Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to choose what they think is the best movie under a certain topic related to a recent release. So this week, with the release of Asteroid City, in which Jason Schwartzman leads an all-star cast, we’re counting down our favorite of Schwartzman’s movies! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
The Darjeeling Limited seems to turn the page on a certain chapter in Wes Anderson’s filmography. It’s the last of his movies before each and every frame is noticeably, meticulously crafted. And to me, it’s Anderson’s most emotionally resonant movie, as it follows three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman) as they travel through India after the death of their father to reconnect and bond. The three brothers display Anderson’s trademark quirk, but they also have deep-seated pain and reasons to be going on this journey together. With this, Anderson mines a lot of pathos throughout the film, and its bookending climax always fills me with joy. (Robert Bouffard)
Ennui-sur-Blasé, while fictional, might well be the backdrop of any film, with its picturesque and center-framed scenery. For The French Dispatch of The Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun, it also serves as a canvas for multiple stories of intrigue, absurdity, and action. From a tour of the city, to the stories of the town, the time spent here is one of fascination, of art, and of beauty. It’s something where the artistic hand of someone like Hermès Jones (Jason Schwartzman) can hide things you might miss if you’re not expecting to look for them. It’s like a fine wine in a way; the best ones have the most subtle additions to them. (Joseph Davis)
When I first heard Disney was making Saving Mr. Banks, a film about the production of one of their most wholesome films, as well as one of the last while Walt Disney was still alive, I was sure it would be self-indulgent fluff. But while there are several moments like that, the actual substance of this narrative is in what the story of Mary Poppins meant to its author, P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson). As well as seeing the early stages of production, we also learn what inspired her books through flashbacks to her childhood in Australia. Her fun-loving father, Travers Goff (Colin Farrell), is tragically taken from her when she is young. As he works on the film, Walt figures out that the character of Mr. Banks (Tom Hanks) is in fact her father, the man whose name she took as a writer, and that the story is really about his redemption. It helped me to see the original film in a whole new light. I also love that, despite being a Disney film, they don’t make Walt Disney out to be some perfect hero, or suggest Travers is wrong for refusing the rights to her books for so long. She is somewhat cynical of Disney, such as referring to Disneyland as a “money-making machine,” and no one suggests that she’s wrong. Thompson is also brilliant at capturing the vibe of an author constantly on edge about changes to their creation. (John Tillyard)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the closest a movie has felt like a video game. With the catchy graphics and level-by-level plot, Scott (Michael Cera) battles Ramona’s (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) seven evil exes, each one more difficult than the last. The final boss is Gideon (Jason Schwartzman), who has a hold on Ramona that she can’t shake. Schwartzman is perfect for the final ex in one of his more memorable roles. He’s confident and charismatic enough to understand why Ramona just can’t shake him, but sleazy enough that we want to root for Scott to win. With expert direction from Edgar Wright and one of the best ensemble casts ever assembled, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a visual treat that’s equal parts comedy and action. The battle sequences are amazing, but they’re also unique to each ex. (Mike Hilty)
We may be in the heart of summer, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t sing the praises of one of the best Christmas films to come out in the past decade. A new take on Santa’s origin story, Klaus tells the tale of Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), a spoiled young man who is sent by his father to work as a postal officer in the conflict-ridden, arctic town of Smeerensburg. There, Jesper befriends Klaus (J. K. Simmons), a reclusive woodworker and toymaker, and the two work together to deliver toys to the children of the town. Schwartzman and Simmons both give excellent vocal performances, providing much of the comedy and heart in the film. The animation style is absolutely gorgeous — it uses traditional 2D animated characters and backgrounds, but animates and lights them as though they are three-dimensional, which creates a unique aesthetic unlike anything I’d seen before. It isn’t easy to make a Christmas movie that will stand the test of time, but I’ve gone back and watched this one every holiday season since it was released in 2019. With its fun characters, great visuals, and abundant heart, it has every ingredient to be a modern Christmas classic. (Jake Hjort)
I was fortunate enough to come across the work of Wes Anderson pretty early on in his career; I was the right age, at the right time — with far fewer options than today — to be fortunate enough to have actually seen one of his early films, Rushmore, in theaters. The poster had a kid I’d never seen before wearing a red beret, with the tagline, “Love. Expulsion. Revolution.” And oh yeah, Bill Murray post-Groundhog Day and What About Bob. “One for Rushmore, please.” What a serendipitous movie going experience! Max (Jason Schwartzman) is somehow both scholastically deficient and extracurricularly excessive throughout his time at Rushmore Academy. After being put on academic probation, he orchestrates a mentorship/friendship with notable businessman Herman Blume (Murray) and ends up in a full-fledged feud for the affections of his teacher (Olivia Williams). The back-and-forth one-upping and sabotage between Murray and Schwartzman is both awful and absurd, and I love every minute of it. I mean the idea of a 15-year-old actively dueling with a middle-aged man for a woman’s affection is so preposterous, and beautifully demonstrates the irrational lengths a person will go to in fueling their obsession. If you’ve yet to become acquainted with the quirky and unconventional style of Anderson, Rushmore is the perfect introduction to the master of unorthodox comedic cinema. (Patrice Downing)
Outside of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, it’s not often that Jason Schwartzman portrays a villain. That’s just hard to do when he’s such a lovable, quirky dude. But with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, he gets to tap into his sinister side with his portrayal of Jonathan Ohnn, the Spot… while also being lovable and quirky. There’s a sense of pain and anger in this performance that makes Spot terrifying, where you believe he could destroy the multiverse. At the same time, there’s a goofiness to it where he comes across as an inept villain of the week. Mix this excellent vocal performance in with the rest of the powerhouse vocal ensemble, one of the most visually inventive and original animated films ever made, and a narrative that packs an emotional punch as you swing through some fun superhero spectacle, and it’s no wonder why this film has become instantly beloved by many. (Heath Lynch)
Wes Anderson is a very interesting director. He somehow manages to turn your fourth grade diorama project to life. Not in any ordinary way either — his version of a diorama is a visually stunning, technical masterpiece of a motion picture. I am constantly floored by his work, especially his last five projects. However, for me, Moonrise Kingdom is the one with the most heart. His films can sometimes have a cold detachment to the way the people talk and interact with each other, the environment around them, and the camera itself. And yet Moonrise Kingdom breaks through the potential robotic nature to tell a love story between two children, and the adventure they share as they try to run away from the worlds they know. Many familiar Anderson players appear in this movie, but I think Jason Schwartzman does the most with the least amount of screen time. His short scene is probably the funniest of the movie due to the juvenile charm he brings to the role. Is this Anderson’s best movie? Who’s to say, but it doesn’t deserve to be overlooked. (Nick Ferro)
Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson’s first foray into the spectacular world of animation and stop-motion, was met with tremendous critical acclaim upon release. The humor is sharp and fresh, the visuals are striking, and Anderson’s style still manages to shine in the brand new medium. The star studded cast also, deservedly, drew the film much praise and attention. Generational talents George Clooney and Meryl Streep lead the film as the heads of the Fox family. And the supporting cast is made up of many beloved voices, including Jason Schwartzman as Ash. Schwartzman and Anderson have proven to be an electric pairing since the inception of their careers, and this film is no different. Watching Ash fight to find some light in the immense shadow set by his father, Mr. Fox, is one of the greatest delights the film has to offer. The Oscar-nominated project has aged incredibly well, and continues to motivate me to see any contribution Anderson or Schwartzman have to the world of animation. (Jack Grimme)
Which director has helped put Jason Schwartzman on the map? Wes Anderson. Since his leading turn in Rushmore, Schwartzman has enjoyed a great career in Anderson’s bold, quirky, and moving worlds. In The Grand Budapest Hotel, he might not have the biggest role as the lacking concierge in the now rundown hotel, but he is a perfect piece in the grand ensemble that sells the film. He is just the amount of dry and witty to fit into the cinematic landscape that Anderson orchestrated, fitting in with a who’s who of Hollywood heavy hitters. Getting to share the screen briefly with Jude Law and F. Murray Abraham is a wonderful feather in your cap. But he is just a piece to this wonderfully zany, funny, and emotional murder mystery that checks so many genre boxes. The Grand Budapest Hotel is peak Anderson, offering up a maturity that seems to get refined with each new prospect. Anderson might never surpass this one, but that is perfectly fine, because we have this pitch perfect piece of cinema. (Shane Conto)
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Prompted by the release of films like Ray and Walk the Line in the preceding years, writers Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan took notice of the shared tropes within the music biopic genre, and wrote what is perhaps the greatest parody film of the last 25 years. From Dewey’s (John C. Reilly) comically tragic origin story to his unexpectedly emotional swan song, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story unrelentingly tears down each and every biopic trope so fully that you will be unable to watch films about your favorite musicians in the same way again. Supporting comedic roles and surprise cameos be darned, Walk Hard is Reilly’s vehicle through and through. This is, of course, aided by the delightful surprise that the songs written for the film are far more compelling than they have any right to be. They are at once hilarious, catchy, cleverly written, and unexpectedly moving, and Reilly performs them all to perfection. Walk Hard is one of the most intelligently stupid films ever made, and if you are a fan of both music and film, watching it will be some of the most fun you ever have watching a movie. (Foster Harlfinger)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams surprised the universe when he revealed the meaning of life was 42 in his infamous book series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In 2005, a movie was made based on the first novel in the series, and it featured a stacked cast, including Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel, Warwick Davis, and Jason Schwartzman, to name a few. It follows Arthur Dent (Freeman), who learns that his best friend, Ford (Mos Def), is an alien stuck on earth. Dent learns this on the day the earth will be destroyed by the evil, bureaucratic Vogons. This movie turned out to be a very interesting story which led me to read the novels it is based on. Unfortunately, there was only one movie, and they never completed the series; but there is a British show which adapts the books, and we still have the books themselves. (Austen Terry)
Also See: I Heart Huckabees, Marie Antoinette, Big Eyes, Spun