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Movie Review | 'Year of the Dog'

In a Lonely Place, Saved by Puppies

By Manohla Dargis

• April 13, 2007

The wily and resourceful young screenwriter Mike White writes movies that seem as if they were cooked up by the skinny, self-consciously awkward guy who always ends up alone in a corner at the office holiday party. As it happens, Mr. White, who sometimes acts in the films he and others write, is a skinny, seemingly self-aware guy, though given his résumé — “Chuck & Buck,” “The Good Girl,” “School of Rock” and “Nacho Libre” — it’s a safe bet he doesn’t often play the wallflower, at least in Hollywood.

“Year of the Dog” is exactly the kind of story you would expect Mr. White to make for his directing debut. It’s funny ha-ha but firmly in touch with its downer side, which means it’s also funny in a kind of existential way. It stars the comic Molly Shannon as a woman who discovers her true self through a love of animals, though not that kind of love. She’s not Catherine the Great, just Peggy the Good. It’s a film about what it means to devote yourself to something other than your fears and desires, to shed that hard, durable shell called selfishness. It is, rather remarkably, an inquiry into empathy as a state of grace. And if that sounds too rarefied for laughs, rest assured, it’s also about a stone-cold beautiful freak.

That freak would be Peggy, who seems like a punch line in waiting. Unmarried and just north of 40, she lives with her sole companion, a sturdy little beagle named Pencil, in a tidy little house someplace in Southern California. She works as an assistant to some kind of numbers cruncher, Robin (the divine Josh Pais), on an office floor filled with cubicles that, from just the right angle, look remarkably like feedlot pens. It’s drab but pleasant enough, and anyway Peggy doesn’t seem to mind or notice. Every morning she brings a big pink box of doughnuts for everyone in the office to share, then soaks in the joy. At lunch she listens to her office mate Layla (Regina King) plot her love life with the cunning of Sun Tzu.

We are, during the opening of “Year of the Dog,” in seriously overtilled territory, somewhere between Alexander Payne and Todd Solondz. Mr. White lays out the narrow parameters of Peggy’s life with an aggressive lack of visual flair in a style that might be termed, to bend a phrase from Gloria Grahame, Late Nothing. His most obvious choice, one that feels like a misguided shortcut, is to arrange objects and people symmetrically — including Tom McCarthy and Laura Dern as Peggy’s obsessively matched brother and sister-in-law — inside the frame like displayed goods. It’s a standard-issue comedy strategy, fine for Barry Sonnenfeld-level laughs, but it also suggests that there’s nothing beneath these overly clean, tidy lines and, by extension, nothing much beneath Peggy, either.

This being a Mike White film, I was keeping my fingers crossed for more. One of the most talented screenwriters enlivening the commercial mainstream, Mr. White is a standard-bearer for freaks and geeks. (He worked on the critically revered television show of the same name.) He boldly let his own freak flag fly in the 2000 pathology-driven comedy “Chuck & Buck,” in which, as a childlike man (Buck) who romantically stalks an old friend, he slithers under your skin, delivering an off-putting performance that deliberately risks turning a creepy story into an unlikable one. “Year of the Dog” limns less dangerous territory, but one of its modest glories is that here too Mr. White takes some appreciable chances with our sympathies, notably through a leading character who has more in common with Buck than might at first appear.

It takes a while, but Mr. White does peel away his film’s surface banality. What gets everything moving, including his somewhat sneakily or perhaps cautiously articulated intellectual interests (this is, after all, a studio-bankrolled comedy), is Pencil’s untimely death, which tears a hole in Peggy’s world and eventually her psyche. For Peggy, a woman who greets her beloved four-legged friend with a toothy smile that rivals the sun for warmth (Pencil shines right back), this isn’t the death of some adopted stray, one in a line of carelessly loved dumb beasts. It is a shock to the system, a life-altering tragedy, a terrible end that becomes — movingly, through one odd story kink after another — a radical new beginning.

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• User reviews

Year of the Dog

A secretary's life changes in unexpected ways after her dog dies. A secretary's life changes in unexpected ways after her dog dies. A secretary's life changes in unexpected ways after her dog dies.

• Molly Shannon
• John C. Reilly
• Peter Sarsgaard
• 92 User reviews
• 95 Critic reviews
• 70 Metascore
• 1 win & 1 nomination

Top cast 28

• (as Thomas McCarthy)

• Pound Employee
• Al's Girlfriend
• (as Christy Lynn Moore)

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• Trivia In 2006, the screenplay for this movie was included on the Black List: an annual survey of the "most-liked" motion picture screenplays that had not yet been produced.

[Closing lines]

Peggy : If you all didn't think I was crazy, I'm sure you will now. How do I explain the things I've said and done? How do I explain the person I've become? I know I've disappointed everyone and I'm sorry for that. I wish I was a more articulate person. I believe life is magical. It is so precious. And there are so many kinds of life in this life. So many things to love. The love for a husband or a wife, a boyfriend or girlfriend. The love for children. The love for yourself. And even material things. This is my love. It is mine. And it fills me and defines me. And it compels me on.

• Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Disturbia/Year of the Dog/Hot Fuzz/Perfect Stranger/Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters (2007)
• Soundtracks Hostile Takeover Written by Billy Sherwood & Michael Sherwood Performed by Randy Crenshaw

User reviews 92

• Apr 29, 2007
• How long is Year of the Dog? Powered by Alexa
• May 11, 2007 (United States)
• United States
• Köpeğini Kaybedenler Kulübü
• Altadena, California, USA
• Black & White Productions
• Plan B Entertainment
• Rip Cord Productions
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• Apr 15, 2007

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 37 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Year Of The Dog Review

31 Aug 2007

Year Of The Dog

Don’t believe the trailers - this is not a cheery comedy. It is, in fact, a quietly disturbing tale of one woman’s nervous breakdown following the death of her beloved dog.

When pooch Pencil dies in an accident, spinster Peggy (Molly Shannon) gets involved in animal-rights causes and starts trying to do her bit for the world’s strays.

The gentle laughs you’d expect from Shannon and writer-director Mike White are all present and correct - but the film takes a turn for the sinister as Peggy’s quest leads her to more extreme animal-rights activities.

As a character study, it’s compelling, and there are fantastic supporting turns from John C. Reilly and an excellent Laura Dern, but this is far from fluffy fun.

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Movies | indie movie “the year of the dog” drives colorado canines, redemption story to the screen, the indie feature far outperformed creator rob grabow’s modest expectations.

Sitting still could be just as dangerous.

“I grew up around people who struggled with addiction, so there’s a part of me that wanted to honor them, because all of my mom’s closest friends were recovering addicts,” said Grabow, the writer, producer, and star of the new indie movie “The Year of the Dog.” “It’s easy for people to feel isolated or unseen, and I wanted to explore how society can hold a little bit more space for them.”

One of those people was Grabow’s childhood friend, who took his own life in Alaska in September, he said. It was a painful reminder of why Grabow started making “The Year of the Dog” during the pandemic — an otherwise quiet time in filmmaking that allowed him to snag bigger names for the project — and an example of why recovery is not only possible, but potentially transformative as well.

” ‘The Year of the Dog’ is a film about important subjects – substance abuse, the special human/canine bond, and love,” wrote Oscar winner Jeff Bridges — who, like Grabow, is lately a Montana resident — in the film’s press materials. “(It) addresses these in a skilled and informed way.”

The movie tells the intertwined stories of protagonist Matt (played by Grabow) and Yup’ik, a Husky stray with “an unusual athletic gift.” The two meet by chance after Matt moves onto his AA sponsor’s acreage to work as a handyman. It’s soon clear that Yup’ik and Matt have much to offer one another, despite both meeting at rock bottom. Matt, for his part, is struggling to stay sober at the request of his dying mother — who just wants to see him clear-headed once more before her death.

It’s a lean, measured character study that sidesteps the anguished clichés of many addiction-and-recovery movies , but also asks important questions about how far people and animals can be safely pushed. What seems like a solution is often not.

While Grabow said he has not personally struggled with addiction, his life experiences and the caliber of talent around him on “The Year of the Dog” tell a story that rings true. Indigenous actors Jon Proudstar (“Reservation Dogs”) and Michael Spears (the Paramount+ “Yellowstone” spinoff “1923”), and Broadway’s Aaron Finley (“Moulin Rouge,” “Rock of Ages”), fill vital supporting roles, but it’s Grabow and Yup’ik’s movie.

Yup’ik is played by a real-life California rescue dog named Caleb, who was passed between homes because he was “too much dog” and “too energetic,” Grabow said. That gave him an unpredictable, deeply endearing personality. Other dogs in the film came from Berthoud’s Tru North Kennels, a working- and show-dog breeder that provided Malamutes Sampson (played by the real-life dog Buckaroo Bonzai) and Joyful (real name: Joyful Mountain). Mars (real name: Red Rock’s Rule of Mars) is a Staffordshire terrier provided by Dez Howard.

“When Matt decides to have Yup’ik pull weight (for Iditarod training), people disagree with him and say, ‘Maybe you’re putting him in jeopardy,’ ” he said. “I wanted to explore the idea of something that internally feels right, but that externally makes people question you.”

Given the Iditarod component, Grabow also tapped Terry Reed, the Colorado-based president of the International Weight Pull Association , to help bring in dogs from not only Colorado but also Michigan and Montana for relevant scenes. When “The Year of the Dog” opened in theaters in Grand Junction and Colorado Springs on Feb. 24, Grabow also partnered with Grand Rivers Humane Society and Humane Society Pikes Peak Region, respectively, to donate 5% of the net theatrical proceeds to support their cause. He did the same thing for every city the movie opened in.

That ended up being more than he had anticipated. Grabow assumed his $150,000-budgeted production would go straight to streaming platforms, but a handful of positive test screenings and national distribution allowed it roll out on 100 theater screens over the course of 2 to 3 weeks. In some markets, including the small Montana towns where Grabow shot most of the movie, it opened at No. 1 — even if that just meant 30 people per showing.

“The basic challenge of indie filmmaking is getting people to see your movie, and our goal was to have it play one commercial theater for one week,” Grabow said of the film, which became available to stream on April 7. “It was surreal to have that multiplied by 100.”

Grabow, 41, came to acting later in life. He was born in Wyoming and moved between Alaska and Montana in his youth, graduated with a finance degree from Washington’s Gonzaga University, and went on to study at The Actor’s Studio MFA drama program in New York. He took roles in indie features and shorts, with a few speaking parts in bigger projects (SyFy’s “Z-Nation,” the critically acclaimed drama “Mickey and the Bear” ), and made his first short, “Method,” which won the best screenplay award after premiering at New York’s Chelsea Film Festival in 2019.

Grabow’s latest work is his biggest and best, but also his most personal. It couldn’t have been any other way, he said.

“There’s a line in the movie that basically says, ‘As I kid I moved around a lot, and when I hugged my dog it felt like everything was OK,’ ” he said. “We can’t pass over people in life because we’re looking at it in too narrow of a way. Everyone, no matter how down they are, has something valuable to offer.”

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Year of the Dog Reviews

• 70   Metascore
• 1 hr 40 mins
• Drama, Comedy
• Watchlist Where to Watch

Molly Shannon gives an endearingly engaging performance in this moving and poignant character study. She plays a lonely secretary who becomes an animal activist after the death of her beloved pooch. Her new passion to save critters borders on obsession and begins to impact her relationships with family, friends and coworkers. Laura Dern is fun as Shannon's supermom sister-in-law. Written and directed by Mike White, who also wrote the scripts for "School of Rock" and "Nacho Libre."

Screenwriter Mike White has written several high-profile movies since he first won acclaim for CHUCK & BUCK, Miguel Arteta's dark comedy of discomfort in which White also starred. Few (THE GOOD GIRL, SCHOOL OF ROCK, NACHO LIBRE) lived up to White's initial promise, but the wait for a worthy follow-up ends with this poker-faced black comedy about a woman whose life unravels after the death of her beloved pet. Like CHUCK & BUCK, it explores the funny/sad life of a character whose obsessions push her well beyond the limits of acceptable behavior. To all appearances, there's nothing particularly wrong with Peggy Spade's (Molly Shannon) life: She has a tidy home in Southern California, a decent job working for a whiny sales executive (Josh Pais), and enough interaction with her brother, Pier (Tom McCarthy), his wife Bret (Laura Dern), and an office friend named Layla (Regina King) to count as a social life. But look closer and it's clear that none of these relationships go very deep: Though she listens patiently while Layla and Bret obsess over the details of their own lives, Peggy only tells them what they want to hear and shares little of herself. At the end of the day, Peggy goes home to the only living creature with whom she shares a deep emotional bond: her beagle, Pencil. But loyal, unconditionally loving Pencil precipitates a crisis in Peggy's life the night he leaves her to root around in the yard of her next-door neighbor, Al (John C. Reilly). The next morning Peggy finds Pencil in critical condition; she rushes him to the local animal clinic, but it's too late: Pencil has eaten something toxic and has died. Grief-stricken and vulnerable, Peggy allows Al to take her to dinner, but when he reveals himself to be an avid hunter who once accidentally shot his own dog, Peggy is repelled and begins to question the role Al might have played in Pencil's untimely demise. Besides, she's more interested in the pet clinic's client-services manager, Newt (Peter Sarsgaard), who calls to see if Peggy would be interested in adopting a rescue dog to replace Pencil. When he offers to help her train Valentine, a German shepherd with food-aggression issues, Peggy sees a rare possibility for a romance of the human variety, and says yes to the dog and the training. Soon Peggy's completely under Newt's spell, pressuring coworkers to adopt rescued dogs and even going so far as to follow Newt's example and become an avid vegan. But when Peggy realizes that Newt is even less capable of carrying on a grown-up relationship with an actual human being than she is, the disappointment in yet another human relationship sends her into animal-rights overdrive and precipitates a psychotic breakdown that threatens to destroy her life. It may sound as if first-time director White is having his fun at the expense of introverted, asocial people who prefer the company of cats and dogs and gravitate toward animal-rights activism because the very idea of dealing with human problems requires an empathy they can't muster. But empathy is exactly what makes the film work. Like his treatment of CHUCK & BUCK's emotionally stunted protagonist, White has an outsider's sympathy for Peggy's loss and instinctively understands how the selfishness of people can drive a sensitive person to the company of animals.

YEAR OF THE DOG

"gone astray".

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

What You Need To Know:

(PaPa, Ro, PCPC, EE, L, V, S, AA, D, MM) Strong pagan worldview with some Romantic elements, and strong politically correct animal rights activism; two or three obscenities; some comic mayhem and woman attempts to stab her neighbor for accidentally poisoning her dog; sex is implied through the protagonist’s work friend's love affair; no nudity; alcohol use and drunkenness; Xanax is offered to woman Peggy when her beloved pet dog dies; and, forgery, vandalism and woman torments her niece with implied stories about how cows and chickens get to the dinner table.

More Detail:

YEAR OF THE DOG sounds like a good story, but it doesn’t end that way. A 40-something woman named Peggy, played by Molly Shannon (who can be extremely funny), unlucky in love, devotes her attention to Pencil. Pencil is a beagle who takes up all of Peggy’s time, except for the few hours she works as an assistant to a junior executive. Her cubical workspace comes to look more like a cage in the dog pound as the movie develops; she reaches out at breaks and lunches for human contact.

When Pencil dies suddenly, the story changes drastically. Peggy dates her neighbor (John C. Reilly) who hunts, drives a pick-up and can’t wait to show her his trophies. She spurns him and falls for an animal rights activist, who has turned to celibacy after several unlucky attempts at love. Undaunted by another rejection in human love, she becomes a zealous activist herself through forgery, destruction of property and ultimately the swaying of a child’s fragile perception.

The movie gets even more bizarre when Peggy rescues nearly 20 dogs about to be put down. The result of her benevolence is a hysterical scene of mayhem with the dogs running wild in her apartment, but the scene ends up being sad instead of funny.

Peggy goes to her brother for help and is comforted, but does not really change. She gets her job, her friends and her family back, but that’s not what makes her happy. The last scene shows her on an animal rights bus waving a handmade sign. Perhaps that makes her happy.

So what are we supposed to think about this movie? Are we supposed to hit the pound and rescue all the dogs that are about to be put to sleep because it’s easier than rescuing humans? The movie doesn’t tell us. YEAR OF THE DOG is at cross-purposes with itself and leaves us with no clear picture of what it is trying to say.

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Year of the Dog Parent Guide

Peggy (Molly Shannon) and her pet beagle Pencil are inseparable pals -- until the death of the little dog. Overcome with enormous grief, the single woman who works as a secretary, suddenly questions her entire existence and whether or not her life has meaning without the love of her best friend.

Release date April 19, 2007

Why is Year of the Dog rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Year of the Dog PG-13 for some suggestive references.

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kerry bennett.

Most films have an agenda, a statement the filmmaker wants to drive home to audiences. But if there is one in Year of the Dog , it isn’t easy to put a paw on. The movie doesn’t appear to be aimed exclusively at either side of the animal activist argument. Rather, this quirky script unleashes a wildly exaggerated pack of characters that run rampant across the screen, colliding with each other but rarely connecting.

Peggy (Molly Shannon) is a 40-something single secretary who dresses older than her years and finds social interactions difficult. Living alone, she coddles her pup, Pencil, buying him toys, taking him for walks and lining her cubicle with his picture. When the dog unexpectedly dies, Peggy is devastated.

Al (John C. Reilly), on the other hand, is Peggy’s next-door neighbor. He loves to spend his weekends out in the woods with a rifle and displays his sporting successes (i.e. mounted deer heads and other treasures) on the walls of his home along with his large collection of hunting knives.

At work, Peggy interacts with equally interesting people—a self-important boss (Josh Pais) suffering from office politics “victimitis” and a cleavage-baring colleague (Regina King) trying to corral her boyfriend (Dale Godboldo) into marriage. Even Peggy’s brother (Thomas McCarthy) and his super-sensitive, overprotective, control freak wife (Laura Dern) have issues.

It’s this mix of overstated, but nonetheless plausible, individuals that makes Year of the Dog a kind of Napoleon Dynamite for adults. While the characters come dangerously close at times to going over the edge (or beyond) of reasonableness, they also have their moments of lucidity, when their perspectives seem perfectly normal and sane. As well, their opposing viewpoints on touchy subjects such as animal rights, child rearing and risk-taking make them interesting foils for one another, especially from a film study point of view.

While children or teens will likely find little to relate to, the obscure opinion of the screenplay will allow adults to connect with whichever position they agree with. The deaths of several dogs, sexual discussions, infrequent offensive comments and the attempted murder of one character may also be reasons to leave the kids at home.

Yet for adults interested in character studies and satirical humor, this oddball picture may be just the kind of dog show you’ll prize.

About author

Kerry Bennett

Year of the dog rating & content info.

Why is Year of the Dog rated PG-13? Year of the Dog is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some suggestive references.

Unlike most dog films (other than Old Yeller ), mutts do die in this film, although their deaths are not shown. Following the demise of her pet, Molly almost immediately adopts an unruly pooch who snaps at others, bites her on the hand and kills a small dog. One animal must be euthanized. On a date, Peggy meets a man who tells her about his hunting adventures and the accidental shooting of his pet. A woman steals money from her boss and later breaks into a man’s home and attempts to kill him with a hunting knife. Dogs are irresponsibly cared for and one defecates in the house. Peggy’s friend suggests prescription drugs, getting drunk or having casual sex as a way to overcome depression. A woman accuses another of drugging her child with over-the-counter cold medicine. Sexual discussions occur between several characters. Other language concerns include a crude term for sex, some profanities and offensive comments.

Page last updated April 20, 2009

Year of the Dog Parents' Guide

Peggy turns to pets because people disappoint her. Who reaches out to Peggy? What kind of support does she receive from others? Why do you think she isn’t able to see it?

How does your perspective on animals affect the way you view of this film? What do you think the script saying about animal rights? Can those attitudes be taken to the extreme? What are the positives and negatives of animal testing?

Each of these characters has his or her own agenda or hobbyhorse. What are they? How are their obsessions portrayed? Can an interest be taken too far?

The most recent home video release of Year of the Dog movie is August 28, 2007. Here are some details…

Year of the Dog strays onto DVD with audio tracks in Dolby Digital (English).

Related home video titles:

This film’s writer, Mike White, is known for creating other offbeat characters. In School of Rock , an aspiring rock musician (Jack Black) shanghais an elementary classroom of high achievers to be in his rock band. In Nacho Libre , a monk (also played by Black) at a poor Mexican orphanage moonlights as a wrestler to buy food for the children.

The Year of the Dog Movie

A loner alcoholic finds a path to recovery when he meets a stray dog with a unique talent.

Who's Involved:

Michael Peterson, Jon Proudstar, Robert Grabow, Alyssa Groenig, Michael Spears, Aaron Finley, Jeff Medley, Andrew McGinn

Release Date:

Friday, February 24, 2023 Limited

Plot: What's the story about?

Matt, a loner alcoholic at rock bottom, struggles to maintain sobriety for 30 days so he can honor his mother's dying wish, to visit her in hospice, sober. His book-thumping AA sponsor, Fred, offers him refuge at his farm, where Matt finds Yup'ik, a stray Husky with a unique talent. The man and dog relationship is precarious at first, but with the help of a close-knit Montana community, the two strays find a connection and discover what it takes to pull through to the finish line.

official plot version

4.50 / 5 stars ( 12 users)

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Who stars in The Year of the Dog: Cast List

Robert Grabow

Michael Spears

Jon Proudstar

The Last Stop in Yuma County, Wastelander  

Alyssa Groenig

Jeff Medley

Aaron Finley

Who's making The Year of the Dog: Crew List

A look at the The Year of the Dog behind-the-scenes crew and production team.

Robert Grabow Michael Peterson Andrew McGinn

Screenwriter

Nova Vento Entertainment

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Watch the year of the dog trailers & videos.

Official Trailer

Production: what we know about the year of the dog, filming timeline.

• 2023 - January : The film was set to Completed  status.

The Year of the Dog Release Date: When was the film released?

The Year of the Dog was a Limited release in 2023 on Friday, February 24, 2023 . There were 20 other movies released on the same date, including Jesus Revolution , Cocaine Bear and We Have a Ghost . As a Limited release, The Year of the Dog will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the film is playing in your area.

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• Wed., Jan. 11, 2023
• set the MPAA rating to PG-13 for some strong language, and thematic elements
• added Official Trailer to movie trailers & videos
• added a poster to the photo gallery
• changed the US film release date from TBA to February 24, 2023
• set film release to Limited
• added a link from theyearofthedogmovie.com
• added Nova Vento Entertainment as a distributor
• added a synopsis
• added Andrew McGinn as director to movie credits
• added Michael Peterson as director to movie credits

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Inside the mind of a dog.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 0 Reviews
• Kids Say 0 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Kid-friendly documentary is pawsitively warm, insightful.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Inside the Mind of a Dog is an educational documentary narrated by Rob Lowe that explores the strong bonds between humans and dogs. It looks at how dogs have been our companions throughout history, discusses the emotional and scientific sides of our relationships with them, and shows…

Why Age 6+?

Artistic images depict prehistoric humans and wolves evolving to become companio

Any Positive Content?

Teaches viewers about how service dogs are raised, trained, and chosen to be saf

Volunteers and dog trainers demonstrate kind, selfless behavior. Veterinarians,

Viewers see the benefits of bonds between dogs and humans as well as the commitm

BIPOC and White young and older adults share their expertise about the lives of

Violence & Scariness

Artistic images depict prehistoric humans and wolves evolving to become companions. In some of those cartoon-like images, cavemen are holding spears and it references them battling prehistoric giant bears and hyenas. Some cartoon-like images of animal bones with spears in them are briefly shown.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Educational Value

Teaches viewers about how service dogs are raised, trained, and chosen to be safety companions for children, adults, and veterans with disabilities. Also offers insight into the ways that dogs and humans interact, how dogs, like humans, can have ADHD, and how they came to be such close companions throughout history.

Positive Role Models

Volunteers and dog trainers demonstrate kind, selfless behavior. Veterinarians, researchers, and other experts who study dogs provide insight on how dogs behave.

Positive Messages

Viewers see the benefits of bonds between dogs and humans as well as the commitment, work, and emotional give and take needed to raise a service dog. Empathy and teamwork are clear themes.

Diverse Representations

BIPOC and White young and older adults share their expertise about the lives of dogs. Experts are both male and female and of different diverse racial backgrounds. People with disabilities are also featured being matched with their service dogs.

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Parents need to know that Inside the Mind of a Dog is an educational documentary narrated by Rob Lowe that explores the strong bonds between humans and dogs. It looks at how dogs have been our companions throughout history, discusses the emotional and scientific sides of our relationships with them, and shows how service dogs are trained to help children, adults, and veterans with disabilities. Some cartoon-like images of cavemen holding spears, and it references them battling prehistoric giant bears and hyenas. Some images of animal bones with spears in them are briefly shown. The film emphasizes values like empathy , teamwork , and the positive effects of human-dog relationships. Viewers will meet a diverse group of experts, including veterinarians, researchers, and trainers. The documentary explains dog behaviors, such as canine ADHD, and dogs' evolution from wild wolves to pampered pets. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

In this fascinating "dog"umentary, viewers dive INSIDE THE MIND OF A DOG, exploring the strong bond between people and their dogs. The film shares new research and helpful tips for dog owners. Narrated by Rob Lowe , the documentary also shows how service dogs are trained to help people. Experts from around the world explain how dogs think and answer big questions dog lovers might have.

Is It Any Good?

This is a fascinating and educational documentary that delves deep into the minds of our canine companions. Narrated by Rob Lowe, who also shares moments with his own pets, the film offers interesting insights and practical tips for dog owners. We learn that dogs communicate in complex ways, using everything from their barks, tail wags, or 16 facial expressions to show emotions from anxiety to joy. The film also touches on canine intelligence and behavior, explaining that some dogs, much like humans, can exhibit signs of ADHD. It discusses how puppies that solve problems independently often grow into more effective guide dogs, drawing parallels to human development.

Inside the Mind of a Dog is not just informative -- it's also a heartwarming adventure that helps us understand and appreciate our furry friends even more. Whether you're already a devoted dog lover or simply eager to learn more, this documentary is a tail-wagging treat for viewers of all ages.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the deep bonds between dogs and humans and how dogs show affection toward humans. Can you share any personal experiences where you felt a deep connection with a pet?

How do dogs help people in the movie? Why are service dogs important?

How does the documentary explain the ways dogs communicate with humans? Why is it important for dog owners to understand these signals?

How did the people in the movie work together with dogs? Why is teamwork such an important character strength ?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : August 9, 2024
• Cast : Rob Lowe
• Director : Andy Mitchell
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Documentary
• Topics : Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Science and Nature
• Character Strengths : Empathy , Teamwork
• Run time : 75 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Award : Common Sense Selection
• Last updated : August 9, 2024

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Christopher Guest readies himself to kiss a dog in a scene from the 2000 film "Best In Show."

As a child, I grew up with a Jack Russell Terrier named Jackie, who I loved for many years until she passed away at the age of 15. And as a result, I formed a deep adoration of the movie My Dog Skip , which details a life-affirming relationship between a boy and his Jack Russell. Anybody who’s ever owned a dog understands these sorts of sentimental attachments we form with dog-themed movies, which aim to capture just how special that storied relationship can be. A great dog film can be moving in a much different way than most movies are capable of achieving, allowing us to either cherish the pets we currently own or transport ourselves back to a time when certain pups roamed our lives. There are many, many dog movies to choose from, so it can be hard to know where to start when you want to capture such a feeling.

Hopefully, I can help. Below, I’ve gathered together what I consider to be the best dog movies ever made. From classic animated features to adored independent darlings, from box-office smashing franchises to family-friendly comedies, this list has just about every dog movie you need in your repertoire. No matter what your mood, you can find the dog movie you need in this list.

Best Dog Movies

If you’re a lover of dogs, and if you love dog movies, then this list is for you. From St. Bernards to Dachshunds, from Cocker Spaniels to German Shepherds, from Dalmatians to Jack Russell Terriers, just about every type of dog, in either live action and animated form, can be found on this list. All film genres are on the table as well, as you’ll find everything from timeless romances to melancholic dramas to outright comedies .

The genre has a fervent following and has enjoyed some big successes at the box office, with the “top dog” in terms of domestic gross being 2002 ’s Scooby-Doo , which amassed $153 million in North America (along with $275 million worldwide), followed closely behind by Marley & Me with $143 million domestically ($255 million globally). But the highest-earning dog movie on a global scale was the remake 101 Dalmatians , which amassed $320 million in 1996.

Now onto the list. These movies are ordered strictly according to my personal taste. Below, you’ll find a healthy mix between nostalgic favorites from my childhood and critically revered movies that highlight the treasured relationship between man and beast with profundity and care.

25. A Dog’s Purpose (2017)

A Dog’s Purpose centers on a dog named Bailey, who is reincarnated several times as different breeds, experiencing new environment with new owners each time. From a police dog to a neglected stray to a playful companion, each life Bailey lives brings with it new challenges. Despite those changing circumstances, Bailey, who remembers each of his past lives and carries lessons from the past into the future, seeks to understand his purpose and the meaning of his storied existence. This heartfelt story adorned with a warm, loving atmosphere was perhaps too earnest for its own good, as it didn’t receive great grades from critics. But any lover of dogs will eat up this gentle, completely unpretentious story that explores loyalty and love between pups and their owners. Directed by Lasse Hallström and produced by Gavin Polone, A Dog’s Purpose stars Britt Robertson, KJ Apa, John Ortiz, Dennis Quaid and Josh Gad.

Here’s where you can stream A Dog’s Purpose .

24. Lady and the Tramp (1955)

This beloved Disney classic tells the romantic tale between the two unlikeliest of canine counterparts: Lady, a refined Cocker Spaniel, and Tramp, a street-smart ruff. While Lady lives a pampered life with her owners, Tramp roams the stress freely, setting the trail for a collision course that takes them both by surprise when Lady finds herself out on the streets. Together, they experience adventure and face various challenges—including a contentious run-in with a dog catcher. Together, they persevere and strengthen their love as they survive on the streets. Filled with lush background art, bolstered by a romantic and nostalgic atmosphere, and backed by a memorial musical score and plenty of great songs, Lady and the Tramp was adored by critics and remains a classic of the dog genre. Produced by Walt Disney and directed by Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi and Wilfred Jackson, Lady and the Tramp stars the voices of Peggy Lee, Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts and Bill Thompson.

Here’s where you can stream Lady and the Tramp .

23. Cujo (1983)

If Stephen King directed it, then you know you’re in for something subversive—and that was certainly the case when it came to the killer dog movie Cujo . The story centers on a soft, gentle St. Bernard named Cujo who becomes a ravenous murderer after being bit by a rabid rat. Post-infection, a disease takes hold and Cujo transforms from family-friendly pet to dangerous animal, threatening the lives of Donna and her young son Tad. Trapped in their car, the film follows their terrifying ordeal as they fight to survive. Despite an intense and claustrophobic atmosphere that engagingly heightens the desperation and helplessness of the characters, the practical effects used to create a realistic portrayal of Cujo's transformation from a friendly pet to a deadly menace, and the accomplished pacing and rhythm of the film, Cujo only received middling reviews from critics. Still, I strongly recommend it. Directed by Lewis Teague and produced by Daniel H. Blatt and Robert Singer, Cujo stars Dee Wallace, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Danny Pintauro and Ed Lauter.

Here’s where you can stream Cujo .

22. The Fox and the Hound (1981)

While Tod, an orphaned fox, is adopted by a kind widow, his soon-to-be best friend, Copper, is raised to be a hunting dog. Despite their natural instincts and expectations from the world, the two animals start a friendship that lasts for many years—a friendship that is detailed in the cherished Disney animated feature The Fox and the Hound . Throughout their lives, this rich friendship is continually tested and strengthened, as Copper is trained to hunt animals like Tod, yet is compelled to rebel to sustain the relationship. Overseeing a very delicate balance of light and dark tones, and scored by a soundtrack that includes songs like "Best of Friends" that highlight the innocence and joy of Todd and Copper's friendship, this critically praised film has continued to hit home for kids thanks to its simple emotional message. Fox and the Hound was directed by Ted Berman, Richard Rich and Art Stevens, was produced by Ron Miller, Wolfgang Reitherman and Art Stevens, and stars the voices of Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Pearl Bailey, Jack Albertson and Sandy Duncan.

Here’s where you can stream The Fox and the Hound .

21. A Boy and His Dog (1975)

There aren’t a ton of cult sci-fi films on this list that rest in a future dystopia, but A Boy and His Dog is no ordinary film, owning one of the wackiest plots on this list. A young man named Vic navigates a post-apocalyptic realm alongside his telepathic dog, Blood, as they struggle to carry on amidst the harsh wasteland. With their symbiotic relationship crucial to their survival, Vic relies upon Blood’s ability to locate food (and women), while Blood depends upon Vic for protection. From various encounters with strangers to a discovery of a hidden underground society, Vic and Blood build their relationship over time. A blend of science fiction and coming-of-age comedy, this subversive film the has enjoyed critical praise over the years is filled with dark humor and satire that might prove a tad risqué for family movie night, but can certainly be enjoyed by any seasoned viewers hoping to delve into the strange depths of the science fiction genre . A Boy and His Dog was directed by L.Q. Jones, produced by Alvy Moore, and stars Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Alvy Moore and Jason Robards.

Here’s where you can stream A Boy and His Dog .

20. A Goofy Movie (1995)

One of the most-played movies of my childhood had to be A Goofy Movie —a colorful and dynamic movie with a heartfelt storyline that has only appreciated with age as I’ve become a father. The story follows the famous Disney character Goofy, a well-to-do father (he also happens to be a dog) who is incredibly clumsy and owns an over-the-top personality, attempts to bond with his constantly embarrassed son Max by taking him on a cross-country fishing trip. Along the way, throughout their various comedic mishaps and obstacles, and despite their differences, Goofy and Max grow closer over the course of the getaway and deepen their father-son relationship. The relatable parent-child dynamics really stand out in this markedly different-from-the-pack Disney film filled with visual humor and old-school slapstick comedy. Surprisingly, the movie received middling review from critics, but its reputation has held over many years amongst its fans. Directed by Kevin Lima and produced by Dan Rounds, A Goofy Movie stars Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Jim Cummings, Kellie Martin, Rob Paulsen and Wallace Shawn.

Here’s where you can stream A Goofy Movie .

19. White God (2014)

It’s not every day that your “dog film” gets into the Cannes Film Festival. But that happened to be the case for Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó when White God was selected as part of the 2014 lineup. The film’s story centers on a young girl named Lili, who is forced by her father to leave her dog, Hagen, behind due to a new law that taxes mixed-breed dogs. Hagen is forced to fend for himself, and before long, he joins a pack of stray dogs who have endured harsh conditions and mistreatment throughout their lives. Together, the dogs decide to revolt against the human totalitarian regime, creating for a biting piece of social commentary that ultimately leads to a showdown between the oppressed and their oppressors. Critics loved the film upon release, praising it for its striking compositions, its focus on political themes like marginalization and resistance, and its sensitive and empathetic portrayal of its characters. Directed by Kornél Mundruczó and produced by Eszter Gyárfás and Viktória Petrányi, White God stars Zsófia Psotta, Sándor Zsótér and Lili Horváth.

Here’s where you can stream White God .

18. All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

It’s 1939 in New Orleans, and Charlie B. Barkin, a German Shepherd who recently escaped from a dog pound, returns to his casino riverboat with his friend, Itchy—only to be betrayed and killed by his partner, Carface. But Charlie gets a second chance at life after he cheats death and returns home, where he rescues an orphan girl named Anne-Marie who can talk to animals and has a great eye for betting. Together, they build a successful casino, which drives Carface to plot a new attack, resulting in a fiery showdown. This movie wasn’t a huge hit with critics, who criticized the movie for its disjointed narrative and use of violence. But as somebody who viewed the film many times as a child, I never had an issue and enjoy fond, vivid memories of its distinctive animation and complex characterizations. Directed by Don Bluth (who also produced) and produced by Gary Goldman and John Pomeroy, All Dogs Go to Heaven stars Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Judith Barsi and Melba Moore.

Here’s where you can stream All Dogs Go to Heaven .

17. You Can Never Tell (1951)

A postcard for the 1951 movie 'You Can Never Tell.'

Of all the movies on this list, the plot of You Can Never Tell might be the craziest. The main character of this quirky 1951 comedy is a dog... who isn’t a dog? The story follows detective named Rex Shephard, except Rex isn’t who he seems—he’s actually a dead dog named King who’s been reincarnated. You see, King was the heir to a fortune from an eccentric millionaire. But when King dies, the late millionaire’s secretary, Ellen, gets the fortune. Armed with this information, a man named Perry Collins murders King and then tries to woo Ellen to secure the fortune for himself. After King comes back as Rex, he must fight to expose Perry’s dastardly plot and save Ellen from being grifted by a murderer. To do so, King (as Rex) teams up with Golden Harvest, a racehorse reincarnated as a human named Goldie Harvey (I told you this movie was crazy), to solve the case before the full moon—or else they’ll remain on earth as humans. While chaotic, this movie is also super fun, and feels like more of a cartoon than any of the animated films on this list. Relatively unknown, it doesn’t have many reviews from which to glean its critical appraisal. Directed by Lou Breslow and produced by Leonard Goldstein, You Can Never Tell stars Dick Powell, Peggy Dow, Charles Drake and Joyce Holden.

Here’s where you can stream You Can Never Tell .

16. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

As far as I’m concerned, this is as good as Disney’s animated movies about dogs ever got (and critics seem to agree, given its 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes), with its distinct visual style characterized by bold, sketchy lines and a modern, graphic look, with its engaging and diverse characters, with genuine humor and heart carrying the torch throughout. The story focuses on Pongo and Perdita, two Dalmatians living in London who give birth to 15 Dalmatian puppies. This quickly catches the attention of the evil Cruella de Vil, a wealthy woman obsessed with making fur coats from Dalmatian pelts. She hires two henchmen, Jasper and Horace, to kidnap the puppies, forcing Pongo and Perdita to enlist the help of their animal friends on a mission to rescue their puppies from Cruella’s mansion—where the parents discover 84 more puppies. Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wolfgang Reitherman, and produced by Walt Disney, One Hundred and One Dalmatians stars Rod Taylor, Cate Bauer, Betty Lou Gerson, Ben Wright and Lisa Davis.

Here’s where you can stream One Hundred and One Dalmatians .

15. Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)

Before Bong Joon-ho was winning Oscars for Parasite , and before he had accrued an ardent following with sinister movies like Memories of Murder , The Host and Mother , he debuted with a little-seen film called Barking Dogs Never Bite . This black comedy revolves around an out-of-work college professor named Ko Yup-ju, who lives in an apartment complex with his pregnant wife, Eun-sil. Yup-Ju spends his home life irritated by a loudly barking dog in his apartment complex. Frustrated, he mistakenly abducts a neighbor’s silent Shih Tzu, believing it to be the cause of the noise, and locks it in the basement. Meanwhile, Park Hyun-nam, a custodian longing for fame, attempts to find the missing dog. As expected from Bong, the film is rich with social commentary about class division and bureaucratic inefficiencies in South Korea, and is bolstered by meticulous framing and inventive camera angles. Like everything else from Bong, this movie was a hit with critics. Directed by Bong and produced by Cho Min-hwan, Barking Dogs Never Bite stars Lee Sung-jae, Bae Doona, Kim Roi-ha and Byun Hee-bong.

Here’s where you can stream Barking Dogs Never Bite .

14. Frankenweenie (2012)

Tim Burton actually made Frankenweenie twice. Most people just know about the 2012 feature film, but the story actually started way back in 1984 as a live action short film, which starred Shelley Duvall, Daniel Stern and Barret Oliver. The story is quite similar: after being devastated by the death of his beloved dog, Sparky, the young boy Victor Frankenstein conducts a daring experiment to bring his dog back to life by using electricity after being inspired by his science teacher. At first, his experiment seems a wild success, as Sparky is back in his life. But before long, chaos ensues as people slowly discover Victor’s secret and blame his reanimated pet for a crime committed in their town. Brandished with a stellar 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s no surprise this film was a hit, given its refreshing stop-motion animation, its Burton-esque gothic aesthetic filled with moody atmosphere and stark contrasts and its sensitive exploration of childhood realities regarding grief and loss. Directed by Burton (who also produced) and produced by Allison Abbate, Frankenweenie stars Charlie Tahan, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Winona Ryder.

Here’s where you can stream Frankenweenie .

13. My Dog Skip (2000)

Another one of my childhood favorites, the based-on-a-true-story narrative of My Dog Skip centers on Willie Morris, a shy young boy from the 1940s who has trouble making friends and receives a Jack Russell Terrier named Skip for his ninth birthday. The puppy, who eventually plays a big role in brining the small community together, quickly becomes Willie’s best friend and helps him break free from his shell, empowering him to make new friends and stand up to bullies. The deep bond shared between boy and dog becomes a lesson in growth and self-confidence for those who feel entrapped by their fears and anxieties. This period piece was well received by critics, who appreciated its authentic emotional depth and strong performances. I haven’t revisited this movie in many years, yet I feel like I remember it exactly, which means I have no problem recommending it here for any fans of simple dog-themed films. Directed by Jay Russell and produced by Mark Johnson, My Dog Skip stars Frankie Muniz, Diane Lane, Luke Wilson, Kevin Bacon and Caitlin Wachs.

Here’s where you can stream My Dog Skip .

12. Scooby-Doo (2002)

In retrospect, it’s no surprise that critics weren’t a huge fan of the live action adaptation of the Scooby-Doo series, with its campy, tongue-in-cheek tone and embracement of special effects and CGI resulting in a modern feel that many felt took away from the cherished television show’s look and feel. But as a fan of the show myself, I’ve always loved this rather off-kilter approach to such a classic cast of characters. In this film, the Mystery Inc. gang, which consists of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and their talking dog Scooby-Doo, reunites after two years to investigate strange occurrences at Spooky Island, a horror-themed resort that is supposedly haunted by demons. But as they dig deeper, they uncover a plot by the island’s owner, Emile Mondavarious, to control the minds of the tourists by using a magical pyramid. Mystery Inc. must then work to thwart the plan and free the possessed guests. Directed by Raja Gosnell and produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, Scooby-Doo stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini and Rowan Atkinson.

Here’s where you can stream Scooby-Doo .

11. Beethoven (1992)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the raucous family comedy Beethoven wasn’t a huge hit with critics, who found some of the humor to be over-the-top and annoying. But as a kid, I ate this movie up, loving its family-friendly tone and memorable set pieces. The movie starts with two thieves, Harvey and Vernon, who dognap a group of puppies from a pet store, only for a St. Bernard to escape and sneak into the Newton family’s home. George, a short-tempered father, doesn’t want to keep the dog, but eventually gives in to his family’s protests to keep him. Thanks to the pup’s love of music, they name him Beethoven. That pup quickly grows into a large, formidable dog that causes chaos around the house (driving George wild), while also helping the family in various ways as his stay continues in the household. Before long, Harvey and Vernon return to re-kidnap the dog—putting the Newton family, especially George, to the test. Directed by Brian Levant and produced by Ivan Reitman Joe Medjuck and Michael C. Gross, Beethoven stars Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Dean Jones, Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile and Sarah Rose Karr.

Here’s where you can stream Beethoven .

10. Dog Days (2018)

There aren’t many human love stories on this list—which is exactly what makes Dog Days so refreshing. This ensemble genre affair that’s part comedy, part romance, part drama follows several interconnected Los Angeles stories that are all united by one central tenet: dogs. Tara, a coffee shop worker, finds an abandoned Chihuahua and brings it to a local dog rescue, where she meets Garrett, the rescue’s owner. Meanwhile, Grace and Kurt struggle to bond with their newly adopted daughter, Amelia, until she finds comfort in their dog. Then you have Dax, a slacker musician who is forced to take care of his sister’s dog when she goes into labor. And finally we have Elizabeth, a news anchor, who meets Jimmy, a former athlete turned dog walker, as they start a relationship. Sadly, despite the warm and vibrant visual flair provided by the city of Los Angeles, the focus on positive themes regarding dogs and their owners, and the relatable and diverse cast of characters, the movie received mixed reviews from critics who found it too formulaic. Obviously, I disagree. Directed by Ken Marino and produced by Mickey Liddell, Jennifer Monroe and Pete Shilaimon, Dog Days stars Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Adam Pally, Eva Longoria and Finn Wolfhard.

Here’s where you can stream Dog Days .

9. Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)

If you grew up watching The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends like I did, then you know about “Peabody’s Improbably History,” a segment from the animated program about an anthropomorphic dog who also happens to be the smartest being in existence. In the show, he has a young friend named Sherman, who accompanies the Harvard graduate in the “Wayback Machine” as they travel through time and meet historical figures. Truthfully, I never once, in a million years, imagined that small segment on Rocky and Bullwinkle would get its own movie—but thank goodness it did. The movie centers Mr. Peabody, a genius dog who, alongside his adopted son, Sherman, uses his time machine (called the “WABAC”) to visit various events throughout time and experience history firsthand. But when Sherman takes his classmate, Penny, on an unauthorized trip, they inadvertently cause disruptions that thrash the very fabric of time, forcing Mr. Peabody to devise a plan to fix the timeline and ensure their safe return. This movie was a big hit with critics. Directed by Rob Minkoff and produced by Alex Schwartz and Denise Nolan Cascino, Mr. Peabody & Sherman stars Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Stephen Colbert and Allison Janney.

Here’s where you can stream Mr. Peabody & Sherman .

8. Wendy and Lucy (2008)

One of just a handful of movies on this list to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Wendy and Lucy stood as a champion of independent film back in 2008 when it won critical reverence, as well as several awards on the festival circuit. The story centers on Wendy, who, destitute and in desperate need of work, travels to Alaska with her dog, Lucy, in search of a job. When her car breaks down in a small Oregon town, her financial situation worsens, forcing her to steal dog food in order to feed Lucy. After being caught and thrown in jail, Lucy goes missing. Wendy desperately searches for Lucy, facing numerous obstacles and setbacks as she frantically traverses the unknown city. Her search reveals the difficulties people face while living on the edge of poverty, of how difficult it is to get by in the face of impending loneliness, of how desperately people seek companionship from anyone—even dogs. Directed by Kelly Reichardt and produced by Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani and Larry Fessenden, Wendy and Lucy stars Michelle Williams, Will Patton, Will Oldham and John Robinson.

Here’s where you can stream Wendy and Lucy .

7. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

Of all the childhood favorites on this list, this is by far had the biggest impact on me as a youth. I can’t even count how many times I’ve seen Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey . And it’s no surprise the movie was a huge hit with critics, given its stacked cast, its positive and uplifting message and its engaging and memorable characters. This classic follows two dogs and a cat: Chance, an American Bulldog; Shadow, a Golden Retriever; and Sassy, a Himalayan cat. When their owners go on a family vacation and leave them with family friends, Chance, Shadow and Sassy believe they’ve bene abandoned and begin a trek home across the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains. Along the way, they face life-threatening scenarios and overcome great challenges as they fight to make it back to their owners. Directed by Duwayne Dunham and produced by Jeffrey Chernov and Franklin R. Levy, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey stars Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, Don Ameche and Kim Greist.

Here’s where you can stream Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey .

6. My Dog Tulip (2009)

There are several animated films on this list, but only one of them is hand-drawn—and yes, it’s amazing to witness. My Dog Tulip tells of the various joys and challenges of J.R. Ackerley’s 14-year-long relationship with an adopted German Shepherd named Tulip. Dealing with the complexities of caring for his dog in post-war London through an earthly color palette that relays an intimate and reflective tone, Ackerley cares deeply for Tulip’s health and happiness as he navigates many moments, both trying and rewarding. This rather straightforward story still finds immense power, highlighting the everyday challenges and joys that come with caring for an animal—and the ultimate fulfillment that comes by such a journey’s end. This lovely, critically adored film was directed by Paul and Sandra Fierlinger, produced by Howard Kaminsky, Frank Pellegrino and Norman Twain, My Dog Tulip stars the voices of Christopher Plummer, Lynn Redgrave, Isabella Rossellini, Brian Murray and Paul Hecht.

Here’s where you can stream My Dog Tulip .

5. Dog (2022)

In my opinion, this isn’t just an underrated dog movie— Dog is one of the absolute best movies of the 2020s thus far. It also features the directorial debut of Channing Tatum, who stars in the film and showcases the sort of dramatic depth nobody would’ve thought possible 16 years earlier when he starred in Step Up . The story follows Jackson Briggs, a former U.S. Army Ranger who is desperate to get back to duty but is instead is tasked with transporting a military working dog named Lulu to the funeral of her handler. A Belgian Malinois, Lulu is initially hostile and uncooperative because of trauma she suffered in combat. But on their road trip, Briggs (who is struggling with his own PTSD from war) and Lulu grow closer and help one another overcome their mental hardships. I still remember some of the beautiful images and profound moments from this film, which received high marks from critics but sadly failed to reach a wider audience. Directed by Reid Carolin and Channing Tatum, and produced by Peter Kiernan, Gregory Jacobs, Betsy Danbury and Channing Tatum, Dog stars Channing Tatum, Jane Adams, Kevin Nash and Q'orianka Kilcher.

Here’s where you can stream Dog .

4. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit has the honored distinction of being the only winner of Best Animated Feature on this list—and boy was it ever deserving of such an accolade. The story follows the inventive Wallace and his loyal Dog Gromit, the stars of a small franchise who are back for what is widely considered to be their greatest film. Together, they run a humane pest control service called Anti-Pesto, and they are called to duty as a giant rabbit begins to ravage the village’s prized crops ahead of the annual Giant Vegetable Competition. Tasked with capturing the creature, they use various gadget and schemes, only for Gromit to discover that the Were-Rabbit is actually Wallace, who transforms into the rabbit (akin to a werewolf) after one of his inventions malfunctioned. Critics loved this movie upon its release. Directed by Nick Park and Steve Box, and produced by Claire Jennings, Carla Shelley, Peter Lord, David Sproxton and Nick Park, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit stars Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter.

Here’s where you can stream Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit .

3. Wiener-Dog (2016)

Sometimes the best dog movies are the gloomy dog movies—and boy is this one gloomy. Gloomy, yet illuminating and profound. A typically melancholic experience from revered independent film director Todd Solondz, Wiener-Dog follows the journey of a Dachshund as it passes from one owner to another. Each character has different interactions with the dog—from a young boy recovering from an illness, to a veterinary technician who takes the dog on a road trip, to a film professor grappling with his life's failures, to an elderly woman who reconnects with her past—all offering a bleak examination of human nature as the film explores their flaws and failures, as well as their sadness, their cruelty, their absurdity. This episodic, character-driven narrative grapples with mortality and one’s search for purpose as the title Dachshund floats from one confused soul to another. Directed by Todd Solondz and produced by Megan Ellison, Christine Vachon and David Distenfeld, Wiener-Dog stars Greta Gerwig, Kieran Culkin, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn and Zosia Mamet.

Here’s where you can stream Wiener-Dog .

2. Isle of Dogs (2018)

Leave it to Wes Anderson —the man who first gave us Fantastic Mr. Fox once he added cartoons to his treasure oeuvre — to make the greatest animated dog feature of all time. And many critics would agree, given its intensely positive reception. Set in a dystopian future Japan where a canine flu outbreak leads to all dogs being exiled to “Trash Island,” the story of Isle of Dogs follows a boy named Atari Kobayashi who sets out to find his lost dog, Spot. Once he reaches the island, he meet’s Spot’s new friends—Chief, Rex, King, Duke and Boss—who help him on his quest to return home with his beloved pet. Together, they attempt to uncover a conspiracy involving the mayor of Megasaki City, who orchestrated the dog ban for personal gain. In true Anderson fashion, Isle of Dogs is rich with visual and thematic symmetry, with authentic and atmospheric musical choices, with quirky and endearing characters that feel more lively than most live action movies. Directed by Wes Anderson (who also produced) and produced by Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, Isle of Dogs stars Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum and Scarlett Johansson (and that only scratches the surface of this stacked cast list).

Here’s where you can stream Isle of Dogs .

1. Best in Show (2000)

Best in Show isn’t just the greatest mockumentary ever made (as well as one of the funniest), but it is, in my opinion, the absolute best dog movie ever. This film from mockumentary master Christopher Guest follows several people who are preparing their dogs to compete in the prestigious Mayflower Dog Show. The cast is made up eccentric characters, including: a yuppie couple with their Weimaraner; a flamboyant gay couple with their Shih Tzu; a fly-fishing shop owner with his Bloodhound; a wealthy woman with her Poodle; and a ventriloquist with his Norwich Terrie. The film documents their personalities and relationships as they go to extreme lengths to win the top prize for their pups. Everything about this critically adored movie is picture perfect—from its legendary improvisational acting to its keen observational insight into its idiosyncratic characters to its side-splitting deadpan humor that hasn’t aged one bit. Directed by Christopher Guest and produced by Karen Murphy, Best in Show stars Parker Posey, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Jennifer Coolidge.

Here’s where you can stream Best in Show .

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for the greatest dog movies ever made, then look no further than this list, which traverses every genre imaginable in detailing the dog movies that have best stood the test of time.

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Timestalker is the most unique British movie of the year

Alice Lowe does it again.

It was every bit as brilliant as that unique concept promised (it's available to watch on Prime Video if you haven't seen it), leaving us desperate to see what Lowe would do next. We've had to wait a while, but fortunately, Timestalker has been worth it.

The historical sci-fi rom-com – which held its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival – is another inventive and unique offering from Lowe, confirming her as one of the UK's most exciting filmmakers.

Timestalker starts in 1688 in Western Scotland where we meet Agnes (Lowe), who falls madly in love with dodgy preacher Alex (Aneurin Barnard), just as he's about to be executed.

To spoil what happens next would rob the movie of its first big laugh, but we can say that it's not the only version of Agnes we meet. As the movie jumps through eras including 1790s rural England and 1980s Manhattan, Agnes finds herself constantly drawn to that era's version of Alex.

But are the two destined to be together forever, or is there something else at play? And why does Agnes keep meeting variations of her best friend Meg (Tanya Reynolds) and potential stalker George (Nick Frost), whatever era she finds herself in?

The joy of Timestalker is going along for the wild ride Lowe has crafted, so we're not about to ruin that here either.

If you're familiar with Lowe's previous written work, Timestalker 's dark vein of humour won't surprise you, but otherwise, be prepared. It might be romantic and also a comedy, but a fluffy rom-com it isn't. There's a winning blend of deadpan humour, very silly (and very British) gags and pitch-black, gory laughs.

This extends to the plot, as Alex might be the object of Agnes' affection, but he's not some Mr Darcy – he's a bit of a dick. Timestalker already wasn't a traditional rom-com with its concept, and it extends to the central 'love' story.

But don't let that fool you into thinking this is just a comedy. Lowe might have fun at the expense of Agnes and her particular choice of man, but she brings genuine pathos to Agnes, both in performance and writing. The final act of Timestalker has a familiar message, yet it's beautifully handled.

The production and costume design are excellent throughout, successfully evoking multiple eras while working to a British indie budget. Craft-wise, it marks a step up from Prevenge for Lowe, fitting for the more ambitious scope of Timestalker .

At the heart of the movie's success is Lowe, both in front of and behind the camera, but she also has a great sense for casting. Barnard has enormous fun as multiple versions of Alex, particularly relishing his '80s pop star era, with Nick Frost, Tanya Reynolds and Jacob Anderson providing strong support across the ensemble.

Timestalker is the most unique British movie of the year, and it's also among the best British movies of 2024 to date. Let's hope Alice Lowe doesn't leave us waiting seven years again for her next movie.

Timestalker is released in UK and Irish cinemas on October 18.

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Movies Editor, Digital Spy  Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor.  Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies , attending genre festivals around the world.   After moving to Digital Spy , initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.  

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The Greatest Surf Movie In The Universe Review: A New Gold Standard In Cinematic Weener Fights

By Com Turren

15 hours ago

Trigger warning: if you are weener adverse, then perhaps this article is not for you.

I have seen The Greatest Surf Movie In The Universe (hereinafter “TGSMITU”), alone, and in a completely empty theater (though I’m still planning on the La Paloma screening this Saturday evening and giving out free hugs).

Lest that description sound a little Paul Reubens, the circumcises…ahem…circumstances, of my decision to see this movie by myself must placed within their context before I penetrate into the substance of my review. Trigger warning: if you are weener adverse, then perhaps this article is not for you.

I got out of the water this morning after a rather shit surf and was approached by an alarmingly strung-out Pier Bowl vagrant whilst I was the middle of changing with only a towel around my waist. This gentleman presented me with a half-eaten bag of beef jerky, told me that he’d bought the whole thing for $12, but that he’d sell it to me for $5.

Having no desire for fentanyl-laced jerky or to part with $5 USD (that’s like, $30 AUS for you bogans), I replied that I had no cash on me and prepared for the possibility that I’d either need to retreat or defend myself with my weener flopping about in the event my response would make this guy snap (my plan was to throw the towel at his head in that event). His eyes narrowed menacingly, he took one small, aggressive step in my direction, feigned a laugh, and moved on.

In light of my near-run brush with naked combat, and given my weekend plans to see movie that prominently features weeners (i.e., TGSMITU), it occurred to me that there have been some pretty epic weener fights in cinema history. The viking movie The Northman comes to mind as the most recent example of this, though I was disappointed to learn that Alexander Skarsgard’s hog was never actually filmed and said appendage was added in post with CGI (I would absolutely put “weener CGI” as a skill on my resume were I part of that special effects team). Eastern Promises is a film where Viggo Mortensen (a.k.a. Aragorn) fights naked in a shower with a very real, non-CGI weener on prominent display. In the comedy department, Ken Jeong’s modest package features rather immodestly in a fight scene in The Hangover.

Having seen TGSMITU, however, I can decidedly say that this film has upped the ante in the cinematic weener combat department to unprecedented levels. More on that later.

Back to my morning, though I had already made plans to see TGSMITU in Encinitas the following evening, I couldn’t help but weener…ahem…wonder, how much of a USA-based distribution this film actually has. To my surprise, not only was TGSMITU screening at the AMC Theaters at the Block in Orange, the first show was started at 10:10 a.m. in roughly an hour. This was not an opportunity to be missed.

Though I expected the theater to be packed with dozens of passionate Brazilian surf fans, I found myself the only patron in the entire theater. That being said, there is (spoiler alert) not a single Brazzo featured in TGSMITU. It is therefore little wonder why they did not show up despite commanding the Californian numbers to constitute half of the fans present at every WSL Lowers Finals Day since that dumb format was established. Pedro Scooby and/or Ricardo Toledo clearly had a hand in this boycott.

And though I was utterly alone watching a surf movie like some miserable, lonely hermit, I enjoyed TGSMITU immensely. The stop motion animation came across far better than expected. The voice acting of the surfers was decidedly sharp and edited smartly to great comedic effect. Above all, there was only about 10 minutes of actual surfing in the film, which made me realize something about a full-length surf movie lasting over an hour—an endless string of clips gets really boring really quickly.

Perhaps TGSMITU’s crowning achievement, though, is the weener fight at the climax of the movie. In this instance, it is not merely stop motion animation of naked dolls fighting each other—the weeners themselves are the weapons. The fight choreography in that regard is also martially sound were one to assume that a weener could be implemented as a weapon of self-defense. There are weener thrusts, weener slashes, and weener parries that might otherwise be mistaken for a machete fight. And though most real weeners would obviously be incapable of such violence, it has made me seriously consider obtaining a sturdy dildo for home defense purposes.

The Hobbit Hemsworth is also delightful as the narrator, clearly having fun with his deadpan delivery. Even the otherwise annoying voice of Joe Turpel is used deftly within the comedic framework. Truth be told, I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard sitting all by myself since watching breakdancing in the Olympics last week.

Is this a movie that a non-surfer would find funny or even come close to understanding? Certainly not. Is this a movie that a casual surfer unfamiliar with the WSL and the world of professional surfing would appreciate? Not really. But would your average, below-the line BeachGrit denizen enjoy this movie? Absolutely.

Above all, TGSMITU is a surf movie that practically demands to be seen in a theater, whether you are sitting there by yourself, or within a packed theater with grown men insisting on giving out free hugs.

Either way, just don’t expect the Brazzos to show up.

Surfer Magazine boldly declares “surfing today” a 56-year-old white man in first print issue!

By Chas Smith

16 hours ago

Kick rocks, Caity Simmers.

Shockwaves, this morning, through publishing as Surfer Magazine has returned to print with the bold declaration that surfing, today, is most wholly represented by a 53-year-old white man. The “Sport of Kings” is oft criticized for being retrograde and cloistered, though a shift toward progression is certainly underway. The women’s wild learning curve at waves like Pipeline and Teahupoo, for example, names like Caity Simmers and Vahine Fierro etched into history.

Or Morocco’s Ramzi Boukhaim flashing brave brilliance and earning worldwide respect. Maybe Australia’s Sasha Jane Lowerson cross-stepping right into the now.

But no, the AI-enhanced editor-in-chief “Jake Howard,” crunched data and determined that the best visual representation of what surfing is, at this historical moment, is Kelly Slater.

Surfer , you will recall, died a miserable death at the hands of the National Enquirer’s David Pecker some handful of years back. Its corpse dumped in a shallow pit. Grave robbers calling themselves “The Arena Group” came under shadow of darkness, scooped the bones into a wheelbarrow, hustled back to a murky office building and re-animated the rot with AI. Soon, “Emily Morgan” was “writing” about Surf Lakes from Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains.

After getting in big trouble for dressing bots as people, Surfer hired the aforementioned overlord, “Howard,” who almost presents as a real boy, and then announced it would return to print.

The question “What is surfing today?” hovering in the upper lefthand corner of the first Arena Group issue cover answered by the 55-year-old Slater crouching in tube then gracing readers with a lengthy interview where he lets slip “The sporting side of surfing is just a small aspect for the average person, if at all. You have 20 million people around the world surfing, maybe tens of millions more than that, and the sporting side is non-existent for almost every one of those people.”

Korbel bottles popping, cigars lit in Surfer’s various home offices, toasting bold vision and wild trend forecasting.

Welcome to the bleeding edge.

Randy DJ FISHER set to demolish 1950’s beach shack to build nine-storey tower with “unobstructed beach views”

By Derek Rielly

FISHER more than the sum of his outrageous sexual gambits and bank of techno anthems.

Only two years ago, the former-pro-surfer-turned-DJ Paul Fisher, was on a podcast revealing his sexually explicit homosexual fantasies involving Chris Hemsworth and Connor McGregor.  

“I would definitely have to fuck Hemsworth,” said FISHER as he played a game called Fuck, Marry, Kill. “That thing, imagine slapping that fucking arse, it’s pretty good.”

FISHER then nominated the former UFC champion in both the featherweight and lightweight divisions Conor McGregor as someone whom he would enjoy getting down on his knees behind before, cock red as a cheap piece of fishing tackle, working away like a billy goat.

No fuck in vain, as they say.

Little did the world know that randy DJ FISHER was more than the sum of these outrageous sexual gambits and a bank of techno anthems including the wildly anti-work and sexually explosive Just Feels Tight.  

Quietly, FISHER had been buying up exceptional pieces of beachfront land at Palm Beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

In 2020, he spent $A2.1 million for a 4000 square foot parcel and followed that up when he bought the neighbouring block three years later for $A3.1 mill.  

Now his plans for a gorgeous nine-storey tower comprising six three bedders and a four-bed penthouse with a rooftop terrace, have been revealed. Two houses, including a 1950’s beach shack, will be demolished for the build.  

According to documents lodged with council, ‘

“The podium base takes reference from the beach shack vernacular of Palm Beach, symbolised by character brickwork” and “This project prioritises spaciousness and liveability, catering to families while emphasising natural light, ventilation, and panoramic views.”

Fisher’s company, YLB Property Developments reflects the initial’s of FISHER’s 2019 hit You Little Beauty.  

Palm Beach is what you would call a recovering suburb, at least if you wanted to be kind. There’s a veneer of hipness, like most of the Gold Coast, but you don’t have to scratch too hard to find the hopelessness that lays just beneath.

Dirty apartments with kids curled under dirty fur blankets. Babies sucking on methadone lozenges. Open cans and cigarettes on the floor. The TV on a perpetual whining cycle. Unemployment (yeah, there’s a social security building on the beachside of the highway) is its major trade. Welcome to Palm-y.

But then there’s the beach, a stretch, five or so miles long, from first avenue on its southern border to 28th in the north. It’s sand so the quality varies but, often, with the wind out of the south, and the swell a little east, you’ll be struck by how good it gets. I lived there for a few years and found it a sublime escape from the crowds and the predictability of the points.

Another notable resident of Palm Beach is Kelly Slater, who dropped just over two mill for a whole-floor beachfront apartment, on sexy little Jefferson Lane.

Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch submits bid to host surfing at LA ’28 Olympics!

Cowboy hat into the five rings.

The ’24 Paris Games is just barely in the rearview, the joys still reverberating across valleys, around mountains and over oceans. Surfing’s second Olympic offering, conducted in French Polynesia, was a mixed bag. An iconic image of Gabriel Medina going viral and a day so big and terrifying that the King of Teahupoo Filipe Toledo became too scared to paddle, on one hand. Small, inconsistent, lully days, on the other hand.

At the end, the other hand seemed to have a firmer grip with such stalwarts as JP Currie claiming that if surfing is to, indeed, have any Olympic future, the only real option is to throw it into a tank where

To wit, an impeccable source has shared that Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch has thrown its cowboy hat into the ring to host the surfing shortboard portion of LA ’28.

The plow, some 200 miles up the 5 freeway from Los Angeles in the middle of an industrial farming hellscape, is not the palm tree’d postcard Southern California beach scene

I have a solid feeling that Huntington Beach will win, at the end, even though brave LGBTQ+ Olympic hopefuls will be very discouraged. Surf City, USA didn’t come by the moniker lightly, flashing teeth and biting Santa Cruz hard in order to win the dub. Lemoore, I’d imagine, would experience a greater grape of wrath.

Back to Olympic surfing, though. If Huntington doesn’t snuff the flame right out, do you think Brisbane ’32 will re-ignite it bigly?

Mick Fanning coming out of retirement to ride for the Southern Cross?

David Lee Scales and I did not discuss Mick Fanning, specifically, during our weekly chat, but did get into a savage Layne Beachley story. You must hear to believe.

Former World Surf League commentator Shannon Hughes reveals booth to be house of toxic sexist horrors

"In 2022. I lost the majority of my work because a man groped me and I said something about it."

Professional surfing and its commentary form one of the most life’s most delicate tangos. The professional surfer showcasing his or her talent, trying to best an opponent by achieving speed, power and flow. The commentator, in booth, describing the nuances of priority, interference, speed, power and flow. The surf fan, watching and listening at home, is mesmerized by it all and, likely, imagines the commentary booth to be a paradise of sorts.

Shock, then, today when the very popular surf commentator Shannon Hughes revealed it to be a house of toxic sexist horrors. Taking to Instagram, the talented voice pulled no punches in describing the bad behavior, though not detailing which professional surfing governing body for which she was calling the action.

“In 2022,” she wrote, “I lost the majority of my work because a man groped me and I said something about it. In 2023, I had a producer aggressively seek to stop me from commentating with another woman because he considered it ‘unprofessional’ for two women to comentate together in sport. Almost a decade ago now, my male co-commentator did everything he could to not let me speak on air. At the end of the day, he chastised the producers for putting me and another woman alongside him, before stating in front of a group of ourpeers that he refused to ever work with a woman in the booth again.”

Extremely disturbing.

Hughes, who just finished calling the Olympics, signaled that she is stepping away from surf commentary in order to heal various ailments but also promised to return for the sake of women in sport.

Here’s to hoping the return comes sooner rather than later.

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Hulu just got one of the year’s most controversial movies — here's why it's a must-watch

'Immaculate' is a thrilling horror with a shocking finale

In my experience with horror movies, a little bit of controversy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. So when the religious-themed “Immaculate” starring Syndey Sweeney hit theaters back in March under a cloud of outrage, my interest was only piqued further. 

After seeing “Immaculate” for myself, I came away seriously impressed with the movie’s sinister atmosphere, strong leading performance and its bats**t climax. However, the Michael Mohan-directed flick was also the victim of poor release timing. Just a couple of weeks later “The First Omen” landed in cinemas, with a spookily similar plot. 

Thanks to the strength of “The Omen” brand, “Immaculate” fell by the wayside, and didn’t get to enjoy its moment in the spotlight quite as long as it perhaps could have done. This was a real shame, as it’s the superior movie, in my opinion. Fortunately, it’s just landed on Hulu , giving this chilling and twist-filled horror movie a second chance to delight genre fanatics. 

So, if you’re looking for a gripping horror to enjoy over the weekend, here’s why you should stream “Immaculate”, but don’t say I didn’t warn you about its more controversial aspects.

What is 'Immaculate' about?

In “Immaculate”, Sydney Sweeney plays Cecilia, a young American woman who turned to Christianity following a childhood near-death experience. Traveling to Italy to take her vows to become a nun and devote her life to her, Cecilia joins a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. 

Settling into her new life, Cecilia is initially welcomed and believes she has found the place where she truly belongs. But this sense of peace doesn't last long. Soon Cecilia begins to notice strange oddities around the convent, such as many of the older nuns having cross-shaped scars on the soles of their feet, and then the terrifying nightmares start ....

To reveal any more would be a huge spoiler, so I won’t delve any deeper into the twisted web of horror that comprises much of “Immaculate”, but let’s just say things get seriously dark, and the final few moments might just turn your stomach. 

Why is 'Immaculate' so controversial? 

It’s not particularly hard to understand why “Immaculate” courted controversy upon its release. The horror movie has overt religious themes and twists certain elements of Christianity to tell a pulpy horror tale full of jump scares and blood-curdling screams. 

As you’d probably expect, there was lots of outrage among Christian and conservative groups, with the ending (which I will not spoil here) drawing particular ire. Publications like The Hollywood Reporter rather cheekily referred to the movie as a “nun-sploitation” flick. 

Rather than issue an apology for the offense caused, distributor Neon very much steered into the skid by releasing a series of posters containing quotes from disgruntled viewers, including one that declared the movie “spits in the face of all that is holy”. A social media video featuring Sydney Sweeny reading an excerpt from the Bible was also released, alongside a YouTube video that sees real pastors watch clips from “Immaculate” in a Church setting. 

Should you stream 'Immaculate' on Hulu?

“Immaculate” is a total thrill ride, and a must-watch for genre fans. Some of the scares are predictable, and its similarity to “The First Omen” might put some viewers off, but Sydney Sweeney is fantastic in the leading role, and the movie fully commits to its dark concept. 

If you’re looking for a zippy horror movie — it runs a very lean 89 minutes — that will have you on the edge of your throughout, “Immaculate” is certainly worth your time. Just make sure you can handle the movie’s more controversial elements before adding it to your Hulu watchlist.

“Immaculate” is now streaming on Hulu, but if you’re not sure this horror is to your taste, we’ve also got a guide to all the best movies on Hulu for some alternatives. 

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Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

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