It's not often a commercial will affect me so much that I'll share it. But that's the beauty of the Internet -- the ability to share things that would otherwise fade into obscurity. When I heard that Wes Anderson had done an ad for American Express, I was excited. Anderson is the director of some of my favourite, most carefully constructed, quietly hilarious films of the last decade. He also has a bit of a reputation as an obsessive auteur. So it is to Anderson's credit that he openly mocks both in this short spot. From wondering if a handgun could be made with a bayonet, to where his snack is -- "You're eating it" -- Anderson gets a lot of mileage out of his idiosyncrasies and the general chaos that surrounds a movie set. Despite its short length, the ad moves at a frenetic pace and rewards second, third, and fifty-sixth viewings. Now please excuse me -- I have to watch it again. Thom Wong is a law student who spends an unreasonable amount of time online. His 40 bLinks column runs every Tuesday and Thursday on The Tyee.
