Since the release of his debut feature Bottle Rocket, Wes Anderson's perfectly pastel and eternally quirky films have won Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and many other awards. Known for his carefully crafted, often symmetrical frames and sets, Anderson has become a modern-day auteur and a leading force in filmmaking. His directing career spans nearly three decades and his most recent release, The French Dispatch, has earned award nominations even amongst mixed reviews.
The French Dispatch ranks near the middle of Anderson's filmography for many, while others loved how incredible "Andersonian" the director's filmmaking has become. But how do the auteur's ten feature films rank on Letterboxd, a social media platform made for cinephiles? Will live-action or stop-motion take the crowd? And which Bill Murray role is at the top?
Bottle Rocket (1996) - 3.52
Anderson's feature film debut Bottle Rocket is based on the director's 1994 short film of the same name. The crime comedy also marks the film debuts of Owen and Luke Wilson, close friends on Anderson. The two brothers play friends who try to pull off a series of heists and get sucked into the world of small-time criminal Mr. Henry, played by James Caan.
A stellar debut film, Bottle Rocket has a lot of the tendencies and touches Anderson would become known for throughout his career. Not as ensemble-heavy as some of his future projects, Bottle Rocket still relies on the cast's chemistry and commitment to Anderson's vision, and they deliver both in spades.
The Darjeeling Limited (2007) - 3.71
Another collaboration between Anderson and his former college roommate Owen Wilson, The Darjeeling Limited features many of the familiar faces audiences have come to expect in the director's projects. After the death of their father, three estranged brothers played by Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody travel through India seeking a spiritual reconnection.
The titular luxury train is the most common setting in the film, and Anderson masterfully uses the cramped spaces as a way to build tension between his characters. The Darjeeling Limited features some of Anderson's best uses of over-saturated color palettes, but the film itself isn't as strong as some of his others.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) - 3.77
The adventure comedy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou stars Bill Murray in the title role. Steve Zissou is a renowned oceanographer trying to make a documentary documenting the hunt for the jaguar shark that devoured his partner. Along with his usual crew, a man who thinks Steve is his father and a journalist hoping to cover the expedition tag along.
With a crew that looks like they're trying to win a Jacques Cousteau look-alike contest, The Life Aquatic features some of Anderson's most iconic costumes and many of his frequent collaborators like Murray, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston and Willem Dafoe. Anderson co-wrote the film with Noah Baumbach, another common creative partner for the director.
The French Dispatch (2021) - 3.83
Anderson's most recent feature, The French Dispatch chronicles the creation of titular newspaper's final issue following the death of their editor, played by Bill Murray. Broken into multiple parts, each dedicated to a story from the farewell issue, The French Dispatch is the director's love letter to journalism. The three main stories include the life of an incarcerated artist and his prison officer muse, student protests during the "Chessboard Revolution," and the kidnapping of the police commissioner's son.
Near the film's start, Owen Wilson's bicycling reporter Herbsaint Sazerac has a brief vignette to introduce audiences to the town of Ennui-sur-Blasé. Like every Anderson film before it, the director's usual trademarks are ever-present in The French Dispatch and feel right at home in the bygone era he crafted.
Rushmore (1998) - 3.89
The follow-up to Bottle Rocket, the 1998 comedy Rushmore marks the first Anderson feature to star Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, two of the director's most prominent collaborators. The two play the ambitious prep school student and local businessman who strike up a friendship, only to fall in love with the same woman, Olivia Williams' Rosemary.
Filled to the brim with quick quips and great dialogue, Succession patriarchy Brian Cox as the school's heaster.
Isle of Dogs (2018) - 3.90
Ever the adventurous filmmaker, Anderson has helmed 2 stop-motion animated features. Both have earned Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature. In Isle of Dogs, the Japanese government has banished dogs to Trash Island following an outbreak of canine flu. A group of local dogs, fed up with being isolated, helps a young boy who arrives on the island searching for his beloved pet, Spots.
A tender portrait about the love between a boy and his dog and the lengths both are willing to go to reunite, Isle of Dog follows the epic journey Atari and the dogs go on as they traverse Trash Island looking for Spots. Anderson cites the films of Akira Kurosawa and the Rankin/Bass holiday specials as inspiration for Isle of Dog and this Anderson film has its share of easter eggs.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) - 3.99
Anderson received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Moonrise Kingdom, his 1960s love story between an orphaned Khaki Scout and an emotionally volatile girl. Sam and Suzy become pen pals and eventually run away together, heading off into the New England wilderness as Suzy's family, Sam's troop and the island police captain try to find the pair.
Moonrise Kingdom uses the central theme of young love as a way for Anderson to turn romance tropes on their head. Sam and Suzy are some of Anderson's most endearing and tenacious characters, and both grow over the course of the dramedy. Newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward shine in the lead roles and become great scene partners, working off each other in a way many pros still fail to do.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - 4.05
His first Oscar-nominated film, The Royal Tenenbaums follows the lives of the three gifted, but dysfunctional, Tenenbaum siblings whose success seems to peter out once they reached adulthood. Chas has a talent for business and math but traded in his three-piece suits for tracksuits following his wife's death. Richie is the tennis prodigy who uses art to express his love for Margot, the Tenenbaums' adopted daughter. A gifted playwright in her youth, Margot's adult life is far from idyllic.
Their eccentric father Royal reemerges into their lives, claiming to have stomach cancer in order to reconcile with his children and estranged ex-wife Etheline. For The Royal Tenenbaums, Anderson reunites with the Bill Murray and Wilson brothers. The director also started his creative partnerships with one of his future go-to actresses, Anjelica Huston, during production.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - 4.18
Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the Roald Dahl children's novel of the same title, is Anderson's first foray into animation. The stop-motion film follows the titular fox and his crew of ragtag animals as they face off with local farmers. Along with the voice talents of big names like George Clooney and Meryl Streep, Alexandre Desplat's Academy Award-nominated score is one of the film's biggest strengths.
One of the Fantastic Mr. Fox is as charming as any other Anderson film and has garnered a dedicated following since its 2009 release. Positively twee and featuring an autumnal color palette, the story of Mr. Fox's adventures stands out among Anderson's filmography in the best way possible.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - 4.20
Currently the auteur's only Best Picture Academy Award nominee, one of Anderson's most memorable characters. His apprentice Zero s Gustave on a dangerous adventure after the concierge is framed for murder.
The Grand Budapest Hotel won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy. Anderson's script for the film, co-written with Hugo Guinness, won a BAFTA. At the 87th Academy Awards, Anderson was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, and composer Alexandre Desplat won the Best Original Score Oscar.
