For my money, Wes Anderson just doesn't get any better than this. The Royal Tenenbaums is where he strikes that perfect blend of heartstring and humor, spontaneous weirdness and obsessive attention to detail. The family itself has enough history to carry an entire franchise, but the film doesn't bother to wallow in it for long; there's just too much going on in the foreground to spend more than a few savory moments on back story.

Loaded with talent, it pulls everything from its cast. Whether it's Gene Hackman as the conniving, two-faced patriarch with a sudden need for intimacy, Anjelica Huston as his long-sacrificing ex-wife, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson and Gwyneth Paltrow as their never-had-a-childhood offspring, or the vast array of eccentric, colorful supporting characters, it's tough not to appreciate each as a leading-caliber performance. The Royals' tale is vivid and real, emotive and wounded but also spirited and playful. It resonates in a modern setting, especially, when so many of our friends' and family members' tightest circles are similarly dysfunctional.

Layered and complex without feeling superficial or overstretched, it's a whole bundle of emotions, flavors, sights and senses smashed into a single, rich, evergreen portrait. I feel this one in my heart's private pantry and my stomach's deepest pit. Wonderful.