L'Île aux chiens

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.

Isle of Dogs is Wes Anderson's love letter to Dogs and Japan, her aesthetic, her archetypes, and her culture. And it's in those respects where the movie flourishes, as Anderson lovingly and meticulously breathes life into his imagined Nippon of the future. If you love Wes Anderson and Dogs, you'll probably dig this movie. Furthermore, if you have an appreciation of Japan and its culture you might like it too...just don't expect anything more than a superficial treatment and you won't be disappointed.

I would also add that this superficiality, the elevation of style over substance, is what keeps this from being a great film, as the human characters were all flat. They were one-dimensional archetypes, and the lead, a boy named Atari felt more like a conglomeration of archetypes and quirks than anything else. Anderson didn't let me spend enough time with them, and Anderson didn't spend enough time developing them, for those characters and storylines to come together in a satisfying way.

Now the story involving the dogs was quite enjoyable, and had a pleasant enough conclusion, but it wasn't good enough to make up for the un-engaging humans we had to follow for much of the screen-time. They weighed the picture down, and it dragged...specifically the second act (a guy in my showing fell asleep about forty five minute in, and I must admit that my eye lids got heavy too).

Basically with Isle of Dogs, what you see is what you get. If you dig Wes Anderson, and his muses, you'll probably like this movie. It's a lovely looking movie with real moments of visual and atmospheric inspiration. Just keep your expectations low and don't expect any real depth.

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 have become quiet a fan of Wes Anderson. He makes beguiling, interesting films with a blend of comedy and quirkiness. At least his films do not emerge from a sausage dog factory.

Even his deadpan stop-motion animation has a charm a world away from Disney.

Set in Megasaki, Japan, a dystopian society in the future. There has been an outbreak of dog flu. The corrupt dog hating Mayor Kobayashi has banished all dogs to to toxic garbage filled Trash Island, beginning with his household dog.

All this despite scientist Watanabe insisting that a cure is imminent. He is a lone dissenting voice in the wilderness

The household dogs in Thrash Island are living a miserable life. They are sick, starving, unwashed and unloved.

Little Atari Kobayashi is a 12 year old boy who was taken in as a ward by his distant relative, Mayor Kobayashi. Spots was his guard dog but he was more like his pet. He has flown in to Thrash Island looking for Spots.

He finds a ragtag bunch of five dogs who tend to beat off other dogs for food. Four of them like to gossip and vote on important matters. They are just house pets now doing their best in these hard times. They are helped greatly by stray street dog Chief. The best fighter in the pack and who refuses to obey any master.

The four dogs vote to help Atari in his quest, Chief is outvoted as always. While they search for Spots, the Mayor is planning to exterminate all the dogs in the island.

There is a lot of dry wit in this film as well as a few sweet songs. It is whimsical and dark. If you replace the dogs with humans you can sense Anderson is making a point about how western societies are viewing refugees and immigrants these days.

Isle of Dogs (2018) Wes Anderson, I don"t know if you are like me you'll read Isle of Dogs to say "I love dogs" maybe it just me.

After a tedious discussion with a friend (acquaintance) who detests the work of Wes Anderson i have without realising become a big fan. This is similar to Fantastic Mr Fox in its animated style, featuring the big name voices of Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, Scarlet Johnson etc etc etc, see if you can spot Yoko Ono, i did. The story is fairly straight forward, its a rescue mission akin to Escape From New York (not that ive seen that movie but I know of it) except its not the president of New York that needs to be rescued but a boys pet dog.

Do not listen to pretentious morons who detest Wes Anderson.

It is a great movie and a worthy 8/10.