Every Wes Anderson Movie, Ranked According to IMDb

10 “Asteroid City” (2023)

IMDb rating: 7.0/10

Anderson’s latest film is a visually stunning sci-fi comedy-drama set in an alternate 1955 in the middle of the American southwestern desert. There, the audience watches the play and its creation, with an all-star cast full of first-list stars, including Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbieand more.

The film fits the bill when it comes to visual style, with Anderson’s recognizable color palette and symmetry to the fullest. However, asteroid city fails due to complex narrative structure and lack of emotional depth, despite the best efforts of talented actors. It definitely has a lot to offer and is worth a watch for fans of the author as it is arguably his most brilliant film to date.

9 “French Dispatch” (2021)

IMDb rating: 7.1/10

Celebrating the 10th feature film in its track record, French dispatch so well done it’s hard to follow. On the verge of the final edition French dispatch magazine, dear editor Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray) refuses to cut any of his journalism pieces, catapulting the audience into the situations that inspired every prose.

To viewers new to Anderson, this feature is rather repulsive. There’s a lot going on in its iconic style and pace that loses out to inexperienced viewers. The director’s loyal fans praised his love letter to journalism and resented his snub for the 94th Academy Awards.

Watch on Max

8 Darjeeling Limited (2007)

IMDb rating: 7.2/10

An exploration of grief and family ties, Darjeeling Limited - a worthy drama for viewers new to Anderson’s work. Jason SchwartzmanOwen Wilson and Adrien Brody as three brothers who struggle to cope with their grief and reconnect while traveling through India a year after their father’s death.

While humor and aesthetic appeal to certain audiences, Darjeeling Limited still mimics the dysfunctions of the alienated family. This common theme is reflected in most, if not all, of Anderson’s films. Roman Coppola and Schwartzman co-author of the paper with Anderson.

7 Aquatic Life with Steve Zissou (2004)

IMDb rating: 7.2/10

It is one of the few Anderson films that audiences love more than critics. Aquatic life with Steve Zissou Bill Murray plays the titular Steve Zissou, an oceanographer who seeks revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner.

Visually flawless - like all of Anderson’s films - this film sank rather than floated, as its story didn’t hook audiences as much as others in the director’s canon. For movie buffs who haven’t completely fallen in love with Anderson, this isn’t something that will change their tone.

6 ‘Rushmore’ (1998)

IMDb rating: 7.6/10

The second feature of the cult director, Rushmorestill remains a cult classic. Jason Schwartzman plays Max, an ambitious teenager at Rushmore Academy who finds himself in a strange predicament when the man he’s been seeking romantic advice from has an affair with the teacher Max has fallen in love with.

Rushmore will be the first of nine joint projects between Bill Murray and Anderson. Bizarre, the seminal film of Anderson’s career, is a story that can be filmed in multiple genres, making it a classic.

5 “Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)

IMDb rating: 7.6

One of the most awkward families in cinema, the Tenenbaums manage to stay in Anderson’s top five films. Royal Tenenbaumsdiscovers that the titled family is unexpectedly reunited one winter, their familiar story unfolding over two decades of dysfunction through the fault of the family patriarch (Gene Hackman).

The film, equally satirical and sentimental, earned Anderson his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, which he shared with co-writer Owen Wilson. The stellar cast features the Anderson regulars his viewers are so familiar with.

4 “Isle of Dogs” (2018)

IMDb rating: 7.8/10

Second animated film in Anderson’s canon. Isle of Dogs definitely compares to his earlier films. This is the story of a young Japanese boy looking for his dog after the country banished dogs to a garbage island. Featuring the usual suspects in Anderson’s casting, Edward Norton, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Bill MurrayAnd Bob Balabanround out the voices behind the dog pack.

Isle of Dogs is a stunning incarnation of stop-motion animation that received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. The sushi scene alone deserved a golden statue; however, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ensured fierce competition and ensured victory.

Watch Disney+

3 ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (2012)

IMDb rating: 7.8/10

For Anderson fans, this is possibly one of the most beloved tales in Anderson’s catalogue. full moon kingdom is a coming-of-age story about a couple of teenagers in love who run away into the wilderness, causing the grown-ups of the city to form a search party to hunt them down. This film is not only a romance, but also a love letter to fantasies of childhood adventures.

Hailed as one of Wes Anderson’s finest works, full moon kingdom received only one Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, which Anderson shared with co-writer Roman Coppola. A quirky film that has stood the test of time, more than a decade later, audiences are still revisiting this tale.

Watch Prime Video

2 ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ (2009)

IMDb rating: 7.9/10

This entry in Anderson’s filmography proved that his stylistic approach to filmmaking could translate well into animation. Fantastic Mr Fox stars George Clooney as the voice of Mr. Fox, the family’s patriarch and leader of the woodlands, whose raids on farms have resulted in retribution from local farmers. The film is based on Roald Dahl book and even features Anderson’s voice as Weasel.

Anderson enlisted the support Noah Baumbach write an adaptation script. His first performance in an animated film earned Anderson an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. In a genre saturated with princesses and CGI animation styles, Fantastic Mr Fox really stand out from the competition.

Watch on Max

1 “Hotel Grand Budapest” (2014)

IMDb rating: 8.1/10

Earning a healthy nine Oscar nominations and four wins, Hotel Grand Budapest indeed Anderson at his best. Like many of his films, there are stories within the walls of this hotel. The writer is introduced to the story of the wild adventures of an extraordinary concierge and a boy from the lobby during the wonderful years of the hotel.

This feature is ranked #184 of the top 250 IMDb movies. His efforts earned Anderson his first Oscar nomination for Best Director and a third nomination for Screenplay. Awarded the Best Production Design win, Hotel Grand Budapest is a work of cinematic art and still remains Anderson’s best film.