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MOONRISE KINGDOMMovie Reviews
Comedy drama about two twelve-year-olds who fall in love and run away into the wilderness as a violent storm brews off the New England island where they live. Cast:Jared Gilman, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormandDirector:Wes AndersonRelease Date:May 25, 2012DVD Release:October 16, 2012From:Focus FeaturesRating:PG-13Length:1 hr 33 min
Moonrise Kingdom played to outstanding reviews. • Curt Holman wrote in Atlanta Creative Loafing, "Filled with Anderson's trademark comedic melancholy... evokes the kind of first love that feels like part of an endless summer, while disappearing all too quickly." • And Dana Stevens wrote for Slate, "...a gorgeously shot, ingeniously crafted, über-Andersonian bonbon..." More Reviews Below...
Alynda Wheat, People: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Romantic and absurdly funny.... easily director Wes Anderson's most accessible film... its message is simple: Love is love, whenever it happens."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 122 words, 05/24/12
Richard Corliss, Time: EXCELLENT "...a film noir love story daubed in the sunny tones of late summer on Narragansett.... cheers for a Cannes director who has infused his technical mastery with radiant life."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 913 words, 05/25/12
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...at once deeply personal (and indeed, it was inspired by a boyhood crush of Anderson's own) and universally relatable.... that perfect balance of style and substance..."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 733 words, 05/24/12
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: GOOD(cg) "Wes Anderson hasn't lost his puckishly charming genius for cinema-as-diorama visuals. Yet a lot happens in this film, and not a lot of it matters."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 433 words, 05/25/12
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Shot with a poet's eye by Robert Yeoman and lifted by an Alexandre Desplat score that samples Mozart, Hank Williams and Benjamin Britten... hilarious and heartfelt..."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 556 words, 05/25/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...an offbeat fairy tale that is both meticulously detailed and dreamlike... an enchantingly droll song of innocence and experience."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 464 words, 05/25/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Bill Murray is always right for a role in an Anderson film, and I wonder if it's because they share a bemused sadness."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 756 words, 06/01/12
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...enchanting... a heartbreaking evocation not just of young love but of futile lifelong quests to recapture fleeting moments of magic we experience..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 935 words, 05/21/12
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...lovingly crafted with an attention to detail that is breathtaking while, at the same time, it displays genuine affection for its young protagonists..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,043 words, 06/05/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...wondrous... breezes along with a beautifully coordinated admixture of droll humor, deadpan and slapstick... there's a deep, pervasive melancholia here too..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,312 words, 05/25/12
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: EXCELLENT(cg) "Anderson devotes himself meticulously to each element, creating scene after scene of exquisite precision. The effect, while impressive, can also be jarring or even off-putting."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 318 words, 05/25/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...casts a magical spell with Anderson finding a near perfect balance between the humanism and the surreal that imprints all of his work..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 901 words, 05/25/12
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "Disarmingly sweet.... it's entirely fair and accurate to describe Anderson's work as twee. But I liked this one because of its young performers..."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 614 words, 05/25/12
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a fanciful dream of a community finding itself, and a boy and a girl finding out all is not lost just because the first 12 years haven't been terrific."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 618 words, 06/01/12
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a film of affectations and poses that mimic emotional depth without achieving it.... 'Moonrise Kingdom' both pines for an innocent era and mocks it."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 314 words, 06/08/12
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: VERY GOOD "One shot and you know it's a Wes Anderson film... It left me bemused instead of moved, but true Andersonites will likely float away in a state of nirvana."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 885 words, 05/21/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Bill Murray is always right for a role in an Anderson film, and I wonder if it's because they share a bemused sadness."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 756 words, 06/01/12
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: OUTSTANDING "...emphasizes both the ephemerality of pre-teen feelings and the ways in which our inability to go back and relive a cherished moment fossilizes it in memory."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 710 words, 05/23/12
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a literate, knowing and sweet-hearted reverie about adolescence.... beautifully rendered by a filmmaker very much in touch with his inner rebel kid."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 422 words, 05/18/12
Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "Even by his stylistic standards, Anderson has cranked up the artifice.... the charm kicks in when the kids take off..."(See all of Rick Groen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 732 words, 06/01/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a tender tale of longing and melancholy... one of the saddest comedies you'll ever see, though that's by no means a criticism."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 137 words, 05/31/12
KEY CITIES (13 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "Anderson's style may not be to everyone's taste, but he's that rare -- maybe even unique -- filmmaker who seems interested in exploring film..."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 899 words, 06/01/12
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Anderson's worldview gets richer, and more revealing, even as the view from his lens gets smaller, closer, almost two-dimensional in its oddball tableaux."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 567 words, 06/08/12
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a family-movie heartwarmer like no other. Watching it is like shuffling through a shoebox of fading photos and silly mementos."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 591 words, 06/08/12
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...wonderful... Taken as a whole, 'Moonrise' may not be particularly believable. On the other hand, it never stops giving us something to believe in."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 566 words, 06/08/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Particularly fine are Kara Hayward and South Orange's Jared Gilman as the 12-year-olds in love. They're the ones who set all this chaos in motion..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 571 words, 05/25/12
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...an adventure, a love story, a biblical allegory complete with approaching storm, a mash note to composer Benjamin Britten and a profoundly touching discourse..."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 452 words, 06/01/12
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...charmingly oddball... takes place in a world where everything seems pleasantly faded, where young people are allowed to be genuinely innocent."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 435 words, 06/08/12
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: EXCELLENT(cg) "Anderson has trouble sticking the landing, but 'Moonrise Kingdom' is in many ways the most satisfying flight he's taken us on in years."(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 436 words, 06/08/12
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the best film of the year and perhaps the purest love story in cinematic history.... 'Moonrise Kingdom' is a joy that cannot be eclipsed."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 318 words, 06/08/12
Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times: EXCELLENT(cg) "While the movie misses the pungent generational satire of Anderson's previous works, it detours toward something like unadulterated warmth for a change."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 445 words, 06/28/12
Tom Long, Detroit News: EXCELLENT(cg) "...as precious as it wants to be. Which is pretty precious. And while that might make this fluffy fable too twee for some, most will eat up its sweet affectations."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 284 words, 06/15/12
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...different, because it feels personal and earnest, its situations drawn from real life instead of art, its emotions honest, its affection genuine.... one from the heart."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 576 words, 06/22/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (10 Reviews)
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: OUTSTANDING "...emphasizes both the ephemerality of pre-teen feelings and the ways in which our inability to go back and relive a cherished moment fossilizes it in memory."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 710 words, 05/23/12
Katey Rich, Cinema Blend: VERY GOOD(cg) "...has elements that hold up to the best of what Anderson has done -- but it's also a little too busy, and a little too fussy to properly explore its main characters..."(See all of Katey Rich's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 712 words, 05/24/12
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Wes Anderson... who else can capture with such chilling accuracy that fragile period between childhood and disillusionment..."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 541 words, 05/31/12
Scott Tobias, AV Club: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a charming fantasy.... dense in minute visual detail, hilarious deadpan jokes, and small moments that are rich in complexity."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 815 words, 05/24/12
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: MODERATE(cg) "What are the benefits of conformity and commitment? Why do families matter? How does romance initiate family or family complicate romance?"(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 903 words, 05/25/12
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: GOOD(cg) "For all the movie's technical meticulousness, the storytelling still has a wiggly-waggly quality, like a dangly loose tooth.... oddly ambitious and weightless..."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,143 words, 05/24/12
Andrew Schenker, Slant: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Anderson generously leaves his characters with room to live, even if they will still have to struggle with the inevitable stresses and frustrations that come with being human."(See all of Andrew Schenker's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 645 words, 05/17/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a tender tale of longing and melancholy... one of the saddest comedies you'll ever see, though that's by no means a criticism."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 137 words, 05/31/12
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: EXCELLENT(cg) "Filled with Anderson's trademark comedic melancholy... evokes the kind of first love that feels like part of an endless summer, while disappearing all too quickly."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 497 words, 06/06/12
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...wondrous... breezes along with a beautifully coordinated admixture of droll humor, deadpan and slapstick... there's a deep, pervasive melancholia here too..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,312 words, 05/25/12
Anthony Lane, New Yorker: OUTSTANDING "...for every note of provable precision, a more fanciful detail flutters past.... Anderson's great gift is to catch the generations as they intersect..."(See all of Anthony Lane's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 918 words, 05/28/12
Ian Buckwalter, NPR: VERY GOOD "...for all the self-conscious distancing techniques and quirky humor Anderson employs, when he's at his best, his work can be surprising in its disarming emotion."(See all of Ian Buckwalter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 754 words, 05/24/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...casts a magical spell with Anderson finding a near perfect balance between the humanism and the surreal that imprints all of his work..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 901 words, 05/25/12
Dana Stevens, Slate: EXCELLENT "...a gorgeously shot, ingeniously crafted, über-Andersonian bonbon... even in its most irritatingly whimsical moments, it remains an effective deliverer of cinematic pleasure..."(See all of Dana Stevens's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 995 words, 05/24/12
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: OUTSTANDING "...rapturous and hilarious... I honestly don't think I've ever seen Norton and Willis, in particular, be better than they are here.... a labor of love..."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,255 words, 05/23/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Peter Debruge, Daily Variety: GOOD "...a universally appealing tale of teenage romance... Wes Anderson's stylized approach masks the young actors' inexperience, while embracing a familiar genre..."(See all of Peter Debruge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,005 words, 05/16/12
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "...highly idiosyncratic, impeccably made... even the most minute detail has been attended to in the manner of the most obsessive maker of 19th century dollhouses."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,165 words, 05/16/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...casts a magical spell with Anderson finding a near perfect balance between the humanism and the surreal that imprints all of his work..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 901 words, 05/25/12
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD(cg) "...one of Wes Anderson's most artistically impressive and meticulously made films.... a heartfelt meditation on the all-embracing, secretive nature of first love..."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,017 words, 05/16/12
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...wondrous... breezes along with a beautifully coordinated admixture of droll humor, deadpan and slapstick... there's a deep, pervasive melancholia here too..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,312 words, 05/25/12
13.2 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Moonrise Kingdom's reviews are separated by an average 13.2 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Moonrise Kingdom (50 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Moonrise Kingdom's reviews cover 99.4% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 34,035 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 681 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 23.8 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Moonrise Kingdom's reviews on average broke 23.8 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Moonrise Kingdom's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Moonrise Kingdom (50 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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