With the NFL Playoffs a week way from kickoff, EVERYBODY is making lists and stack ranking their favorite “something”. Well, as not to be left behind, Freddie sent the research hounds at FreddieSez out to the internet to find the Sweet 16 of Live Action Movie that feature Animals as the main character in the cast. Over the next few weeks, we will break down the brackets and, hopefully with the help of our readers, pull out a Superbowl of Live Action Animal Movies winner from our bracket just in time to match with the NFL Champion!

Before we introduce our match-ups, lets talk about how we came up with the entries into this contest. FreddieSez went out to IMDb, Google and other expert sources with the knowledge of a films domestic gross take, cast, story line and reviews to create an ultimate list of players for this tournament of titans. We couldn’t fit EVERY movie on our list, so we chose based on a blend of who made the most money, who had the most compelling story, if it was REALLY an animal based film and the decade the film was made. We didn’t see a fair fight in films made pre-1970, so we created a Nostalgia Category so we could rank and discuss them on their own merit as great films in a different era. We may have left off a favorite or two but it wasn’t personal or purposeful, it was just science and time related. We did the best we could with the time and tools we had given the knowledge of the entire library of Animal themed films at hand.

So, without further blathering on about the how, when and why… let’s meet the movies!

#1 
The Jungle Book Live Action

#4
Babe (the original 1995 Classic)

Big Corporate Disney battles a Pig in this “Mowgli verses 30 pounds of Pork” primary.  The Jungle Book is the all time top grossing Live Action Animal film ever made, bringing in over 966 million, domestically and everyone knows the story of the jungle boy who is adopted by the animals and his journey… but who doesn’t love the story of Babe? That shy pig just trying to find her place in the big ol’ world (and not be turned into dinner). The Bear Necessities giant is heavily favored against the “That’ll do pig” underdog. Anything can happen on any given Sunday!  I wouldn’t put Babe down as sausage just yet!

#2 
Life of Pi

#3
101 Dalmatians Live Action

Whoa, Nellie!! We have a battle royal on our hands when these two blockbusters square off. The Life of Pi is an all time legend, weighing in at 609 million dollars domestically, with an incredible story and endless action. However, GLENN CLOSE as Cruella Deville in this remake of the classic cartoon? Is anyone a more opposing force than that Disney villainess? If you see Tigers stripes and dalmatian spots all over your TV screen, no you’re not seeing things, except sheer action! Who do you like this heavy hitting battle? Lions and Tigers and Dogs, Oh MY!!

#1 
K-9

#4
Beethoven

Jim Belushi as a loner cop forced to work with a drug sniffing dog partner in this heart-tugging dramedy. It’s a tearjerker that has a good soul. You can see the story coming at you, however, its a fun movie that has lots of laughs. On the other hand, who doesn’t love the rolling disaster that was Beethoven as a puppy. Charles Grodin as the reluctant owner and Disney legend Dean Jones as the villain trying to kidnap the dog, come on? A great family film that leaves you wanting more (maybe not five movies more). We love both movies at FreddieSez, this smells like it could be the first major upset in the brackets… and it smells like dog, wet dog!

#2 
Turner & Hooch

#3
Homeward Bound, the Incredible Journey

A young Tom Hanks and a really gross, slobbery dog he doesn’t want to partner with??? Yes, please! Fairly predictable throughout but still touching and funny, Hooch is a stitch and worth the watch. What can one say about Homeward Bound, the Incredible Journey? If you’ve not seen it, you must. You’re missing out on a classic. Its a story of friendship, struggle, determination and dedication. You’ll be on a roller coaster ride of emotion as you root for the underdog trio to just find their way home and overcome the obstacles nature puts in their way. Watch this movie! Again, this could be a close vote on who moves forward. Everyone loves an underdog story and both movies have that element.

#1 
Free Willy

#4
Hotel for Dogs

Does anyone else remember how big Free Willy was when it hit the box office in 1993? A trouble youth and his pet Orca. A story of growing up with the help of your mega-ton fish friend. You also learned to never trust a greedy aquatic theme park owner… a lesson we all keep in our minds today! Hotel for Dogs forces you to release your grip on reality and enter into a fantasy world where a couple would move into an abandon hotel, turn it into a dog paradise for strays and spend a movie hiding it from the neighborhood. This might be an easy win for Willy!! You decide… we kinda already have.

#2 
Charlotte’s Web (live action)

#3
Mouse Hunt

Who doesn’t love a simple story of a literate spider who hatches an elaborate plan to save her pig friend? Voiced by a great cast including Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, Oprah and Robert Redford this movie is a different twist on the classic cartoon version. Mouse Hunt… picture Home Alone with a mouse outsmarting two men trying to restore a classic home build by a famous architect. Its as silly as it sounds and actually keeps you laughing, if you like that sort of humor. We like Mouse Hunt as a simple escape when you want some cheap laughs.  This is hard match to judge, remake of a classic vs slapstick comedy. Its a tossup!

#1 
Marley and Me

#4
Because of Winn-Dixie

Yikes, when someone mentions Marley and Me you almost immediately well up in tears. It is a soul touching movie that rips at the heart of anyone who has loved a dog. Listed as the third saddest dog movie of all times (I fear the other two would kill most people). Marley and me is a story of devotion and love for a lifetime. Sounds like a slam dunk, right? Well not so fast, because Winn-Dixie is the story of a 10 year old girl who is abandoned by her mother, how a new dog helps her to build a bond with her emotionally distant father and restore her life. Come on man!!! How do you tell one of these movies they have to go home? Freddie doesn’t want to choose, so you’ll have to!

#2 
Snow Dogs

#3
Dog

Snow Dogs is a Disney romp starring Cuba Gooding Jr. As a dentist who inherits a team of sled dogs. One problem, the dentist doesn’t like dogs (happens all the time). Turns out that a local bad dude in Alaska wants those dogs and the story takes off.  This movie follows your normal Disney plot line of good vs evil and ends up as you would expect. The other contestant is new to the movie scene, 2022’s Dog.  This “road film”, starring Channing Tatum and a retired Army Ranger dog (on her way to being destroyed) is funny, sad, has a great story and ends up with the expected happy ending you need to see. Its a movie you’ll likely end up supporting in the tournament. We’re rooting for Dog in this match up.

So those are our players for this year! What we need from all of you is your time and input. FreddieSez would love for you to pick your winners from each head to head match, then create a conference winner for each of the four. From there, we will re-bracket and move ahead with the Final Four during the NFL Playoffs and the Superbowl of our own on the NFL Championship Weekend. Email your winners to woof@freddiesplace.com with the subject line “FreddieSez Championship Playoff Bracket Winners”.  We’ll take it from there!

Lastly, we wanted to mention the older movies that we all love but that just couldn’t keep up with the high budget, big money, big name and huge special effects movies of today. These classics are still worth the watch, have a special place in everyone hearts and moviegoers everywhere still love them. FreddieSez created a special bracket just for them as a bonus round.

#1 
That Darn Cat

#4
Born Free

That Darn Cat was norm Disney during the 1960’s switch to live action films. The story line revolved around a Siamese cat who ends up involved in a bank robbery when a kidnapped clerk slips her wristwatch around the cats neck. The movie has FBI, bank robbery, hostages, Dean Jones, Hayley Mills and other Disney favorite casting choices.  Born Free is an Academy Award Winning film from 1966 that follows a lion cub names Elsa from birth to adulthood.  Any child from the 1960’s knows the theme song from Born Free and the story of Elsa. A beautiful film made in England.

#2 
Dr. Doolittle 1967

#3
Old Yeller

Rex Harrison WAS Dr. Doolittle for the ages. Eddie Murphy and Robert Downy Jr… not so much. Dr. Doolittle was fantasy, music, talking animals, a real romp in make-believe. A child would never understand that Doolittle is sent to an insane asylum, heck, we didn’t realize it until we read the review! Push me/Pull you, Great pink sea snail, talking chimpanzee.. what a great film. Old Yeller is a classic tale of a boy and his dog, set in the post Civil War south. Times were hard, and the situation was harder. In the end, Old Yeller saves the day but he gets the raw end of that deal! Fess Parker plays the father in this 1957 movie (Parker would later play both Davie Crockett and Daniel Boone for Disney).  Crazy Doctor talking to animals vs. Hero Dog that bites it in the end after he saves the family. I’m not sure what happened pre-1970 but kids movies were messed up.

We are sure we missed movies from the past and present that you love and believe should be on this list. However, overall we believe this to be a pretty representative list of live action movies where animals take the center stage!

Freddie hopes you’ve enjoyed this walk down memory lane and urges everyone to join in on the unofficial poll to figure out what is the all-time best of the best in these movies. Remember to review the brackets and send your winners to woof@freddiesplace.com by 1/11/23. This gives our staff at FreddieSez time to tally the votes and create the next round! Join in the fun, you know you want to.

As always, thanks for taking the time to read along with us at FreddieSez. Freddie reminds you that, you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here when the reading is done! We hope you all have a great week, stay after and we’ll talk at you next time from Freddie Central!