Isle of Dogs: Fluid and Stable

This may have been one of the most advertised films I’ve seen that’s not a sequel, reboot, or part of a cinematic universe in quite a long time. I think I’ve been seeing commercials for Isle of Dogs in theaters as far back as December, if not before that (I definitely know I saw it before watching Three Billboards Outisde Ebbing, Missouri (2017)). This probably shouldn’t be surprising, considering Wes Anderson is widely considered to be the modern-day example of an auteur filmmaker. To be completely honest, this is the first work by Anderson that I’ve ever seen – though The Grand Budapest Motel (2014) and Moonrise Kingdom (2014) have been on my list because of recommendations; I’ve just never gotten around to them. Based on what I’ve seen from Isle of Dogs, there is no doubt that Anderson is good at what he does – I’m just not sure that what he does is quite my taste. I have seen a few reviews, however, that say this is not the strongest work that Anderson has ever presented, so perhaps I’m working with a poor example.

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Oscar® Nominations: 2018

It is time for one of the most prestigious film awards of the year: the list of Oscar®-nominated films has been announced! There are both surprises and expected additions, as well as some insane snubs (How The Greatest Showman got only one nomination is beyond me, and no mention of Girls Trip at all? Come on…). There will be plenty of Oscars® content to come before the award ceremony on March 4, but for now, you can form your own opinions on what will and will not take home that golden statue. To see Reeltalk’s take on nominated films, follow the links at the bottom of the page.

Trivia: The Shape of Water leads for most nominations at 13 (the same as last year’s La La Land).

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Three Billboards is Uneven, but Effective

*Warning: Slight Spoilers*

I’ve always had a difficult time with dark comedies because I can’t tell what is actually intended to be funny versus what is intended to be mocked. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri tiptoes across this line very carefully, but that makes whether or not you like the movie a bit confusing. Are you actually supposed to like this character, or is it supposed to be a commentary on this job or that circumstance? But the dark comedy is what you’re meant to focus on, because this is not a movie where the attention is on the case being solved, the killer caught, and justice doled out for the girl who was murdered. That is not the point of the movie – we’re focusing on the effect of an unsolved case and a mother’s grief, not the cause of it. We don’t even witness the murder that is the center of the story; the daughter in question only appears in one scene. You watch to see the effect of the murder and billboards on the community (a ridiculously small one, apparently), and the combination of comedy and darkness sometimes works, and sometimes stutters.

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