Isle of Dogs displays style and detail in a stop-motion treat for dog lovers

Movie Title: 
      Isle of Dogs

Grade:   A-

Rating: PG-13, 101 minutes

In a Nutshell:  I went to Japan with my family last summer for the first time.  It was so amazing that I know it won’t be the last time.  I absolutely loved it. 

The ground crew at the airport in Tokyo actually bowed in unison to all of the passengers on our airplane right before we took off.  I mean, how could you not love a country that does that?

My kids went crazy for Japan too.  It’s an incredible country with so much to offer, so I really got a kick out of this movie’s story and Japanese-influenced style.  

This stop-motion film is fresh, different, and extremely entertaining.  Some might even call it a work of art.

                                              

Tips for parents: 

• Your kids are probably going to want to adopt a dog after seeing this movie.
• This is only the 3^rd stop-motion in the USA that is rated PG-13.  While this is an animation, the movie is really geared more toward adults.  That's not to say there is a lot of profanity or suggestive material; there isn't.  The humor is just more sophisticated and subtle.

Uplifting theme: 

• Loyalty
• Friendship
• Pet ownership

                                                  

Things I liked:

• The talented voice cast includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Live Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, Greta Gerwig, and Koyu Rankin. Most of those actors are either Oscar winners or nominees.  Pretty impressive.
• Director Wes Anderson showcases his talent for detail.  Sooo much detail.  I love detail.
• The introductory back story was hilarious.
• The locations were so full of depth.  Each trash zone area was unique and named according to what happened there. For example, "Spots’ Landing,”  “Drone Beach” and “The Crash Site.”
• Clever humor.

Facts that showcase the craft in this movie:

• Many of the newspapers seen in the film include real articles that have been translated into Japanese.
• All of the shots from the dog’s perspective don’t have red or green in them since dogs can’t see those colors.
• Spoken in English, “Isle of Dogs” sounds like “I love dogs.” 

Things I didn’t like:

• A lot of Japanese is spoken with no subtitles, so you have to assume dialogue based on context. There is also a lot of written Japanese.  I wish I could have read it.
•  Some of the cleverness turns into smugness.

Funny lines:

• “Da## it.  I’ve got a crush on you.” – Foreign exchange student Walker 

                                                      

                                          @trinaboice

Early Man isn't Aardman Studio's best work, but it will still make you laugh

Movie Title:      Early Man

Grade:  B-

Rating: PG, 89 minutes

In a Nutshell:   If you’re a fan of the Wallace and Gromit stop-motion, cheeky, clay animated series like I am, then you’re always happy when the Aardman team creates anything new. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t their best work.  Still, it’s family entertainment that will make everyone giggle at least a few times.

                             

Tips for parents: 

• No profanity.
• Some gags and jokes that some kids won’t understand.
• It’s super silly.

Uplifting theme: 

• Teamwork
• You can be or do anything you set your mind to.
• Girls can play soccer too.

                                   

Things I liked:

• Lots of visual gags and puns.
• The talented voice cast includes Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Timothy Spall, and Richard Ayoade.
• I thought all of the characters’ accents were funny and ridiculous.
• Wallace and Gromit are actually in a couple of the crowd shots.  Yay!

Things I didn’t like:

• How sad that I was actually glad when the movie ended.  I hate to admit I was bored at times.
• The trailer doesn’t really show what the movie is about.  As it turns out, it’s a soccer movie ala Stone Age vs. Bronze Age.
• Americans won’t catch a lot of the British jokes.  For example, there is a zebra pelt on the ground when Dug first enters the Bronze-age village.  Apparently, it refers to the British term “zebra crossing.”
• Some people won’t get the duck joke.  I didn’t.
• The story is pretty thin with characters I didn’t feel very invested in.
• Visually, it felt dark and rough.  I suppose that’s supposed to make us feel like we’re in the Stone Age, but it made me sleepy and uninterested.
• Predictable ending.

Funny lines:

• “Sliced bread! That’s the biggest thing since…well, ever!” – lady in the market

Fun movies from the Aardman Studio:

                                              @trinaboice