Moonrise Kingdom is a wonderful film which warmed my heart and filled my soul with pure happiness. Wes Anderson puts his trust in two first time child actors. Their on-screen chemistry is nothing short of magical. The ensemble casts includes many familiar faces: Norton,Willis, Murray, Swinton, McDormand, and Schwartzman. Did I mention the look, feel and sound? Let’s get into it!

The premise? Two children (age 12? 13?) fall in love and run away together. Sam (Gilman) is a “khaki scout” much like boy scouts. Suzy (Hayward) appreciates reading books and closes herself off to the rest of the world. Sam and Suzy make an interesting couple, their love for one another is never questioned and not once did I have to suspend my disbelief.

The ensemble cast is tasked with finding the runaway lovebirds. Norton leads the search party as “Scout Master Ward.” His introduction quickly establishes his role wonderfully. He takes his job as Scout Master seriously and runs a tight ship. Camp Ivanhoe looks like the kind of place I always wanted to go for a summer when I was a boy, emerging childhood memories/feelings from me.

Anderson does a fantastic job of engaging the audience and keeping us entertained every moment. There is always something going on in the film: whether it’s the characters exchanging dialogue or something interesting in the background. The ride is smooth, fun, consistent and left me wanting more of the world Anderson and Coppola (co-writer) created.

Moonrise Kingdom is a visually appealing film to watch. Each frame is carefully placed and the use of bright colors is a work of art. Difficult shots appear seamless and keep moving the story along smoothly. I applaud Yeoman (Cinematographer) who has shot all of Anderson’s films.

Moonrise Kingdom is one of my favourite films of 2012 and receives my highest recommendation. From opening frame to closing frame I had a grin on my face. As I left the theatre my heart was filled with joy. I am certainly planning at the very least another screening. Don’t miss your chance to see this beautiful film on the big screen.