Antiquated and garish atop its solitary mountain peak, the Grand Budapest Hotel perches with stubborn elegance above the European Republic of Zubrowka. Brilliantly pink walls tower above hotel guests like the tiers of a particularly Bohemian wedding cake, as gleaming golden trim serves as the world’s most expensive frosting. It is a relic of a bygone age. Or would be, if the Grand Budapest Hotel were anything other than Wes Anderson’s latest directorial triumph.

The mastermind behind such famously quirky films as The Royal Tenenbaums and Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson is known for his quick wit, snappy writing and gorgeous cinematography. As a longtime fan of Anderson’s unique directorial style, I can personally guarantee that his eighth filmographic attempt – The Grand Budapest Hotel – does not disappoint.

A comedy-drama designed to poke fun at the horrors of war and jealousy through wacky hijinks and clever dialogue, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a resounding success. Ralph Fiennes, though most famous for his role as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, depicts over-the-top hotel concierge M. Gustave with both style and no small amount of flair. His incandescent delivery of already inventive lines adds a flavor to The Grand Budapest Hotel untasted since Cary Elwes was offering Wallace Shawn iocane-laced winein The Princess Bride. Fiennes’ co-star, Tony Revolori, makes his debut with a perfect portrayal of war refugee Zero Moustafa – the lobby boy that will come to be the owner of the Grand Budapest hotel and M. Gustave’s most trusted friend. As they battle for a priceless Renaissance painting and struggle to survive an increasingly violent Europe in the most unlikely way possible, Fiennes and Revolori enjoy a star-studded supporting cast: Bill Murray, Jude Law, Owen Wilson, and many more.

Hauntingly beautiful European countryside juxtaposed against the sumptuous luxury of a 1930s hotel resort and set to a musical score composed with painstaking attention to detail, The Grand Budapest Hotel is an audio-visual feast. Without devolving into excessive movie lingo, the film is best described as meticulously arranged art. Its perfect visual symmetry, harmonious color scheme and absurdly upbeat classical music score manage to create an atmosphere of unusual luminescence without ever blinding viewers to the film’s emotional impact. Combined with Fiennes’ and Revolori’s out-of-this-world acting, The Grand Budapest Hotel is definitely a movie worth watching.