Five movies Wes Anderson thinks everyone should see
Few modern auteurs can compete with Wes Anderson in terms of such a finely tuned, distinct aesthetic. A single frame from one of his many movies will immediately let you know that you’re looking at an Anderson film. However, it is most certainly a sign of originality, with the intricate designs, whimsical narratives, and distinctive tones of his movies also bearing testament to a creative mind informed by a wide range of cinematic inspirations.
He may not be as vocal about it as Quentin Tarantino, but Anderson is just as much of a walking encyclopaedia when it comes to cinema. His interests span decades, and his tastes encompass everything from obvious classics to obscure European art house drama. This was most obviously demonstrated when speaking to Gwyneth Paltrow, who the director had collaborated with for The Royal Tenenbaums, for her Goop website in 2009, where the actor asked Anderson for several recommendations.
The list begins with Barbet Schroeder’s documentary Terror’s Advocate. Anderson reveals that it “relates to another one I would highly recommend, which is Marcel Ophüls’ documentary Hôtel Terminus (except I think you can only get it on VHS),” he said. “There is kind of a miniature version of Terror’s Advocate in the middle of it”. The film provides an intense study of advocacy for controversial figures, intertwining with Ophüls’ story to offer viewers a comprehensive look at the intricacies of advocacy in the realm of notorious personalities.
Shifting gears, Anderson then recommends Neon Genesis Evangelion, a Japanese animated series that has enamoured fans globally. Describing it, he mused: “This is a Japanese cartoon that is very difficult to describe and might not sound that great if I tried anyway. It is 24 episodes, and we watched them all in less than a week because you start to want to believe it’s real. This could spawn something like Scientology”. Another famous fan is Jordan Peele, who drew heavily on the series for 2022’s Nope.
A lesser-known work of the legendary Ingmar Bergman, From the Life of Marionettes, also finds its way into Anderson’s picks. “I’d never heard of this until last month,” Anderson confessed. “It’s an Ingmar Bergman movie he made in Germany, where I think he was a tax exile”. A sort of reimagining of his seminal series, Scenes from a Marriage, featuring characters that briefly appeared, From the Life of Marionettes presents the deterioration of a couple’s marriage.
Martin Scorsese, another master filmmaker, earns Anderson’s admiration with Life Lessons, a segment from the anthology New York Stories. Anderson succinctly describes its core: “It’s about a painter”. Written by Richard Price and starring Nick Nolte, it follows an acclaimed abstract artist who falls into creative impotency only weeks before a big exhibition.
Anderson’s list rounds out with a nod to The Criterion Collection, celebrating their commitment to preserving cinema’s gems. He emphatically suggests, “More or less anything that says The Criterion Collection across the top of it.” But among its treasures, one in particular stood out to him: Costa-Gavras’ Missing. He confided that this Jack Lemmon-starring thriller was “the most recent one I had never seen before and loved.”
Wes Anderson’s five movie recommendations:
- Terror’s Advocate (Barbet Schroeder, 2007)
- Neon Genesis Evangelion (Hideaki Anno, 1995)
- Life Lessons (Martin Scorsese, 1989)
- From the Life of Marionettes (Ingmar Bergman, 1980)
- Missing (Costa-Gavras, 1982)
