Director Wes Anderson has inspired a new TikTok aesthetic

From The Royal Tenenbaums to Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson movies have an unmistakable look, feel and style to them that even the casual moviegoer can quickly identify.

But now that people have been turning their everyday TikToks into Wes Anderson-inspired “mini-movies,” the filmmaker’s trademark aesthetic seems to be spreading like wildfire.

The trend was recently started by Ava Williams (@avawillyums), who posted her own little Wes Anderson homage on April 8 after documenting her train ride home to New York City.

@avawillyums

With a good imagination, everything is symmetrical. Let a girl day dream! #wesanderson

♬ Obituary – Alexandre Desplat

The 24-second clip features all the hallmarks of a Wes Anderson classic: A series of artistically framed shots, title cards in between scenes, characters who refuse to smile and a highly specific color palette that transports you into another world, whether or not you want to be there.

Since it went live, the TikTok has received more than 11.9 million views and over 8,000 comments.

Most are from other Wes Anderson fans who say that Williams’ creation is “brilliant” and “spot on.”

“The framing is magnificent,” one person wrote.

“This is art,” said another.

Someone else begged her to make more videos just like this one, while several others praised her for turning New York’s Metro-North Railroad into a thing of beauty.

“I was inspired to make the video after watching The French Dispatch with my parents the night before,” Williams told Newsweek, referring to Anderson’s 2021 dramedy. “I was going back to New York after a very short visit with my family and I was sad that I was leaving so soon. I didn’t want to really end my trip on such a sad note so I was hoping to make the most out of a situation that wasn’t totally ideal.”

Williams’ TikTok has since spawned other videos just like it and has even helped resurface ones that TikTokers have been making for a while now.

@keithafadi

Replying to @adidas sorry @adidas, I couldn’t help myself – ad

♬ Obituary – Alexandre Desplat

Most of the TikToks are lighthearted, but a few have managed to strike an emotional chord with viewers.

This clip, shared by @valerisssh, puts an Anderson-style spin on the ongoing devastation in Ukraine.

@valerisssh

Inspired by a girl in TikTok who made a video about her train trip and I decided to make something like she, but about war consequences that happens everyday. #ukraine

♬ Obituary – Alexandre Desplat

“Inspired by a girl in TikTok who made a video about her train trip and I decided to make something like she, but about war consequences that happens everyday,” the TikToker captioned her post.

In response, many viewers applauded the young woman’s take on the trend.

“This is brilliant and exactly what Wes Anderson movies are lacking: social commentary,” one person wrote.

“that wes anderson character living in a quentin tarantino world image,” another quipped.

Other TikToks have simply reignited a fascination with the indie filmmaker himself. In many of the comments, people have said that watching these TikToks has actually made them want to revisit some of Anderson’s best films with fresh eyes.

@twolostkids

Sempre fingimos que estamos em um filme do Wes Anderson – Lost in Paris #wesanderson #shotoniphone

♬ Obituary – Alexandre Desplat
@themichaelbarrymore

I like this trend x Part 2 here: @Michael Barrymore #wesanderson #michaelbarrymore #fyp

♬ Obituary – Alexandre Desplat

So far, though, the director himself has not responded to all the digital flattery.

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