By Stroud 10th – Isle of Dogs (2018)
A beautifully animated stop-motion film that pays homage to Japanese cinema, featuring a heartfelt story about friendship, politics, and, of course, dogs.
Fun Fact: The movie holds the record for the most puppets ever used in a stop-motion animated film, with over 1,000 unique dog and human puppets.
9th – Bottle Rocket (1996)
Anderson’s debut is a low-budget heist film that showcases his early storytelling flair and introduces the world to Owen and Luke Wilson.
Fun Fact: Martin Scorsese called Bottle Rocket one of his favorite movies of the 1990s, which helped boost Anderson’s reputation early in his career.
8th – The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
A visually stunning and melancholic adventure film about an eccentric oceanographer (Bill Murray) on a quest for revenge. It blends comedy, existentialism, and stunning underwater sequences with a killer David Bowie soundtrack (sung in Portuguese).
Fun Fact: All the sea creatures in the film were animated using stop-motion by legendary effects artist Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas).
7th – The French Dispatch (2021)
A unique anthology film celebrating journalism, filled with Anderson’s trademark visual style and an incredible ensemble cast.
Fun Fact: The film is inspired by The New Yorker, with many characters and stories based on real-life writers and editors from the famous magazine.
6th – Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
A beautifully nostalgic and heartfelt story about young love and adventure, set against Anderson’s signature symmetrical framing and pastel color palette.
Fun Fact: The two young leads, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, had never acted in a film before. To make their romance feel real, Anderson encouraged them to send each other handwritten letters.
5th – Rushmore (1998)
Jason Schwartzman’s Max Fischer is one of Anderson’s most iconic characters. This film cemented Anderson’s signature style and gave Bill Murray one of his best roles.
Fun Fact: Jason Schwartzman beat out more than 1,800 other actors for the role of Max Fischer in what became his film debut.
4th – The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
A deeply emotional yet darkly comedic look at a dysfunctional family of geniuses, featuring an all-star cast and some of Anderson’s most poignant moments.
Fun Fact: Gene Hackman initially refused to take the role of Royal Tenenbaum, leading Anderson to write the part specifically for him in hopes he would change his mind—he did!
3rd – The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
A beautifully shot, introspective film about three estranged brothers reconnecting on a train journey through India. A mix of humor, grief, and self-discovery.
The brothers’ matching designer luggage in the movie was actually custom-made by Louis Vuitton for the film.
2nd – Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
A charming, meticulously crafted stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel, filled with clever humor, strong family themes, and stunning visuals.
Fun Fact: The fur on the puppets was made from real animal hair, which caused a problem because animators’ hands would slightly disturb it between frames—leading to the film’s signature “shimmering” look.
1st – The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
A masterclass in storytelling, production design, and humor. Ralph Fiennes gives a career-best performance in this quirky, multi-layered tale of loyalty and adventure.
Fun Fact: The pink Grand Budapest Hotel exterior was actually a department store in Görlitz, Germany, transformed into the iconic setting.
