Welcome to The Empathetic Imagination! This newsletter was born out of my interest in the relationship between the arts and spiritual formation, particularly the cultivation of empathy (which also led to my book). In this weekly newsletter, we will look at the connections between art, theology, and the hard work of being a loving, truthful human being. Thank you to all who subscribe, especially those who have opted for a paid subscription. This helps me to continue to do this work! Along with writing on the arts and theology, I will be offering some (non-credit) go–at–your-own–pace courses on these topics for paid subscribers.
Hi all,
This week’s film is–once again–very different in style and tone from the previous one! I think you will really enjoy the hilarious, endearing Wes Anderson film Moonrise Kingdom. You can find it for rent at the usual outlets: Amazon, Youtube, Apple, etc.
We had SUCH a fantastic conversation with Jaap van Heusden about Days of Heaven on Saturday. If you missed it, you can watch it below!
We will not be meeting on Saturday, April 13th because I will be speaking at the Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin University. BUT I invited professor, author, and film critic
to pick a favorite film for the two of us to discuss. He chose Moonrise Kingdom! Our discussion will be posted on Saturday, April 13th for you to watch.I must admit that I have not seen an Anderson film in a while, and I was a bit burned out on what I (ignorantly) perceived as Anderson’s schtick. I have long loved The Royal Tennenbaums, and I have seen quite a few of Anderson’s other films–but I had not really taken him very seriously in a while.
I am so glad that I listened to Jeffrey, a friend whose nuanced, passionate, and deeply charitable reading of films has been formative in my own relationship with art. If you don’t know Jeffrey Overstreet’s work, his book Through a Screen Darkly is a great place to start, as is his Substack Give Me Some Light. Anyway, my recent rewatching of Moonrise Kingdom and my conversation with Jeffrey have made me want to go and watch the Anderson films I have not yet seen and revisit those I might have dismissed too quickly years ago!
Wes Anderson’s films have been called “quirky,” products of the “new sincerity” movement, and “metamodern.”
In an article for Image Journal called “Revisiting Moonrise Kingdom,” Overstreet writes:
“No American filmmaker—not even Woody Allen—has a more recognizable aesthetic or a stronger authorial voice, and this may be the most, well, Andersonian movie yet. His style recalls storybook illustrations, puppet shows, school-project dioramas, and community theatre productions.”
*I recommend not reading Overstreet’s entire article until after you have seen the film.
Saturday Night Live seems to agree with Overstreet’s assessment (watch this AFTER watching the movie. It will make you giggle!).
In the following video, I discuss the term “metamodern” in a (broad brushstoke) philosophical/ historical context. I am particularly interested in the growth of postmodern irony and the coupling of irony and sincerity in the films of Wes Anderson, especially Moonrise Kingdom.
Below you will find a handout with quotes that are used in the video, as well as some other critics’ quotes about Moonrise Kingdom. After that is my lecture video.
Questions to Consider after Watching Moonrise Kingdom.
How would you describe the director, Wes Anderson’s, use of childhood nostalgia? Is it more ironic? More sincere? A mixture of both? Does it work? What does it even mean for it to work?
Consider how this conversation between Suzy and Sam about her binoculars might relate to the film’s aesthetic:
Suzy: “They help you see things closer, even if they’re not far away.”
Sam: “Hmmm. That sounds like poetry.”
What is the significance of the framing inclusions/ references to the one-act opera by Benjamin Britten called Noye’s Fludde?
Consider the different roles that adults play in the film. Does Anderson set up an easy Romantic dichotomy (adults = bad; kids = good)-or is it more complicated than that? Why?
What role does the church play in the film?
Is the change of heart of Sam’s scout “friends” believable? Why or why not?
Consider the childlike lens of the film: attention to detail, a sense of seriousness about all tasks, a sense of wonder over small things. Are these desirable traits for adults?
Is the film “metamodern”?
Here are a few articles that you might find interesting after watching the film.
Novelist Michael Chabon on Wes Anderson
Interview with Matt Zoller Seitz
Don’t forget to check your inbox on Saturday for my conversation with Jeffrey Overstreet!
Our next film for live discussion will be on Barbie. We will meet an hour later than usual at 3 pm ET on Saturday, April 20th. I hope to see you then!
Thanks for taking the time to have/share these discussions with us!
I watched this film when it first came out and was blown away that Andreson chose Noye's Fludde as the music. I hadn't watched it again since, so this second viewing and discussion was so interesting!