bignellie-25798 I have just watched the Grand Budapest Hotel (and grand it is, indeed) for the first time and I was wowed beyond expectation. I must admit that I do take prior IMDb ratings into account before watching a movie and I was impressed by this film's high appraisal. Also keeping in mind the noise made by this movie a few years ago at the Oscars, I entered this movie with quite high expectations. This film is nicely paced, and instantly I was put into a trance by the beautifully designed set. I must give credit to Anna Pinnock and Adam Stauckhausen, they rightfully deserved the Academy award for production design on this film. This film is simply beautiful to the eye. This aspect is nicely complimented by the intricate and aesthetically pleasing costume design. The star-studded cast definitely positively impacted my experience. I appreciated the smaller roles played by A-list actors such as Owen Wilson and Bill Murray (Wes Anderson regulars) and others including Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Edward Norton. The acting in this movie is stellar, especially considering that this type of film/performance is not often seen by mainstream present-day audiences. This is not necessarily your run-of-the-mill movie, but in my opinion that is not a bad thing. Although not typical, I would say most movie-going audiences would enjoy this film as I did. The Grand Budapest Hotel balances just the perfect amount of bizarreness, creativity, sentimentality, independency, and story-telling ability to craft a one of a kind piece that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

daoldiges I've found that amongst movie-goers Wes Anderson seems to be a bit polarizing. I'm one of those folks that falls somewhere in the middle regarding his work. I had modest expectations for The Grand Budapest Hotel but have to say I enjoyed it immensely. All of the performances are good and all of the characters are so unique and interesting. Each of them is unique in a way that for me was real and believable, and therefor someone I could relate to. In particular I found the Lobby Boy and his loyalty to the Fiennes character very endearing. Visually it was continually interesting and the hotel, along with the decor, and mannerisms of this film did have an elegant, reserved, old-world feel to it, which added a new dimension to my enjoyment.

ifrausto-10094 One of my friends called this perfection after asking why he loved it. One viewing later, it was.

banls Every moment of this is fantastic. All of the characters have something special about themselves. Whether it's Dmitri and his gang who are quite frightening. Mr. Gustave who steals every scene he's in, or Zero who's awkwardness makes him a great suppor to Gustave and even better when he's on his own. They all come together to form one truly unforgettable and entertaining film that will be a classic in the years to come.