Episode 34 – The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

It's 2014. Franchise movies abound, and American blockbusters are making bank around the world. But some directors, like Wes Anderson, are making movies that defy blockbuster conventions and that experiment with film style. The Grand Budapest Hotel, considered by many to be Anderson's magnum opus, follows concierge Monsieur Gustave and his Lobby Boy protege Zero as Gustave inherits a famous painting, is accused of murder, breaks out of jail, and escapes from fascist Zubrowkan troops (among other escapades). What The Grand Budapest Hotel offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: a star-studded cast, including Ralph Fiennes, Adrian Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, and Owen Wilson, among others; a nostalgia for the culture of old Europe; an odd couple pairing with fussy, pompous Gustave and simple-minded Zero; and Anderson's unique, meticulously constructed style. Show Notes