Touchstone Pictures via Everett Collection
Some movies make us laugh. Others make us cry. Then there are those that make us want to run home to our pets and give them the biggest hug imaginable.
Cinema has the ability to highlight the unique power of animals. The techniques of editing and framing allow filmmakers to structure stories from an animal’s point of view, and the audience magically learns what life is like from the perspective of a horse, a dog, and even a rat. They’re not quite human, yet the best movies give animals human-like qualities to earn the audience’s sympathy and compassion.
To me, successful films about animals demonstrate cinema’s potential to tap into our imaginations. They force us to dream of a world in which animals comprehend the human voice. Those of us who have pets know that we’re never quite sure if our beloved animals actually reciprocate our feelings of love, but we give them the benefit of the doubt and treat them better than we treat ourselves.
Do you play with your dog more than your friends? Are you fascinated with nature and wildlife? If so, these movies about animals are for you.
