Asteroid City

Focus Features | Release Date: June 16, 2023

6.6	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 120 Ratings

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JamkasJun 30, 2023

I don't think this was a horrible movie but I can't get myself to consider it a great experience either. The characters and story felt quite tedious if I'm honest. It wasn't what I would consider boring but I was constantly expecting for theI don't think this was a horrible movie but I can't get myself to consider it a great experience either. The characters and story felt quite tedious if I'm honest. It wasn't what I would consider boring but I was constantly expecting for the movie to take off in some way but it never really did. When I walked out of the cinema I was feeling I surely had missed something but I as much as I think about it I can't come up with anything...… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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yogiebereJul 2, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It had some entertaining moments and good acting from a star studded cast obviously, but overall fell flat and wasn't an improvement over the mediocrity of the French Dispatch. It moved at TV show miniseries pace with the movie taking us down several separate plot lines and development of characters ultimately for the plots to abruptly end at the 1:40 mark without any of them wrapping up in meaningful or satisfying ways.

The parts with the play within a play really took me out of the moment and didn't really seem to matter, I felt no connection to the "real world" characters. The scene at the end was maybe supposed to be powerful and meaningful? But it just made think wow this is really weird.

Also, what a waste of many good actors such as Cranston and Robbie.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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Luke9648Jul 21, 2023

Wow. Well here's the positive- it's a Wes Anderson movie. So if you love Wes Anderson films, go ahead and give it a whirl. Amazing cast too. Like, all-time amazing. Now here's the bad- like....... not much really happens. It kind of comes andWow. Well here's the positive- it's a Wes Anderson movie. So if you love Wes Anderson films, go ahead and give it a whirl. Amazing cast too. Like, all-time amazing. Now here's the bad- like....... not much really happens. It kind of comes and goes and it's over. Cute enough i suppose. Aggressively mediocre.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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MBurghJul 1, 2023

This cryptic film amused me, but failed to move me. All performances hit the right tone, but in service to what? I get the feeling Anderson is filming all the plays he laid out in Rushmore.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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saucyninja007Jun 23, 2023

"Asteroid City" is a step-up from "French Dispatch" but still one of the weakest offerings from Wes Anderson. The signature style is there but - unlike with Anderson classics like "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - there"Asteroid City" is a step-up from "French Dispatch" but still one of the weakest offerings from Wes Anderson. The signature style is there but - unlike with Anderson classics like "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - there is a noticeable lack of heart. The characters in "Asteroid City" don't feel like people. Instead they feel like side-characters or puppets in a Wes Anderson doll-house, delivering their lines in the Wes Anderson style - robotic, sarcastic and smug - that comes off tedious instead of charming in this instance. After watching "Asteroid City", I wondered why half of the characters were even in the story (the teacher and student characters immediately come to my mind). It is a shame that the plot in "Asteroid City" fails to generate any momentum. This review doesn't have any plot spoilers but honestly I do not know what I could even spoil since nothing meaningful happens. There are some mildly comical scenes here and there but nothing truly engaging. The framing device of "Asteroid City" is unnecessary, disorienting, and indulgent: the audience (us) watches actors play actors in a play while at the same time watching said play unfold as a movie. What purpose does this ultimately serve? I could not find one. Overall my opinion of "Asteroid City" becomes less favorable the more I think about it. The film treats the unique style as the focal point whereas Wes Anderson's betters films use the same unique style to tell stories that have characters that change in meaningful ways and connect to the audience. I hate having to rate "Asteroid City" so low because I would rate many of the director's films as 8/10 or higher.

Short version of my review: pick any other Wes Anderson film at random and there is a 90% chance you will enjoy that film more than "Asteroid City".… Expand

8 of 9 users found this helpful81

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TVJerryJul 4, 2023

With every film he creates, Wes Anderson gets more self-consciously affected and less rewarding. Most of the action takes place in the titular desert outpost, but he uses a play with useless narration as a framing device (presented byWith every film he creates, Wes Anderson gets more self-consciously affected and less rewarding. Most of the action takes place in the titular desert outpost, but he uses a play with useless narration as a framing device (presented by period-stiff announcer Bryan Cranston). Anderson, has gone for a sun-drenched retro-futuristic 50s vibe, but the stiff performances and pause-laden pacing only serve to distance the audience from everything. The visuals are bright and appealing, but every actor is so burdened with deadpan delivery they seem like automatons repeating absurdities. With his preciously-staged, precisely mounted moments Anderson's formal, stiff style is more like a museum exhibit than a cinematic comedy.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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royalguy07Jun 27, 2023

Full Wes Anderson, at his best and worst, truly fully realized and unleashed. Narrative structure here is indulgent at best and does not seem to do anything other than get more Anderson regulars on the screen.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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imthenoobAug 13, 2023

I wouldn't say that it is a bad movie but Asteroid City is pretty much the same old same old from Wes Anderson. Nothing more, nothing less. You're really not missing out if you skip this one.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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DubeauJul 11, 2023

Better then, the French Dispatch. But the story was still unfocus, getting everywhere but lacking any clarity. The humour is partially there but rather weak. I think going from one perspective to another (the one in black and white), justBetter then, the French Dispatch. But the story was still unfocus, getting everywhere but lacking any clarity. The humour is partially there but rather weak. I think going from one perspective to another (the one in black and white), just broke the story so many times. It felt like the black and white reality was just filling time. I found it very long after 45 minutes. The style is always very good tho. The acting is solid, even from the children actors. The 3 girls were certainly the most funny. The music didn't do anything for me. I give it 65%. I think Wes should move back to tell a simpler and heartfelt story, rather then something cryptic with too many levels of symbolism.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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