The Grand Budapest Hotel

Last week I went to see The Grand Budapest Hotel (again).  If you don't already know this, let me tell you now that Wes Anderson is a genius.  The movie is set in Zubrowka, a fictional Alpine European republic, between the wars and includes a panoply of eccentric characters centered around Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), the concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel, and his loyal lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori).  When Madame Desgoffe-und-Taxis (Tilda Swinton), one of Gustave's many wealthy clients who rely on his "exceptional service," dies and leaves Gustave the painting Boy With Apple, her son Dmitri (Adrien Brody) accuses him of her murder.  Gustave enlists the help of Zero and his beloved, Agatha (Saoirse Ronan), to help prove his innocence and thus ensues a fantastical adventure, including a prison break, an appeal to The Society of the Crossed Keys, a high speed chase on skis, a gunfight in the lobby of the hotel, and a mysterious second copy of the second will written by Madame D.  The cast is phenomenal and I was especially blown away by Ralph Fiennes!  I always think of him as a dramatic actor but his comedic timing is superb.  Adrien Brody (I love him in every movie he is in) is hilariously overwrought.   The scene where Dmitri walks down a corridor of the hotel with organ music playing in the background just about killed me!  There is also an impressive list of cameos in this movie (fans of Wes Anderson will recognize many faces);  my favorite is Bill Murray as Monsieur Ivan, a member of The Society of the Crossed Keys.  As with every Wes Anderson movie, the production design is incredibly stylized.  The hotel itself is a piece of pink confectionery and the banners on the hotel at the outbreak of war are almost a spoof of the Nazi swastika.  In my opinion, this movie is brilliant and I highly recommend it!