Charlie the Wonderdog (2025)

A sleepy old golden retriever gets abducted by aliens, rejected by a snooty alien prince shopping for a pet, and dropped back home young, chatty and superpowered. That’s a fun first act. Then Charlie the Wonderdog piles on a presidential dog food endorsement, a cat food grudge, a framed jewel theft, a trial and a plot to make every human act like a cat, all in 95 minutes. The one funny idea gets trampled by frantic chase scenes. Owen Wilson voices Charlie with his usual laid-back warmth, and he’s easy to root for. The real scene-stealer is Puddy, the next-door Maine Coon who comes back huge, telekinetic and bossy toward his owner, Otis. A villain cat furious that his favorite food got discontinued is a solid cartoon idea. It made $8.1 million worldwide on a reported $20M, and critics gave it 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. A 3.2 because the premise is cute and the movie never slows down long enough to enjoy it. $616 says your cat stares at you tonight and you double-check the pantry for suspicious kibble.

What works: The setup, an old dog made young and super by aliens, is genuinely sweet, and Puddy the scheming Maine Coon is a fun villain.

What doesn’t: The plot crams in too many schemes and frantic action scenes, so the one clever idea gets lost in the noise.

Who it’s for: Young kids who love talking-animal cartoons and won’t mind a story that keeps changing its mind.