THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU (2004) - Dec. 22, 2004
After House of Flying Daggers let me down so hard, I was starting to get worried: would two of my favourite directors let me down in the same day? Fortunately, Wes delivered the goods in a big way -- this is an instant classic and is definitely right up there with Wes' masterpiece, Rushmore. Wes continues to prove that he is one of the most visually inventive directors out there, and seems to have some kind of sixth sense that allows him to perfectly match music to his visuals. But of course, that would be meaningless if the characters and plot were no good. This is certainly not the case. Bill Murray gives what may be his best performance yet as an oceanographer who realizes that his best days are behind him. Owen Wilson sheds his usual wise-cracking persona and actually attempts to create a real character. And Willem Dafoe is hilarious as a German member of Steve Zissou's crew who sees Steve as a father. I'll have to watch it a few more times before I decide whether or not it's better than Rushmore. ****
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