Throughout his career, director Wes Anderson has cultivated a dedicated following of fans thanks to his quirky tone, highly stylized cinematography, and frequent collaboration with a roster of big-name actors. His newest film, The French Dispatch, leans into those expectations even harder than any of his previous films.
However, just because the film reflects his style more than any other that does not necessarily make it his best film. Considering that his filmography includes the Best Picture nominee The Grand Budapest Hotel, bold risks like Fantastic Mr. Fox, and fan favorites such as Rushmore, The French Dispatch has a high bar to clear in order to rank among Anderson's best films.
10 The Darjeeling Limited
Often considered one of Anderson's weakest films to date, The Darjeeling Limited is by no means a bad movie, just one that does not quite measure up to the director's other work. The film follows three brothers as they travel to India for a spiritual experience after the death of their father.
While some believe The Darjeeling Limited is Anderson's most underrated movie, many fans and critics found the film to be a retread of the same themes and characters, making it feel redundant and unremarkable for those who have seen any of the director's other films.
9 Isle Of Dogs
The stop motion movie Isle of Dogs is set in Japan where an outbreak of dog flu, leading the government to banish all dogs to Trash Island. A young boy then embarks on a journey to reunite with his dog. The movie features many of Anderson's regular collaborators returning to voice the canines.
The director's second foray into feature-length stop motion is not nearly as memorable or fresh as his first. The film is beautifully made and does successfully translates Anderson's style to stop motion. It is an entertaining and effective enough movie, but never reaches the heights of Anderson's best films.
8 The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Clearly inspired by French diver Jacques Cousteau, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou tells the story of a quirky oceanographer who is determined to find the jaguar shark that ate his partner.
Initially, the film was considered a disappointment, once again presenting the same style, themes, and characters that audiences had come to expect without much innovation. However, more recently, the movie has garnered a cult following of fans who appreciate Murray's performance and the depth he brings to the central character as well as the many humorous and poignant Anderson quotes in the movie.
7 The French Dispatch
The recently released The French Dispatch utilizes anthology-style storytelling to present several different articles in the final publication of a newspaper following the death of its editor.
The film runs into a common problem with anthology movies as the quality of segments varies with some of the sequences, such as "The Concrete Masterpiece," proving to be more successful than others. At times, the film feels more concerned with style and visuals than it does with presenting a moving and focused story. While fans of the director will certainly find things to love about the film, the inconsistency prevents it from breaking into the top half of Anderson's filmography.
6 Bottle Rocket
Serving as the feature film debut for Anderson, Owen Wilson, and Luke Wilson, Bottle Rocket follows a group of friends as they attempt to pull off what they believe is a simple robbery and go on the run but complications ensue.
As Anderson's first feature film, Bottle Rocket establishes Anderson's style and immediately introduces audiences to what would become the staples of Anderson's films. While it is not as refined or polished as the director's later films, its simplicity and style make it fresh and original.
5 Moonrise Kingdom
Moonrise Kingdom follows a young boy who runs away from scout camp to meet up with his pen pal lover, leading to the young couple going on the run as they attempt to avoid being caught so they can be together.
Anderson has demonstrated his proficiency at telling coming-of-age stories and Moonrise Kingdom is one of his strongest, effectively presenting a universal and related narrative about young love that reinvents romance tropes. The film's story also lends itself to some of Anderson's most beautiful cinematography as he captures the picturesque nature scenes.
4 The Grand Budapest Hotel
Set in Europe in the 1930s, The Grand Budapest Hotel follows a concierge and lobby boy at a luxurious hotel as they attempt to avoid being framed for murder while in pursuit of a massive fortune.
The film is filled with some of Anderson's funniest characters, in turn making it one of his funniest films ever. But beyond that, the movie uses Anderson's style, outstanding production design, and a quirky story to endear the audience to its characters and then parlays that investment into a surprising and emotionally moving finale. Far from preachy, the movie effectively uses its setting and story to communicate an important and insightful message.
3 Fantastic Mr. Fox
Adapting a children's book by Roald Dahl, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a stop motion animated movie about a fox who attempts to steal from nearby farms while trying to avoid getting caught and killed by the angry farmers.
The whimsical story of Dahl is the perfect match for Anderson's style and tone, resulting in a delightful movie filled with charm and wit. At the time, it was the exact reinvention that the director needed after coming off of The Darjeeling Limited and felt like a breath of fresh air.
2 The Royal Tenenbaums
The Royal Tenenbaums follows a dysfunctional family of three siblings who achieved success at a young age but have not lived up to their potential as adults and an absent father who tries to reconnect with them later in life.
Because the film is so character-driven, its success hinges on the writing and performances, both of which are excellent. Gene Hackman in particular is funny and moving as Royal as he seeks redemption with his family. In many ways, the film helped establish the themes and ensemble approach that would become his trademarks.
1 Rushmore
After the success of his first film, Anderson followed it up with arguably his best work, Rushmore. The movie follows a precocious teenager and a wealthy businessman who each develop romantic feelings for a school teacher.
With interesting and well-written characters, excellent performances from Bill Murray and the rest of the cast, and Anderson's style, the film is a snappy and funny coming-of-age story with a sense of sadness and loneliness that help make it unique and earn it the top spot in Anderson's impressive filmography.
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