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.

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/

Wes Anderson's the Isle of Dogs is a creatively made, character driven comedy story, with a melancholic and satirical undertone.

The animation, editing and sound design are the main brass here, and are used to great effect to communicate much of the story.

The Isle of Dogs is on the nose about its storytelling, obligatory moments such as flashbacks and story structure are highlighted as to get necessary information communicated as quickly as possible, so the film can get back to living in the moment, exploring its quirky characters and scenery. There is an air of self awareness about the story that, rather than disengaging, is used to draw the viewer more into the inherently ridiculous story. There is an artistry to suspending disbelief, and this is an endlessly creative way to get the audience to do so. To make them aware they're getting conventional information or that certain things are ridiculous plot details, even tropes, and highlighting such details to actually enhance the storytelling rather than distance the viewer. After a point you accept the strange pacing and rapid editing style as part of the universe of this film, and when you do , The Isle of Dogs is an audio-visual experience so cathartic you won't want it to end.

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.