The Royal Tenenbaums

This is definately my most favorite Wes Anderson film. I just watched it again recently and figured might as well write something about it. For me it kinda ranks up there with American Beauty as showing what some American families are like and are films where I think most people can directly relate to on one or more levels. For me I feel like I can relate to various characters in both movies, or have members in my own family that greatly resemble some of the characters. The basic premise for this film is a man trying to reconnect with his family after psuedo tearing it apart over the past 30 years or so. He seems to be a very selfish, self-centered person which is very evident in why he wants to reconnect with his family in the first place. He has 3 children who were all geniuses as children, however "Vitrually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums had been erased by nearly two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster." Now that right there is a very powerful statement. Here's a family that had so much potential but has been torn apart at the seems by outsiders, circumstances, and eachother. At times this can be a hard movie to watch because it brings up memories, thoughts and images from my past. It's not like I can't look at the screen, but it always gets me thinking about things during and afterwards. I mentioned this in my other blog but I'd have to say my most favorite - and hardest to watch- scene is when Richie tries to kill himself. He has just found out some things about his sister and kinda loses it. I've never attempted suicide myself, but have definately been in a depressed state like that before. Kinda sucks. Well, I must suggest you watch this if you haven't seen it yet. Come talk to me and borrow it or we'll watch it together.