I first got into movies as a kid in the 1970s, so my frame of reference was shaped by a style of filmmaking that is steeped in realism. Even epic movie-movies like Jaws, Star Wars and Grease are filled with characters who talk like the audience did and environments that looked lived-in if not seedy. The artifice of classic films from previous decades made them incomprehensible. That element of realism has for the most part been an element of mainstream US movies since then, no matter the genre. I know Anderson is a talented artist with a huge fan base. But I remember when I saw Moonrise Kingdom, which looked great in promo materials and I expected to like it, just refused to let me suspend my disbelief and enjoy it: I could only see actors acting on fake sets reciting dialogue that had been written for them by someone else. I know that is exactly what movies are, but I don't understand being so staged, so stilted, so performative to the point that it's primary message seems to be "this isn't real! and if you didn't get that on your own, here are some reminders of how artificial it all is!" I get that I'm in the minority on this and that I'm probably missing the point or not watching them right, or something, and that's ok. I tried. He obviously appeals to a lot of people. I'm happy for them.