Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

dir Wes Anderson

This is like a butchfemme fantasy love story. One that I will never experience because I refuse to go camping. I’m indoorsy. Put me outside and I’m useless. But from my comfy spot on the couch, I can still enjoy and relate. This is also a film for troubled children, freaky little cosmic lovers, nude artists, friendless weirdos, those with anger issues, yé-yé fans, binocular girls, goofy dancers, smokers, readers, cat people… I could go on. What’s not to love?

I got to watch this with my lover (who happens to be the ethereal, brilliant, and gorgeous girl who created pckt) for Valentine’s Day. Last night we were at BevMo and saw a girl whose fresh ear piercing was dripping blood down her neck, just like Suzy’s fish-hook-piercings. I’m taking it as a sign from the universe that we were destined to watch Moonrise Kingdom together on this day.

There’s so many good throwaways here, like Albert the turtle who literally gets thrown off back into the water. Love everything Frances McDormand does but I especially love her with her stupid megaphone. Ridiculous. I bet she and the police captain get all hot and heavy comparing their loudspeaker options.

Amazing performance from Bruce Willis as well, of course. All of Wes’s usual players are as sharp as expected. It’s not her most dynamic role, but I love when Tilda Swinton plays a regular ol woman. Moonrise Kingdom and Burn After Reading immediately come to mind. Only one question: why can I see Tilda’s blonde hair peeking out from under her ginger wig? What does it mean? Is it some unexplained secret like Isabella Rosselini’s character design for Wild at Heart? Okay, I guess that’s three questions…

This movie reminds me that I really need to hem the pants and sleeves of the old 60s-era Boy Scout uniform I bought off Depop into a shorts/short sleeve set like the Khaki Scouts wear. Not even for a costume. It’s just genuinely a good look and I’m gonna steal it.