A beloved writer, the most famous book he wrote and the adventures of Gustave H – a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars – are all linked together in the tale told by Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes Gustave’s most trusted friend.   imdb (and me)

This movie is as satisfying as a chocolate Easter egg – and a lot kinder to my waistline. Although I had a hankering for heavily iced petit fours after I saw it.  You’ll understand once you see it, and you must see it.

No, shouldn’t say that.

There may be some who read this who didn’t develop a crush on Moonrise Kingdom, didn’t want to be part of the Tenenbaum family or take up The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Wes Anderson’s movies are not for everyone. His singular, signature style is even more readily identifiable than Baz Luhman’s. So if you have not enjoyed his other films perhaps you should line up for The Lego Movie instead. There is nothing wrong with that – and I loved every second of The Lego Movie (more later).

If, however, you love a quirky story line, a smorgasbord of fascinating characters and a visual feast on your movie screen run, don’t walk, to the nearest cinema screening this treasure.

It combines the cleverness of The Royal Tenenbaums with the soft, romantic heart of Moonrise Kingdom to create what, for me, will now be the benchmark of Wes Anderson films. I loved every handmade, idiosyncratic moment of it.

I loved Ralph Fiennes playing a good guy for the first time in years – and he is playing the most metrosexual character I’ve seen outside Brit cinema. Gustave H. seduces women left and right whilst speaking and acting like such a lovie he would not be a n obvious threat to any man around in the 1930s. It is a comedic tour de force for Fiennes.

I loved the setting, the scenery and the hand coloured, hand cut fairytale exteriors and animations. Anderson and his team have created a vision of a glorious between wars era (which I think may have only occurred in the imaginations of Hollywood filmmakers) of elegance and intrigue. With hotels like iced cakes, castles like Disney dreams and characters MGM’s central casting would recognise in a heartbeat.

I loved these characters – far too important to the story to be called mere cameos. They included (but are by no means limited to) an ethereal Saorise Ronan, an elegantly astute Jeff Goldblum, a true hearted Edward Norton, the shiftiest character Willem Dafoe has created in ages (and isn’t that saying something) and Adrien Brodie as the son who should inherit Tilda Swinton’s fortune. Brodie looks like an escapee from a comic opera and acts like a silent era, moustache-twirling villain. Wonderful.

And what, besides asking them to be in his movie, is the best gift Anderson gives to these and all his other cast members? Rather than have them sound like they are gargling rocks trying to grasp a British accent (because everyone in the whole history of the world apparently spoke with that accent, according to modern films) he lets them speak with their own voices. In lesser hands this could have sounded awful but words are used so sparingly in what is primarily a visual film that I did not find it jarring at all.

A final note on the cast – go to imdb and read the full list before you see it – otherwise you will waste precious moments saying ‘hey, isn’t that the guy from that Kate Winslet thing and yeah, The Piano?’ inside your head and miss perfectly framed moments and perfectly delivered bon mots.

It is funny, it is individual and it is complex. There is a whodunit wrapped in wartime intrigue, flavoured with a love story and steeped in character studies.

It is tasty cinema.

The Lego Movie is also great fun.

This school holidays families have some great opportunities to enjoy (not just endure) movie going with their children. All three of my favourite cinemas (Dendy, Limelight and Palace Electric) are offering adults at children’s prices for Lego and The Muppets. Wow, I didn’t even wait to have my nephew to take with me, I was so excited by Lego. I just sat there like the big nerd I am and laughed along with all the kids.

It is so well produced, the voice acting is great and the animation is mind blowing. Every bit of Lego works like it does in the real world, only moving in the way that it would if a child were playing with it and yet creating some of the most memorable characters who are NOT princesses.

The story, and even some of the contraptions, owes a lot to The Matrix, but no child nor most adults would pick that. You may pick Will Arnett’s voice as Batman and I would just like to say I vote for him to do a Dark Knight trilogy and bring batman back onto planet fun.

Roslyn saw Grand Budapest Hotel as a guest of Dendy Cinemas Canberra.