Year in Review: Best Screen Animals from Shark to "Pig"
Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 8:00PM by Team Experience
Animals didn't always have an easy go of it in 2021 movies. Consider Jonathan Larson's elusive super-neglected cat in tick, tick... BOOM!, wondering if its box would ever again be cleaned. Or, worse, those dalmations in Cruella demoted from loving titular characters to growling weapons. And it's best not to think too long on the fate of either bunny we meet in The Power of the Dog.
But the following animals were luckier (for the most part) winning enough screen time and giving off enough personality to become an essential part of their movies, so let's talk about them...
HONORABLE MENTION
"Casita" in Encanto
Though Casa Madrigal isn't, arguably, an 'animal' or even a singular entity, "Casita" has as much personality as any anthrophomorized animal sidekick has ever had in a cartoon. If they didn't they'd be lost in the shuffle of the many big personalities in Encanto. Casita is the only member of the Madrigal family who is constantly on the side of the gift-less Maribel, our heroine. Whether it's as simple as helping Maribel wake up in the morning or as complicated as assisting her in solving the central mystery, Casita is more than a pet. Casita is the magic that holds the entire family together. - Ben Miller
TOP TEN BEST SCREEN ANIMALS OF 2021
10. "King Shark" in The Suicide Squad
Though we may never get over the contemptuously lazy corporate act of naming the sequel to Suicide Squad, The Suicide Squad (wtf) at least the movie is a considerable improvement on its predecessor both were more endearing human freaks (shout out to Polka Dot Man and RatCatcher 2) and funnier beasts. We could have given this slot to Weasel, or Sebastian the Rat -- it's a menagerie in that film -- but in the end the biggest laughs go to the endearing dumb and gruesomely hungry King Shark. - Nathaniel R
09 "Morris" in Shang-Chi
Craniums are overrated. Indeed, pets don't need heads to be loveable. Sometimes, what appears to be a furball with six legs, wings, and nothing else, will charm you beyond belief and steal the spotlight from the likes of Ben Kinglsey, Awkwafina, and grief-stricken murder-daddy Tony Leung. Such is the tale of Morris, an Hundun-like creature from the realm of Ta Lo who walks in halfway through the MCU's wuxia homage and becomes the star of the show. He's so damn appealing that I like to think the movie ended up on the Academy's Best Visual Effects shortlist solely because of Morris. How can anyone say no to that non-existent face? - Cláudio Alves
08 "Vivo" in Vivo
This spirited kinkajou is filled with personality, wearing his signature hat and enthralling audiences from his very first moment on screen. He may be small but his dreams are big, and his determination is one of his best qualities. Being voiced by Lin-Manuel Miranda is an added bonus that makes him a truly endearing mammal protagonist. - Abe Fried Tanzer
07 "Tuk Tuk" in Raya and the Last Dragon
Adorable animals with soft, round edges that are just perfect for eventual translation into the form of a plush toy are a Disney mainstay going way back, though they’ve become perhaps even more ubiquitous in the studio’s films of the 2010s. But there is something extra-special about Raya’s roly poly steed Tuk Tuk, who is to pangolins as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid is to crabs or Jiminy is to crickets. That is: we have an almost unrecognizable animated version of a real-world animal given big expressive human features while having its scaliest, least charming features buffed away into oblivion. And when this results in a big fluffy creature as ludicrously adorable as this, who’s complaining? Everything about Tuk Tuk is perfectly calibrated for maximum cuteness, from his tiny legs to the way his armored scales seem perpetually on the brink of falling down over his great big round eyes, like a child wearing a hat two sizes to big. And that’s to say nothing of how much cuter he is when we first meet him as a waddling baby. One might counter that “cute” is not itself a mark of quality, but in the case of this movie, and this character’s role within it? Absolutely yes it is. - Tim Brayton
06 "Ada" in Lamb
The most horrifying parts of Lamb happen off screen. Ada’s questionable parentage plays almost like a sick joke. Ingvar and his wife Maria (Noomi Rapace) raise Ada as their own, putting the half lamb-half baby in a crib and dressing her in cute Lands End-esque sweaters. The audience follows the same journey as Ingvar’s brother Petur (Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson), who crashes at the couple’s house. Initially, the prospect of Ada is horrifying, until she wins you over. Once you get used to her lamb/human hybrid appearance, the sight of her dancing becomes charming. -Christopher James
05 "Peter" in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
This streaming biopic of the artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch), who popularized cats as pets in England with his surreal illustrations, won't be for everyone. But despite or because of its downright batty whimsy, it gets at something uniquely vulnerable and soulful when it comes to pets and their humans. At the 45 minute mark Louis and his wife Emily (Claire Foy) discover a mewling kitten in the rain and adopt it without a second thought. Their mutual doting on the too-cute-for-words kitten deepens their already tight bond and provides great comfort, too, just as they need it most. There is only Before Peter and After Peter. Who can blame Louis for immediately becoming a crazy cat lady? - Nathaniel R
04 Fox in The Green Knight
If you are going on a mythical journey where your life will potentially end, it's nice to have someone tag along. Who better than a walking metaphor in the form of a cute fox. But, if that fox ever starts talking to you, maybe heed that warning. It's not every day animals talk. - Ben Miller
03 "Muad'Dib" in Dune
Tiny and adorable, he was born to strut through the desert and electrify the camera. No, not the twink prince of Arrakis. Instead, this is instead the resilient creature that becomes Paul Atreides' Fremen namesake. The Arrakeen desert jerboa, also known as Muad'Dib, symbolizes earth-based spiritualism and perfectly embodies the adaptive ingenuity needed to survive on the sandy planet. Inspired by a kangaroo mouse, the Muad'Dib is entirely digital but feels palpable, from the tip of its tail to the oversized ears that help collect moisture. Of course, this rodent's charm transcends pure thematic meaning. Above all else, it's a feat of cute design in a movie whose production tends towards the grandiose, sepulchral, solemn. The odd proportions contribute to the animal's endearing quality, making it look both fragile and tenacious, too small for the scorching hell-scape it inhabits, but just small enough to endure. It's inspiring and loveable in equal measure. In other words, I want one, or, alternatively, a plushy. - Cláudio Alves
02 "Mon'chi" in The Mitchells vs the Machines
Yeah, a lot of the internet humor feels like The Mitchells vs The Machines should’ve come out at least seven years ago, but if any humor truly is ageless, it’s jokes about pugs. I mean, just look at him! Monchi’s dopey, adorable, cross-eyed face is the most reliable gag in the whole film, and the robot uprising falling apart because they can’t identify what species this man-made abomination is is evenfunnier than it had any right to be. His big payoff with his eyes at the end is more comically satisfying than some of the human arcs. How can you think about this little gentleman and not marvel at how he steals the whole show? - Nick Taylor
01 She's the Titular Character! - Pig
Despite her short screen time, this pig could give any dog a run for its money as man's best friend. Nicolas Cage reveals his silent protagonist's tender heart underneath an antisocial exterior, based solely on how he interacts with her. In interviews for the film, Cage told reporters the pig actor's name was "Brandy" and they bribed her with carrots for her scenes. Those must have been some carrots given her soulful performance. - Eurocheese
previously in Year in Review
Best Movie Posters
Best Screen Chemistry
Reader Comments (9)
The cat from LUCA with the mustache,
Excuse me, for I might be confused about something, but it isn't implied Ingvar sired Ada, is it? From where I'm standing, the movie was evident, from its ominous opening, that an outsider force is responsible for the hybrid's birth.
[SPOILER]
And that's only confirmed by the finale.
What about... Gator-Loki? Lucky the Pizza Dog?
@Claudio, thank you!! I stopped dead in my tracks reading the description Ingvar was the father. I worried for a second I'd missed something major!
Rex in East of the Mountains
Retired heart surgeon Ben Givens has been diagnosed with terminal cancer in this Satellite Award nominee for Best Picture. He and his beloved Brittany spaniel Rex go camping in Ben’s childhood haunts in the mountains of eastern Washington. Plans change when Rex is brutally attacked by another dog. Ozzy gives a fine performance as Rex slowly heals under the watchful eye of a local vet.
Pig was cute but the film was so sad and Cage is hopefully on the comeback trail.
The cat in The Innocents???
Tommy in "Historias Lamentables" (Unfortunate Stories). Technically, it is a 2020 film in Spain, but probably should count as 2021 internationally - if it was released elsewhere. A pity, because it is a masterpiece of comedy.
This post inspired me to watch 'The Electrical Life of Louis Wain'!