Isle of Dogs (2018)

Although I'm yet to see all of his films, I love Wes Anderson's work which is why Isle of Dogs was one of my most anticipated films of the year and I couldn't wait to see it. Unfortunately, I live in a city and country where most people don't care for his movies so I had to wait months to see it. 

In a dystopian near-future Japan, in the city of Megasaki, Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) banishes all the dogs to Trash Island after a canine flu has spread through the city. Six months later, a young boy named Atari (Koyu Rankin), the Mayor's nephew, steals a plane and flies to Trash Island and, with the help of five other dogs, Chief (Bryan Cranston), Rex (Edward Norton), King (Bob Balaban), Boss (Bill Murray), and Duke (Jeff Goldblum), he sets out to find his lost dog, Spots (Liev Schreiber). 

The story, written by Anderson himself, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Kunichi Nomura, is simple and rather predictable and yet it is clever, intriguing and charming as the filmmakers were able to elevate it and deliver it in a way that feels fresh and new. 

What I loved the most about the story is that Anderson was able to integrate current issues in our world and use it, the story, to make a commentary on the corruption of society, the fear of the other, and the issue of immigration, not only in America but all over the world. But it's not the themes themselves that make the film interesting, it's the way Anderson handles them, in a light-hearted, ironic and quirky way.

The characters are quirky, sweet and interesting, and each has something that makes them unforgettable. Also, they are so lovable, it's impossible to dislike them or have not a favourite. Some have a very limited screen time, I'll give you that, and Anderson still struggles with writing female characters, but overall they are pretty good. As for the villains, they are as intimidating as they should be. 

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Then there is the voice cast. There are so many talented actors in Isle of Dogs and you can tell as they all give great performances. There are, however, some standouts, them being Bryan Cranston who gives a very strong and emotional-ish performance as Chief, and Edward Norton who is tremendously funny as Rex (my favourite character). Even the Japanese speaking cast does a wonderful job. 

At last but not least, there's the visual aspect of the film. When it comes to Wes Anderson, the visuals are always the most striking part of the film, and Isle of Dogs is no different. We can admire Anderson symmetrical framing, the zooming, and his masterful use of colours --I don't know if you have noticed but in the scenes seen from the perspective of the dogs we never see green and red, two colours dogs can't see as they are partially colour-blind. And the non-stop animation is a blast. Also, the score by Alexandre Desplat fits the tone of the film very well.