Movie Review: Isle of Dogs
This was excellent from start to finish. I went into this with zero expectations knowing nothing about it, and what I got was, well, a bit of everything. A great kids’ movie, a timeless adventure story, a subtle comedy, an exploration of Japanese culture, and an emotional ode to man’s best friend. It is a simple story about a boy searching for his lost dog on an abandoned island. I have never even had a dog and yet I teared up at a few moments. The voice cast alone makes this a must-see — Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, and Harvey Keitel, to name a few.
The animation is artful and fitting for the mood. There is an amazing sushi making scene that stood out in my mind. It also portrays Japanese society honestly and with real care. It gets a lot of little details right regarding physical mannerisms and language. The experience of the movie is a bit different if you happen to be fluent in Japanese as I am. You catch a few more details, but really, non-Japanese speakers aren’t missing very much. Do yourself a favor and go see this. Just a treat from start to finish.
Grade: A-
