Personal Blog

The Grand Budapest Hotel January 18, 2026

Over the long weekend, my girlfriend and I decided to watch a film we both haven't seen before: The Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson. A film that, after watching it for the first time, might be one of my favorite movies to date. This review intends to be as spolier-free as possible.

This is the first Wes Anderson film I've ever watched, and I'm glad it was. It's incredibly accessible, hilarious, and touching at times. Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori are exceptional actors and they have great chemistry on-screen. Last year I watched The Menu with Fiennes, and that was also an incredible watch, in large part due to his performance. He has this sort of gravity to him that keeps you glued to the screen. His charisma is pretty amazing as M. Gustave; I think Wes Anderson did a great job at making him a relatable yet enigmatic character. Many of the other characters were also superb additions to the story. Dimitri, Joplin, and Henckels added a pefect amount of intensity for this kind of murder mystery adventure film.

I thought the plot, overall theme, and message of the film were very well executed. Despite being quite lighthearted at times, the message of keeping one's humanity in the face of facist (or simply violent) barbarism is able to reach the viewer quite easily. I thought the dynamic between the older Gustave and the younger Zero, being from two different worlds yet experiencing the same violence, but at two different points of their life... absolute cinema. The fact that the settings were mostly in fictional places was a great choice, I believe. It allows the viewer to place themselves in these positions and allows them to fill in the gaps with their own experiences or ideas. At the same time, I thought that making the facist army resemble real-life events was a great choice as well. There is this certain emotional atmosphere that enters into films with this particular regime. Wes Anderson allows that emotional gravity to enter without completely making the film about real history; his choice to do that was excellent in my opinion. He is able to capture the viewer and bring them into this whimsical yet violent world that is very much adjacent to ours, and he makes us reflect on how we got here. He makes us reflect on what's going on in our world, a world that never ceases with its violence and barbarism. These characters, these untimely and gruesome deaths, these events, they are all slightly unrealistic at times. And yet, they provokes us to think about how we cope with loss, fear, or troubling environments. Whether it's reaching for our cologne that reminds of better times, or continuing habits that allow us to grasp at a time when the violence didn't engulf us completely, I think Wes Anderson understands how a large majority of people feel when it comes to facing world events and injustice happening across the globe.

To pivot, I thought that the cinematography was truly stunning. The wide shots and incredible splashes of color were beautiful. This definitely makes me want to see more films by Wes Anderson. I really enjoy how unorthodox the scenes looked; there is a unique tinge of character to every part of the film. Perhaps my only gripe would be the visual effects during the sledding or snow scenes. They took me out of the movie just a little bit, as it wasn't particularly realistic. In terms of the overall story-within-a-story narrative, I thought it was executed quite thoughtfully. The older Zero speaking to the young writer was a well-crafted and charming interaction. I thought it was the perfect touch to the main story, and sort of wraps it into this nice bow at the end. I recommend this film very much so, I would rate it a 6.75 out of 7!

Al Madina December 30, 2025

My friends and I decided to go out and try out some west asian food while I was in town for winter break. I always drive by this spot on North Broadway, downtown Rochester. Parking is pretty simple, there is street parking and even a parking ramp nearby (which is free in the evening). We got some menus from the counter, sat down, and looked at our options.

There were few options, which is a good sign. Whatever they do, they must do very well. I decided to try their falafel sandwich combo, which was about ten dollars. It included a falafel wrap, french fries, and a drink. I was able to select a drink from their fridge, which was right next to the cash register. They had regular pop and some international drinks. I decided to try out this Turkish currant soft drink, it was pretty good! In terms of the falafel sandwich, it was also delicious. The fries were decent; they came out plain, but you can salt them yourself obviously. I tried my friend's chicken shawarma, and wow, it was amazing. The spices made it incredibly flavorful, and it was so juicy, you wouldn't believe it.

If you get anything from this place, get the chicken shawarma. Whatever sauce they had in both wraps were good as well. It's a casual place run by a few chill guys. I want to come back, I noticed on their menu that they had traditional family style "feasts", which seemed super flavorful just looking at the pictures. I'm not sure who the owners are, but from the pictures and iconography, they are of Iraqi or Palestinian origin. I recommend this place, I would rate it a 6.5 out of 7!