A Comprehensive Guide To What Makes A Wes Anderson Movie

 

What: A video with the self-explanatory title, “You Know It’s Wes Anderson If . . .”

Who: YouTube cinephiles Screenprism.

Why we care: The twee auteur’s first film in four years, Isle of Dogs, has just arrived in theaters, and his deep legion of fans already know what to expect. This familiarity comes from the consistent style of Anderson’s work. It’s recognizable enough to be boiled down into effective parody, but also broad and layered enough to be worthy of a 16-minute video analysis. “You Know It’s Wes Anderson If . . .” goes all in tracking the director’s many signatures–not just his whimsical tropes (although those are accounted for) but also his themes, techniques, and devices–and explores why they’re successful. Have a look below and then maybe re-watch the underrated Life Aquatic with fresh eyes.