First time visiting 10 Things?

Rather than a "review," each post features a collection of observations, intended primarily for people who've already seen the show. Check out the introduction post for more context.

Isle of Dogs, director Wes Anderson

• In this era of social media hot takes, no one should be surprised that Isle of Dogs faced immediate criticism for cultural appropriation of Japanese culture. A number of particularly outraged writers referenced Justin Chang’s review, especially this line: “It’s in Anderson’s handling of the story’s humans that his sensitivity falters, and the weakness for racial stereotyping that has sometimes marred his work.” Of course, Chang’s review is more than one sentence long; as a whole, his article not only praises the artistic elements of the film, but also contextualizes the nuanced tensions between homage and marginalization.

• As illustrated by Isle of Dogs’ reception: contemporary discussions of art suffer from critical contamination. An early article or two sets a tone, only to be echoed by other mainstream critics, then bloggers, then the Twittersphere. Finally — after eighteen months of administrative delays and peer reviews — academics will offer their scholarly opinions, mostly for an audience that has turned its attention to something new.

• Edward Gordon Craig’s 1908 essay “The Actor and the Über-marionette” proposes replacing actors with marionettes. Wes Anderson would probably enjoy having a beer with Edward Gordon Craig.

• On one hand, animation allows a limitless canvas for Wes Anderson’s visual splendor. On the other, the knowledge that a background was drawn (no matter how beautifully) seems less striking than an intricate design that was assembled in real life, such as The Grand Budapest Hotel.

• I attended a weekend matinee. I expected children. I myself brought an eight-year-old. I was (but wasn’t) surprised to see many children under the age of five. “Animation is for children,” right?

• Further to the previous point, what makes a film “appropriate” for children? From a film rating perspective, content is usually flagged if it contains sex/drugs/violence/language. Isle of Dogs is generally free of those elements (the scenes of violence are highly stylized). That said, the movie features two aesthetic devices that significantly impair its suitability for young children: 1) titles, subtitles, and signage (problematic for children who can’t read), and 2) sarcasm, ambiguity, and irony (challenging for young people to discern).

• Are Hollywood stars “better” voice actors than professional (but mostly anonymous) voice actors?

• Is it possible to “train” audiences to accept/enjoy/embrace movies which are not realistic or realistic-but-with-special-effects? From script to performances to design to direction, is Wes Anderson’s oeuvre moving the needle on American aesthetics?

• For most of the dialogue spoken in Japanese, Isle of Dogs doesn’t provide subtitles or translations. The linguistic gap sparks a flurry of questions foe audience members: What am I missing? Is this what it’s like for non-English speakers to watch American movies? How would the experience be different for North Americans who speak Japanese? How will this movie be received in Japan?

• Wes Anderson, master of the subtle joke, outdid himself with the title. (Say Isle of Dogs quickly).

—Nick Hanson