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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
It is not often that a beloved novel can be adapted so originally and yet so faithfully. A unique and rather wonderful experience.
Juliet Ashton (Lily James) struggles under the trauma and horror of Post-World-War-Two London until a letter puts her into contact with Dawsey Adams (Michiel Huisman;) a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Soon enough, she finds herself visiting the island and hearing the stories of comfort, love, horror and pure resilience from Guernsey's eccentric inhabitants.
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows' novel, on which this is based, brought to life one of many untold stories from the War. That story being the NAZI occupation of the English Isles. Writing in the form of letters, it is easy to see how the novel became a personal exploration of the power of storytelling. Indeed, the literary society is a group of friends using reading and friendship as a means of escaping their war-torn situation. Newell is very aware of these powerful themes and works wonders to bring them to the screen.
Much of the film is made up of Guernsey's characters recounting their stories to Juliet, accommodated by flashbacks. There is no minimum of truth poured into these tales to make them relevant and rather confronting. What ties them all together is the resilience of their friendship through these harsh times and what this raw bravery truly accomplished.
Beside these recollections is an old-fashioned love and hope story. Juliet is quick to fall for the island of Guernsey and the friends she finds there. At a time when the people of Guernsey needed new love and support, she provides it with flair. In many ways, this is a story of finding hope out of trauma and love when you have nothing else left.
Even the cinematography of the film resembles these morals. London is grey on the outside and artificially coloured in any delights in presents. Guernsey on the other hand, is presented with rolling mountains and mighty waves crashing against the shore. A breath of fresh air for Juliet and an opportunity for a new beginning for her as much as the society.
Lily James balances realism, horror and hope in her performance as Juliet and her relationships with fellow actors are a credit to her talents. So many actors give wonderous performances that it would be impossible to name them all yet Jessica Brown Findlay needs acknowledging as Elizabeth. Her character serves as an arc of hope during the actual Occupation and she delivers marvellously.
Perhaps the most original aspect of the film comes during the credits. Playing an audio-recording of a meeting of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society brings the film back to its core roots and ties up the rest of the film to a nice conclusion.
Wise, witty, confronting and yet full of heart, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a real and wonderful story. The only warning that must be advised to viewers: apparently potato peel pie is not as delightful as the film. Avoid consumption!
Isle of Dogs (2018)
Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson proves his newly-discovered talents for blending animation and storytelling, comedy and relevance, heart and humour in his second stop-motion picture.
20 human years into the future (not certain about dog years) a breakout of dog flue in the Japanese city of Negasaki has 'forced' the government to banish all dogs to Trash Island. There, the dogs form their own savage society until Atari (Kuyo Rankin) tumbles in in search of his dog.
What is perhaps most wonderful about this film is the beauty of it. Each and every dog has been given equal care and effort in creation and each look is scruffy yet loveable. The audience therefore, cannot help but fall in love with each K-9 character they meet.
Hearing the words 'Trash Island' used to describe the film's setting would usually be enough to put anyone off yet Anderson surprises audiences. The trash is colour correlated and arranged in such ways that resemble the beauties of modern society and bring a strange charm to the world of the film. A cave the leading dogs have built for themselves comes to mind; the whole thing built out of empty bottles of various colours. This makes it resemble a jewel cave or something even more wonderful.
Such care in setting is accommodated by a carefully chosen cast. Actors such as Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum and Tilda Swinton allow themselves just enough freedom to develop individual characters. We hardly have time to get to know anyone with the speed of the film, yet the independent quirks of each dog allow just enough life and wit to be given.
Most of the humour derives from rather dark jokes bordering around animal cruelty and certain injustices in Japanese culture. An example being a chef preparing sushi dinner and, in the process, carving open the head of a still-alive crab. Another being the dogs gossiping about the miserable and suicidal way that one of their comrades lost his life. These quirks seem like Anderson's way of making small statements about human's powerful ability to be cruel to creatures we deem as less powerful than ourselves. After all, what's crueller than abandoning sick puppies on a dirty and disease-ridden island?
Anderson still pays tribute to the culture he toys with by presenting Kabuki dances and having his human characters speak their native tongue. Their own injustices are still there however, and its evident the thesis he attempts to present about human nature.
Of-course not all the jokes are this dark. Most of the humans in the film are presented as silly using fast-paced slapstick actions. Most of this humour derives from its own unexpectedness and thus, should not be spoiled in a review. The quirks balance out the darkness in the film and ensure that the audience keeps laughing and involved in the film.
All other social statements aside, this is a tale about a dog's loyalty to his master. Watching the friendships develop between the dogs and Atari demonstrates this love and ties together all other themes explored. Ultimately, leaving audiences with a sense of hope as they leave the cinema.
The only downside to the film is a somewhat abrupt and unrealistic ending. The ending does tie up loose ends yet gives everything to its main characters from basically nothing. Does this contribute to any morals or themes of the film? It'll need to be up to the audience to tell.
Wes Anderson is famed and glorified for his strange and unique creative style. Isle of Dogs is perhaps his strangest and yet one of his best. With humour and flair, the film speaks up for those who cannot speak for themselves and ensures laughs from audiences pro-dog and not.
Out of Five: 4 Stars
Did you know: Jeff Goldblum recorded his lines over the phone due to scheduling conflicts with another film.