[FILM REVIEW] ASTEROID CITY Review (2023)

August 13, 2023August 23, 2023 Dave Adrien Brody, Alex First, Ara Hollyday, Aristou Meehan, Asteroid City, Brayden Frasure, Bryan Cranston, Central Coast Radio, David Griffiths, Edward Norton, Ella Faris, Elvira Arce, Ethan Josh Lee, Germany, Grace Edwards, Gracie Faris, Hong Chau, Hope Davis, Ivan Lopez, Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman, Jeff Goldblum, Jeffrey Wright, Liv Schreiber, Margot Robbie, Matt Dillon, Maya Hawke, Paul Kynman, Preston Mota, Rita Wilson, Roman Coppola, Rupert Friend, Scarlett Johansson, Sophia Lillis, Steve Carrell, Steve Park, The Popcorn Conspiracy Radio Show, Tilda Swinton, Tom Hanks, USA, Wes Anderson, Willan Faris, Willem Dafoe, Zoe Bernard

Summary :Following a writer on his world famous fictional play about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to small rural Asteroid City to compete in a junior stargazing event, only to have his world view disrupted forever.

Year: 2023

Cinema Release Dates: 10th August 2023 (Australia), TBA (Thailand), 20th June 2023 (UK), 13th June 2023 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: TBA

Country: USA, Germany

Director: Wes Anderson

Screenwriter: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola

Cast: Elvira Arce (Mary), Zoe Bernard (Bernice), Adrien Brody (Schubert Green), Steve Carrell (Motel Manager), Hong Chau (Polly), Bryan Cranston (Host), Willem Dafoe (Saltzburg Keitel), Hope Davis (Sandy Borden), Matt Dillon (Mechanic), Grace Edwards (Dinah), Ella Faris (Andromeda), Gracie Faris (Pandora), Willan Faris (Cassiopeia), Brayden Frasure (Billy), Rupert Friend (Montana), Jeff Goldblum (The Alien), Tom Hanks (Stanley Zak), Maya Hawke (June), Ara Hollyday (Skip Weatherford), Scarlett Johansson (Midge Campbell), Paul Kynman (Lunky), Ethan Josh Lee (Ricky), Sophia Lillis (Shelly), Ivan Lopez (Romulus), Aristou Meehan (Clifford), Preston Mota (Dwight), Edward Norton (Conrad Earp), Steve Park (Roger Cho), Margot Robbie (Actress/Wife), Jake Ryan (Woodrow), Liv Schreiber (J.J. Kellogg), Jason Schwartzman (Augie Steenbeck), Tilda Swinton (Dr. Hickenlooper), Rita Wilson (Mrs. Weatherford), Jeffrey Wright (General Gibson)

Running Time: 105 mins

Classification: M (Australia), TBC (Thailand), 12-A (UK), PG-13 (USA)

OUR ASTEROID CITY REVIEWS

David Griffiths’ Asteroid City Review

Alex’s rating Out Of 5

Alex First’s Asteroid City Review

Creative and confounding, I wouldn’t have expected anything less from the eclectic mind of master filmmaker Wes Anderson.

Set in 1955, a TV host introduces an imaginary drama called Asteroid City.

At first, the focus is on noted playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton), but that hardly makes for engaging entertainment.

So, very soon we are being introduced to the first read through of Earp’s latest work.

A junior astronomy convention is being held in a fictional desert town.

Into that setting comes Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) with his four children.

They include his “brainiac” son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) and Woodrow’s three, strong willed, younger sisters.

When the family car breaks down, Augie calls his father-in-law Stanley Zak (Tom Hanks) for help.

Stanley doesn’t much care for Augie and can’t believe his son-in-law hasn’t told the children that his wife (their mother) has passed away.

Augie has with him (in a less than appropriate vessel) his wife’s ashes.

As events unfold, Augie meets and falls for a famous but cynical actress, Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson).

But the real kicker comes when an alien arrives at the convention and departs with “a sample”, resulting in everyone being quarantined.

Asteroid City is heaps of fun.

Just sit back and savour Wes Anderson forging his quirky form of magic on screen. It is a film resplendent with actors who are clearly having a ball.

Anderson’s dry humour (the story is by him and Roman Coppola) is all over this production, which at times is difficult to follow.

Nevertheless, it remains captivating.

You dare not look away, for fear you will miss another pearler.

Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson are standouts. Their scenes together, across neighbouring windows, light up the screen.

I also kept a lookout for Margot Robbie and when her turn came, as Augie’s dear departed, she didn’t disappoint.

Bryan Cranston does an earnest job as the TV host during the black and white era.

So, too, Edward Norton as the Asteroid City playwright.

Interesting to see Tom Hanks in a contrary, judgmental space as Augie’s disapproving father-in-law.

Notwithstanding all the hijinks, Asteroid City still has some important observations to make about the atom bomb.

Not surprisingly, those thoughts are delivered in entirely different style to Oppenheimer.

Asteroid City’s production design and set decoration are delightful throwbacks to a bygone era. I couldn’t get enough of their playful nature. In summary then, I emerged from the film puzzled but pleased.

Alex’s rating Out Of 5

Average Subculture rating Out Of 5

Other Asteroid City Reviews:

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Trailer: