We’re stoked for Wes Anderson’s upcoming film “Asteroid City,” and to honor the iconic filmmaker, we’re rounding up local landmarks that we think would fit his aesthetic. We enlisted some help from Matthew Dickey, the Streetscape Curator + ambassador for Accidentally Wes Anderson.
Curious how to identify an “Accidentally Wes Anderson” view? “Symmetry is always a driving factor, but it’s more about the way the eye is guided through color, shapes, and patterns,” Matthew said. Read up on the TikTok trend to see what we mean.
Now, let’s zoom in on five local spots that fit the bill.
Harvard Lampoon Building
This Cambridge mini-castle, home of the Harvard Lampoon humor magazine’s office + currently undergoing a massive renovation, has the perfect quirky vibe for another journalism-focused Wes Anderson plot. Think: “The French Dispatch.”
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
This aesthetic Fenway museum and its dreamy courtyard are practically begging to be in a “whodunnit” following the events of real-life theft.
Hotel Buckminster
The Kenmore Square landmark’s wide-spanning history as the site of a Red Sox scandal, jazz and Black cultural space, and a prisoner-of-war holding center makes it ideal for some savvy Wes Anderson storytelling. It’s like “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” but Boston.
The colors of Contessa are Hollywood-ready.
Photo by @____mcmm
Contessa
The Art Deco vibe of this swanky Newbury Street restaurant achieves the saturation and lighting levels for a Wes Anderson film. Just picture a colorful dinner scene among the geometric tiles + pink seats.
Post Office Square
The local subject of Accidentally Wes Anderson’s “Coastal Postal Road Trip” naturally earns a spot on this list. The history of the downtown area, particularly the site of one of Boston’s first post offices at 31 Milk St., seems deserving of a spot on the big screen.
Bonus: Any train station will give you the right backdrop (just ask our pal Jed).
