Halfway Menagerie: Ten Best Screen Animals 2015
Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 2:15PM ½way mark - part 8 of 9
Did you find yourself wishing that the Maloja Snake wasn't just the movement of the Clouds of Sils Maria but an actual snake? Did Channing Tatum still turn you on in dog-human hybrid form in Jupiter Ascending? Did you cringe when that cute double-headed mutant lizard met such an ignoble end in Mad Max Fury Road's first scene?
If you answered yes to any of those questions you might be an animal person and this list is for you!
TOP TEN ANIMALS FROM 2015 MOVIES
(THUS FAR)
Because Nathaniel R is a crazy cat lady
10 Paddington in Paddington
His fur may be too mangy (who needs photo realism?) but he sure is a polite amiable fellow and his movie is mostly a treat.
09 Cat Stevens in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
I get that this movie is probably making fun of me Greg's dad's love for his cat, Cat Stevens, but I don't care because screen time for cats always improves movies. And this one needed the help. Injustice: the cat actor playing Cat Stevens is not credited.
8 more furry friends after the jump...
08 Hazel (Brownie) in I'll See You In My Dreams
He sets the tone of sweetly undemanding companionship that affects all of the movies subsequent feelings. Too many feelings at first *sniffle*
07 Rainbow Unicorn in Inside Out
Joy's obsession with this dreamy thespian is contagious. That reaction shot to her crazed fandom? Perfect.
06 Old George (Sparky) in Far From the Madding Crowd
"Though old, he was clever and trustworthy still." Too bad about his irresponsible son.
05 Lucifer in Cinderella
In every iteration of Cinderella I want Lucifer to catch those damn mice. Look at that smooshy furball face. Look at it. Love it! Cats don't normally respond well to leashes but Lucifer shows proper deference to Diva Blanchett. Injustice Redux: the cat actor playing Lucifer is not credited.
04 Cat in Inside Out
Can you believe they saved the best joke for last?
03 Blue, Delta, Echo and Charlie in Jurassic World
But especially Blue, the Beta, who is a clever girl. The Velociraptor pack with their alpha trainer (Chris Pratt) are basically Jurassic World's sole new contribution to the franchise, but a successful one.
02 Moujik in Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent's famous companion is often present in actual photos of the designer. Since awards bodies love biopic performances and the pack of canine actors playing Moujik (a long line of Moujik) are perfection, we have to give credit where it's due: And the Best Performance by a Dog Actor Goes To... whichever dog was on set the day they filmed that drug-orgy scene when the designer is nearing rock bottom
01 Bing Bong (Animators & Richard Kind) in Inside Out
Riley's hobo-like imaginary cotton-candy friend is part elephant, part cat, and part dolphin but all awesome as Inside Out's most unexpected melancholy pleasure.
Who's your friend who likes to play?
Bing Bong, Bing Bong
His rocket makes you yell "Hooray!"
Bing Bong, Bing Bong
Who's the best in every way, and wants to sing this song to say
Bing Bong, Bing BONG!
Reader Comments (9)
Hazel's story is really heartbreaking. That whole beginning sequence was really moving. Sometimes, we just share a deeper connection with our pets than with other human beings.
YES to the cat being the best joke of "Inside Out." Actually, that whole ending montage of all the different brains (elementary school teacher, cool girl, zonked-out hipster pizza parlor employee, dog, etc.) was probably the funniest sequence in the entire movie.
Moujik got a Today's Mood from me, so here's some pics of him. J'adore.
Our lavender-point Siamese named Bella looks exactly like the distaff version of Cat Stevens. Note, please, that she is not the uncredited critter in the film.
Carl -- I bet she would have played the role just as well!
Jason -- thank you! I shall add
I maintain that it's an outrage - AN OUTRAGE - that Moujik didn't win the Palm Dog last year. That dog's performance in THAT scene is the most impressive dog acting I've ever seen, for real. No idea how they did that.
Damn those Cannes-baiting, award-begging, B-level White God starlets.
I might watch now "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" just because of the cute cat.
Ivonne -- i'm sorry to do that to you.
Mike - sing it!
How could you fail to mention WHITE GOD?? It's not only the best "animal" picture of the year, but, one of the best movies of the year thus far - period!