From a plot and structural level, this is one of Anderson's weaker movies, but it exudes charm on every level thanks to it's somewhat moseying nature. The perfectly constructed framing and warm color palette make it an easy movie to comfortably sink into, as the quirkiness and wittiness compliments the storybook aesthetic to a T. For better or worse, this movie marked the turning point into Anderson's full blown style thanks to the level of authorship and control he had on display here; while I think there's something to be said for the roughness of some of his earlier efforts, his tone in this career phase is entirely unique and absolutely worthwhile. He captures a sense of spatial loneliness that is difficult to describe, but the nuance of his films always do an impressive amount to reflect the characters and stories through the way they're presented.

I love this cozy, quirky, funny movie. It's the best (and only proper?) Thanksgiving movie, and one of the most lighthearted looks at melancholy out there. It was also one of my first brushes with arthouse movies (I saw it on DVD when I was ten), and I'm massively appreciative of any movie that is able to reach a broad audience while still having such a strong personality.