World-changing events spectacularly disrupt the annual Asteroid Day celebration in an American desert town.World-changing events spectacularly disrupt the annual Asteroid Day celebration in an American desert town.World-changing events spectacularly disrupt the annual Asteroid Day celebration in an American desert town.
- Awards
- 4 wins & 85 nominations total
Steve Park
- Roger Cho
- (as Stephen Park)
Wes Anderson Films as Ranked by IMDb Rating
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJason Schwartzman used the incomplete on-ramp freeway as a place to relax on set in between takes. "I would go up there all the time and sit up there. (...) Don't tell anyone. It's my secret spot. My secret spot in Asteroid City. It's kind of a hidden gem."
- GoofsThe newspaper shows a photo of the alien with a shadow, as if taken with a flashbulb, but Augie did not use a flash.
- Quotes
Augie Steenbeck: I still don't understand the play.
Schubert Green: Doesn't matter. Just keep telling the story.
- Crazy creditsAt the very end of the end credits, over a black screen a voice whispers, "Wicked."
- Alternate versionsTheatrically, the film is presented entirely within a 2.39:1 frame; the corresponding academy ratio 1.37:1 scenes are windowboxed within that frame. The Blu-Ray, DVD, and streaming version presents everything within a 1.78:1 framing, letterboxing the 2.39:1 segments and pillarboxing the 1.37:1 segments. The opening Focus Features and Indian Paintbrush logos are presented in full 1.78:1.
- SoundtracksLast Train to San Fernando
Written by Sylvester DeVere, Randolph Padmore, Kenneth St. Bernard
Performed by Johnny Duncan and the Blue Grass Boys
Courtesy of Columbia Records Nashville
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment
Featured review
Few independent filmmakers have a style as unique and distinctive as Wes Anderson's, whose signature aesthetic is almost immediately recognizable upon watching one of his films. Yet his films are not just aesthetically engaging; they tend to be hilarious and well-written in a quirky, down-to-earth way. As a fan of his work, I was looking forward to "Asteroid City." This retro sci-fi tale of a UFO/alien sighting in a 1950s desert town certainly delivers Anderson's expected vibes, but fails to pair the visuals and auteurist elements with an engaging, emotionally impactful plot or character development that is equally strong and/or effective.
The film is a true ensemble piece, and doesn't have a clear main character. This would be fine if the wide array of characters involved were more compellingly written, but the screenplay treats their motivations as simply second fiddle to "style," world-building, and more abstract themes. Thematically, the film also seems a bit inert, seeming to jump around in subtext without providing the plot context to justify it--including through the framing device of a play. Anderson's large ensemble cast generally does pretty well with the material they are given, but their actions feel removed from consequence or plot relevance to make us feel a lot fo their characters. The brilliant craftsmanship on display mildly offsets these concerns--from the outstanding production design, cinematography, costume design, and editing--which are well-done even by Wes Anderson's standards. Yet the lack of a comparatively developed plot or character motivations is a bit jarring compared to his better films, such as "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Moonrise Kingdom," "The Royal Tenebaums," and "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Even the anthology structure in "The French Dispatch" felt more character-driven and authentic, and thus more conceptually engaging than this film. Make no mistake, Anderson is and has always been a creative visionary, and his fans should generally have a good time while watching this film. It's just a little bit unfortunate that the film comes off as more hollow and forgettable than it should, despite plenty of positive qualities as well. Recommended only to Wes Anderson fans. 6.5/10.
The film is a true ensemble piece, and doesn't have a clear main character. This would be fine if the wide array of characters involved were more compellingly written, but the screenplay treats their motivations as simply second fiddle to "style," world-building, and more abstract themes. Thematically, the film also seems a bit inert, seeming to jump around in subtext without providing the plot context to justify it--including through the framing device of a play. Anderson's large ensemble cast generally does pretty well with the material they are given, but their actions feel removed from consequence or plot relevance to make us feel a lot fo their characters. The brilliant craftsmanship on display mildly offsets these concerns--from the outstanding production design, cinematography, costume design, and editing--which are well-done even by Wes Anderson's standards. Yet the lack of a comparatively developed plot or character motivations is a bit jarring compared to his better films, such as "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Moonrise Kingdom," "The Royal Tenebaums," and "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Even the anthology structure in "The French Dispatch" felt more character-driven and authentic, and thus more conceptually engaging than this film. Make no mistake, Anderson is and has always been a creative visionary, and his fans should generally have a good time while watching this film. It's just a little bit unfortunate that the film comes off as more hollow and forgettable than it should, despite plenty of positive qualities as well. Recommended only to Wes Anderson fans. 6.5/10.
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- Jun 12, 2023
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24 Frames From Wes Anderson Films
24 Frames From Wes Anderson Films
Explore the memorable career of Wes Anderson through 24 stills from his movies.
- How long is Asteroid City?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $28,153,025
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $853,382
- Jun 18, 2023
- Gross worldwide
- $53,857,743
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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