Good Boy!

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Good Boy! ★★ 2003 (PG)

“E.T.” meets “Benji” in this amiable talking dog pic with very young kiddie appeal. Twelve-year-old Owen (Aiken) is a lonely little boy who begs his parents for a pup of his own when a doggie-piloted spacecraft conveniently crashes into his neighborhood carrying the adorable Hubble, who comes from (where else?) the Dog Star. Owen adopts Hubble but quickly realizes this is no ordinary pooch. Soon Owen is speaking dog while Hubble tries to train Earthling dogs to begin taking charge or face the threat of a enmasse canine “recall” to the home planet. While visual mechanics of the animal's speech are crude, vital performances of both humans and hounds alike elevate this recycled story. 89m/C VHS, DVD . US Liam Aiken, Molly Shannon, Kevin Nealon, Brittany Moldowan, Hunter Elliot; D: John Hoffman; W: John Hoffman; C: James Glennon; M: Mark Mothersbaugh; V: Matthew Broderick, Delta Burke, Donald Adeosun Faison, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard “Cheech” Marin, Brittany Murphy, Carl Reiner.