LIFE AQUATIC

THE FLICK: can almost guarantee that every review for Wes Anderson’s latest film will include a description such as “quirky,” “off-beat” or even “not for all tastes.” And with good reason, because despite starring Bill Murray – whose work prior to his flirtation with Oscar gold in Lost in Translation was mostly predictable goofball comedies – The Life Aquatic is lost in a world of its own invention. And, frankly, Wes Anderson could care less if you hang around or not. At least that’s the vibe the movie puts out, cast with a eclectic array of acting talent, (Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum) who ride the tides of black comedy, heartfelt fantasy and general silliness. Steve Zissou (Murray) is a has-been underwater adventurer who vows revenge against a rare shark that ate his mentor and best friend. Joining his usual crew of misfits is Ned (Wilson) – who may be Zissou’s son from a previous relationship – and a pregnant journalist (Blanchett) who creates a romantic entanglement between the two. From there the voyage drifts into muddy familial relationships, a pirate attack in unprotected waters and the eventual encounter with the man-eating shark. After the critical success of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaum’s, Anderson’s has become quite comfortable as a latter-day auteur. His films reflect a confident sense of play that’s far and away from anything else on the indie scene, brimming with detailed production design and creative flourishes (all the sea life in The Life Aquatic is rendered in stop-motion animation by The Nightmare Before Christmas’ ?). Even more important, his scripts attract the kind of talent that can pull off his constantly-on-the-verge comedy/drama. But his past successes have led to a glaring absence of respect for the audience. Anderson gets drops everything to riff on classic rock from The Stooges or David Bowie - just because he can – while his film is treading water. The Life Aquatic, for all its unique and inventive qualities, adds up to an episodic family therapy session full of private jokes and pregnant pauses. Murray pulls off some deadpan punchlines, to be sure (“Don’t point that at him, he’s an unpaid intern” he says to a gruff looking pirate with a spear gun), but even his casting creates certain expectations that Anderson’s film can never meet. Unconventional filmmaking is something to be applauded. God knows, there’s not enough of it to go around. And The Life Aquatic enjoys letting its audience fill in the emotional details while its director creates a visual feast. But that leaves the audience holding nothing but a cold fish. THE FEATURES: Part of the well-regarded Criterion Collection, the 2-disc DVD is – pardon the pun – loaded to the gills with special features. Director’s commentary, ten deleted scenes, and a documentary by Albert Maysles, This Is an Adventure, are the biggies. But there’s plenty more where that came from: Anderson hyping the film on an Italian talk show, an interview with composer (and ex-Devo member) Mark Mothersbaugh, behind-the-scenes footage and production artwork, 10 complete performances of David Bowie songs in Portuguese by actor Seu Jorge, and an intern video journal playfully presented in the style of the film. THE LAST SHOT: Movies about the movies usually fall flat with too many inside jokes and wink-wink-nudge-nudge pokes at the industry. In short, if you don’t live on one of the “Coasts,” it’s really not for you. But The Last Shot, based on the true story of two filmmakers who were duped by the FBI into making a “fake” movie to take down members of the mob, is actually fun even for us chumps in the flyover states. Matthew Broderick is the patsy whose script, “Arizona,” is pulled out of obscurity by Agent ? (Alec Baldwin) posing as a big-time Hollywood producer. But the greenlight comes with a few catches – not the least of which is substituting the deserts of Arizona for the urban streets of Rhode Island in January. Toni Collette makes the most of her turn as a high-profile (but high-strung) starlet who falls for the scam, too. But it’s Baldwin, whose character wants to shoot the film as much as he wants to catch the bad guys, who comes out on top. Extras include interviews with the real individuals involved, deleted scenes, commentary and more. Very worthwhile!