As human beings, we’re programmed to have an affinity with animals that take our emotions to another level. Sure, you probably cried at Titanic, but I’ll bet you any money that you absolutely sobbed at Marley and Me…
There are some films that set the benchmark for four legged friends in films. And we have listed some of our absolute favourites below. Happy, sad, excited – these films literally give us all the feels.
Marley and Me
Let’s just dive right in with the ultimate doggy tearjerker. Most of us grow up with a dog in our lives, and most of us have had to endure the absolute nuttiness that these dogs bring to a household.
However, once you get past the mad puppy stage, they become a friend, a companion and another member of the family. Marley and Me, with Jennifer Aniston, documents the life cycle of getting a dog from a puppy, seeing him grow and welcome his owners’ babies into the home, whilst creating bonds as his life goes on.
You can’t help but fall in love with this gorgeous golden retriever, and the end, well, it’s emotionally hard to say the least.
A definite must see for any dog lover out there.
101 Dalmatians
Cruella De Ville, Cruella De Ville, if she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will…
It’s the song that gave us the creeps as kids and still sends a shudder now, but right vs. wrong always prevails and 101 gorgeous Dalmatians put that wicked fur loving woman in her place, well and truly!
A staple Disney film that can be watched over and over again, it has a nostalgic feel to it that transports you back to childhood and incites excitement in any child you introduce it to. A timeless classic that will definitely make you want to get a Dalmatian, but probably not 101 of them on a Dalmatian plantation!
National Velvet
A story of a young girl’s faith in a horse that she won in a raffle nonetheless – she is resilient and sticks with her stead, believing wholeheartedly that his unruly attitude won’t stop him from racing in the Grand National.
Starring Elizabeth Taylor, she triumphs in the face of adversity and wins the hearts of every viewer as she jumps in the saddle herself when she realises that her chosen jockey has no faith in her horse. This is a film that will have you rooting for the underdog from the off – because we all love it when the underdog wins, right?!
Lassie
It’s just not possible to mention films with four legged friends without bringing Lassie into the list – an absolute classic that everybody knows about!
Gorgeous and faithful collie Lassie has to be sold when a father loses his job in a mine in order to make some money to bridge the money gap. Not deterred by a 500-mile journey, Lassie escapes and makes the trip home to reunite with her original family.
A real heart-warming tale that shows dogs do have loyalty to their owners, no matter how far the gap between them.
Seabiscuit
Based entirely on the true story of an underdog thoroughbred race horse that was deemed not big enough or good enough to win anything, Seabiscuit depicts how even the underdog can defy the odds and make it to where they deserve to be.
The success of Seabsicuit arrived during the Great Depression in the United States, making him an outlet of hope and positivity for the whole nation, which was engulfed in a time of strife and difficulty.
Going on to earn seven academy award nominations, Seabiscuit has watchers rooting for him from the beginning, with the best part of the film being the fact that the viewers get what that they wish for.
Bolt
A film that was released under the umbrella of the Disney revival, Bolt is a computer-generated animated film that has voiceovers such as John Travolta and Miley Cyrus featuring.
Cute pup Bolt has spent his whole life as part of a television series and in turn, believes that he has super powers unlike any other dog. When he thinks that his human owner has been kidnapped, Bolt sets out on a journey to rescue her.
When he discovers that he doesn’t have superpowers, he convinces another furry friend to help him on his quest to find his owner and gains confidence as a ‘normal’ dog. A great film for the Pixar generation who are more comfortable with animations of this nature.
You can watch movies online for free at Putlocker.
