Sit. Stay. You’re helping bend the curve. That’s right, you’re doing your part to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus by staying at home. Good human. 

Yeah, the new normal is weird, and we’re all feeling a little stressed. So why not cue up a movie and treat yourself to a cinematic escape from all that’s going on outside? There are a plethora of streaming and on-demand services with many films to choose from. But with all those options, what should you watch? Please allow the “Crazy Cat Guy” to recommend some dog-themed movies for you to enjoy while chillin’ inside for a while longer. 

Togo (2019) | PG | Disney Plus/Disney+ 

Released in December of 2019, Togo is only the third original film from Walt Disney Pictures to be distributed exclusively through the Disney+ streaming service, and in my opinion, it’s a real gem. Yes, there are plenty of canine-centric movies to choose from on Disney+, including classics like 101 Dalmatians and Lady and the Tramp, but If you’re looking for a family-friendly live action drama that’s as heartwarming as it is harrowing, I would put Togo on the top of your list.  

Togo is the epic true story of champion musher Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe) and his 12-year-old lead sled dog, Togo, as they endure the longest and most arduous leg of what is now known as “The Great Race of Mercy” of 1925. Over the course of the film, Seppala and his sled dog team must journey through the extreme winter environment of central and northern Alaska to retrieve and deliver a much-needed Diptheria antitoxin to Nome, in order to thwart the outbreak threatening the town’s inhabitants. 

Through flashbacks to Togo’s youth, the film also provides an origin story for the dog at the head of the pack, revealing how the once undersized and pesky pup gained Seppala’s trust and became his lead sled dog. Not only is it an exhilarating and uplifting adventure, it’s a classic story of a man, his dog and the bond they share.  

Isle of Dogs (2018) | PG-13 

From the wildly imaginative mind of filmmaker Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel) Isle of Dogs is a beautifully stop-motion animated film set in a dystopian Japan 20 years into the future, where under the guise of an outbreak of canine flu, all dogs of the fictional city of Megasaki have been exiled to Trash Island. It tells the story of 12-year old Atari, ward to the corrupt Mayor Kobayashi, as he travels to the vast garbage dump in search of his best friend and bodyguard-dog, Spots. With the assistance of a pack of the island’s “Alpha Dogs,” Atari sets off on an epic adventure that could decide the fate and future of dogs forever. 

In true Wes Anderson style, Isle of Dogs is beautifully detailed with an eye-pleasing color palette, and features an all-star cast portraying a host of colorful characters. The film’s puppy protagonist, Chief, played by Bryan Cranston is the de facto leader of a pack of “Alpha Dogs,” that includes Rex (Edward Norton), King (Bob Balaban), Duke (Jeff Goldblum) and Boss (Bill Murray). 

If those names aren’t enough to draw you in, the film also stars Liev Shrieber as Atari’s dog Spots, Tilda Swinton and F. Murray Abraham as canine companions Oracle and Jupiter, Scarlett Johansson as show dog Nutmeg, Harvey Keitel as “cannibal” dog Gondo, Greta Gerwig as foreign-exchange student Tracy Walker and Yoko Ono as Assistant-Scientist Yoko Ono.  

Frankenweenie (2012) | PG | Disney Plus/Disney+ 

Based on the 1984 live-action short film of the same name, Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands) resurrects Frankenweenie and transforms it into a full-length stop motion-animated remake of the original work. Shot in black and white, the film’s story is both a parody and an homage to the 1931 film based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  

Set in the 1950s suburbia of New Holland, Burton’s story is about a young Victor Frankenstein and his pet dog Sparky. When Sparky meets an untimely demise, Victor harnesses the power of electricity to revive his beloved Bull Terrier. Soon, the reanimated Sparky is discovered by Victor’s classmates. They blackmail Victor into revealing how he did it, and in turn, they perform their own experiments, setting off an unfortunate series of events.  

Best in Show (2000) | PG-13 

Christopher Guest (Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind) has made a career of mockumentaries. His subjects have ranged from community theater to professional sports-team mascots, American folk music and Academy Awards campaigning. With Best in Show, Guest tackles the world of competitive dog shows. Working with an ensemble cast of comedic actors featured in many of his films, Guest’s tried-and-true brand of improvisational comedy is showcased at its finest with Best in Show. 

Best in Show follows five entrants in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog show as they travel to and compete in the prestigious competition in Philadelphia. Along the way we are introduced to the colorful characters and their respective dogs. 

Meg and Hamilton Swan are uptight yuppies who pass their neuroses down to their Weimaraner. Southerner Harlan Pepper, an aspiring ventriloquist who prides himself on being able to name every type of nut, is the proud owner of Hubert the Bloodhound. New York hair salon owner Stefan Vanderhoof and his longtime partner, professional dog handler Scott Donlan have high hopes for their Shih Tzu, Agnes. 

Wife to a much older millionaire, Sheri Ann Cabot and her trainer Christy Cummings, share an interesting relationship while pursuing a champion title with Rhapsody in White, aka Butch. And then there are Gerry and Cookie Fleck and with their Norwich Terrier, Winky. Cookie has had lots of boyfriends who are constantly popping up throughout the film, and Gerry has two left feet, literally. 

Ultimately, the Best in Show trophy is awarded to one of these pups, but the real winner is Fred Willard as the clueless dog show commentator Buck Laughlin who steals the show, providing a mixture of lewd remarks and bad jokes