This is perfect for the Wes Anderson film girlies!! (AKA anyone who likes Wes Anderson.)

This talks about his process when it comes to making his movies, why he likes the frames to look that way, the composition, the casting process, why he sticks to certain color palettes in certain moments. And everything in between!

There are quotes from people he has worked with and little easter egg callouts that relate to other productions or people in the industry.

There are lots of great pictures in this book as well.

I did wish that this focused on other people as well. The Wes Anderson look is not made solely by Wes Anderson, so I would've liked to see more about how collaborative the art of film-making is. The director really doesn't do as much as we think. So I wish there were larger sections focusing on the collaboration and how the general first idea is Wes's and then how his production designers and DPs and everyone else take that idea and create the beautiful films we know and love.

Overall, this was a great and informative book talking about all of Wes's films, not just the most popular ones (I really appreciated that, I like learning about the lesser known films and the first films and how those lead him on the path to making the films he does today).

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

My thanks to NetGalley and Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers for an advance copy of book that looks at one of the most distinctive film makers of our time, his inspirations, his work and the people he surrounds himself with.

It was in a Blockbuster Video that I first became aware of Wes Anderson, so there was no cool music playing, I was probably not fashionably dressed, nor was my companion at the time. This was a movie night, and nothing was striking either one of our fancies. I liked action, robots, quirky and different. She liked everything except what I listed. For some reason we decided on a movie with cute leads, seemed like a comedy, and sounded at least kind of interesting. The movie was Bottle Rocket and I was enthralled. I don't remember her reaction much, maybe that's why we stopped having movie nights, among other things. I started to see more about Anderson, and when Rushmore came out, I saw it at the art theater a town or two over from me. Followed by Royal Tenenbaums, a movie that I quote a lot, and never makes me not sniffle a bit. I liked the look, the writing, the characters, the look again. Anderson has a unique style, one that many deride, but one that has never ceased to entertain me, from commercials, animated films, and well Wes Anderson films. I have read quite a few books on the artist, but this one has to be one of the most complete. Wes Anderson All the Films: The Story Behind Every Movie, Episode, and Short by Christophe Narbonne looks at the films, the inspirations, and even more the people he surrounds himself with from writing, acting and helping to craft his unique worlds.

Wes Anderson was born in Houston, Texas, something that will never cease to amaze me. If there was ever a living embodiment of The New Yorker mascot Eustace Tilley, I would think it would be Anderson. The book looks at his early years, his interest in books, and worlds outside the one he knew, and charts his slow growth into becoming a filmmaker. In college he meet the Wilson Brothers Owen and Luke who would become both collaborators and muses, and made other contacts in the local film scene. There movie that got them attention was a short called Bottle Rocket, which was screened by James l. Brooks, known for his movies and television work, including the creation of the Simpsons. Bottle Rocket was given a bigger budget, bigger stars, but did not set the world afire. Soon more movies followed, some doing better than others, but all showing Anderson's unique aesthetic. The book looks at all these movies, with interviews from cast and crew, reception of the movies and behind the scenes info and a tad of gossip. In addition to the films, the book looks at the shorts Anderson has created, and commercials, some of them mini-movies within themselves.

One of the best looks at this director that I have read, and there are a lot of books. I enjoyed the view behind the scenes, and how the author spent time detailing the people who create the world for Anderson, the set designers, wardrobe, special effects and more. There is a lot of information on how certain scenes were done, problems with studios, and sometimes problems on set. The writing is very good, and Narbonne did a lot of research which shows.

A book for fans, and a book for people with an interest in film. Little things like how different lenses work in different scenes, how a scene is blocked out and staged. A really well done book about a director whose films I look forward too. And now I have a new author to look out for, also.