This star-studded film exceeds the limits of creativity and cleverness. Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy named Atari Kobayashi who, with the help of a scroungy pack of dogs, searches for his own furry friend. The movie sets the scene in a city called Megasaki where a disease has swept through the population of dogs. The town mayor, mayor Kobayashi, banishes all the city’s canine inhabitants to Trash Island, forcing them to live on their own without the help of any humanly care. As the film’s plot grows, the Kobayashi’s reasons for the banishment of the dogs comes into question, eventually leading to a powerful climax.

   Produced and directed by Wes Anderson, this stop-motion feature is led by a talented cast. Lead actor, Bryan Cranston, speaks as the alpha dog, Chief. The young Atari Kobayashi’s voice is spoken by an equally young actor, by the name of Koyu Rankin, who is just eleven years old. Scarlett Johansson speaks for Chief’s love interest, Nutmeg. Bill Murray plays the role of a comedy relief as the pack dog, Boss. The film’s leading roles are supported by other strong actors and actresses such as Bob Balaban, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, and Yoko Ono.

This unique and adventurous film holds subtle deadpan humor, a great playlist, and meticulous detail. Much of the comedy of this feature is about the quirky traits of dogs — anyone with a fur-legged friend can relate to these clever jokes. In addition to the comedy, the search for Atari’s dog is guided by the song “I Won’t Hurt You” by West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, which creates feelings of continuous searching and change that seem to be themes throughout the whole movie. Finally, what shines the most in this movie is Wes Anderson’s attention to detail. Each scene of the stop-motion picture is so unique and they all run so smoothly together. Anderson’s drive for perfection does the film justice by creating a whimsical, futuristic environment that envelops the audience.

“Isle of Dogs” is truly original in the entirety of the word and the perfect solution for anyone looking to escape from the present or simply looking for a quality film.