Film - Asteroid City

Asteroid Day is celebrated each year to commemorate when the asteroid fell on what I assume is the place which subsequently changed its name accordingly. We witness this in the mid-1950s.

The starry ensemble cast plays:

• The widower and his 4 kids, of which the 3 daughters are amateur witches

• The mechanic

• The grandfather

• The actress and her daughter

• Plus the teacher and her class who have arrived to witness the Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention

The widower’s car breaks down so they have to say in town while it gets fixed. Meanwhile, he calls his father-in-law to take them on the rest of the journey, which gives us the excuse to see Tom Hanks play the doting grandfather.

An out-of-space incident means one can leave the town and the widower, a photojournalist, who has yet to tell the kids their mum has died, takes a natural interest in the actress.

Asteroid City took a while to warm to although came to life after about half an hour as we got introduced to each complex character in the ensemble.

All presented in that beautiful technicolour trademark of Wes Anderson films such as The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs. Exactly the type of film to see at The Electric Cinema.

7½/10

The Electric