I saw Asteroid City so that you don't have to

[NBachers]

It’s ponderous, dull, and annoying in its self — conscious artificiality.

I often enjoy quirky movies, but the quirkiness in this film was so over — done that I was tired of it after the first five minutes. After the first 15 minutes, I was ready to leave, but I stuck around until I finished my popcorn. Once the popcorn was done, we left. I would pay the money again, just to not have to watch it.

I’m afraid the critics who are raving it up are scared to call it for the stinker it is because they don’t want to lose their access. So I’ll do it myself: this movie is a stinker. Avoid it.

I suppose there is something to “get“ about it, but really, it’s not worth the effort to claim that you “get“ it.

 Go patronize some high school play in your local community and give your money, time, and attention to someone who is making an honest effort, working on it, and deserves it.

I would actually be interested in hearing from someone with a different viewpoint. 

[Wolf Frankula]

1. Asteroid City?

I've been there. I prefer Mars. I'll never go there again.

Wolf

[temporary311]

2. You could pretty much plug this review

into any Wes Anderson movie for me. I've tried, but my tastes just aren't compatible with his style.

[ZZenith]

5. Friend, I don't get it either.

The “suspension of disbelief” is so necessary for me to enjoy a movie, and I can’t watch one of his films without sensing the director in the room, the camera person, the grips, hell, even the makeup artist just outside of frame. And the dialogue is nowhere near clever enough to hold my attention.

[Doc Sportello]

11. You said it well

I've tried with three or four of his movies and can't make it through them. I might have watched Rushmore all the way through but it was a chore. He is so overrated for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Here, loook at me, I'm the director. All style and no substance and unfortunately too many critics and fans buy into it.

[Chi67]

10. Yep

I was going to sat the same. His movies are boring as hell.

[LonePirate]

3. A premise for a good movie exists within this one but what was made is indeed a dull movie.

SPOILERS BELOW!!!

Although the black and white scenes explain the bulk of the story in Asteroid City, they should have been cut along with much of the pointless conversations between Schwartzman and Johansson. The movie should have focused exclusively on the asteroid and the surprise guests. I think a good movie could have been made from that. What Anderson gave us instead was barely above dreadful.

[NBachers]

4. That's when I finally walked out - the lunch counter conversation with Johansson.

There’s a saying that goes “Don’t ever let them catch you acting.“ I guess this was supposed to be a wry take of it, were you caught everybody acting all the damn time. Didn’t work for me.

[Xavier Breath]

17. There was a thread about this movie posted a few days ago

and in that one I remarked about how disappointed I was by this particular effort. I found the framing device he employed to be absolutely jarring. Each time it occurred and we got more play/actor exposition, I was pulled completely out of the story. It was wholly unnecessary.

In my book he hit his zenith with the one-two punch of Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Since then it's been three dogs in a row. Well, The French Dispatch had its moments, I guess.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

6. I still don't get what there is to get

[BWdem4life]

7. Take me down to the Asteroid City

Where the lines are weak and the plot is shitty?

Thanks for the heads up, though I rarely watch movies anyway.

[John1956PA]

8. +1. From what I have read, sitting through the movie is far from paradise. n/t

[samnsara]

9. Thanks! i will wait til its on netfix

[royable]

12. I saw it last week and loved it.

I found it funny and fascinating and I’ve continued to ruminate on it every day since. I’ve seen all of Wes Anderson’s films but one (his first), and while it may not have been the one I liked most, it was near the top. From several people’s comments, it sounds to me as though you were expecting or at least hoping for the film to be more traditional, and that’s not what Anderson does.
The several other theatre goers at the late showing I attended liked it too, I would say. There were lots of laughs and chuckles throughout, and no one left early. My two cents.

[marble falls]

13. This says it all for me ...

"The several other theatre goers at the late showing" Several? At a Late Friday Night showing on opening week???

Even the Anderson culties didn't show up?

[royable]

14. It wasn't a late Friday night showing and it wasn't first week.

And I didn’t interview the other theatre goers (who I didn’t know) to see if they were culties I also didn’t know there were Wes A. culties.
I was just reporting on my reactions and my experience at the theatre, and I can understand why some people wouldn’t care for Anderson’s work and this movie. It’s not for everyone.

[NBachers]

15. And there we go- different people have different likes and dislikes - a well-rounded thread.

Thanks for responding!

[bif]

18. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

I'll probably watch it tonight.

[Eliot Rosewater]

19. It is on PEACOCK now, so I watched it, or I tried to.

The first time I got 3 minutes past the opening credits and the 2nd time I got another 3 minutes, maybe 4.

I will try again and then fast forward to the end. I dont seem to care for it either.

What I want to see is Oppenheimer.

[bif]

20. Saw it last night and really enjoyed it

I guess either you like Wes Anderson or you don't. I love his whacky sense of humor.

[Xavier Breath]

21. It's possible to both like Wes Anderson

and not like this movie. Practically everyone in this thread is a testament to that. I too enjoy his sense of humor. But, he made a clunker IMHO. Better luck to us all with his next film.

[bif]

22. I thought it was style over substance.

The story was a bit weak. But the visuals were very entertaining. Not his best film, but enjoyable none the less.

[Xavier Breath]

23. Oh, it looked great.

The color portions looked like a live-action Roadrunner cartoon, and I say that with sincere praise.

Whenever his next theatrical release occurs I'll go and see it. Unfortunately, I believe his next project is with Netflix, so I won't be seeing that.

[bif]

24. His next project is a short

Based on a Roald Dahl short story.

[Xavier Breath]

25. Right, that's the one appearing on Netflix.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

26. it looks dull. I was hoping it was a sci fi movie

instead its candy colored dreck.