5 Movies To Watch This Upcoming International Dog Day!
I am a fellow dog lover and owner of a cute, four-year-old German Spitz named Loki. Yes, we named him after the Avenger’s sworn enemy Loki, The God of Mischief; and one mischievous little muffin he is. He likes to spend his days barking at the unknown past our front door and also at anything that dares to sound its presence in his lordship’s waking hours. A lover of carrots; yes! He is white, fluffy, and loves carrots. Sounds familiar?
When we decided to adopt Loki, my grandfather had passed away 6 months prior. There was a screaming gap in the house without him. We had always grown up with the idea that he would always be there. I know it was wishful thinking on our part. But the gap was too large to be filled up. It was then that one fine May morning, my father brought home one of the month-old puppies from the litter that his friend’s dogs had. And as they say, the rest is history. Loki had healed a part of our lives that had been created in grandpa’s absence. He has gelled up the crack enough to heal.
Dogs are a blessing is a grave understatement of what they mean to those families who foster and own them. They are an inevitable part of their lives; a sign of ample love and kindness; the symbol of loyalty and dedication. Time and again we have seen proofs of the undeniable bond between humans and their dogs; be it through movies, books, or songs. Here are my top 5 recommended movies to watch when it comes to experiencing the foresaid bond through the big screen.
1. Togo
- Released on: December 20th, 2019
- Directed by: Ericson Core
- Genre: Drama
- Language: English
- Running time: 114 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 8.0/10
Togo has every element that makes a movie resonate with the audience: fabulous cast, brilliant story, and most of all cute Siberian huskies! Based on facts, it is the story of a particular sled dog, Siberian husky Togo, and his seamlessly beautiful bond with his master Leonhard Seppala (played by William Dafoe). Togo led the team through the most difficult part of the famous serum run made to recover an antitoxin for the diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska. The narration is made to acknowledge the underappreciated efforts of Togo during the journey. The film beautifully carves out the message, You are the hero of your own story, no matter if you are different. Your difference sets you out as a miracle.
The Disney+ movie is a definite 5/5 from my end.
2. Alpha
- Released on: August 17th, 2018
- Directed by: Albert Hughes
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
- Language: Invented
- Running time: 96 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 6.7/10
Alpha is set in prehistoric times. It is the story of an empathetic teen Keda and an injured wolf-dog he happens to save. Keda gets separated from his nomadic group and sets on a journey back home before winter arrives, accompanied by the wolf-dog. This movie is a cinematographic sketch of the first interactive man-dog relationship; it spells out hope, trust, and fate at the base of a budding kinship between man and dog. it is a must-watch for the story imagery and picturesque details alone.
3. A Dog’s Purpose
- Released on: January 27th, 2017
- Directed by: Lasse Hallstrom
- Genre: Comedy, Adventure, Drama
- Language: English
- Running time: 100 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2/10
A Dog’s Purpose is a wonderful portrayal of the deep-seated love between animal and man. The narration is done from the dog’s perspective, and it is basically a passage to finding his rightful purpose and fulfilling it. The sequel, A Dog’s Journey, was released on May 17, 2019.
4. Ma-eum-i / Hearty Paws
- Released in: 2006
- Directed by: Park Eun Hyung
- Genre: Family
- Language: Korean
- Running time: 97 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
Hearty Paws conveys the story of a pair of abandoned siblings and their puppy. The puppy, ‘Ma-eum’, meaning heart; was a birthday gift from a caring older brother to his baby sister. The narration carries on with a glimpse of their happy lives together, until an unfortunate accident leads to the sudden demise of the little girl. The brother bogged down by guilt finds an easier outlet for his grief, as he abandons the dog and goes in search of his estranged mother. However, the faithful dog follows the boy until its last breath; only when the boy finally lets go of his guilt and decides to lead a good life in memory of his sister. This movie had me balling my eyes out the entire time. The story is a beautiful realization of the bond between siblings and between humans and their dogs.
5. Halo
- Released on: February 7th, 1996
- Directed by: Santosh Sivan
- Genre: Adventure, Drama
- Language: Hindi
- Running time: 92 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9/10
Halo is about a 7-year-old girl Sasha and like any other kid her age, she believes in miracles. As a motherless child, she was lonely and withdrawn. And as miracles work, Lo! there lands a stray puppy Halo straight into her arms. However, stories rarely have happy endings and the puppy gets lost. The next part of the film follows Sasha and her relentless search for her puppy. Through the journey, she learns to open up and be happy.
Other notable mentions that will fit this list are Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, The Art Of Racing In The Rain, Eight Below, The Secret Life Of Pets-I & II, Beethoven, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, etc. Cartoon characters Scooby-Doo and his nephew Scrappy-Doo, Snoopy from Peanuts, Snowy from TinTin Adventures, Bolt, Balto, the 101 Dalmations, and many more (I’m sure many would have a huge list counted out) have never failed to entertain and make us go ‘ooooh puppy’. The dog is the fabled first animal to be tamed by man. Our favorite furries have the ability to reduce anxiety and stress. As the saying goes, A dog-hug a day keeps sadness away.
P.S. Even John Wick rained vengeance upon Theon Greyjoy, the person who killed his dog. As quoted, “An idiot killed his puppy. Now everyone must die.” (a reference to John Wick the movie and the Game Of Thrones series)
