803. Ander’s Sons: Asteroid City
Added 2024-12-07 14:00:08 +0000 UTC
Our deep dive of Wes Anderson and P.T. Anderson continues: this time we discuss the 2023 film Asteroid City which follows a town ensemble as they witness first contact. Michael and Abe discuss Wes Anderson’s distinctive style, themes, and characters.
Features:
Michael Swaim: https://bsky.app/profile/michaelswaim.bsky.social
Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty
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Comments
Personally I think Asteroid City’s going to end up being a cult classic in retrospect. In the context of Anderson’s career, all the hat on a hat meta stuff feels super annoying and pretentious right now. But disconnected from its place in his filmography, I think it’s a really powerful story that can be summed up as “Why make art in a painful, meaningless world?” And I think the movie has some beautiful, if messy, answers to that question.
Nick Porisch
2024-12-16 18:00:04 +0000 UTCThis is the only Wes I've seen that I truly did not care about anything but the set during. This just comes back to my thought that maybe older directors should switch to being directing mentors rather than doing it directly so they can focus on the fiddly crafting bits while newer more focused creators can keep projects on task lol. Not a rule persay, but Def how you prevent overly indulgent nothing plots while encouraging the weirder creative urges
Stephen The Lessr
2024-12-09 14:32:05 +0000 UTCI genuinely love Mike's refusal of the Vonnegut comparison, however taking into account the opening with the fantastic Last Train to San Fernando which shows the police chase briefly which I mirrored in the ending is a pretty big 'so it goes'.
sam
2024-12-09 09:28:17 +0000 UTCJust like how Wes Anderson uses color in French Dispatch, Abe only reminds us of KoK so when the Wizard of Oz moment happens, and they open that Secret Window, we're starving for it.
Nathan Davidson
2024-12-08 04:44:57 +0000 UTCI never understand why people get up in arms about film makers making movies about making films, plays, etc. and what have you. People look at any artist making art about their style of art, be it film, play, painting or sculpture and you get the biggest jerk off motions the world has seen. But blues and rock musicians sing about how much they have the blues or love rock and roll and it's a good time. Folks sing along and dance with the music. When an artist has done most everything they can within the accepted structure of their art the only thing left to do is break it and see what they can make. King, Vonnegut, Radiohead and Magritte all got there. I'd say Wes got there too and I don't see it as a bad thing. "Why can't a story just be a story?" Even if it is about making stories? Just my opinion though. I still love the show and Abe & Mike. Kisses guys!
Philip Reinhardt
2024-12-07 22:16:37 +0000 UTCI also realized while listening to this episode that I likely did not finish this movie back when I tried to watch it. Or I fell asleep. Definitely underwhelming compared to his other movies.
Eric Johnson
2024-12-07 17:56:57 +0000 UTCNot everyone!
Small Beans
2024-12-07 17:11:35 +0000 UTCI fell off the Wes bandwagon with French Dispatch. I couldn't even make it through this one. I'm going to give it another shot, armed with your insights. Thanks for that, I guess.😋
Joylesstiger
2024-12-07 15:37:53 +0000 UTCAsteroid city is definitely polarizing. He's one of my favorite filmmakers and AC was the single work I just didn't connect with...but everyone else thought it was a masterpiece.
Georf
2024-12-07 15:07:32 +0000 UTC
