Something I noticed while watching this film and all the other Wes Anderson films I have seen is that he LOVES to use symmetry in his shots. As I was watching Grand Budapest Hotel, I kept noticing how the characters were constantly placed in the middle of the frame and realized that the setting was constantly symmetrical. The lobby of the hotel, the dining area, the prison cells, the monks, the train carts, the will reading room, the concierge desks, even the physical structure of the hotel, and so many more settings were all nearly perfectly symmetrical. Symmetry wasn’t only used for the backgrounds. I have come to realize that people and things were also placed in symmetry. For example, when they were in the midst of the prison escape and one of the inmates opened the trap door where the five guards were playing cards, I noticed that once again, they were in perfect rotational symmetry. Even the Mendl’s cookies are symmetrical. The video below shows plenty of examples of Wes Anderson’s use of symmetry in not only The Grand Budapest Hotel, but some of his other films such as The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs.

The use of symmetry in a majority of shots is something that is unique to Wes Anderson. As the video explains, many film critics actually believe that asymmetry makes the shots more dynamic and more interesting. I read an article (linked at the bottom) criticizing Anderson’s constant use of symmetry, claiming its getting old and his movies are “style over substance” (Abbott 21). Personally, I believe that the symmetry in his shots make his movies very aesthetically pleasing. I feel it creates an environment that is so fun and creative and something that as a viewer is very pleasing to the eye. I think it adds substance to the story as it essentially creates a fantasy world, almost an escape from reality. If you enjoyed Grand Budapest Hotel and haven’t seen it already, I definitely think you should go see Fantastic Mr. Fox as it has the same aesthetically pleasing organization in its shots.

https://www.newsweek.com/wes-anderson-movies-overrated-1641341