Isle of Dogs: it is somewhat remarkable that it’s from an animated adventure that comes one of the most interesting and pointed comments on the themes of fearmongering, the persecution of a particular class of beings and the entrenchment of special interests in the government. It is, however, an animated film (and one that goes for a very particular kind of cute at that), so director Wes Anderson uses a very light touch and still manages to make it a very entertaining journey. The story itself is also very touching, a journey driven by love and companionship. It’s visually beautiful: the character design is rich, there’s great distinction between characters (except when it’s not supposed to be); the design of Trash Island is colorless (but far from ugly), and in stark contrast to Megasaki City’s colors and lovely recreation of Japan. Voice acting is great: this time around, Bryan Cranston and Edward Norton prove to be the most memorable (in good part because they are two of the largest roles, but mostly due do the quality of their work). This is top-shelf in all aspects.

Read what I wrote before: Isle of Dogs