Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

April 19, 2015


It's been so long since my last movie post. It's not that I've not been watching any movies, but nothing I've seen was compelling or moving enough to make me want to blog about it (sometimes want is an understatement - it's more of a need).

The dry streak was finally broken by a Wes Anderson film. Ever since I caught The Grand Budapest Hotel, I was blown away. In my state of mesmerization, I made a promise to myself that I need to watch more Wed Anderson films and his brilliance. I am glad that I kept to that promise, for if not for that, I wouldn't have discovered another one of his great film - Moonrise Kingdom (2012)


Set in the 1960s, it tells the story of two very young lovers (Sam and Suzy) who eloped from their New England town. It  causes a frenzy, and ensued the launch of a search party to find them. Meanwhile, the town's largest and most destructive storm is brewing, foreshadowing the chaos to come.

Both Sam and Suzy, who come from dysfunctional families, wistfully decide that the best option to escape their troubled childhood is to flee together. 

The Innocence of Childhood
As thoughtless as their actions may seem, the film manages to portray their hasty decision in a relatable way - reminding one of childhood and all its innocence, recklessness, and passion.

This is tastefully done throughout the film, where the darndest things they say make you nod silently inside, because they are painfully honest. They ask questions that make you think twice, like "We're in love. We just want to be together. What's wrong with that?" - Truth be told, there shouldn't be anything wrong with wanting to be together. 

We're in love. We just want to be together. What's wrong with that?

At some point in time, we were once kids who were completely un-jaded, not seasoned to hard-truths, and who said and asked words that mean no harm. However, with maturity comes the realization that sometimes, situations don't allow for it. How do you explain that to a child? 

Dreams of the Future
So what do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't know. I want to go on adventures, I think. Not get stuck in one place. How about you?
Go on adventures, too. Not get stuck, too. Anyway, we can't predict the exact future. 

And then there's the childhood anticipation of the future. A child seldom appreciates the perks of being young, and often fantasize about the future. Sam and Suzy are no exception. They have a vague idea of what they want - adventures and exploration. I, too, had grand plans for myself as a kid, often imagining my life as an adult and how drastically different things will be. 

Now that I'm 23, my dreams have changed, but the anticipation, fantasizing, and planning for the future has never left. I think I spend most of my life thinking about my future, and I always forget that my present was once my future. It takes effort to remind myself to live in the moment, something that I'm still trying to come to terms with. 


The Rebelliousness and Anxieties
Sam and Suzy are crushed under the weight of their problems and rebelliously eloped. Not that I am agreeing with their actions, but I am starting to understand why kids go through a rebellious phase. At such an impressionable age, every fathomable thing in this world can appear overwhelming. Sometimes, there are no solutions to some issues, and the only way to approach it is to let things be and move on. BUT, kids don't know that yet and thus a problem can seem like the end of the world. On top of the anxiety caused by the weight of planning for the future, the rebelliousness is understandable; It might even be a cry for help.

What happened to your hand?
I got hit in the mirror.
Really. How did that happen?
I lost temper at myself. 

Moonrise Kingdom pleasantly captures the thoughts and emotions that comes along with childhood. Sam and Suzy's lines are eloquently written, but still believable that it is spoken by a child. It is almost as if Wes Anderson had portrayed his childhood in a film. A film that's close to my heart for reminding me of what it was like being a child.

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