8. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
The Royal Tenenbaums was the first Wes Anderson film I saw. This film was foundational in showing me that a movie can have its own distinctive style and voice. As most will probably agree, you can know you're watching a Wes Anderson film by watching it for only a scene or two. It's that clear. And, that, in my opinion, is pretty cool.
There are those out there who are a bit 'over' or tired of Anderson's films, partially due to the fact that they are 'all similar' or evoke a similar style or feel. I don't agree with this and believe that most of his film's have a unique enough story to stand well on their own. The Royal Tenenbaums, in particular, has a character-depth and a darkness to it that many of his others do not possess. The Grand Budapest Hotel and Fantastic Mr. Fox I also hold in very high regard but Tenenbaums I still hold as my favourite.
As with many of the best comedy-dramas, The Royal Tenenbaums is about a dysfunctional family. Aside from it being an Anderson film, what sets it apart is the distinct characterization of each of the family members. At the start of the film, the titular patriach, a fiery ex-businessman with a history of lying and cheating, is estranged from the rest of his family: the mother, Etheline, is a strict woman who seems to, in equal measure, care for her children while also holding them at a distance, one son, Chas, is a business-prodigy and recent single parent after his wife passed away, other son, Richie, was a child tennis prodigy and recent self-exile from the family, and lastly, daughter, Margot, is somewhat of a recluse in the family and was a successful child playwright. On top of this are the interesting figures around the family. None of this would mean much if it weren't for the stellar cast in the film that includes, Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson and Gwyneth Paltrow (as the Tenenbaums), plus supporting roles in Bill Murray, Danny Glover and Owen Wilson. Anderson's films are notorious for the star-studded casts he conjures together for them, and, in this regard, Tenenbaums was arguably the first for this.
Although the characters are all eccentric in their own ways, the dynamics within and around the family are all too familiar. It is this quality that makes the film so endearing. Love and loss, hardships and successes, sibling rivalries, and familial partings and reunions are all present throughout the film. Anderson's off-kilter comedy is ever-present and, similarly, so is his unique signature cinematography filled with its static shots, inserts and, of course, always-centered framing. The Royal Tenenbaums is in instant, quirky classic that sits at Number Eight on my list.
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