The Academy Awards raises hell every year for its brutal snubs, but one group of performers is consistently overlooked, despite their efforts to make us smile, cheer, and even shed a tear. That’s right, we’re talking about our favorite canine costars, the myriad mutts that don’t get the props they deserve. (Don’t even try to convince us that Brad Pitt can get more emotion out of you than a sad, old dog limping home to be reunited with his family.) That’s why we decided that the time was right to give these disrespected dogs their due. Below, you’ll find our list of the best movies starring dogs, proving that we don’t need human actors around to muck up the works.
Photo: Touchstone Pictures
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Dog Movies
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'A Dog’s Purpose' (2017)
This tear-jerker about a dog learning about his purpose over multiple lifetimes and owners is all definitely for the dogs (as opposed to humans).
Photo: Dreamworks
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'Air Bud' (1997)
Who doesn’t love a basketball-playing dog? We’ll suspend our disbelief for this one.
Photo: Walt Disney Pictures
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'Beethoven' (1992)
This story is so centered on a giant, lovable St. Bernard that we almost forget that Charles Grodin is also in it.
Photo: Universal Pictures
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'Benji' (1974)
Sure, they’ve remade this movie, but it’s the 1974 version we love. In the simplest sense, it’s the story of a lovable little dog who saves a pair of kids, but it’s so much more than that.
Photo: Mulberry Square Productions
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'Homeward Bound' (1993)
When it comes to classic dog-based movies, it’s really hard to beat Homeward Bound. Sure, they made a sequel or two, but the first movie featured two dogs (Chance and Shadow) and one cat (Sassy) trying to find their way home. They were bound to get there, right?
Photo: Walt Disney Pictures
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'The Adventures of Milo and Otis' (1986)
This quirky story of a pair of pals (a cat and a pug) lost in the wilderness and trying to find their way home is full of twists and turns and dramatic paw-formances.
Photo: Fuji Television Network
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'Turner and Hooch' (1989)
Sure, this movie also features Tom Hanks, but it’s Hooch, the slobbering, car seat-mangling curmudgeon who steals the screen.
Photo: Touchstone Pictures
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'Where the Red Fern Grows' (1974)
Like many dog-centric movies, this one turns on the waterworks. It centers around a boy and his beloved hound dogs.
Photo: Doty Dayton Productions
