THE FRENCH DISPATCH OF THE LIBERTY, KANSAS, EVENING SUN: This is a typical Wes Anderson film, with lots of visual jokes, and many actors in common with THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Indeed, the cast is rather spectacular, with seven Oscar winners, 9 Oscar nominees, and three long-time Anderson collaborators. The script is notable, consisting of three separate stories supposedly printed in the title magazine: "The Cycling Reporter" (who reports on the town of Ennui-sur-Blase), "The Concrete Masterpiece" (about mentally disturbed artist), "Revisions to a Manifesto" (dealing with the "Chessboard Revolution"), and "The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner", all of which interconnect. The set design has the same sense of symmetry as THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, and is filmed in part in color and in part in black and white.
Released theatrically 10/21/21; available on various streaming services and on DVD from Netflix. Rating: high +1 (-4 to +4) or 6/10.
Film Credits: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8847712/reference
What others are saying: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_french_dispatch
Mark R. Leeper Copyright 2022 Mark R. Leeper