The French Dispatch

"If you've watched other films by filmmaker Wes Anderson - such as Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs and Moonrise Kingdom - you know exactly what to expect from The French Dispatch: extravagant lyricism, refined humor, polished aesthetics, beautiful cinematography, a story based on subtleties, and lots and lots of eccentricity. This time, the director and screenwriter makes a great homage to literary journalism, with the publication 'The French Dispatch' clearly inspired by the magazine 'The New Yorker'. Thus, we follow the gaze of American journalists in the fictional French city of Ennui - all inspired by important names in the North American press, such as Harold Ross, Joseph Mitchell and James Baldwin. In anthology format, the feature film seeks to address the most diverse topics, such as the value and interpretation of art, human relationships, love, sex, the search for youth for revolution and the clash with conservatism, gentrification and even journalistic neutrality. The cast is stellar, including names like Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Elisabeth Moss, Tilda Swinton, Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Christoph Waltz, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Liev Schreiber, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe and Saoirse Ronan - all in major or minor roles, some appearing for just a few seconds. It is certainly not the most accessible film by Wes Anderson, requiring the viewer, in some way, to orbit or have a taste for the themes brought to the screen, in addition to an affection for the director's style. If that is the case, you will certainly find a love letter to literary journalism and art, including cinematography."