A Glean movie guide
Whimsical & Stylized Worlds
Perfectly framed cinema
Discover films with the meticulous detail, quirky charm, and visual flair of Wes Anderson.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Moonrise Kingdom
A quintessential Wes Anderson tale featuring his signature symmetrical framing and vibrant color palettes.
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore – and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle.
- 02
The Royal Tenenbaums
This eccentric family portrait showcases the director's mastery of deadpan humor and ensemble storytelling.
Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary --- all geniuses. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father's fault. "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the story of the family's sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.
- 03
Amélie
A fable-like journey through Paris that mirrors the whimsical, highly stylized aesthetic you love.
At a tiny Parisian café, the adorable yet painfully shy Amélie accidentally discovers a gift for helping others. Soon Amelie is spending her days as a matchmaker, guardian angel, and all-around do-gooder. But when she bumps into a handsome stranger, will she find the courage to become the star of her very own love story?
- 04
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Stop-motion animation meets meticulous symmetry in this charming, urbane caper.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox, bored with his current life, plans a heist against the three local farmers. The farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with the sly fox, seek revenge against him and his family.
- 05
Paddington 2
Its precise color palettes and dry, gentle humor make it a modern masterclass in whimsical set design.
Paddington, now happily settled with the Browns, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy, but it is stolen.
- 06
The French Dispatch
An anthology film that serves as a love letter to journalism, packed with extreme visual precision.
The staff of an American magazine based in France puts out its last issue, with stories featuring an artist sentenced to life imprisonment, student riots, and a kidnapping resolved by a chef.
- 07
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
A delightful, chapter-based adventure that balances quirky, deadpan humor with heart.
Ricky is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive.
- 08
Playtime
This classic features the kind of precise, symmetrical visual composition that defines the genre.
Clumsy Monsieur Hulot finds himself perplexed by the intimidating complexity of a gadget-filled Paris. He attempts to meet with a business contact but soon becomes lost. His roundabout journey parallels that of an American tourist, and as they weave through the inventive urban environment, they intermittently meet, developing an interest in one another. They eventually get together at a chaotic restaurant, along with several other quirky characters.
- 09
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Dive into a diorama-like world of eccentric characters and nautical whimsy.
Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew. In addition to his regular team, he is joined on his boat by Ned, a man who believes Zissou to be his father, and Jane, a journalist pregnant by a married man. They travel the sea, all too often running into pirates and, perhaps more traumatically, various figures from Zissou's past, including his estranged wife, Eleanor.