News

The incredibly and increasingly diverse filmography of Wes Anderson continues to grow with Isle of Dogs. This ode to canines proves Anderson can still dig up the most original of stories and present them in the most charming and somehow, recognizable of ways; for the only things that could possibly connect a womanizing concierge, a love-struck boy scout, and a disillusioned oceanographer to one another are an innovative mind, and an equally inventive creator who knows just how to use it.

The story here is set in the near future of Japanese city Megasaki, though its origins can be traced back centuries to the time the dogs ruled the land. A war amongst the four-legged creatures and the vile Kobayashi regimen – composed entirely of cat lovers – ended with a draw, of sorts, which left the two parties on good enough terms to live amongst each other. At least, for a while.

Expect to wag your metaphorical tail in delight over Wes Anderson's new animated joyride into a canine universe with political undercurrents sure to strike a human chord. It's art cinema instilled with a child's sense of wonder – which is also true of of the quirky auteur's live-action films, from Rushmore to The Grand Budapest Hotel. Following 2009's Fantastic Mr. Fox, Anderson returns to stop-motion and puppets, but this time with a deep bow to Japan and its iconography. Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu are sampled frequently. Cultural appropriation? Maybe,...