Asteroid City [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD]

Director: Wes Anderson Wes Anderson

Overview

Written and directed by Wes Anderson, the romantic comedy takes place in an American desert town in the mid-fifties. The Junior Stargazer Convention is a landmark astronomy event that attracts stargazers of different ages. A group of students and their parents visit the town to attend the convention. What follows is an unexpected exchange of ideas and experiences that lead to eye-opening revelations. The film co-stars Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, and Edward Norton.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/15/2023
UPC:	0191329241929
Original Release:	2023
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Universal Studios
Language:	English
Time:	1:45:00
Sales rank:	2,707

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jason Schwartzman	Augie Steenbeck
Scarlett Johansson	Midge Campbell
Tom Hanks	Stanley Zak
Bryan Cranston	The Host
Edward Norton	Conrad Earp
Adrien Brody	Schubert Green
Stephen Park	Actor,Roger Cho
Maya Hawke	Actor
Willem Dafoe	Saltzburg Keitel
Margot Robbie	Actor
Jake Ryan	Actor
Juana Andueza	Chaperone 2
Bob Balaban	Actor
Aristou Meehan	Actor
Celia Bermejo	Chaperone
Ethan Lee	Actor
Sophia Lillis	Actor
Zoe Bernard	Bernice
Jarvis Cocker	Actor
Jeff Goldblum	Actor
Deanna Dunagan	Luncheonette Waitress
Rita Wilson	Actor
Grace Edwards	Actor
Jack Eyman	Kim
Ella Faris	Actor,Actor,Actor
Brayden Frasure	Billy
Sonia Gascón	Actor
Ara Hollyday	Sleepy Boy

Technical Credits

Wes Anderson	Director,Producer
Christoph Fisser	Executive Producer
Henning Molfenter	Executive Producer
Charlie Woebcken	Executive Producer
Jeremy Dawson	Producer
Steven Rales	Producer

Editorial Reviews

At this point, Wes Anderson is comfortably cemented as one of the most unique directors in modern cinema. His eclectic style and meticulous design are usually worth the price of admission, and Asteroid City is no exception. From the opening credits, Asteroid City is a visual achievement, from the colors to the set design to the costumes; everything on screen is a feast for the eyes. This style is backed by a hilarious story featuring multiple characters, a story that acts as a vehicle for Anderson's exploration of love, connection, and the unknown. Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) is overwhelmed. As a recently widowed father of four, Augie is driving across the country to his father-in-law, Stanley's (Tom Hanks), house to stay a while. Stanley is a well-off golf aficionado who has made it very clear that he never loved Augie. On the way, the Steenbeck family vehicle breaks down when they arrive in Asteroid City, the site of the junior stargazing event that Augie's son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan) has been invited to participate in. While stuck in the small desert town, the family meets other junior stargazing families, including a popular actress, Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson), and her stargazing daughter Dinah (Grace Edwards). Asteroid City is one of those movies that will uncover more about itself after every viewing. Its cryptic façade starts to crack as the film progresses but is then completely blown away in the chaotic third act. At its highest level, Anderson seems to be trying to explore the human connection and how we react to the unknown. This is enough to move the plot along at a well-paced 104 minutes. Unfortunately, Anderson's fast-paced, quirky dialog doesn't always hit the mark, and some of the peripheral characters seem to be placed to fill out a cast rather than offer anything tangible to the over-arching story. This is a minor complaint, especially because many of these scenes are entertaining in their own right, but it is an initial struggle to fit all of the puzzle pieces together. Asteroid City works well as a comedic look into the lives of wildly different people who are thrown together in a unique situation. Some of the characters are searching for meaning, some are just trying to get by, and others seem to have it all figured out. By pairing this star-studded cast with Anderson's well-known style, fans of his work will be very impressed. If you're going to see Asteroid City, you likely know what you're getting into, just don't expect to see anything groundbreaking.