The Life Aquatic

Saw this with my friend KK the other night, and WOW.
Bill Murray probably won't be nominated for his performance (because the movie isn't REALLY great), but his performance is mesmerizing. He commands every moment of the film, and his journey (if you buy into the somewhat quirky Wes Anderson world) is truly poignant. He never relies on any cheap gag or "Bill Murray-ism" - it's all very real for him, and thus, for the viewer. KK turned to me as the credits rolled and said, "That was an amazing performance". It was all you could really say.
The movie, while pretty charming and interesting, doesn't really know what it's supposed to be. Anjelica Huston is (as always) excellent, and the Portugese, acoustic covers of Bowie standards are superb. The first moment of each one you sort of groove to the music, then you strain to figure out which Bowie song it is, then you just enjoy the moment.
Anderson is really an interesting director (and writer, for that matter). He has such an obvious affection for the older films that told leisurely-paced stories about the regular lives of extraordinary people. He's also very familiar with modern camera moves and techniques. It's interesting to see where (and how) he forgoes the easier modern route for the more labor-intensive, old-fashioned methods. There are some shots that are obviously CG, but even there they have a sort-of hand crafted feel to them. It's a fun style to watch, and The Life Aquatic includes a couple of really incredible cinematic shots and moments where you just knew Anderson was having a blast.
If you liked Rushmore or Bottle Rocket, I'd completely recommend The Life Aquatic. (If your really liked The Royal Tennenbaums, I'm guessing you've already seen The Life Aquatic) I'd confidently recommend it to pretty much any of my friends. It's not for people who thought National Treasure was good, but who has conversations about film with those people?