In my opinion, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is Anderson’s magnum opus and his best work to date.
To conclude, Wes Anderson is an amazingly talented writer and director. I can’t wait for the future projects he has to come.