Wes Anderson Isle Of Dogs March 23, 2018

I also love the nods to anime, even though the stop-motion gave it the extra dimension missing in anime. How did we get so lucky this year, with two stop-motion gems on the big screen, Early Man and this wonderful film?

 

I saw this last night with my 11 year old. I'd say depending on the child, 8-12 year olds would like it, but there was a group of 6 younger kids in front of us (age 5-7?) and I could tell they were kind of lost. Everytime one of the Japanese speakers was talking one kid keot saying "what?".

As for the film, it was amazing. I'm not a super fan of all things Wes Anderson, but I've seen most of his films (forgot about Mr. Fox, I never did see that), and I do enjoy his worldview. The whole "cultural appropriation" argument is silly in my mind. Films by their nature appropriate all the time. In order for a fictional story to make a great film, it has to borrow ideas, settings, language, emotions and culture from everywhere. Is Isle of Dogs a fair representation of Japanese culture? No of course not, it's an animated fantasy film about talking dogs. It borrows elements that make the story work, and the story does work. If you hadn't noticed, Wes has a huge love of nostalgia for the 60s/70s. Isle of Dogs is inspired by the same nostalgia of older Japanese films. The film wasn't made for Japanese audiences (though maybe they might also enjoy it) but for English speaking audiences who don't understand Japanese language, and who were only supposed to have a "dog's understanding" of what they said. I thought this technique was brilliant.

I would highly recommend the film, and I think Wes' best films are ahead of him. Grand Budapest was a miraculous film, and Isle of Dogs even more so.

 

Just got this one from the Redbox.

Why on Earth is this movie rated PG-13? I saw it with my seven year old and didn’t think anything was too objectionable. Sure he didn’t get a lot of the culture jokes and he couldn’t keep up with the subtitles (you can pause a DVD at least). He loved the sushi scene!

“I used to sleep on a lambswool beanbag next to an electric space heater, that's my territory. I'm an indoor dog!”

4/5. A good family film. The wife thought it was ‘weird’.

 

Watching it now for the first time. The musical score is one of the best yet in an Anderson film and that's saying a lot. Alexandre Desplat is amazing.

 

Some folks like quirky and some don't. And that's okay.

 

You gotta love Bob Balaban!

 

I'm glad he appeals to a wide audience, he has a unique personal vision (and great taste in music!) and that's rare in American movies nowadays. But he peaked pretty early for me. Tenenbaums is the one film I would call profound. I enjoy his movies but he's never made anything even close as far as leaving a mark on me. Could have been my age too, you're definitely less impressionable as you get older which is too bad.

I know he didnt direct it, but I sure got the feeling that he had more of an influence on The Squid and The Whale than a co-producer normally would. That was a poignant little mastepiece to me. I remember sitting in the theatre, I was by myself, and the closing scene with the title shot, and then the great Loudon Wainwright song, that was really moving.

I'll skip this at least as far as going out to see it, I dont connect much with animated features. Probably my loss.

 

"Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some violent images"

 

I think he also influenced the look of both Paddington films.

 

The mayor's bare behind is shown briefly as he exits the steamed pool. That might have something to do with it.

 

I have this indefensible love for Wes Anderson films, in that I cannot walk out of whichever one I have just seen, without thinking, "Damn! Best Movie In The World...! Oscar Season starts in 3...2...-" How does he keep doing that...?

 

Yeah, that's not him - that's you!

 

I always felt I agreed with my taste in films...

 

Glad I'm not the only one who notices this. I'm trying (emphasis on trying) to learn Japanese, so this mistake sticks out to me. It's like the commentators on Ninja Warrior who constantly refer to "Mt. Midoriyama.": you're just calling it Green Mountain Mountain.

 

I watched this last weekend on blu-ray. From the minute it started I had a grin on my face and smiled the whole way through. Even had a couple of outburst chuckles. Of course, it's all because of Wes Anderson's quirky style with his signature look, tone, and pace but I was also amused by the voices of Cranston, Norton, Murray, Goldblum, Balaban, and Schrieber as the crew of dogs. Johansson was kind of wasted in a role that had about three lines but I found Gerwig entertaining as the exchange student fighting for social justice against the mayor. Overall I enjoyed it a lot but I also love everything else that Anderson has done except I haven't seen his other animated feature Fantastic Mr. Fox yet.

 

You should see Fantastic Mr. Fox as soon as you can, it is wonderful!

 

Like the ATM that wants my ‘PIN number’ (Personal Identification Number number).

 

Um, sorry, you mean "ATM Machine."

 

I enjoyed this movie a lot . I think it will score higher with dog lovers than cat lovers. Definitely not a movie for everyone. But then again, I love dogs.

 

I just finally saw this and loved it. Visually just so different and striking, And soundtrack is wonderful

The story is also great, Anderson just knows how to tell these simple bittersweet tales.

Not as good as Grand Budapest but def up there with his best.

 

I thought it was sort of violent and disturbing for a "kids" movie.

 

It isn't a kids' movie.

 

My 13 year old daughter loved it....and she also is fascinated with Japanese culture so that was a plus. The amount of work that went into the film was pretty incredible.

 

Kinda meh. Fox was better.

 

We loved this movie. Wes Anderson has a voice and a vision that is unique and creative. And .... He can get his movies made in this Micheal Bay, J.J. Abrams
shaky camera world.