You can spot a Wes Anderson movie from a mile away. With a distinct aesthetic and style, along with a recurring cast of actors, Anderson has firmly established himself as one of the best working directors of the past few decades.
He's responsible for some of our favourite movies, the kind that you can rewatch endlessly without getting bored. If you're also in the mood to throw on The Royal Tenenbaums or Moonrise Kingdom for the 100th time, here's a handy list breaking down where you can watch every Wes Anderson film in Australia.
Bottle Rocket
Wes Anderson's debut feature film, Bottle Rocket, is a fun crime caper about a group of misfits who decide to rob a small bookstore and go on the run. It's a simple story, told very well, anchored by some great performances by a very young Owen Wilson as the energetic but delusional Dignan and Luke Wilson as the more sensitive and somewhat unwilling straight man, Anthony.
While Bottle Rocket is a bit rough around the edges, there's still plenty to enjoy here. You can tell that Anderson has a keen eye as a director and an eccentric storyteller, but just lacks to fully express himself.
Where to watch Bottle Rocket in Australia
- Not available for streaming
Rushmore
This coming-of-age movie follows Max (Jason Schwartzman), an extracurricular overachiever whose bad grades could see him expelled from the prestigious Rushmore Academy. While trying to turn things around, Max strikes up an odd friendship with Herman Blume (Bill Murray), a disillusioned industrialist. That friendship is tested, though, when Max and Herman both fall for the same teacher at Rushmore.
With Rushmore, you can see Wes Anderson's unique style starting to emerge, from his quick montages of well-blocked shots to his quirky and ironic sense of humour. Rushmore also marks the first time Anderson worked with both Schwartzman and Murray, who'd become regular collaborators in the years to come.
Where to watch Rushmore in Australia
- Disney+
The Royal Tenenbaums
If you've never seen one of Wes Anderson's films before, The Royal Tenenbaums is a fantastic place to start. A trio of gifted children (Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson) who've grown into unhappy and unfulfilled adults. After years apart, they're reunited in their family home when their father and noted con man, Royal (Gene Hackman), announces that he's dying from stomach cancer.
If Rushmore was the draft of what a Wes Anderson film looks like, The Royal Tenenbaums is the finished product. While he'd continue to refine his style throughout his career, you can pinpoint a lot of what makes a Wes Anderson film a Wes Anderson film right here. With some fantastic performances (especially Hackman), unique direction and an amazing soundtrack, some might argue that this is Wes Anderson's best movie.
Where to watch The Royal Tenenbaums in Australia
- Disney+
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
With The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, you can see Wes Anderson begin to stretch his legs, with some more elaborately staged sets, a handful of stop-motion creatures and plenty of deadpan humour. It follows the titular Steve Zissou, a famous oceanographer (Bill Murray), on his quest for revenge after his best friend is killed by a rare jaguar shark.
Consdierably more eccentric and whimsical when compared to Anderson's previous films, it still manages to maintain the human drama at its core. If you've never seen it, it's well worth the deep dive.
Where to watch The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou in Australia
- Disney+
The Darjeeling Limited
If the eccentric nature of Life Aquatic wasn't your cup of tea, then The Darjeeling Limited might be more your speed. It follows three brothers—played by Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody—who have been estranged since their father died in the previous year. To reconnect, the dysfunctional siblings are set to travel across India via train (although there are some ulterior motives at play).
With some solid performances by the headlining trio, The Darjeeling Limited is a brilliant, occasionally hilarious drama that understands that, for better or worse, no one understands you better than your close family.
Where to watch The Darjeeling Limited in Australia
- Disney+
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fantastic Mr. Fox marks Wes Anderson's first foray into stop-motion animation and his first time adapting the works of Roald Dahl (although certainly not his last for either). After years as a successful thief, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) has retired from that life to settle down and raise a family. While he enjoys his relatively normal life, Fox yearns for the thrill of his past, which leads to him raiding the farms of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. These farmers aren't willing to take these thefts without a fight, declaring open season on Fox and all of his animal friends.
With a uniquely Anderson aesthetic, Fantastic Mr. Fox is not only a great animated movie, but a good time for the whole family.
Where to watch Fantastic Mr. Fox in Australia
- Disney+
- Stan
Moonrise Kingdom
When the orphan Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) falls in love with Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), the two 12-year-olds decide to run away so they can be together. But when their elopement is discovered, it's now a race against time to find the two kids before a massive storm hits the island they live on.
Funny, charming and playful, Moonrise Kingdom is regarded as one of Wes Anderson's best movies. With great performances by the star-crossed leads, it's a quirky coming-of-age film about young love and trying to find where you belong in the world.
Where to watch Moonrise Kingdom in Australia
- Netflix
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Set in the Grand Budapest Hotel, a fictional European mountain resort, the film follows the friendship between beloved concierge Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) and the hotel's newest lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori). When one of Gustave's lovers dies under mysterious circumstances, he's implicated as the killer and forced to flee the hotel. Now, Gustave and Zero must evade the authorities while proving the concierge is innocent.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is widely regarded as one of, if not the best, films of Wes Anderson's career. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards (the highest amount any of Anderson's films have received), including Best Picture and Best Director. It managed to take home the Oscar for Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Production Design.
Where to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel in Australia
- Disney+
Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson's second foray into stop-motion animation is a loving tribute to man's best friend. Set in the Japanese city of Megasaki, an outbreak of canine flu results in every dog being banished to Trash Island. Missing his four-legged friend, a young orphan named Atari steals a plane and heads to Trash Island, so he can reunite with his beloved pooch. Although getting off the island is a different story entirely.
Where to watch Isle of Dogs in Australia
- Disney+
The French Dispatch
The French Dispatch is an anthology film that collects four stories from the final issue of the fictional magazine, the titular French Dispatch, following the death of its editor. These include a bike tour of the fictional French town, Ennui-sur-Blasé, a profile of the troubled artist Moses Rosenthaler, the student protestors of the 'Chessboard Revolution' and an interview with a chef/police commissioner that turns into a kidnapping.
With a fantastic ensemble cast, featuring regular players along with Benicio del Toro, Jeffrey Wright and Timothée Chalamet, The French Dispatch distils everything people love about Wes Anderson's directing style into bite-sized chunks.
Where to watch The French Dispatch in Australia
- Disney+
Asteroid City
On the surface, Asteroid City seems like a pretty straightforward affair. It follows an annual Junior Stargazer convention in the desert town of Asteroid City, which is interrupted by the sudden arrival of a UFO. While that plot might sound simple, there's a meta element here—what we're watching is actually a play, which will occasionally cut away to a behind-the-scenes documentary. It's a tricky balancing act, but the kind of oddball setup that goes hand-in-hand with Anderson's strengths as a storyteller.
Where to watch Asteroid City in Australia
- Paramount+
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More
As its name suggests, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More is a collection of four sections, all of which are based on short stories by Roald Dahl. While presented as separate short films—The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison—they can be easily watched in one sitting (we'd recommend it).
You've got a story about a man who learns how to see through solid matter, a boy dealing with school bullies, a rat-catcher trying to combat an infestation, and a man who has awoken to find a poisonous snake in his bed.
Where to watch The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar in Australia
- Netflix
The Phoenician Scheme
In The Phoenician Scheme, Anatole Korda (Benicio del Toro) is a wealthy industrialist and arms dealer who is constantly being targeted by assassins due to his shady dealings. When a financial spanner is thrown into his latest venture, he's joined by his estranged-daughter-turned-nun, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), and sets out to talk to his various business associates into helping cover the financial gap. That is, if he isn't assassinated first.
With the stylistic flair that Wes Anderson is known for, combined with a delightfully deadpan and dark sense of humour, The Phoenician Scheme is the director's latest and greatest work.
Where to watch The Phoenician Scheme in Australia
- In theatres now
Image credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures
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