After months of waiting, Isle of Dogs is finally out in select cinemas. Like many, I’m a Wes Anderson fan and one of my favorite films from him would have to be Fantastic Mr. Fox. Stop motion films in general catch my attention. I’m always intrigued by what goes into it like making the figures, creating the scene setup, and bringing each character to life with the tiniest of movements. Wes Anderson’s films in particular have a raw touch to them and he adds a lot of texture with his different use of materials.
So, when I saw that it was showing in cinemas, I booked my tickets and got myself excited. After watching it, I was not disappointed. It was definitely a visual spectacle you should make time to watch. If you need more convincing, check out my five reasons below. Don’t worry, I won’t give away any plot details.
The music
The music in Wes Anderson’s films always gets me like the soundtrack of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. The tracks in this film, however, were a bit different. They had Japanese elements to them since the movie was set in Japan. There were three boys playing on drums and other wooden instruments. The main song that would play added to the action feel of the film. It also added that Asian touch.
Animation skills
This was a stop motion film but unlike Fantastic Mr. Fox, this movie added some animation elements. The clips shown on TV or screens were animated. It was interesting to see these two mediums work together in a movie. Just like the stop motion characters, the animated versions were satisfying to look at.
Cute AF dogs
One of the main reasons people were drawn to the movie is because of the dogs. And I don’t blame them. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve already met some of the characters but there are many more to be introduced. Like Oracle, a tiny pug who has a special power.
Wes Anderson alumni plus special guests
Wes Anderson brought back some of his favorites to voice the characters in Isle of Dogs, and they all have perfect acting voices. You might recognize the voices of Edward Norton, Bill Murray, and Jeff Goldblum. There are also some new additions like Scarlett Johansson and Yoko Ono.
Oh, the symmetry
Not only did Isle of Dogs have amazing symmetry but the colors were very saturated. The details were also amazing. The way each scene was depicted to the tiny details, were a pleasure to watch. One of my favorite scenes involves the preparation of sushi. It was shot from a top angle and it looked so real to me. From the squirming octopus tentacle to the spreading of wasabi.
Art by Marian Hukom
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