Isle of Dogs

I really enjoyed this wonderful little film that was such a departure in a way for director Wes Anderson, yet his style is still readily obvious. I saw this at a midnight showing and I can tell you, everyone walking out of the theater was raving and talking about how great it was, And it was, such a charming a cute adventure of a story that was a total surprise, in the sense of a surprise to see Anderson making an animated film. I was so exited for the film and it really was in no way a disappointment, I thoroughly enjoyed his latest work, in fact, I might go see it twice, which is rare for me. In the second paragraph I will discuss a little more about what exactly I liked about it, but in general this was a damn good film that demands a viewing.

Wes Anderson's style is so honed in this film despite it being animated. The use of colors and symmetry are still plainly obvious, the color and design of things very consistent giving a believable world for the film to be set in. Each one of the characters was deeply developed and fascinating while also working off many of the other characters. The writing is sharp, intelligent, and very well written in the style of many of the other Anderson classics. So basically if you are a fan of his style, then you will be delighted to see this movie that is the personification of Wes Anderson's style.

I love Wes Anderson's films and I love animation films. 'Isle of Dogs' was absolutely incredible! It is a demented, unsympathetic and uniquely different film that is completely and utterly stunning! The stop-motion animation is great. The script and dialogue is very good, and you gotta love the (dog) characters!

The film featured some moments that had me belly-laughing and moments that just melted my heart. It never became sentimental or overly comical. The comedic moments were seriously funny. Wes Anderson pays great attention to detail and he obviously had a clear vision of what he wanted to portray. We don't always understand what the Japanese are saying, as they are not accompanied by subtitles, but that never mattered and - in fact - made it even more interesting, funny and unique.

'Isle of Dogs' will go down as one of my all-time favorite movies.

I've just seen this movie at Berlinale and it is exactly what you would expect from Wes Anderson. I wasn't sure how he would do with a non-Western setting but he managed well.

He keeps his unique style and it works very well with the futuristic, but still traditional Japanese art. It also incorporates some cartooning along with interesting ideas - the Japanese dialogue is not always translated and when it is, it's by interpreters or foreign exchange students. Anderson manages to merge his style with the Japanese and it works seamlessly.

It's a very quirky film with an all too relatable story. I enjoyed the visuals more than the plot, I'll admit, but it was still a good movie, with the usual quick dialogues, jokes, strange characters - Tilda Swinton being the weirdest, no surprise there - and altogether it's a great experience.

Without spoilers, if you like Wes Anderson, you will like this movie. If you don't, buckle up, because this is jam-packed with everything that is his style, the quirky music works now fused with Japanese, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum and the usual cast having very well fitting characters (watch out for the credits Anjelica Huston is there as a Mute Poodle) and the cinematography being interesting and stunning.

P.S. It's still not a children's movie, don't let the format fool you.

We absolutely loved Isle of Dogs. All of your classic Wes Anderson tropes of lingering still shots, zany dialogue, and an outlandish take on underdogs (pun intended) rebelling against the system are present. The Japanese themes were artistically delivered as well as one could expect, and felt respectful to the culture. The quality is as good as Fantastic Mr Fox, though the heavy use of untranslated Japanese leaves the viewer somewhat emotionally estranged from human characters.

Setting is modern Japan, where a dog flu epidemic has turned a city against its furry friends. The evil dog hating mayor has rounded up all dogs and exiled them to trash island, where they live in filth and suffering. Atari, the adopted son of the Mayor, flies a plane onto the island to rescue his dog. Hilarity and poignant moments ensue.

Don't miss this one if you are a Wes Anderson fan, or simply want a great comedy. Certain scenes may bother kids below the age of 5. The subtle allegory on an evil leader stirring the pot against the most helpless in our society is timely and well wrought. There is a legitimate criticism on the "white savior" plot device that plagues nearly all Western movies based in Asia, and I hope future directors take heed.

I had very high expectations going into Isle of Dogs, being a great admirer of Wes Anderson's work, and especially off the fumes of his previous film, The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). If you look at Wes' filmography, you will notice that each of his films progressively become more focused, detailed, and "Wes Anderson-ey". It feels as if his films have been building to a culmination of sorts, which can be represented with Isle of Dogs.

The story revolves around a young boy, Atari, who is seeking his lost dog with help from a pack of dogs on Trash Island, right outside of Megasaki City (word-play on Nagasaki), a fictional future city of Japan that is exiling dogs due to a "canine flu" outbreak.

From a filmmaking viewpoint, Isle of Dogs has it all in spades, and more. The characters are well rounded and relatable, even though the majority of them are dogs. The presentation of the story is very fresh and unique, and the humor is always smoothly intertwined with the narrative and visuals. With a runtime of an hour and 40 minutes, it flies by, always keeping your attention and further engaging you. The stop-motion animation is very well done, and the way it is contrasted with beautiful Japanese imagery is stunning. The soundtrack is also excellent, and aids in telling the story. There are many nods towards Japanese cinema, chiefly Akira Kurosawa's films, which you can tell that Wes has a passion for. The voice cast is star-studded and wonderful as always. There are plenty of twists and surprises, and the film leaves the viewers with some important messages/themes to ponder over. It is best to go into the movie knowing as little about the story as possible, and let it take you on its journey.

This film will greatly reward repeat viewings. The attention to detail in every frame is incredible, and there is always so much on the screen to absorb and process, in the best way possible. I believe that Wes Anderson has the most distinct and easily discernible style of any filmmaker to ever live, and this quality alone is something to be praised very highly.

If you love dogs, Japanese cinema/culture, stop-motion, and animation in general, then you will love this film all the more so. Isle of Dogs, shows Wes at his full unfiltered creative power, stretching his capabilities, and giving us something truly remarkable.

Ineffable Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls052767730/