Asteroid City (2023)

[Harpo]

 

[Dave]

I think the play is to save the pennies and see Asteroid City when it gets released next month.

So, has anyone seen this?

It's certainly different. I got the impression that everyone making it was having a lot of fun, from the actors to the director (Wes Anderson) to the cameramen and editing staff - it was partly filmed in B&W (for the real life parts) and partly in vivid Kodachrome colour (for the in the play parts) - a real nod to the Wizard of Oz there! However, actors start breaking the fourth wall and appearing in the play when they aren't meant to be there, or walking off set and out of the theatre (as in Blazing Saddles.) In addition, actors make suggestions to improve the play that then actually occur later in the play.

All of this is meant to be hilariously funny, but I only found it mildly amusing, I'm afraid, sorry!

Within the film, Asteroid City is itself a play that was written by a playwright named Conrad Earp. However, the story within the play, is the story of the grief of photographer, Augie Steenbeck, and his children upon the death of his wife. They stop in Asteroid City when their car breaks down on route to the grandfather (wife's father's) house. Augie was intending to leave the kids there, but now the grandfather must come to pick them up. It's been three weeks, but he still hasn't told the children that their mother has died.

In Asteroid City there is a variety of other characters, a filmstar and her daughter. A Country band. A number of junior stargazers and bright kids who are in line to win a scholarship. A teacher with her class on a bus. The town also has a military science research base situated on the edge of a crater. When an alien craft turns up and the alien steals the asteroid from the centre of the crater, everyone gets quarantined and is unable to leave when the uS President declares "Scrimmage Plan X". This results in some unlikely romances.

As a result of the B&W/colour filming, the play seems much more real than the reality, and then when there is a backstage scene between the stage director and his estranged wife, the stage director mimes punching a punching bag even though there is a real punching bag in view. It literally is a literary nonsense. Only, within the play you have some random atom bombs going off in the distance, and a road runner going "meep meep" from time to time.

The playwright dies in Act 3. The cast, who have been asleep, wake up and begin to chant. The alien returns the asteroid. He holds the asteroid toward the camera as the cast dances around him, singing, "You can't wake up if you don't fall asleep." The whole film is just an absurdity.

 

[therapist]

So, has anyone seen this?

I went to see it. I'm a big fan of Wes Anderson, so I appreciated all the eccentric Wes Andersonisms in the film. It was an exceptionally well made film with great performances. However it was one of those films that I found my self appreciating instead of actually enjoying. I found it very confusing. I often had no idea what was going on. I kept trying to work out if a scene was supposed to be in the play or not, or if it was supposed to be vague.

 

[THX1138]

@Dave @therapist We saw it and found it, interesting like everyone else. I did see the humor in many of the jokes, not all but most. My wife and I did tend to discuss the many 'ties' between the BW Cast scenes and the correlating Color Play scenes, though we would get lost at times as both overlapped with the third plot; confused depression of the MC with unneeded 'romantic' sub plots? Not our thing. Being said, if it was just the 'Play' part only done in its intended 50-60's campy Sify intent, it would have been better.

As a whole, in my opinion, it's right there with 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me'...Just a bit too out there.
What do you think log, would you like some cherry pie? Only when the aliens arrive? Whatever you say, log. Whatever you say...You know best...

 

[Swank]

Have any of you seen Synecdoche, New York? This sounds like it bears some similarities. I haven't seen this one, yet.

 

[Hugh]

I loved the scenery.
As for the rest..... it had its moments and I' m sure it will have some form of cult following, but a bit too up itself for me to truly enjoy it. It helped that I was told beforehand that there was little point in trying to follow a plot.