Isle of Dogs

In the city of Megasaki, Japan, Mayor Kobayashi has banished all dogs to Trash Island fearing an outbreak of dog flu. Scientist Watanabe insists that he will soon have a cure but he is ignored. Atari Kobayashi flies to the island to search for his dog Spots. The boy is an orphan and is a ward of distant uncle Mayor Kobayashi. He is assisted by 5 dogs who voted to help him find Spots. Tough street dog Chief refuses to have a master and is the only to vote no. They go on a journey while the cat loving mayor is planning a final solution.

Director Wes Anderson returns to stop-motion animation after Fantastic Mr Fox. While I've loved his movies, his stop-motion stuff is problematic personally. His deadpan structured filming style leaves me feeling tired from repetition. In live action, I can get involved with the actors but I'm less connected with these artificial figures. I did laugh several times for the first half but like before, the style does wear down on me slightly. Nevertheless, it is enjoyable and darn it, I laughed. It's fun while it lasts.

In my experience, Wes Anderson films have always made great date films.

Not even joking. My first proper movie date was with my girlfriend was when we saw The Grand Budapest Hotel. We instantly fell in love with it, and it's a night I still remember fondly for the experience we had in a theater that consisted mainly of us and one other couple. It was simply magical.

And that, perhaps, is what makes me love Wes Anderson's work so much; it's simply movie magic. The man can take any setup he pleases and turn it into a whimsical, silly, but somehow all the same "Important" piece of film that holds its own weight. In short, Wes Anderson has made himself an icon when it comes to the quirky and whimsy in film. His films are a warm blanket that I love to wrap myself in.

In 'Isle of Dogs', the immediate strengths of Wes Anderson are apparent: the worlds he builds. The world of Megasaki and Trash Island are all realized in vivid detail, complete with a massive array of characters on both human and animal ends that one can recall and adore. Rather than the recent disappointment of 'Black Panther', where characterization took a backseat, this film OOZES character and a rich world you can feel. You can show me images of characters from this film and from their appearance ALONE I can tell you a story about them and what I enjoyed about them. The colorful and vast array of characters is something I think I loved most about this film, and still sticks with me even as I write this review.

What else has to be admired regarding this film is its respectful and quite incredible treatment of Japanese culture and art. Right from the get-go, Anderson makes it apparent he WANTS the culture to envelope us. All Japanese characters speak Japanese. Only 1-2 humans speak English. The dogs only speak "English" for the benefit of our understanding of their dialogue. Megasaki LOOKS like Japan. Japanese text is constantly displayed and is translated in subtitles for only our benefit. There is clear respect paid to the culture Wes wishes to show us, and for having that courage to not simplify it out of sheer convenience, I admire his work here.

Additionally, the homages to Japanese cinema, specifically Kurosawa, were welcome beyond all belief in this film. This film is hardly a zany and swift-moving animated film that one sees in this day and age. Heck, it is not even in the same league of movement and speed as Fantastic Mr. Fox was. Rather, this is a film that runs on its own pace, derived from Japanese cinema, and finds its footing in that delivery. It is a crisp, complete-feeling film that FEELS like a 2-hour film, but in the end, it barely coasts over 100 minute total...but it feels absolutely perfect in the time we are given in this rich world. In fact, by the time the film ended, I wanted MORE of the world I had seen.

The animation, as if you are even remotely surprised, is GORGEOUS. Every frame, and I mean EVERY FRAME, is just magnificent to look at. Where Fantastic Mr. Fox had the warm cinematography on its side, Isle of Dogs sports a bleaker texture, though it manages to create its own charm that way. You feel the characters' emotions through their well-animated faces, you can see every hair on the dogs' bodies move, you feel every movement of this film and adore it for how charming and Wes Anderson-y it is. Thankfully, the only thing you can NOT feel is the scent of Trash Island...

The only thing that has bugged me since seeing this film, however, is how little time the film has to really have FUN. The film is surprisingly played straight in most regards when it comes to conflict, and its tone is whimsy in some regards, but the laughs are surprisingly not as common as you would suspect them to be in a Wes Anderson product. This is not a case of a cultural barrier, but perhaps simply that the story Anderson chose to tell was far more important than including all the laughs he could. The tone of this film is "different" than most of his films, which is perhaps a good thing. It works for the film...but for most, I imagine "different Wes Anderson" won't click with everyone.

The lack of too much "fun" is noticeable, however, in that we do not see too much of the silly side of this world Wes Anderson has built. We get occasional glimpses and gags that are classic Anderson and certainly hit, but by the end, it is a surprisingly serious tone the film chooses to maintain in its climax. Again, this WORKS, but I wonder how much more I would have loved the film if it were as child-like and fun as Fantastic Mr. Fox or Grand Budapest Hotel tended to be.

The sometimes-noticeable lack of "fun", however, does not detract entirely from the enjoyment of the film itself. It is just as quirky and out-there in the best ways possible as any other Wes Anderson film, and thanks to that, the film simply beams with charm. Whether it be its animation style, Anderson's unique direction, or the fantastically unique score by Alexandre Desplate, this film sticks-out as any good Wes Anderson film should.

That said, the strongest thing (Aside from the animation) about this film is its subtle message it attempts to strike. This film is one about companionship and love, which is a feeling that often goes hand-in-paw with the subject of dogs and pets. If you have ever been a dog owner, this film WILL strike a chord with you, as it has some very important things to say about our relationship with them that I think often goes understated.

Dogs are a connection. Dogs are a beacon of loyalty and family. "Dogs" don't need to be dogs. Dogs are man's best friend.

How could you not love dogs?

How could you not love a Wes Anderson film ABOUT dogs?

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/

Super cute Japenese culture film of precious dogs and rescuing friends. Wes Anderson's masterpieces of ensemble cast deserves better; all his films are unique and lovable! This one especially is full of great vibes, incredible music, and a very heartwarming story! I originally saw Isle of Dogs in the theater with my mom cause she's a huge Wes Anderson fan so that was a blast, today watched with my sister in the living room that was cute.

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.