As a dog parent, I have often pondered how much easier life would be if canines could speak. I have even gone so far as to give my pets dialogue when recalling funny stories about them.

That is why I have a soft spot for great dog movies that give their furry protagonists the ability to communicate through more than barking. This could mean they can magically talk with humans, can only communicate with other dogs, or even exist in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. I cover them all here, go fetch!

Lady And The Tramp (1955)

One of the most heartwarmingly romantic animated Disney movies centers on the unlikely coupling of a pampered cocker spaniel (voiced by Barbara Luddy) and a stray mutt (voiced by Larry Roberts) in Lady and the Tramp. Ward Greene's 1945 short story "Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog" also inspired a live-action 2019 film, featuring Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux in the title roles, but the power of the original is unmatched.

Strays (2023)

Not every talking dog movie is suitable for family viewing, with the most notable exception being the R-rated comedy, Strays. Will Ferrell voices a Border Terrier named Reggie who, after realizing he has been abandoned by his owner, Doug (Will Forte), teams up with Boston Terrier Bug (Jamie Foxx), Australian Shepherd Maggie (Isla Fisher), and Great Dane Hunter to return home... and bite Doug's "favorite toy" off.

The Secret Life Of Pets (2016)

Illumination's The Secret Life of Pets provides an imagined inside look at what cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals do when their owners are not looking. The story is brought to life through an all-star cast, including Louis C.K. as a Jack Russell Terrier named Max, Eric Stonestreet as a Newfoundland mix named Duke, Jenny Slate as a Pomeranian named Gidget, and more.

Isle Of Dogs (2018)

Some of the best Wes Anderson movies have seen the filmmaker dabble in stop-motion animation, and to wonderful effect, such as with Isle of Dogs. Bryan Cranston leads the star-studded voice cast as a stray living on a trash-littered island inhabited by canines deported from Japan, where young Atari (Koyu Rankin) journeys to find his pet.

All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)

One of legendary animator Don Bluth's most cherished creations is All Dogs Go to Heaven, which stars Burt Reynolds as Charlie, who meets his fate at the paw of Carface Malone (Vic Tayback). However, the street-smart German Shepherd manages to return to Earth as an angel and embarks on an adventure, where he meets a young girl who can speak to animals named Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi).

The Shaggy Dog (1959)

Based on the 1923 novel The Hound of Florence by Felix Salten, The Shaggy Dog is a unique kind of talking dog story in the sense that the gifted animal in question was once a human. The Disney-produced fantasy-comedy stars Tommy Kirk as teenager Wilby Daniels, who accidentally becomes stricken with a curse that periodically transforms him into a sheepdog.

Balto (1995)

Kevin Bacon voices the title role of Balto, which is the tale of a Husky who helped prevent the outbreak of a deadly epidemic in an Alaskan town. The animated film is actually based on a true story of several Huskies credited with this heroic deed, including Togo, who did not get his own movie until 2019.

A Dog’s Purpose (2017)

Director Lasse Hallström's heartwarming adaptation of W. Bruce Cameron's novel, A Dog's Purpose, could not be categorized as a movie in which the dog does not die, as we see multiple adorable pooches pass away throughout the film. However, all of these dogs share the same soul (and voice, provided by Josh Gad) on a decades-long journey to reconnect with its original owner (played as a teen by KJ Apa and as an adult by Dennis Quaid).

A Goofy Movie (1995)

Classic Disney character Goofy has been described by longtime voice actor Bill Farmer (via Roger Ebert's review) as the missing link between dog and man, which explains how an anthropomorphic canine like him can exist in the same world as Mickey Mouse's pet, Pluto. Every character in the beloved A Goofy Movie is an anthropomorphic canine, including Goofy's teen son, Max (Jason Marsden), who reluctantly joins his father on an unforgettable road trip.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

Based on Sheila Burnford's 1961 novel, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is the story of a bulldog named Chance (voiced by Michael J. Fox), an aging Golden Retriever named Shadow (voiced by Don Ameche in one of his final roles), and a cat named Sassy (voiced by Sally Field), who brave harsh terrain in hopes of reuniting with their loving owners. The Disney classic spawned a sequel called, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco, in which the trio of pets struggle to survive the urban jungle.

Up (2009)

The beloved Pixar movie Up features a dog given the ability to talk with a special collar that translates his inner thoughts into English. The canine's name is Dug (voiced by animator Bob Peterson), who would become the star of his own Disney+ series, Dug Days.

Scooby-Doo (2002)

One of the most famous talking dogs in pop culture history is the titular Great Dane from Hanna-Barbera's beloved animated series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, who is able to pronounced English words through his barks, but only if they start with the letter "R." He and his human companions from Mystery Inc. – Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), and Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) – were brought to life in a live-action film taking place at a trouble island resort.

One Hundred And One Dalmatians (1961)

For as much as I enjoy the 1996 live-action adaptation movie, 101 Dalmatians, for Glenn Close's pitch-perfect performance as Cruella de Vil, none of the titular spotted canines speak in that film. For that, you will have to revisit Disney's original animated adaptation of Dodie Smith's 1956 novel, which stars Rod Taylor as the voice of Pongo and both Cate Bauer and Lisa Daniels as his mate, Perdita.

Babe (1995)

Babe is adapted from Dick King-Smith's novel, The Sheep Pig, which follows the titular swine (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) struggles to be accepted among his fellow farm animals. He becomes friends with a Border Collie named Fly (voiced by Miriam Margolyes) and surprises Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) with his ability to take over her position of herding sheep.

Fluke (1995)

Have you ever wondered if your dog was a human in a past life? That topic is explored in the film Fluke, which stars Matthew Modine as a deceased man given the chance to reunite with his wife and son when he is reincarnated as the eponymous dog breed, which also becomes his name.

The Voices (2014)

The horror-comedy movie, The Voices, is an interesting example of a talking dog movie since none of the animal characters are genuinely talking. Bathtub factory worker Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) hears his kindly dog Bosco and evil cat Mr. Whiskers (both also voiced by Reynolds) speak to him as a symptom of his schizophrenia.

Sing 2 (2021)

There are very few major canine characters in the first installment of Illumination's Sing franchise from 2016, but that changes in the sequel. Chelsea Peretti voices a Saluki dog named Suki Lane, who works as talent scout for the shady Arctic wolf, Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale).

Doctor Dolittle (1998)

Some talking dog movies involve animals speaking to one another and others feature one or more animals that can secretly speak aloud to other humans. However, in Doctor Dolittle, the only human who can communicate with the animals is the title character, played by Eddie Murphy, who first rediscovers his ability when he meets a dog named Lucky (voiced by Norm Macdonald), who also serves as the film's narrator.

Bolt (2008)

The titular White Swiss Shepherd puppy from Disney's Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is introduced as a heroic canine with special superpowers. Little does he know that his special abilities are a fallacy and that he is the star of a TV show, which he only becomes aware of after running away to rescue his owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus), whom he believes has been kidnapped.

A Dog's Journey (2019)

The sequel to A Dog's Purpose is A Dog's Journey, which follows the continued adventures of the reincarnated soul of a dog (voiced by Josh Gad). After awakening in the new body of a female Beagle named Molly, who accepts the responsibility of looking after CJ, who is the granddaughter of Ethan (Dennis Quaid).

PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021)

Fans of movies in which a dog saves the day are not going to want to miss out on PAW Patrol: The Movie. Spun off from the popular children's TV show, it follows a group of heroic puppies, led by young human Ryder (Will Brisbin), who are tasked with rescuing their home of Adventure City from the corrupt Mayor Humdinger.

The Shaggy D.A. (1976)

The sequel to Disney's original The Shaggy Dog, The Shaggy D.A., sees Dean Jones take over the role of Wilby Jones, who is now a grown man with a family, a law career, and a promising campaign for his community's district attorney. Unfortunately, the dishonorable opposing candidate uncovers Wilby's curse and uses it against him, causing Wilby to fall back into the problem and transforming into his furry alter ego at the worst possible moment.

Absolutely Anything (2015)

Some movies depict a dog's ability to speak as a sudden, magical development, such as in co-writer and director Terry Jones' sci-fi comedy Absolutely Anything. Simon Pegg stars as an average man who, as a test to determine if the human race is worthy of saving, is given absolute power by an extraterrestrial race, which he uses to make his dog, Dennis (voiced by Robin Williams), able to speak English.

Good Boy! (2003)

The family comedy Good Boy! offers an unusual explanation for why dogs exists, being that they are an extra-terrestrial race that originally came to Earth centuries earlier with the intention of dominating the planet. A boy named Owen Baker (Liam Aiken) learns this after discovering that his new Border Terrier, Hubble (voiced by Matthew Broderick), has been sent to make sure his canine brethren carry out his species' original mission.

Ferdinand (2017)

Based on Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson's 1936 children's book, Ferdinand is the story of a kindhearted bull (voiced by John Cena) determined to reunite with his family after being unfairly taken away from them. One of Ferdinand's best friends is a hilariously cynical, elderly Bearded Collie named Paco (voiced by Jerrod Carmichael).

Air Buddies (2006)

One of the most desirable dogs in movie history, Buddy from Disney's classic '90s kids sports movie Air Bud, does not speak in the film, nor in any of the sequels in which he branches out beyond basketball. However, in the spin-off, Air Buddies (which spawned a separate franchise of its own), the Golden Retriever does have a voice (provided by Tom Everett Scott), as do his five puppies who are tasked with rescuing him and their mother, Molly (voiced by Molly Shannon) after they are dognapped.

Underdog (2007)

The classic animated series, Underdog, about a Beagle who fights crime with his super powers, was given the live-action movie treatment. Jason Lee voices the titular superhero, also known as Shoeshine, who becomes able to fly, speak, and other abilities after a lab accident.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

In Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Drew Barrymore voices Chloe, who is a pampered pooch who becomes lost in Mexico City and relies on the help of a German Shepherd named Delgado (voiced by Andy Garcia) to help her survive.

Rover Dangerfield (1991)

Some of Rodney Dangerfield's funniest one-liners come from the film Rover Dangerfield. He lends his voice and signature brand of humor to the animated family film as a Las Vegas Bassett Hound whose luxurious life is interrupted when he is accidentally brought to a farm.

Cats & Dogs (2001)

Fusing spy movies with talking dog movies is Cats & Dogs, which exaggerates the natural rivalry between canines and felines as a centuries-long war over world domination. Tobey Maguire voices Lou, a Beagle reluctantly recruited by veteran secret agent Butch, Anatolian Shepherd (voiced by Alec Baldwin), to help stop the evil Mr. Tinkles (voiced by Sean Hayes).

Marmaduke (2022)

Pete Davidson lends his voice to the title role of Netflix's animated film based on the long-running comic strip, Marmaduke, which was comparatively better received than the 2010 live-action adaptation starring Owen Wilson as the lovable, troublesome Great Dane.

Look Who’s Talking Now (1993)

Look Who's Talking and Look Who's Talking Too gave audiences an inside look into the inner thoughts of babies and toddlers. The hit comedy franchise's third installment shifted its focus to dogs, as told from the perspective of James (John Travolta) and Mollie's (Kirstie Alley) two new pets, Rocks (voiced by Danny DeVito) and Daphne (voiced by Diane Keaton).

Ellie Kemper has been making a name for herself in comedy for some time now. From big roles in shows like The Office, to her own Netflix series, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, it’s no wonder that she’s been nominated for several awards.  

Currently, she’s starring in Home Sweet Home Alone, a Disney+ original movie, but now, we’re going to take a look back on some of her best work, and how you can watch it. These are some of the best Ellie Kemper movies and TV shows that are streaming right now. 

The Office (2009 - 2013)

Arguably, The Office is how a lot of people found out about Ellie Kemper. This iconic sitcom is about the lives of the workers at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, and how they constantly have to deal with their leader, Michael Scott, who can be a good boss at times - but is mostly just a mess. 

Ellie Kemper played Erin, a recurring character at first, who replaced Pam when she stopped working as Dunder Mifflin’s secretary, but overtime her character became much more important and she graduated to being a main cast member. While I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Pam as the secretary, I must say that there’s something wholesome about Erin that I really enjoy. The poor girl was so new at her job that she was constantly getting crapped on by Michael, but she learned how to be the best secretary. You gotta admire her perseverance - despite being a little kooky. 

Stream The Office on Peacock. 

Bridesmaids (2011)

Bridesmaids follows Annie, a young woman who suffers a series of misfortunes when she is is asked to serve as the maid of honor at her best friends' wedding, causing a ridiculous amount of chaos. 

Kemper plays naïve newlywed Becca, one of the several hilarious bridesmaids in the Bridesmaids cast, but honestly, this entire ensemble is just *chef’s kiss.* 

Here, Kemper really shows just how perfect her comedic timing is. Her line on the plane when she says "Excuse me, um, could I have a glass of alcohol when you get the chance?" is so adorable and hilarious it gets me every time. Sweet, reserved Becca. Kemper and everyone here created one of the funniest comedies yet. 

Rent Bridesmaids on Amazon.

Sofia The First (2013-2018)

Sofia the First is a fun children’s TV show about a young girl named Sofia, who was living in a village as a young girl until her mother fell in love with the king, and now, she has become a princess overnight. It’s up to her to figure out how to do it right and become the best princess. 

Ellie Kemper voiced Crackle, one of the many side characters of Sofia the First, and she's the perfect fit. Crackle is loud and outgoing and loves to make friends, and that's exactly what I think of when Kemper comes to mind. 

This is honestly a great show. The voice acting, including Kemper’s, is great, and the stories remind me of those classic Disney princesses. As someone who is a fan of Disney, I can say that they created an entertaining show not only for kids, but for adults as well. While Sofia will never be a part of the official Disney princess line-up, she gets an honorary pass from me. 

Stream Sofia the First on Disney Now. 

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015 - 2020)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a Netflix original series about the titular character, who has to suddenly learn how to be a grownup overnight after being stuck in a bunker for more than a decade, thanks to a deranged priest. 

Ya’ll, Kemper rocks this role. I remember when I first began watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, I felt like I was going to hate it because I wouldn’t like how positive Kimmy was being about the world, but after the first couple of episodes, I was hooked. 

Ellie Kemper brings out this bubbliness in Kimmy, after the horrible ordeal she went through, that makes her so likable. The rest of the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt cast is wonderful too, creating some hilarious moments. The interactive special that they did was also a lot of fun, and even had stars like Daniel Radcliffe involved with it - truly, such a great comedy that deserved all the praise it got. 

Stream Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix. 

Get Him To The Greek (2010)

Moving on, we have the comedy, Get Him to the Greek, starring Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. Here, Aaron, an intern from a record company, is hired to get a crazy, out of control British rockstar to a concert at L.A’s Greek Theater, hence “the Greek” in the title. 

Kemper plays one of the Aaron’s co-worker’s in the movie, and while her role is smaller than some of her others, there's just something so brilliant about her. She plays the complete opposite of many of her bubbly, happy roles. Kemper's a more reserved, collected type who's just trying to keep her job, and it really shows her range. 

Plus, the whole cast is full of stars. With Big Mouth co-creator Nick Kroll, The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss, and rap legend P. Diddy - there’s truly no end to this star-studded cast. 

Stream Get Him to the Greek on Peacock. 
Rent Get Him to the Greek on Amazon. 

21 Jump Street (2012)

In the buddy cop movie 21 Jump Street, starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, we follow two cops named Schmidt and Jenko, who are forced to relive their high school days and go undercover as students when an outbreak of a new synthetic drug seems to be coming directly from the kids. Now, it’s up to them to figure out who it is. 

Ellie Kemper plays Ms. Griggs, a teacher who has a sexual interest towards Jenko, Channing Tatum’s character - I mean, I don’t blame her, who wouldn’t? Jokes aside, I think this is one of Kemper's best roles because it again shows her range. I never look at her and think she'd be a teacher attracted to a student, but her character in 21 Jump Street makes me believe that.

You wouldn’t expect Hill and Tatum to have such great chemistry, but they take the buddy cop genre to new heights with hilariously dark comedy, funny bits, and a lot of intense action. Plus, Ice Cube as their captain is the funniest and best casting I’ve ever seen. 

Stream 21 Jump Street on Netflix.
Rent 21 Jump Street on Amazon. 

Laggies (2014)

Next up, we have Laggies, a romantic comedy starring Keira Knightley, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Sam Rockwell. Knightley’s character, Megan, buys teenagers beer, and is drawn into their much more simple life. She ends up moving in with young Annika and her father, trying to help the teen with life, and juggle being an adult with romantic interests, and the feeling that she’s always lagging behind. 

Kemper plays Allison, Megan’s childhood friend, and I absolutely adore their scenes. Their friendship just feels so real and you can really tell that Allison cares for Megan and everything she has gone through, and only wants the best for her. 

To me, Laggies has always been underrated as a romantic comedy, as it has a certain charm to it that I can get behind. 

Stream Laggies on Showtime. 
Rent Laggies on Amazon.

They Came Together (2014)

I bet you didn’t think you’d see a satirical romantic comedy on this list, but here we are. They Came Together, starring Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd, is about their two characters, who own different types of candy stores, one a small shop and the other a gigantic company. When the company threatens to shut down the small shop, their love story begins in this rom-com spoof. 

This film deserved so much more attention. Ellie Kemper stars as Karen, one of the many main characters in this ensemble film. And, her scenes with Bill Hader are stellar. I love their comedic timing together, and I find myself laughing every time I watch this movie. 

They Came Together brings those classic romantic comedy tropes to create a hilarious spoof, but at the same time, still produces a heartwarming tale about love, as ridiculous as the movie can be. 

Stream They Came Together on HBO Max. 
Rent They Came Together on Amazon. 

The Secret Life Of Pets Series (2016 - 2019)

Illumination hit the jackpot with this fun animated movie series. The Secret Life of Pets is exactly what the title suggests. When the humans step away, what do people’s pets do? They have a fun time; that’s exactly what they do. 

Ellie Kemper plays Katie, one of the predominantly featured human characters in The Secret Life of Pets series. To be honest, I want to hear Kemper in way more voice roles, because she truly does let her personality shine through in this movie. While we're all focused on the dogs and cats, Katie is the one human where we actually do grow attached to her, because you can see how much she cares for and loves her animals. 

Her co-stars are hilarious, with the likes of Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, and more offering their voice talents, and the animation is seriously good. I mean, who doesn’t want to watch talking dogs and cats?

Rent The Secret Life of Pets series on Amazon. 

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

The Lego Batman Movie, which is a spinoff of The Lego Movie, follows the title character in his attempts to overcome his greatest fear and stop the Joker’s latest plan. 

Ellie Kemper plays Phyllis, the gatekeeper of the Phantom Zone. Her time in the movie is brief, but memorable. She has a strong connection with Batman, asking him the real questions about his fears, while also providing several quotable moments. It's such a great character - even if it's just a single LEGO brick. 

The Lego Batman Movie is genuinely just a lot of fun for all audiences. From the supercool animation for kids to the iconic Batman characters, The Lego Batman Movie is perfect for kids and adults, and offers some hysterical moments thanks to Will Arnett's talented voicing of Batman. 

Rent The Lego Batman Movie. 

The Stand-In (2020)

Last up, we have The Stand-In, a romantic comedy starring Drew Barrymore. This movie takes that classic trading places trope, and gives it to a disaffected comedy actress, who trades places with her ambitious stand-in. 

Ellie Kemper plays Jenna Jones, one of the actresses Barrymore’s character works with. This is another case where Kemper showcases her acting ability. She plays a completely different character than what we're used to from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or The Office, and is low key kind of a mean person, and not her usually bubbly self. I didn't think it was possible for me to not like Kemper, but this movie succeeded, and that's thanks to her skills as an actress. 

While The Stand-In isn’t everyone’s favorite, I actually really enjoyed it and personally believe it’s one of Drew Barrymore’s best movies. There’s a lot to enjoy about here, and I think it’s worthy of a night in to watch. 

Stream The Stand-In on Netflix. 
Rent The Stand-In on Netflix. 

With so many choices, Ellie Kemper is certainly a leader in comedy who's also shown some versatility. Hopefully we’ll get to see her in some more leading roles like soon. But, no matter what you pick from this list, you’ll have a fun time.

In recent years, Jenny Slate has propelled herself into a dependable comedic talent and an indie darling, on screens both big and small. Notably with the release of this month's The Sunlit Night, Slate only continues to demonstrate her expendable and trustworthy star talents while also showcasing her dramatic range. When it comes to her growing film career, Slate is constantly establishing herself and making a name for herself through a variety of likable, enjoyable new film roles. With that said, let's celebrate just a few great Jenny Slate movie performances from the multi-talented actress/comedian.

The Sunlit Night (2020)

The Sunlit Night is a prime example of when a leading performance outshines a movie. Please pardon the pun. Though it's bolstered by nice cinematography and lovely Norwegian landscapes, this Sundance indie falls into too many tropes and cliches, while also suffering from several oddly wavering subplots and diverting attentiveness to side characters who don't add much focus. As a result, it becomes yet another coming-of-age story about a character finding themselves that ironically never finds itself. Yet, Jenny Slate's vulnerable, and, yes, radiant screen presence lifts this movie up and brings some emotional sincerity that isn't found in its paint-by-numbers narrative.

It's such a gently captivating performance that it almost makes the movie work. Slate's clear star power cannot be dismissed; it's a shame that she brings such vibrant engagement to this lacking and noticeably edited-down misfire. But she burns bright.

My Blind Brother (2016)

While it doesn't land on sure footing, My Blind Brother is nicely elevated by its central trio of performances from Nick Kroll, Adam Scott, and Jenny Slate. The easy, enjoyable chemistry shared between the former and the latter, especially, helps the movie work past its tonal inconsistencies and its insecurities regarding its darkly comedic subject matter. 

Centered around an unaccomplished brother (Kroll) who must constantly live in the shadow of his arrogant, demanding, overachieving blind brother (Scott), particularly when they compete for the same woman (Slate), My Blind Brother takes a premise that could've easily landed sideways and finds some nice, winning moments of humanity and surprising laughs — notably through its charming turn from Slate, who brings dynamism to a character who might've been two dimensional from a less talented performer. Particularly when the actress shares the screen with Kroll, this movie sparks.

The Secret Life Of Pets (2016) & The Secret Life Of Pets 2 (2019)

As the lovable personality behind Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, it became apparent early into Jenny Slate's career that, in addition to all her other talents, she's also a great, extremely funny voice actress. She has continued to prove her vocal talents in a number of movies and shows, but The Secret Life of Pets 1 & 2 remains one of her most recognizable roles. 

As the voice of Gidget, the fluffy white Pomeranian with a big heart and a sunny disposition, Slate is a lot of fun in this spunky, outspoken character, providing a sweet, infectiously charming energy to this good-hearted pet. Though the movies themselves don't necessarily reach the top tiers of CG animation, Slate's vocal performance remains a highlight, and her high-pitch voice matches the character well.

Zootopia (2016)

Likewise, Jenny Slate found a great avenue for her versatile voice talents with Disney's acclaimed Zootopia. As the literally sheepish Assistant Mayor Bellwether, Slate was able to play the character's seemingly good-natured sweet side only to later unveil the character's true dark side to great effect. 

In this multi-layered role, Slate allowed audiences to believe both the character's harmless demeanor and her calculating interior without ever making it too jarring, forced, or unbelievable. That's certainly a great credit to this burgeoning voice star, one who only continues to impress inside the voice booth. It helps to sell the Oscar-winning Disney film's thematically dense second half, and this lucrative hit ultimately contains one of Slate's finest vocal performances.

Joshy (2016)

In an ensemble that includes Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Nick Kroll, Brett Gelman, Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, and more, Jenny Slate is only one piece in the finely-casted 2016's sleeper, Joshy, though she is certainly a highlight. As Jodi, a bachelorette who joins along for an extremely unconventional bachelor party, Slate takes what might've been an unremarkable role in a weaker performer's hands and brings her usual brand of sweet sincerity and gentle warmth, bringing out the likable emotional side of this darkly probing dramedy. 

It's a performance that ultimately helps the movie reach its goal rather than fully stands out on its own, but Slate brings her own individual charms anyway, making for another likable, appealing performance from the dependable comedic/dramatic star. Even in a cast this stacked, Slate is a bright spot.

Landline (2017)

Reuniting with her Obvious Child collaborator Gillian Robespierre, Landline is a sophomore feature that doesn't exactly reach the same heights as its predecessor but it recaptures a lot of its appealing comfortable, and believable sensibilities. Focused on the interconnected lives of a multi-generational family (John Turturro, Edie Falco, Jenny Slate, Abby Quinn) and the two sisters who find themselves connected whenever they suspect that their dad might be having an affair, this familiar-but-easygoing '90s period piece doesn't break too many new grounds when it comes to Sundance dramedies, but the cast helps it shine, particularly with Slate providing another star-worthy turn. 

As the eldest sister, Slate brings her typical brand of emotional searching and mature instability to good effect, providing another winning, enjoyable performance in this emotional, potentially autobiographical tale.

Obvious Child (2014)

Though Jenny Slate found fame through Saturday Night Live and the aforementioned Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, 2014's off-kilter rom-com, Obvious Child, truly became the star's breakout role. Based on the short film of the same name, Gillian Robespierre's first feature was an exceptional star vehicle for Slate, who brings her typical heart and sincerity to this personal and authentic feature. 

Plus, as a film that's made with the intention of removing the stigma surrounding abortion, there is a purposefulness to the movie's punchy presentation that gives it weight and clear focus. But Slate is the key to the introductory movie's success, particularly through her relatable humor and sparkling personality which feels unabashedly true to her voice and character. This is also accomplished by incorporating Slate's actual stand-up, which blends realism and believable fiction to this personable directorial debut.

Do you love Jenny Slate? What's your favorite performance? Please let us know in the comment section below!

The newest attraction coming to Universal Studios Hollywood isn't based on a massive tentpole blockbuster movie with a massive digital effects budget. It is, however, going to use some pretty impressive technology, all the same. This morning Universal Studios Hollywood revealed some new details about the forthcoming The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash attraction, including the fact that it will use facial recognition technology as well as gesture tracking in order to turn those on the ride into unique stray dogs.

The majority of the voice cast of Secret Life of Pets 2, including Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, and Jenny Slate, among many others, will be lending their voices to their theme park versions as well. The ride will see guests inside ride vehicles made to look like cardboard boxes, the traditional starting place of puppies looking for a home, and will move guests through a version of the film's New York City brought to life through a combination of animation, projection mapping, and "hyper realistic media." Guests will each take on the role of a different stray puppy as the attraction takes guests on a quest to find their forever home.

What's most intriguing about the new attraction however, has to be the way that guests will be taking on the role of these stray puppies. According to Universal Studios, a combination of facial recognition and gesture tracking will be used to assign a guest to a different stray puppy each time they go on the ride. By tracking the rider throughout the attraction, the ride will be able to keep each guest close to their stray puppy avatar. The fact that the attraction will also be tracking gestures would seem to indicate riders might have some ability to control the animal as well, though that's not made entirely clear.

Along with the new attraction details, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash also got an official logo.

The new attraction is being constructed in the area of Universal Studios Hollywood formerly known as Baker Street, which will now be called Pets Place. It's located near another Illumination based attraction, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. Along with the new attraction, storefronts in the area of the new Pets Place will receive a face lift to resemble a busy New York City street, including a subway station.

An exact opening date for The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash hasn't been revealed, but the ride will open some time this Spring.

The two Secret Life Of Pets movies have combined for over $1.4 billion in global box office, so there will likely be a lot of fans interested in checking out the new attraction when it opens later this year.

One of the new kings of comedy, Kevin Hart, has gone from stand-up comedian to full-fledged movie star. He often uses his comedic talents to bring bold characters to life on the big screen. Kevin Hart movies keep viewers laughing, returning to see sequels, and flocking to his new projects.

In December, Kevin Hart returns to the world of Jumanji with co-stars Karen Gillan, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jack Black, and Nick Jonas. Jumanji: The Next Level is sure to be a hit for Kevin Hart. The success of Jumanji and other Kevin Hart movies shows that viewers will repeatedly pay to watch him deliver energetic comedic performances. We selected the Kevin Hart movies on this list based on the criteria that he was either the lead or one of the main supporting characters. We also ranked them based on Hart’s performance, and the movie’s overall entertainment factor.

10. Get Hard

Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell join forces in Get Hard. This 2015 comedy is all about the over-the-top antics that their characters go through to prepare for prison. The FBI falsely arrests James (Will Ferrell) for fraud and embezzlement, allowing him 30 days to prepare for ten years in prison. He hires Darnell (Kevin Hart) to give him a crash course on how to “get hard” for prison life. Darnell knows nothing about prison life because he’s never been there, but he fakes it to ensure that James pays him $30,000 for teaching him how to survive prison.

Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell are two of the funniest actors and comedians working today, so Get Hard should have been a comedy classic, but sadly, the movie relies too much on prison stereotypes for laughs. Get Hard just never quite lives up to its potential, and Ferrell and Hart’s talents feel a little underutilized in this movie.

9. Central Intelligence

Central Intelligence teams up Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in the first of their film projects together. In this one, Johnson plays Robbie, a former high school outcast who has now become a CIA agent, while Hart plays Calvin, a former popular high school student who finds himself unfulfilled in his life. The two reunite and work together on a dangerous secret mission.

The two actors have great onscreen chemistry, and clearly enjoy working together, but Central Intelligence falls flat on many of its comedic elements. It’s an okay film, but Hart and Johnson excel together better in some of their other projects.

8. Night School

In 2018, Universal Pictures released Night School, starring Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart. Hart plays Teddy Walker, a man who returns to school to get his GED so that he can obtain a job at a financial investment firm. Tiffany Haddish plays his night school teacher Carrie. She really cares about her students’ success, so she may use a few unusual teaching tactics.

Mainly, Night School is about a bunch of wacky characters coming together to get their GED, and the love story between Teddy and his fiancée, Lisa (Megalyn Echikunwoke). Teddy and Lisa’s romance is one of the most interesting parts of Night School -- it’s easy to root for them. Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart have both had success playing outrageous characters, so Night School might have been a bit funnier seeing them both play unconventional characters, especially to see how they played off each other’s comedic energy as those characters.

7. The Upside

Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart star in The Upside. In The Upside, Hart plays Dell Scott, a man recently released from prison who looks for work to keep his parole officer happy. Cranston plays Philip Lacasse, a quadriplegic looking for an in-home caregiver. Nicole Kidman plays Yvonne Pendleton, Philip’s personal assistant. The film is based on the real life of French businessman Philippe Pozzo di Borgo. The Upside is also a remake of the French film The Intouchables.

By design, The Upside is an inspirational movie about overcoming obstacles, and about two men bonding over their misfortunes, while learning and growing from each other. It’s not the most innovative idea or concept, and both Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart have given stronger performances in other roles, but the film delivers enough feel-good inspiration to work. The Upside also seamlessly blends drama and comedy -- with quite a few scenes that deliver funny moments, and other ones that produce intense drama.

6. The Secret Life of Pets

The Secret Life of Pets is like Toy Story but with cute -- but possibly psychotic -- pets. The movie shows viewers what happens when humans leave and pets are left to their own devices. The Secret Life of Pets has an ensemble cast that includes voice-overs by Louis C.K, Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Kevin Hart, and Dana Carvey. In The Secret Life of Pets, Hart plays Snowball, a white rabbit.

Secret Life of Pets is a PG rated family movie, so it is a lot more family friendly than Kevin Hart’s normal films, but it’s a very different role for him. Snowball is the antagonist in this animated film, and Hart plays the villain role very well. The Secret Life of Pets is one of the few films where Hart is allowed to use his animated voice and nature in a menace way. Kevin Hart not only plays a great villain in Secret Life of Pets, but the film overall is fun to watch for viewers of all ages.

5. The Wedding Ringer

Kevin Hart plays a professional best man in The Wedding Ringer. Realizing that he has no friends, Doug Harris (Josh Gad) hires Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart) to pretend to be his best friend, and to find him some groomsmen for his upcoming wedding.

The Wedding Ringer is part buddy adventure film, part a male version of Bridesmaids. Josh Gad and Kevin Hart’s opposite comedic styling works really well in this film, and all the groomsmen, especially Alan Ritchson’s Kip, deliver in their supporting roles. The Wedding Ringer isn’t a revolutionary bromance-comedy adventure movie, but it is a very fun one. Gad and Hart are very enjoyable to watch together in Wedding Ringer.

4. Think Like A Man

Kevin Hart joins an ensemble cast in this romantic comedy based on the best-selling dating advice book by Steve Harvey. Think Like a Man follows several couples as they try to keep their romance going, despite some complications. The women in these relationships use Steve Harvey’s book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man for guidance.

In Think Like a Man, Kevin Hart’s character Cedric is mainly used as the comic relief throughout the movie. He acts as a narrator and constantly talks about his ex-wife Gail (Wendy Williams), despite pretending that he’s happy about being single. The ensemble cast all fit their roles, but Kevin Hart is one of the most standout characters in Think Like a Man: He has some of the most memorable lines and moments in the movie.

3. Ride Along

Ride Along is a buddy cop comedy about a cop in training (Kevin Hart) teaming up with his future brother-in-law (Ice Cube) to prove himself as a cop and as a man. Ride Along also includes supporting roles by John Leguizamo, Tika Sumpter, and Laurence Fishburne.

Buddy cop comedies work best when two polar opposites are paired together, and Kevin Hart and Ice Cube expertly deliver this odd couple duo. Ride Along has been such a box office success because viewers love watching Ice Cube’s tough persona paired with Kevin Hart’s lively comedic persona. The star power of Hart and Cube has turned Ride Along into a franchise film with at least three movies in the series.

2. About Last Night

Kevin Hart takes on one of his few romantic comedy roles in About Last Night. The film follows two new couples as they deal with the difficulties of falling in and out of love. Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant play one pair, Danny and Debbie, while Kevin Hart and Regina Hall play the other couple, Bernie and Joan.

Regina Hall and Kevin Hart get to play the extreme, loud, and crazy couple compared to Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant’s more practical couple. About Last Night works so well because of the dynamic between Hall and Hart. It’s almost a shame that these two aren’t paired together in more movies, because in this film, they deliver hilarious performances in every scene together. The way Kevin Hart and Regina King play off each other in About Last Night almost feels like it’s all improvised. They see what one does and tries to match the other with enthusiasm and comic prowess. It’s really a joy to watch these two together in About Last Night.

1. Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle continues the story of 1995’s Jumanji starring Robin Williams. In the 2017 Jumanji , four friends are transported inside of an old video game. They must overcome obstacles, and their game weaknesses, to reach the last level, thus freeing them from being in the Jumanji game.

Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungle works so well because it doesn’t try to recreate the original movie, but creates a modern concept of the Jumanji world and game. The cast, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Dwayne Johnson, Nick Jonas, and Karen Gillan, also completely embrace the silliness behind the concept, creating a fun, action blockbuster. Kevin Hart also hits all the right comedic notes in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, as well as showcasing even more why he and Dwayne Johnson are becoming a dynamic duo.

Based on the trailer, the sequel Jumanji: Next Level looks even funnier than Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. If the next Jumanji sequel turns out even better than the previous one, then this could be a Kevin Hart movie franchise that continues on for many years to come. Catch Kevin Hart and the rest of the Jumanji: Next Level cast in theaters on December 13.

Being a movie and TV star is pretty cool. You make pretty good money, which means you don't have to work all the time. The work you do is usually fun, and, if your movies and TV shows are popular, they can stand the test of time, which means you leave a legacy behind. Eric Stonestreet has both a hit TV show in Modern Family and he's a voice in The Secret Life of Pets movies which have made over $1 billion at the box office.

However, while being immortalized on the screen is one thing, there's something a little different about seeing something you worked on made physical in a way that other people can enjoy it in entirely new ways. That is the theme park attraction. The Secret Life of Pets is the newest successful franchise from Illumination animation and it's reached such levels of success that the property has its own attraction currently under construction at Universal Studios Hollywood. With the release of The Secret Life of Pets 2 on Blu-ray, I had a chance to speak with actor Eric Stonestreet, who provides the voice for Duke in the movies, and he told me being part of a attraction like this was a "bucket list" item for him. Stonestreet said...

I asked Eric Stonestreet how much he knew about the upcoming attraction and the answer was, surprisingly little. And that's considering the fact that he's already done voice over work for it. Near the end of his dialogue recording for The Secret Life of Pets 2, they included the work for the new attraction. While Stonestreet isn't expecting a major E-ticket (if I can borrow a term from the "other" theme park guys) attraction, he expects it will be something really good that will fit with the movies.

It has to be said, a roller coaster that sends you flying through New York City on a dog catcher truck, a sequence from the first Secret Life of Pets movie, sounds absolutely awesome. There may not be space for it at Universal Studios Hollywood, but, you know, Universal Orlando Resort just announced a third theme park at that location, maybe Stonestreet's idea can find space there.

By "combo ride" I'm guessing Eric Stonestreet means that the attraction will likely combine some sort of ride architecture with viewing screens, probably in 3D. Several Universal Studios Hollywood attractions use this combination. As the actor says, the theme park in California doesn't have a great deal of space, and this structure allows many attractions to feel much bigger than they are.

When the attraction was first announced, it was confirmed to have some sort of actual ride system. Some of the Universal Studios Hollywood locations, like The Simpsons Ride and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem use motion simulation combined with 3D, so the ride never "goes" anyplace. It would appear this ride will be a little different, but we still don't have many details as to how.

We do have a name, however. The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash is what the future attraction will be called. While it may not follow the characters from the movies in a run away dog catcher truck, it will likely still follow them throughout the movie's version of New York City, and let you hang out with Max, Duke, Snowball, and the rest.

No opening date for The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash has been set. I would guess it will arrive in time for next summer's vacation season. The Secret Life of Pets 2 is now available in Digital HD and on Blu-ray.

Just as The Secret Life of Pets’ ending posed the question of how that once hidden world would continue to be much of a secret, The Secret Life of Pets 2 has quite a few developments that will have fans wondering where the next installment may take familiar characters like Patton Oswalt’s Max, Kevin Hart’s Snowball, and Jenny Slate’s Gidget.

There are no official talks just yet, especially considering the film’s only opened this past weekend, but the subject came up during CinemaBlend’s attendance at the recent press day for the Universal/Illumination sequel. As luck would have it, the answers we got as to where a potential plot line to The Secret Life of Pets 3 would go were all wildly different. But considering the pseudo-anthology format of the franchise, there’s a chance that all three answers could mesh into one, cohesive film.

Starting with Kevin Hart’s idea, inspired by his character Snowball’s recent venture into superheroism, The Secret Life of Pets 3 would tackle the following subject:

As we saw in The Secret Life of Pets 2, Captain Snowball went from a mere idea/persona for the recently homed bunny into something he feels he could fully pull off. So the next big step for this heroic house-pet would obviously be to draft a super league of avengers for justice.

Whether it be formed with fellow protagonists Max and Gidget, or if Captain Snowball would recruit from the extensive roster of supporting pets that are also in the mix, The Secret Life of Pets 3 sounds like a super opportunity to further poke loving fun at the comic book films that make up so much of the box office market.

Of course, this is just part of the stories that The Secret Life of Pets 2 cast wants to take part in for a potential third entry. And then next possibility in line is that of Jenny Slate, the voice of pampered dog, and now potential queen of the cats, Gidget.

While she was crowned in this most recent film, it’s not a title that Jenny Slate is beholden to. It is a fresh adventure that seems like both she and her character would crave. At least, that’s what her remarks below would have us think, as she pitched this scenario:

It is pretty funny to think of Gidget as the queen of the cats, especially after her antics trying to study and infiltrate them in The Secret Life of Pets 2. But that is a gag that admittedly can only go so far, as a queen is usually sequestered from the world; and much like Jenny Slate, Gidget is a free spirit.

Potentially letting her off the leash, so to speak, and seeing her play around the various parks and landmarks of New York might make for a wonderful Gidget adventure in The Secret Life of Pets 3. Maybe she’ll even meet a new pal that helps quell her unrequited love for Max, which could even start off a love triangle of sorts.

Though should Gidget remain true to her infatuation with Max, it might pay off in the long run. Ever since the first Secret Life of Pets film, Gidget has worn her heart on her sleeve for that particularly neurotic terrier, and that’s a perfect hook for the plotline that Patton Oswalt suggested The Secret Life of Pets 3 hang its hat on, courtesy of this beautiful twist:

Seeing Max toying around with his boundaries was a rich mine of material for The Secret Life of Pets 2, as he learned slowly but surely how to be a dog parent to little human Liam. With new parenting skills comes a new outlook on kids in general, and with time passing pretty fast in the franchise, it does feel like Max and Gidget settling down would be a fantastic proposition.

All three ideas for The Secret Life of Pets 3 suggest that there are so many stories that this hypothetical next film could tell. And in those stories, there’s potential to see Max, Snowball, and Gidget grow and go to places we’ve never seen them approach before.

In the varying dynamics of the three leads, and the various supporting pets in The Secret Life of Pets series, there’s an infinite combination of what sort of story magic can be woven. So as long as writer Brian Lynch continues to keep his head in the space of these mischievous, but lovable, animal characters, and as long as the public continues to applaud their ongoing adventures, the things that these pets do in secret will continue to entertain the movie going public.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is in theaters now, but if you’ve already seen the film and would like to scope out some further animated action, take a look at our 2019 release schedule. There’s plenty more where this came from!

Secret Life of Pets’ Max now has something in common with Ratatouille’s Remy: both were voiced by the incomparable Patton Oswalt. The actor replaced Louis C.K. in the sequel to the highly-successful 2016 film that takes audiences into the double lives of our furry friends.

When Chris Renaud, the director of the animated franchise, was tasked with finding a new actor to take on the role of the friendly Terrier in The Secret Life of Pets 2, he thankfully found a perfect fit in Patton Oswalt. In his words:

Recasting a role can be “ruff” stuff, but Patton Oswalt made the transition a smooth one for Secret Life of Pets 2, per the director’s words to Collider. The actor was a great choice to step into the paws of Max and continue his story in one of Illumination and Universal’s biggest hits.

A couple years ago, the studios cut ties with Louis C.K. in light of the sexual harassment allegations against him. Five women spoke out about the comedian exposing himself and masturbating in front of them. Louis C.K. later confessed to committing these acts, leading to many of his connections with Hollywood being dropped, such as the home network to his five-season series Louis, FX, and his movie I Love You, Daddy.

While the actor took some time away from the public eye, recent events have kept him in the spotlight. A leaked standup set back in December contained many offensive jokes targeting transgender people and school shootings. SNL’s Pete Davidson also recently opened up about a time when Louis C.K. tried to get him fired from the sketch show because of his marijuana use.

He’s certainly become a voice many parents wouldn’t want associated with lovable characters in The Secret Life of Pets. When news broke of Louis C.K’s firing, it was unclear what the fate of Max would be, but the sequel found a great alternative to getting rid of the central character.

Secret Life of Pets 2 follows Oswalt’s Max, along with the return of Kevin Hart’s Snowball, Eric Stonestreet’s Duke, Jenny Slate’s Gidget, and Lake Bell’s Chloe. Harrison Ford also joins the star-studded cast as a farm dog named Rooster, with Tiffany Haddish as a Shih Tzu named Daisy. The movie is in theaters now.

Harrison Ford is bringing his growling sarcasm to The Secret Life of Pets 2. Ford plays Rooster the dog in his first voice-acting role in an animated film. To promote the summer 2019 movie, Illumination has been giving characters their own trailers. This recent one is called "The Rooster Trailer" in honor of Ford's new character:

The turkey steals the whole thing! The two-minute trailer takes dogs Max (now voiced by Patton Oswalt) and Duke (Eric Stonestreet) on a road trip to the countryside. While Duke gets mocked by a cow, Max has a nighttime run-in with Harrison Ford's intimidating dog named Rooster.

Apparently this trailer takes place after the previous Max trailer set at a pet therapist's office. Max mentions the cone his therapist said he should wear. In this trailer, Rooster cuts Max's speech off by ripping the cone off his head, then dropping this line:

Harrison Ford, everyone! The Secret Life of Pets 2 is clearly tapping into Harrison Ford's grumpy, sarcastic, and intimidating side -- as opposed to his charming rebel side, ala Han Solo or Indiana Jones. Or maybe we'll see that side come out in Rooster too. If only they had also cast Clint Eastwood to growl "Get off my lawn."

The sequel cast features several returnees from the first film, including Kevin Hart's Snowball, Jenny Slate's Gidget, Lake Bell's Chloe, Dana Carvey's Pops, Hannibal Buress' Buddy, Bobby Moynihan's Mel, Tara Strong's Sweetpea, Chris Renaud's Norman, and Ellie Kemper's Katie. The sequel also adds Tiffany Haddish, Nick Kroll, and Pete Holmes.

After releasing the Max trailer -- but before introducing this Rooster trailer -- Illumination posted mini trailers for Chloe, Snowball, and Tiffany Haddish's new character Daisy:

The Secret Life of Pets came out in 2016 and got fairly good reviews from both critics and fans. It also made $875,457,937 at the worldwide box office. That's off a reported production budget of $75 million, per Box Office Mojo, so it definitely made a tail-wag-worthy profit. It's no wonder a sequel is coming three years later. If this film also does well, we can probably expect another movie.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is scheduled for release in theaters this June 7, as one of many animal-focused movies to keep an eye on in 2019. That June release is just a couple of weeks before Toy Story 4 opens. It should be a very busy year at the box office, so bookmark our 2019 movie calendar to keep track of all the big screen dates.

Pet parents love to spill their guts to their furry friends, because there is no fear or judgement and they're great listeners. Flip the perspective over to the adorable pets and there's no limit to what could be going on in their heads. 2016's The Secret Life of Pets explored what shenanigans your household animals could be up to when you leave them at home. The first look at the upcoming sequel checks back in with Max, the terrier, as he unwillingly pays a visit to the vet. Check it out:

Sometimes it's ruff to be a pup! The first trailer for The Secret Life of Pets 2 from Illumination is a hilarious sneak peek of what's in store for Max, as the story seems to have him facing a vet specializing in behavioral disorders. While in the waiting room, the terrier talks with a cute cat who tries to assure him about the coming appointment, before going off the rails a bit in front of him. The rest of the clip has various pets in the surrounding area revealing their thoughts. A hamster finding crisis in the fact that he keeps running in his wheel and it takes him nowhere, a dog wondering if he's really a good boy and a pair of creepy cats who start fires.

This bunch of hilariously unstable animals is a clever introduction to the sequel, and reminds audiences why its original film had so many moviegoers were eager to go see it in summer 2016. The Secret Life of Pets snatched $368 million domestically and became the highest earning film for Illumination to date. So it's no surprise a sequel was announced just a few months after the first movie's release. The premise is a crowd-pleasing one that many pet parents can relate to and is comparable to the draw of the Toy Story movies.

The first trailer is the perfect introduction for the sequel, and it looks like it's the first of many. This trailer is titled the "Max" trailer and announces at the end to "look out for more character trailers". In anticipation for The Secret Life of Pets 2 we may get to check in other main characters such as Duke the brown mutt (Eric Stonestreet), the hilarious white rabbit named Snowball, played by Kevin Hart or Lake Bell's Chloe the level-headed tabby cat.

While much of the main ensemble cast also including Jenny Slate, Hannibal Buress and Nick Kroll are expected to lend their voices to the sequel, the voice of Max was recast. In The Secret Life of Pets, the terrier was voiced by Louis C.K., but in light of the sexual allegations he was accused of, Illumination "terminated their relationship" with him and Patton Oswalt is reprising the role instead. Other new actors joining the cast are Harrison Ford, which will mark the actor's first animated feature and Tiffany Haddish, who will also soon lend her talents to The Lego Movie 2.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 comes to theaters on June 7, 2019. Before the exciting release, Illumination Entertainment is gearing up for an animated remake of The Grinch, bringing holiday spirit to you this Friday, November 9.

For movie studios, a film's success isn't entirely determined by its box office gross. You can generate all of the revenue you want, but if your movie costs the GDP of a small country, you may not be left with all that much profit. That cost to income ratio is the guiding philosophy for determining a film's final value, and now it seems that The Secret Life of Pets has turned out to be the most valuable film of 2016.

A new report from Deadline confirms that The Secret Life of Pets was actually the most valuable movie of 2016. The film pulled in $691 million in revenue, and after factoring in all total costs (which added up to roughly $316 million), it generated approximately $374 million for Universal -- more than any other film released in 2016. Although this doesn't qualify it as the highest grossing film of the last year, it's relatively high gross and low cost combined have made it the most valuable. This doesn't appear to be a one-off for Universal and Illumination, as their other animated offering, Sing, similarly ranked as the No. 7 most valuable film of 2016.

It goes without saying that everyone involved in The Secret Life of Pets is now fully invested in seeing if they can replicate the success of the original. A sequel was recently announced, and it's currently slated to hit theaters on July 3, 2019. No major plot details have been revealed about where The Secret Life of Pets 2 may end up taking this particular universe, but something tells us that Universal and Illumination are going to abide the old "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" adage.

We aren't even remotely surprised to see an animated film rank as the most valuable movie of 2016. Although last year was certainly characterized by some critical disappointments and box office flops, the fact of the matter is that animation has seemingly never been stronger. Last year saw a ton of family friendly (and genuinely good) animated films debut in theaters -- such as Finding Dory, Zootopia, and the aforementioned The Secret Life of Pets -- and we even saw the filmmaking format veer into R-rated territory with the release of the highly controversial Sausage Party. Animated storytelling continues to improve with each passing year, and as such we can only expect the value of animated films to increase as the technology advances.

With The Secret Life of Pets coming in as the most valuable film of 2016, it's clear that Illumination has developed a very powerful formula for success. We will have to wait and see it can keep this hot streak going Despicable Me 3 debuts on June 30, 2017. For more information concerning the rest of this year's major theatrical releases, make sure to take a look at our 2017 movie premiere guide and let us know which films you're most excited about in the comments section below.

While April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, this year they'll bring a little something extra to you folks with a Netflix subscription. In particular, the titles we're about to list below will be on their way to your instant streaming queues, should you choose to partake in them. And with a good mix of the new with the old, there's certainly a lot of options to choose from.

Here's what's heading to Netflix Instant in April. However, please keep in mind, titles and dates are, as always, subject to change. In addition, if you are looking for the list of March 2017 releases, we have you covered.

Week of April 1st

A Weekend with the Family (2016) -- April 1

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) -- April 1

Across the Universe (2007) -- April 1

An American Tail (1986) -- April 1

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991) -- April 1

An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster (1999) -- April 1

Boy Bye (2016) -- April 1

Born To Be Free (2016) -- April 1

Cool Runnings (1993) -- April 1

Good Witch: Season 2 (2016) -- April 1

Gremlins (1984) -- April 1

Only for One Night (2016) -- April 1

Richard Pryor: Live & Smokin' (1971) -- April 1

Scooby-Doo (2002) -- April 1

Schindler's List (1993) -- April 1

Something's Gotta Give (2003) -- April 1

Thunderstruck (2012) -- April 1

Wynonna Earp: Season 1 (2016)-- April 1

Trouble with the Curve (2012) -- April 1

Tropic Thunder (2008) -- April 1

The Tenth Man (2016) -- April 1

The D Train (2015) -- April 2

Chewing Gum: Season 2 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 4

Louis C.K. 2017 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 4

Disney's The BFG (2016) -- April 6

El Faro De Las Orcas --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 7

Dawn of the Croods: Season 3 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 7

The Get Down: Part 2 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 7

Win It All --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 7

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) -- April 8

Week of April 9th

Documentary Now!: Season 2 (2016) -- April 10

Kevin Hart: What Now (2016) -- April 11

DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Season 2 (2016) -- April 12

Chelsea: Season 2 ---NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 14

El Elegido (2017) -- April 14

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 14

Sandy Wexler --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 14

Disney's Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) -- April 15

Slam --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 15

Week of April 16th

Lucas Brothers: On Drugs --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 18

A Plastic Ocean -- April 19

Bill Nye Saves the World: Season 1 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 21

Girlboss: Season 1 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 21

Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On: Season 1 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 21

Sand Castle --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 21

Tales by Light: Season 2 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 21

The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show: Season 4 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 21

The Prestige (2006) -- April 21

Tramps --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 21

The Great British Baking Show: Masterclass: Season 1-3 (2016) -- April 22

The Secret Life of Pets (2016) -- April 22

Week of April 23rd

Liv and Maddie: Season 4 (2016) -- April 23

Phantom (2013) -- April 23

Long Nights Short Mornings (2016) -- April 24

Disney's Queen of Katwe (2016) -- April 25

The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 25

Vir Das: Abroad Understanding --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 25

Real Rescues: Season 6-7 (2012) -- April 26

Trust (2010) -- April 26

Las Chicas del Cable: Season 1 --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 27

A Murder in the Park (2014) -- April 28

Casting JonBenet --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 28

Dear White People: Season 1 ---NETFLIX ORIGINAL -- April 28

Rodney King --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 28

Small Crimes --- NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM -- April 28

Week of April 30th

Sofia the First: Season 3 (2015) -- April 30

Movie fans are getting a lot of new content from both the past and present eras of film-making, with a lot of recent releases hitting the streaming service. If you happened to miss Kubo and The Two Strings or Disney's The BFG, both films will be streaming towards the beginning of the month. Meanwhile, further family friendly options will be dropping towards the end of the month, when The Secret Life of Pets and Disney's Queen of Katwe make their way on to Netflix's digital library.

Adults in the family make out better with the more classic films launching on Netflix Instant, as A Nightmare on Elm Street, Gremlins, and Schindler's List all hit at the top of the month. Though kids will still get something out of the deal, as all three films of An American Tail's run will be added at the same time. If your tastes run more to the modern, you'll be able to watch Tropic Thunder or The Prestige, among all of the other listed options, throughout the month.

TV-wise, things are a little light, as season 2 of DC's Legends of Tomorrow is the only non-original option that seems to be of note. That said, Netflix's original material seems to be in full form in April, as Louis C.K. has a new comedy special premiering, and the widely anticipated revamp of Mystery Science Theater 3000 is finally going to be unveiled for all to see! Also, if you're a fan of The Get Down, you should probably start re-watching part 1 now, as part 2 is coming on April 7th, completing the show's first season.

Can't find a Netflix original on the list you could have sworn was dropping in April? Or are you just curious about what the streaming network has released, and is looking to produce in the coming months of 2017? Check out our Netflix premiere schedule, which can be found here.

By all accounts, this summer blockbuster season has been a disappointment. But that hasn't stopped people from flocking to the theaters. Five of the current Top 10 movies on the 2016 box office charts were released over the summer... though that means that an additional five movies that came out long before the usually lucrative summer season managed to strike gold. The data suggests that the summer no longer stands as the only time in which a movie can hit and hit big. Deadpool collected bank in February, as did Zootopia. Meanwhile, movies that clung to traditional hot spots -- like Independence Day: Resurgence -- suffered under the weight of mediocre reviews and apathetic crowds.

We recently looked ahead at the 21 movies that we hope will revive 2016 after this lackluster summer frame. But before we put the summer season in the books, let's look back at the 10 box office winners of 2016 so far. These are not movies that managed the most profit, because they kept their budgets down. These are just the 10 movies, according to Box Office Mojo, that have sold the most tickets in 2016 so far. How many of these did you see? If you skipped them, tell us why in the comments section below.

Kung Fu Panda 3

Released back in January, the animated Kung Fu Panda 3 demonstrated real staying power for the Jack Black-led franchise, which quietly dominated the early frame of 2016 to the tune of $143 million. Even better for the series, this sequel did gangbuster business overseas, pushing the global box office take to $519 million, all but guaranteeing that a fourth Kung Fu Panda will be in the works before we know it. Even better, this movie was good. Quality is not being sacrificed by a series pandering to little kids. It's not Pixar, but it's far better than your average animated feature film.

X-Men: Apocalypse

With all due respect to Bryan Singer, I completely forgot there was an X-Men movie in theaters this summer until I started putting this list together. Hitting theaters over the Memorial Day weekend, Singer's follow up to the popular X-Men: Days of Futures Past pushed its domestic cume to $155.4 million -- good for seventh place (out of nine films) on the overall X-Men scale. Not great. These mutants were outclassed by another foul-mouthed Merc, who'll show up much later on this list.

Suicide Squad

The jury is still out on David Ayer's Suicide Squad. As we have covered in recent weeks, critics weren't overwhelmed by the DC super-villain team up, but audiences continue to head to theaters to check it out. So far, Squad has earned nearly $238 million at the box office, but the night is young, as they say. We recently reported that Suicide Squad was expected to lead the box for a third weekend, and there's no real competition on the horizon. Could it eventually overtake Batman v Superman as DC's top earner this year? Would that be a total shock?

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

This one was supposed to be a slam dunk. Putting Batman (Ben Affleck) into his Superman sequel, Zack Snyder was combining, arguably, the two most popular superheroes on the planet in one movie for the first time. With Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) to boot! And yet, here _Dawn of Justice _sits, at number 7 on the annual Top 10, with it looking likely that it'll get passed by Suicide Squad in weeks. What happened? The post-mortem continues, because there are several reasons Dawn of Justice only earned $330 million domestically to date. Plus, with Rogue One, Fantastic Beasts and Doctor Strange all on the way, is it possible BvS isn't even in the yearly Top 10 when all is said and done?

The Secret Life of Pets

When it comes to animated movies, if you build it (and it's halfway decent), they will come. Families need distractions in the summer season, because when it's hot, two hours in the air conditioning watching ANYTHING will do. That being said, with $340 million in tickets sold domestically, Secret Life tapped into a rabid audience... to the point where we already have movement on a Secret Life of Pets 2.

Zootopia

From this point forward, you are going to hear a recurring word on this list: Disney. The Mouse House is having an incredible year, diversifying its successes across its various properties, from Marvel to Pixar, to its own traditional animation. Zootopia, which has earned $341 million, is an original idea set in a city populated by domesticated animals. But it was the spunk of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), the smarmy charms of Nick Wild (Jason Bateman), and the creativity of the film's vision that kept crowds returning week after week to enjoy this incredible feature.

The Jungle Book

Switching over to live-action -- well, sort of -- Jon Favreau's Disney remake The Jungle Book crushed the competition this spring with its vivid CGI interpretation of the classic Disney cartoon. Not a full-blown musical, The Jungle Book mixed some familiar tunes into the more mature telling of an orphaned boy who's raised by wild animals. In my opinion, the stellar 3D helped sell a ton of extra tickets, leading to a $363 million haul and a fourth-place landing on the charts to date.

Deadpool

How did this happen? The superhero movie no one wanted to make became the foul-mouthed comedy no one wanted to miss. Credit Ryan Reynolds and director Tim Miller for continuing to believe in the unorthodox screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, turning Deadpool into a $363 million smash hit in the United States. The movie also devoured overseas records, and paved the way for Deadpool 2, which likely will build on this film's success by introducing fan favorites such as Cable and Domino.

Captain America: Civil War

Essentially The Avengers 2.5, Civil War rounds up almost every available Marvel hero into a battle of wills over the Sokovia Accords, basically pitting Captain America (Chris Evans) against Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in a battle that is both personal and global. Earning $407 million to date, Captain America is the fourth-highest grossing Marvel movie, but not this year's highest-grossing film. That shocked me. I'm even more surprised, truthfully, at the movie that pushed Civil War from the top of its perch.

Finding Dory

Pixar swims to the top of the ranks with the unexpectedly brilliant Finding Dory. Not that I expected Finding Dory to flop. Pixar has set a standard, and even their disappointments are generally pleasing to a certain extent. But so much time had passed since Finding Nemo, and I wasn't sure how hungry audiences were for the further adventures of Ellen Degeneres' forgetful fish. Well, Dory has banked an impressive $477 million domestically, making it the movie, to beat for the rest of 2016.

The movies that just missed the Top 10

The films that almost made the Top 10, and still might by the time they are finished playing out in theaters, include:

_Star Trek Beyond _- $142 million

Jason Bourne - $131 million

Central Intelligence - $126 million

The Legend of Tarzan - $125 million

Ghostbusters -- $122.6 million

Illumination Entertainment has accomplished a lot over its nine years of existence. The animation company has enjoyed bountiful success with the Despicable Me movies (including 2015's Minions), and they've been putting their own stamp on Dr. Seuss stories with 2012's The Lorax and the 2018 adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Now they can a new franchise to their list of accomplishments, as it's just been announced that The Secret Life of Pets is getting a sequel in 2018.

Universal and Illumination Entertainment announced today (via THR) that The Secret Life of Pets 2 will be released on July 13, 2018. Director Chris Rinaud and writer Brian Lynch will return for the sequel, but no information was released about which members of the cast will be back. This news comes right as the first movie has earned nearly $300 million domestically and $400 million worldwide, and there are still some countries it hasn't been released in yet. The Secret Life of Pets 2 will be Illumination's second release that year, with How the Grinch Stole Christmas following on November 9.

Giving The Secret Life of Pets a sequel was a no brainer, if you think about it. Besides doing financially well, it's also been well received by many fans and critics, and currently ranks at 74% on Rotten Tomatoes. It's also proven to be one of the few theatrical hits of the summer, and aside from Pixar's Finding Dory, it could be considered the best animated movie of the season thus far. With numbers and reception like that, it's no wonder that Universal and Illumination Entertainment wanted to continue this story. The Secret Life of Pets 2 is also currently the only movie slated for the July 13, 2018 weekend, though that's sure to change eventually. It's preceded by Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6 and Alita: Battle Angel will follow on July 20.

The Secret Life of Pets followed a group of animals in New York City getting into shenanigans while their owners are away. Used to the comfort of their own homes, they're thrown into the dangerous world of the inner city, where animals aren't always treated with love and respect. The movie's cast includes Louis C.K. as Max, Eric Stonestreet as Duke, Kevin Hart as Snowball, Ellie Kemper as Katie, Jenny Slate as Gidget, Bobby Moynihan as Mel, Dana Carvey as Pops and plenty more. Whether every main member of the cast will return for the sequel remains to be seen, but you can bet there will be a few new characters thrown in.

We'll keep you updated on how The Secret Life of Pets 2 is progressing as more information comes in. For now, click here to read our review of the first movie.

For the fifth straight weekend in a row an animated movie held the number one spot, leaving one of the most talked about remakes to settle for a solid second place.

Ghostbusters has been a touchy subject for some people over the last few months, with a lot of discussion over whether or not the remake would garner much attention at the box office. Critics who expected it to tank got slimed. The movie's $46 million opening narrowly missed making number one, and isn't a rousing start when compared to a chunky $144 million production budget and substantial marketing costs, but there's a reasonable expectation for the movie to at least break even and leaves a small window for anyone hoping to see a sequel.

Compared with the original film, the Ghostbusters remake had a good start. The 1984 original banked $13 million its opening weekend which, adjusted for inflation, would still only total $34 million. But over the long haul it banked over $225 million, more than $575 million in today's dollars, and was the second highest grossing movie that year. The remake has no chance of matching either of those feats.

The Secret Life of Pets marched neatly past the $200 million mark this weekend, adding $50 million and holding on to number one. It's the fourth animated movie this year (fifth, if you include the mostly animated Jungle Book), along with Kung Fu Panda 3, Zootopia, and Finding Dory, to not only open at number one, but hold that spot for more than one weekend.

Bryan Cranston seems to be everywhere these days, but this weekend marked the first wide release (1000+ screens) of a movie with Cranston in the lead starring role. It wasn't a rousing debut. With just $5 million The Infiltrator, despite generally positive reviews, settled for a distant eighth place start.

For the full weekend top ten, check out the chart below:

Last week, those in the know expected The Secret Life of Pets to put up $70 million at the box office. The movie appears to have broken $100 million. At the same time, Finding Dory became the highest grossing domestic movie of the year so far. 2016 has been a phenomenal year for animated films, and it's barely more than half over. At this point, it's on track to be the biggest year for animation that we've ever seen.

It seems that every wide release animated film has put up massive numbers at the box office. From Kung Fu Panda 3 through Zootopia, even The Angry Birds Movie has been a success. And there are several more animated features left to bow. Here's why animation is king of the box office in 2016, and why 2016 will be the biggest year ever for the art form.

Animated Films Have Already Made More Than $1 Billion

The highest grossing box office year for animation was 2013, which saw over $1.6 billion in ticket sales thanks to having three films in the top 10: Frozen, Despicable Me 2, and Monsters University. This year, there are four films currently in the top 10, and animation has already grossed over $1.1 billion, with half a year left to make up the difference. It won't take much for the remaining features combined to be successful. Kubo and the Two Strings will see one more major animation release this summer and even if it doesn't set the box office on fire, it should set everything up for a massive holiday season.

Disney Continues To Be Disney, aka King

When it comes down to it, the Disney name is still king in the world of animation. While other studios have occasionally jumped ahead of the Mouse House, Disney has taken their licks and learned how to improve. It's difficult to not argue that Disney is going through one of its stronger periods right now. Zootopia has grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it one of the biggest hits the studio has ever seen. Finding Dory is now the highest grossing movie of the year, and the studio isn't done yet.

A New Disney Princess Is On Her Way

The Disney princess has been a popular character since the 1930s. However, in the modern era, people are looking for something different and special from this cinematic mainstay. While Disney's last princesses turned the classic formula on its head, the next one will look very different than her predecessors. Moana will be the first pacific islander princess character, adding an aspect of ethnicity that will be a breath of fresh air for the brand. This will attract both the Disney fans, and those who want to see this new take on the studios most popular brand. If that doesn't work, it has The Rock, too.

There's Quantity, As Well As Quality

There's one simple reason that 2016 is looking to the biggest year ever in the history of animation, the sheer number of films is ridiculous. There are now four major animation studios releasing films annually: Disney, Dreamworks, Illumination, and Laika. Only, Laika, the stop-motion animation studio, is only releasing one film this year. Between them, eight films were planned for 2016, and only half of them have been released so far. This means that the current box office total for animation could literally double before the end of the year.

Animated Films Have Had Legs

It's one thing for animated films to be popular out of the gate, but they've been successful not just on opening weekends, but in the long term. Of the 32 weeks that have passed in 2016, animated films have been number one at the box office for 11 of them, more than a third, including the last five in a row. They even have the edge over the much-lauded comic book movie, which has seen 10 weeks worth of box office winners. However, while the comic book movies begin strong, they also fall fast, while the animated films have remained consistent over longer periods.

Non-Animated Movies Have Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Part of the reason that animated films have remained so popular is because the competition hasn't been very successful this year. Live-action movies expected to make a splash, like Independence Day: Resurgence, The BFG, or The Divergent Series: Allegiant, which should have at least won their opening weekend, have not drawn the audience that they were expected to, meaning that the crowds have gone back to familiar ground. The only movies that have been exceeding expectations have been the animated ones, like The Secret Life of Pets. All of these have helped to make 2016 a banner year so far, and the best seems yet to come.

An animated movie has been at the top of the box office for three straight weeks. Now, a new challenger comes along hoping to dethrone Finding Dory, while still keeping animation king. Last summer Minions became one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, now The Secret Life of Pets hopes that they can have a repeat performance for Illumination entertainment. Unfortunately, this time, they'll be without those little yellow merchandise machines, except in a short before the feature of course.

However, this is not a review of The Secret Life of Pets. We have one of those (read it here!). Instead, this is a review solely of the film's 3D performance. Maybe you've already decided that you want to check out a movie that includes Louis C.K. and Kevin Hart, but do you want to spend extra cash to see it 3D. Let's break it down.

Generally speaking, animated films are always a perfect fit for 3D treatment. The fact that they are drawn, rather than filmed, means that 3D work can be done as part of the filmmaking process, and there's no need to rely on clunky, and often imperfect, post-production 3D conversion. The setup, which puts small animals in the big city, offers numerous opportunities to show scale using 3D, there's every reason in the world to make The Secret Life of Pets a 3D film.

At this point, nobody goes to work on an animated feature without expecting to make it 3D. We're pretty sure the studio throws you out of the building if you suggest it. It's clear that The Secret Life of Pets was visually designed to be in 3D from day one. There are some special moments that only come through if you're seeing it in this format. However, in some cases, it feels like the 3D wasn't able to overcome some shortcomings in the source material.

So few 3D movies these days actually do anything with the space in the front of the screen. I'd honestly thought they'd forgotten how to do it. The Secret Life of Pets does not forget. There are only a couple of really strong before the window scenes, and unfortunately, they both come within a couple minutes of each other, but they're there, and that's something.

With a movie that takes place in the big city, animated or not, there should be some sweeping vistas of that city. While they're there, you never really get a chance to check them out. Most of this isn't the fault of the 3D so much as it is the fact that the movie shows you everything from pet level, but the 3D doesn't do anything with the space they do have. All the action is near the front of the frame and your eye is never drawn to anything in the background.

The natural dimness that 3D glasses bring with them can be a real problem if the image on the screen is not bright enough. Luckily, this is never really an issue with The Secret Life of Pets. Every animal is a different color, and each color pops on the screen, giving you nice bright characters on nice bright backgrounds. There's no trouble telling what's going on, even in the sewers.

The glasses off test allows you to see how much depth is really being created in your image. While there are some scenes that give you a vast amount of depth, and thus a solid amount of blur, since most of the film's action takes place front and center in the frame, there's no need for the 3D to work that, hard, but the end result is a 3D picture that doesn't look as good as it could.

3D can cause motion sickness in some viewers as it has to play with your eyes, which can send your whole body into a fairly confused state. None but the most sensitive to this need to worry about The Secret Life of Pets. There aren't any scenes that are particularly fast moving in a way that might send your stomach running for cover.

If you love yourself some 3D movies, then you'll find enough to enjoy out of The Secret Life of Pets. If you're a bit more guarded with how you spend your ticket money, then you won't be ill-used if you buy yourself a regular ticket, and spend the extra few bucks on a candy bar or a larger size of popcorn.

Continue to our Secret Life of Pets REVIEW >

2016 has been a great year for family films. While most of the credit goes to Disney for the epic Zootopia, the solid Finding Dory, and the enjoyable The BFG, there are other studios out there with stories to tell, and now one of them has the chance, as the people behind the Despicable Me movies have taken a Minions break to bring us The Secret Life of Pets.

The Secret Life of Pets poses the question that every pet owner has: just what exactly do they do when we're not around? According to the film, quite a bit actually. Pets focuses on Max a terrier, voiced by Louis C.K., owned by a young woman named Katie (Ellie Kemper). The two are inseparable and share a special bond, as people do with their pets, which is tested when Katie brings home a "brother" for Max, in the form of Duke (Eric Stonestreet), an oversized Mutt who throws a monkey wrench, intentionally or not, into the life that Max has created. Max decides he needs to get rid of this interloper, but Duke has no plans to return to the pound from which he came. The attempts by each to get rid of the other escalate until one day, a plot got awry leading to the two enemies being away from their friends and without their collars, which sets animal control on their tails, and the two must work together to get back home.

While the story is fairly paint-by-the-numbers, what makes The Secret Life of Pets entertaining throughout is its cast of characters. Along the way, Max and Duke meet The Flushed Pets, a radical sect of former pets who now live on their own in the sewers and plot the overthrow of all human owners. The leader of this little army is a cute little bunny rabbit, appropriately named Snowball, and contrastingly voiced by Kevin Hart. Not since Night of the Lepus has there been a more bloodthirsty bunny.

Every animal character in Pets is a new, fun, and unique part of the story. The ensemble is what will make or break Pets. The sheer volume of characters is massive. There are so many that sometimes it feels like the solution to every script writing complication was "make a new pet." For the most part, it works, as the characters are all fun, if mostly inconsequential, and Pets is smart enough to know which characters to keep around and which ones to jettison because five more minutes with them will have you climbing the drapes.

On the surface, The Secret Life of Pets is about two characters trying to find their way home, but as they say, it's not the destination that matters, it's the journey. The movie certainly believes this is true, as the destination often seems to get overlooked by most of the film in favor of wherever the journey has taken them. This results in some random story tangents that aren't there to do more than add a few jokes and pad the runtime.

Pets doesn't really fail at anything it does. The worst criticism that can be levied against it is that it doesn't try hard enough. The movie has heart in it, but not as much as other movies this year. It has humor, but nearly all the good stuff belongs to Kevin Hart. The animation is solid, but you'll only realize that on reflection because you won't notice it in during the story. None of these are major stumbling blocks and certainly, they won't be problems for the film's target audience of children.

Although, children are actually one of the more intriguing aspects of what the world of The Secret Life of Pets creates, because there are almost none in the movie. While only Max and Duke's owner Katie has a significant role among humans, one thing that is made clear is that all of our primary pet heroes are owned by adults without children. There's never a joke about a kid who squeezes the cat too hard. In fact, most of the pets clearly live lives of luxury, because their owners spend their disposable income on their dogs and not their kids.

Maybe this is the secret of The Secret Life of Pets. It puts itself out there as a movie for kids, but it's really a movie for people who see their pets as their kids. It's a large audience, to be sure, and one that's never had a movie made for them before.

The Secret Life of Pets is destined to be the "other" animated movie of 2016, the one you don't remember as well as everything else you've seen. Which is too bad, because it's still a solid movie, with fun to be had.

Both May and June have officially come to an end, but yet another big summer month is ahead of us in July. We have a smaller slate of flicks this time around with a couple of hard-partying bros who've met their match and what your pets do behind your back. We've got Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates and The Secret Life of Pets.

Let's Just remember, I'm not reviewing these movies, but rather predicting where they'll end up on the Tomatometer. Let's take a look at This Rotten Week has to offer.

Though it comes off at first as looking dangerously close to Wedding Crashers, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates does appear to have a theme of its own going for it. Namely, two hard-partying brothers, played by Zac Efron and Adam Devine, being shown up by two even harder-partying females. The theme of ever-increasing hijinks and shenanigans is a popular one for comedies as writers often think the laughs come from making shit crazier and crazier as the movie goes on. This can work, but does tend to go off the rails as well. I think this one works for the most part, but there are some concerns.

Zac Efron's actually been down this R-rated comedic road a couple of times. In Neighbors (73%), it works mostly because the laughs are fast and furious. But Dirty Grandpa (11%) missed considerably. The movies (and this one) are dissimilar in how they go about achieving their chuckles but illustrate the thin line between "LOL" and "Ugh". This film, I think, trends toward the positive. The trailer had plenty of laughs and director Jake Szymanski helmed the hilarious Andy Samberg tennis mockumentary 7 Days in Hell. It was ridiculous through and through, something Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates appears to be as well.

In The Secret Life of Pets, the latest movie from Minions creators Illumination Entertainment, we get a look into the world inhabited by pets when their owners leave the house. At first glance the premise is cute enough with plenty of opportunities for off-the-wall laughs and ridiculous goings-on behind the pet scene. I got a chuckle here and there for sure, even though I'm not really a pet dude.

The studio's had big financial success and above average critical praise with Despicable Me (1 and 2, 81% and 73%) Minions (55%) and The Lorax (54%). Chris Renaud directed all of them and he's back again here. Early reviews for The Secret Life of Pets are largely positive, with the film sitting at 83% and 30 reviews posted. I suspect it stays at that level.

I made three predictions last week and the three numbers 28%, 68% and 73% were very close to the actual scores of 35%, 54% and 71%. The problem was I flip-flopped the movies, so it turned out to be a disaster.

For starters, The Purge: Election Year (Predicted: 28% Actual: 54%) wildly outperformed the previous two films in the franchise. That's a rare thing for a third in a run to get markedly better (in the eyes of the critics), and it's super tough to see something like this coming. It's unclear if critics went in with a slightly different eye for the franchise, or if this one was simply a better film. I suspect the truth is somewhere in between. Whatever the reason, I blew this one bad.

Similarly, Legend of Tarzan (Predicted: 73% Actual: 35%) represented another wild swing and miss. I thought the visuals, cast and overall story line would carry the day here. Nope. Critics are crushing it with words like "silly", "muddled" and "dull". Not good for a flick looking to take itself pretty seriously which might have been the problem from the start. This is Tarzan after all and making a live action flick about a dude swinging on vines in the jungle has a lot of ways to go wrong. It looks like it did.

And finally, The BFG (Predicted: 68% Actual: 71%) was a win, though, I can't take full credit because a bunch of reviews were already in at time of post. It's funny when a 71% represents one of the lower scores for a director's career, but this is Spielberg we're talking about. The dude is a legend and this will end up being just another film for the guy. What a career.

Next time around we've got Ghostbusters and The Infiltrator. It's gonna be a Rotten Week!

With April coming to a close, the first movies of the summer blockbuster crop are about to drop for all to see. From Captain America: Civil War to Suicide Squad, the four months stretch between May and August is going to be jam packed with sure-fire hits, surprise successes, and die-hard flops! But out of all of the films vying for the attention of you, the moviegoer, which are the ones that seem to have the most buzz?

As always, Fandango has taken it upon themselves to poll a sample comprised of "thousands of moviegoers, and they’ve come back with the 15 most anticipated films of this summer. Breaking the competitors into three genres of film, Action, Family, and Comedy, the online movie ticket outlet has released the results publicly today, and it’s a mix of both surprises and shoo-ins. Join us as we run down the 15 most anticipated summer blockbusters, starting with the top 5 in the Action genre.

Action

1. Captain America: Civil War

Release Date: May 6th

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Captain America: Civil War is the top of the Action heap. With Marvel Studios flicks dishing out a healthy amount of explosions and stunt work, the clash between Team Cap and Team Iron Man is too big of a centerpiece to avoid this summer. Though even if this list wasn’t separated by genres, we have a feeling that this one would still be at the tip-top of the rankings.

2. Independence Day: Resurgence

Release Date: June 24

Admit it: you like it when they go for the monuments. That’s one of the big reasons we think audiences are ready to return to the world of Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi classic in Independence Day: Resurgence. With the aliens that tried to exterminate us two decades ago taking another crack at the bat, it’s a good thing Jeff Goldblum’s David Levinson is still part of the team. We don’t know if humanity can survive without his big brain and wise cracks in constant supply.

3. Jason Bourne

Release Date: July 29

Even before the unveiling of the film’s first full teaser, Jason Bourne seemed like a film destined for this list. With Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon returning as a sort of informal apology to fans for The Bourne Legacy, the fifth film in the Bourne franchise has been a long time coming. Nine years have stood between David Webb and the day he disappeared into the shadows, and it’s time for him to come back with a bang.

4. X-Men: Apocalypse

Release Date: May 27

The Bryan Singer era of X-Men ends with this summer’s X-Men: Apocalypse, and judging by the trailer for the third film in the "young X-Men" trilogy, it’s the mother of all finales. Jennifer Lawrence takes center stage, Oscar Issac is threatening as hell, and James McAvoy finally loses his hair. This is everything we’ve been waiting for since X-Men: First Class debuted back in 2011, and there’s no way anyone is going to miss it.

5. Suicide Squad

Release Date: August 5

Who would have thought that a DC Comics movie could look this fun? While the rest of the DC Cinematic Universe looks like an uber-serious meditation on absolute power corrupting absolutely, here comes Suicide Squad: the film that promises nothing but a non-stop good time. Between the action and comedy on display in every frame we’ve seen thus far, the only surprise we see here is the fact that this film wasn’t higher up on the list. Then again, August is still pretty far away, and the Joker can only do so much damage. Family

1. Finding Dory

Release Date: June 17th

As we move on to the more family oriented picks of summer 2016, there’s one character that nobody forgot to put on the top of their "to do" list. Finding Dory was the obviously dominant family pick, as adults and children alike are intrigued to see where their favorite forgetful fish is going to go on her next adventure. Then again, considering Pixar’s last film was The Good Dinosaur, everyone might just be excited to see a character they recognize leading the studio’s next film.

2. The Secret Life of Pets

Release Date: July 8

Just as Pixar has carved itself out a niche for family entertainment with heart and high art, Illumination Entertainment and Universal have made their home in the realm of non-stop laughter. When you see the trailer for The Secret Life of Pets, it’s easy to see the infectious energy that the studio loves to exhibit in its major franchise, Despicable Me. If all goes well enough, this could be another series that Illumination is keen to keep on revisiting for years to come.

3. Alice Through the Looking Glass

Release Date: May 27

You never forget your first time in Wonderland, but a second time is not always guaranteed. Alice Through The Looking Glass is one of those rare times audiences are being invited back into the world of the Red Queen, the Mad Hatter, and the Cheshire Cat - among others. While some may be drawn back for the comfort of old friends, others are more than likely returning to see the new villain, Time, challenge the strong and independent Alice to a game of wits. Either possibility spells good fortune for Disney.

4. Ice Age: Collision Course

Release Date: July 22

Scrat puts asses in seats. Say what you will about the core cast of the increasingly out there Ice Age franchise, but no matter what the latest story may be, Scrat is going to make people want to see it. Considering both Gravity and The Martian were used in the teaser campaign to lure folks to see Manny, Sid, and Diego continue to traipse about pre-history, it’s a fair bet that Scrat’s still got the magic touch.

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Release Date: June 3

Nostalgia is a pretty powerful connection between a fan and a property, and a prime example of that theory at work was the 2014 release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Since the first round was so successful, the studio has remained obliged to serve up a fresh pie of Turtle mayhem. That, and they’ve cast Arrow’s Stephen Amell to play Casey Jones, which should go over well with all of his fans. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows looks to be an even better Turtles experience for die-hard fans, and that investment could put them on track for a third film. Comedy

1. Ghostbusters

Release Date: July 15th

If the action movies didn’t bring you to the theaters, and the cartoons are a little under your age range, then comedy is the bracket you want to look into. And we start with a fresh / controversial pick, depending on who you are: Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters. Now we don’t have to go into the details of one of the hottest fandom feuds since "Is Star Wars: The Force Awakens a blatant rip off of A New Hope?" However, no matter what side you’re on, there’s a good chance you’ll be sitting in the theater to watch this one, no matter what.

2. Central Intelligence

Release Date: June 17

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kevin "The Mouth" Hart. It’s a team that harkens back to all of the classic comedy duos we’ve seen in the past, and Central Intelligence is planning to put that goodwill to good use. They’re already hot after hosting the MTV Movie Awards together, and now they’re planning to take the box office by storm. Central Intelligence looks like the epitome of fluffy, summer action-comedy.

3. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Release Date: May 20

Comedy sequels are fickle beasts, as what was funny two years ago might not still be funny today. Which makes a prospect like Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising all the more nerve-wracking when the trailer ends up looking good. Fingers crossed that Chloe Grace-Moretz and Zac Efron have a fight so wild, it’ll make Neighbors look like Ice Age: Collision Course. Of course, if the repeat of Seth Rogen’s airbag gag be more glorious than as seen in the trailers, then all is forgiven.

4. The Nice Guys

Release Date: May 20

Apparently 2016 is the year of the comedy team, as this is the fourth out of five entries teaming at least two heavy hitters together for a potential laugh riot. Though it’s fourth on the list of Fandango user preferences, we’re a little biased towards The Nice Guys, as Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling are a comedy dream team in and of themselves. But when you add writer/director Shane Black into the mix, that’s when you truly have our undivided attention.

5. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Release Date: July 8

We opened our list with a sure fire, and we close with as big of a wild card as they come. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is the most unknown quantity on this list, despite having an all-star central line-up of Adam Devine, Zac Efron, Aubrey Plaza, and Anna Kendrick. That said, who are we to ignore the powers of the Efron and Kendrick team-up, especially when flanked by Devine and Plaza? This could either go so very right, or so very wrong, but that’s what the summer movie season is about!

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The Super Bowl, annually, is a spot where major studios bring the best of their upcoming slates so that they can appeal to hundreds of millions of eyeballs all at once (while spending millions of dollars to do so). Last night was no exception, with massive summer tentpoles from Jason Bourne to X-Men: Apocalypse bringing visually stunning – albeit too brief – commercials to Super Bowl 50, hoping to steal focus from the game and, maybe, sell a ticket or two.

We have covered all of the Super Bowl trailers in detail, and you can hit up our News Index for the rundown of each spot. But before we move away from the marketing blitz surrounding the big game, these are the moments that made up put down our drinks, pause from the chips and dip, and stare at the screen with out mouths hanging open. They are the most badass images from the Super Bowl Movie Trailers, with an explanation why they caught our collective eye.

Team Cap

Captain America: Civil War looks very much like Avengers 2.5, as some members of the MCU have taken to calling it. And as we lead up to the May blockbuster, we have been wondering which heroes will fall on which side. Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) are going to be at odds over the Sokovia Accords, forcing existing Marvel heroes to choose a side. Well, on Sunday, we officially met Team Cap… with the surprising reveal of Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) on the screen! Here’s one side of the Civil War equation…

Team Iron Man

… And here’s the other side of the Marvel battle. Just as Captain America’s squad had a surprise face, Iron Man officially recruits Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) to his Civil War army. I guess I’m a little surprised that Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) chooses Tony Stark after her long association with Steve Rogers in the MCU. Vision and War Machine both owe their existences to Stark. Natasha, however, has various allegiances, and we’re destined to see her scrap with Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) with the War breaks out. Anyway, with no Spider-Man sighting, these two team shots were the most memorable reveals from the Civil War showing. Great stuff, Marvel!

Psylocke Slices A Car In Two

It’s always exciting to see a new hero leap from the pages of a comic book to the big screen. X-Men: Apocalypse is going to recycle a number of familiar mutant heroes, from Cyclops and Nightcrawler to Storm, but the blockbuster is giving us our first movie version of Psylocke, and Olivia Munn got a hell of an introduction in the Super Bowl spot. Somersaulting through the air, the mutant uses her signature sword to slice a flying car in half. Badass! Psylocke will serve as one of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) in Bryan Singer’s upcoming X-Men sequel, which is bad news for the students of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy).

Jason Bourne’s Single Punch

Jason Bourne has been away for several years, last starring in a Bourne adventure in 2007. The Super Bowl trailer for the upcoming Jason Bourne cut through any sort of sentimental nostalgia for the character by reminding us, immediately, what a badass he is. The one punch, delivered to the face of his opponent, sold me a ticket to this new Bourne movie. I don’t need to be shown anything else. Bringing director Paul Greengrass back into the fold alongside Matt Damon is a bonus. But fist-throwing Bourne is all I need for this sequel to fly.

Aliens Disrupt the Flyover

Speaking of "flying," Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day Resurgence is the only film yesterday that cleverly played off of the fact that it was airing DURING the Super Bowl, showing crowds in a stadium who are enjoying a flyover at a big game … only to have that flyover disrupted by alien warcraft! It was an awesome image, and one that jolted audiences into realizing we were in a futuristic world, one that only Emmerich could conceive. And that’s BEFORE the buildings start tumbling, in classic Roland fashion.

Krang!

Truth be told, we’re having a hard time getting fired up for the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. It looks an awful lot like the first one, and that one wasn’t great. So we perked up quite a bit when the Super Bowl trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows gave us our first glance at Krang, the iconic Turtles adversary who lives in the belly of his shell. All we really see if a grotesque eyeball staring back at the four shelled warriors. But the presence of Krang is enough to keep us interested in this sequel… for now.

The Cloverfield Monster... Right?

How will 10 Cloverfield Lane connect to the original Cloverfield? Will it, at all? It’s still very possible that this J.J. Abrams-produced mystery movie has nothing in common at all with Cloverfield outside of a now-marketable name. But if John Goodman is being overprotective because the monster from the first movie is terrorizing his home, then the above image might be our first glance at the trouble that’s about to reach his front door step.

Tony Catches a Bullet

I love this shot from the Civil War trailer because of the reaction on Robert Downey Jr.’s face. Tony Stark, over the years, has maintained a level of bravado that acts as a bit of a shield. But when the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) pulls the trigger, and Iron Man catches a bullet, Stark looks surprised. Stunned. As if the War has escalated to a point in where he wasn’t prepared to reach, and his life really is/was in danger. It’s a great sell by Downey, and it proves that the stakes are higher in this third Captain America movie than they probably have been in the past.

A Marvelous Team Up

I love this ad. Yes, it’s a Mini Coke can commercial, so it feels a little sell-out-ish. But because Marvel has left The Incredible Hulk on the shelf for the time being we have to take the scenes with the green giant any place we can get them. Couple that with the fact that we get to see Ant-Man (with Paul Rudd’s voice) interacting with an Avenger means that this Coke ad gives us a slight tease at the team ups that will come in Infinity War… in a few years. Make Mine Marvel!

A Blue Mystique Sighting

Jennifer Lawrence made headlines recently when she admitted to us in an exclusive interview that she would be blue in X-Men: Apocalypse, because that’s how we KNOW her character, Mystique, from the movies. Yet, early footage shown at both San Diego Comic Con and in theaters recently showed Lawrence in her, ahem, natural colors. With one quick Apocalypse choke, we see Mystique back in blue. And all is right with the mutant universe… for now.

Bourne’s Las Vegas Car Chase

Las Vegas doesn’t get used as a backdrop for action movies as often as you would assume. Maybe the overcrowded tourist destination presents too many logistics headaches for a film shoot, and so productions avoid it? Well, Sin City is going to host the third act of Jason Bourne, and Sunday’s Super Bowl spot gave us an all-too-brief glimpse at a car chase on the Strip. Actually, a car pile up, or vehicle carnage. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is going to cause problems in Nevada, and this clip teases what’s in store for later this summer. We can’t wait.

The Jungle Book Silhouettes

Jon Favreau’s commercial for his live-action The Jungle Book almost looked 3D, to the naked eye. Didn’t it? The images seemed to pop off the screen, and I loved the way Favreau pulled his lens back to give his sideways-shot silhouettes of the legendary Disney characters. I caught one of them, above, but there are a handful of gorgeous shots on the full Jungle Book tease, as well as great voice work by the very funny cast. Put this one on your calendar.

Death Metal Doggies

Outside of a Dorito’s commercial, the death-metal joke in the trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s The Secret Life of Pets made me laugh the hardest – and on a night where my hometown Carolina Panthers were shitting the bed, I needed a smile, badly. With the poodle standing by a stereo, you assumed there’d be a musical cue gag. I didn’t expect death metal, and that’s what made the joke work. I hope for more subversive humor from Pets, and with the voices of Louis CK and Kevin Hart, chances of big laughs are high.

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Despite the fact that Minions was a runaway hit at last year's box office, even the folks at Illumination Entertainment need a break from those mini, yellow funsters. That break comes in their latest project, this summer's The Secret Life of Pets, which just recently gave us a Super Bowl sized look at its comedic stylings. Watch the furry fun unload in the video below.

Through Illumination's own YouTube channel, the studio gave us a mostly familiar look at what to expect from The Secret Life of Pets. While no new details were given when it comes to the story of Universal's latest animated effort, we do see Louis C.K's Max bond a little more with his owner. It's not as exciting or flashy as the last trailer we got, featuring tons of action, as well as charming supporting characters like Kevin Hart's Snowball; but it's still a pretty cute distraction

Yet even if most of what was on display has already been seen by the public, there's one part of The Secret Life of Pets trailer that manages to not only be the standout gag, but also finds its way into each trailer we've seen for the film thus far. That gag is, naturally, that of Leonard the Poodle, and his gaggle of fellow punk rock aficionados. Much as the previous looks into the lives of house pets have ended, we close on the familiar tones of System Of A Down's "Bounce," with Leonard adopting his rock show stance, thrashing his head to the beat. While we might not see much action out of the pampered poodle in the actual film, it wouldn't be a surprise of Illumination Entertainment is trying to build the character as a potential vehicle for a spin-off and/or a series of shorts.

With Despicable Me 3 hitting theaters next June, and Minions 2 still awaiting a status update on its existence, it's only fair that Universal start building up further franchise opportunities with the animation studio that has treated them so well. The Secret Life of Pets looks like it could have some legs on it in this summer's box office market, so long as it can handle The BFG and Ice Age: Collision Course opening on either end of its release date. The animation market is going to be extremely competitive this summer, but if The Secret Life of Pets is anything like Despicable Me, the first film will find its way into the hearts and minds of the young ones sure enough.

The Secret Life of Pets will give you cause to install a WiFi food dish for your own fur babies, when it hits theaters on July 8th.

**UPDATE** With 2016 in the rearview window, it’s time for you to check out the always updated schedule for new movies in 2017!

2016 is loaded up with interesting and exciting films this year, including Captain America: Civil War, Ghostbusters, Suicide Squad, Finding Dory and the anticipated Star Wars spinoff, Rogue One. For those of you trying to keep all of the dates straight, here’s the rundown on what’s headed into theaters in 2016.

Dates and titles are subject to change. We'll do our best to keep this list updated with the most current information. We’re mainly focusing on wide releases here, but if there’s a 2016 movie you don’t see on the list, and want to know the date, drop it in the comments and we’ll do our best to dig up the info!

The Hateful Eight - January 1 (expanded release)

The Forest - Friday, January 8

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi - Friday, January 15

Norm of the North - Friday, January 15

Ride Along 2 - Friday, January 15

The 5th Wave - Friday, January 22

The Boy - Friday, January 22

Dirty Grandpa - Friday, January 22

Fifty Shades of Black - Friday, January 29

The Finest Hours - Friday, January 29

Jane Got a Gun - Friday, January 29

Kung Fu Panda 3 - Friday, January 29

The Choice - Friday, February 5

Hail, Caesar! - Friday, February 5

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Friday, February 5

Deadpool - Friday, February 12

How to Be Single - Friday, February 12

Zoolander 2 - Friday, February 12

Race - Friday, February 19

Risen - Friday, February 19

The Witch - Friday, February 19

Eddie the Eagle - Friday, February 26

Gods of Egypt - Friday, February 26

Triple 9 - Friday, February 26

Desert - Friday, March 4

London Has Fallen - Friday, March 4

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot - Friday, March 4

Zootopia - Friday, March 4

10 Cloverfield Lane - Friday, March 11

The Brothers Grimsby - Friday, March 11

Coco - Friday, March 11

The Other Side of the Door - Friday, March 11

The Perfect Match - Friday, March 11

The Young Messiah - Friday, March 11

Miracles from Heaven - Wednesday, March 16

The Bounce Back - Friday, March 18

The Divergent Series: Allegiant - Friday, March 18

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Friday, March 25

The Disappointments Room - Friday, March 25

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 - Friday, March 25

God’s Not Dead 2 - Friday, April 1

The Boss - Friday, April 8

Hardcore Henry - Friday, April 8

Barbershop: The Next Cut - Friday, April 15

Criminal - Friday, April 15

Everybody Wants Some - Friday, April 15

The Jungle Book - Friday, April 15

The Huntsman Winter’s War - Friday, April 22

Keanu - Friday, April 22

Elvis & Nixon - Friday, April 22

Mother’s Day - Friday, April 29

Ratchet & Clank - Friday, April 29

Same Kind of Different as Me - Friday, April 29

Captain America: Civil War - Friday, May 6

Going in Style - Friday, May 6

The Darkness - Friday, May 13

Free State of Jones - Friday, May 13

Money Monster - Friday, May 13

The Angry Birds Movie - Friday, May 20

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising - Friday, May 20

The Nice Guys - Friday, May 20

Alice Through the Looking Glass - Friday, May 27

X-Men: Apocalypse - Friday, May 27

Me Before You - Friday, June 3

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows - Friday, June 3

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping - Friday, June 3

The Conjuring 2 - Friday, June 10

Now You See Me 2 - Friday, June 10

Warcraft - Friday, June 10

Central Intelligence - Friday, June 17

Finding Dory - Friday, June 17

Independence Day: Resurgence - Friday, June 24

The Shallows - Wednesday, June 29

The BFG - Friday, July 1

The Legend of Tarzan - Friday, July 1

The Purge 3 - Friday, July 1 (Purge: Election Year Trailer)

Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates - Friday, July 8

The Secret Life of Pets - Friday, July 8

The Infiltrator - Wednesday, July 13

Ghostbusters - Friday, July 15

La La Land - Friday, July 15

Ice Age: Collision Course - Friday, July 22

Lights Out - Friday, July 22

Star Trek Beyond - Friday, July 22

Nerve - Friday, July 29

Bad Moms - Friday, July 29

Jason Bourne - Friday, July 29 (New Jason Bourne Trailer)

Nine Lives - Friday, August 5

Suicide Squad - Friday, August 5 (Suicide Squad Trailer)

Pete’s Dragon - Friday, August 12 (Watch the trailer.)

Florence Foster Jenkins - Friday, August 12

Sausage Party - Friday, August 12

Spectral - Friday, August 12

Ben Hur - Friday, August 19

Kubo and the Two Strings - Friday, August 19

War Dogs - Friday, August 19

Don't Breathe (Formerly titled A Man in the Dark)- Friday, August 26

Mechanic Resurrection - Friday, August 26

Hands of Stone - Friday, August 26

Solace - Friday, September 2

Morgan - Friday, September 2

The Light Between Oceans - Friday, September 2

Sully - Friday, September 9

Before I Wake - Friday, September 9

The Wild Life - Friday, September 9

When the Bough Breaks - Friday, September 9

Snowden - Friday, September 16

Blair Witch - Friday, September 16

Bridget Jones's Baby - Friday, September 16

Hillsong - Let Hope Rise - Friday, September 16

The Magnificent Seven - Friday, September 23

Storks - Friday, September 23

Deepwater Horizon - Friday, September 30

Masterminds - Friday, September 30

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Friday, September 30

The Girl on the Train - Friday, October 7

The Birth of a Nation - Friday, October 7

Friend Request - Friday, October 7

Middle School: The Worst Years of my Life - Friday, October 7

The Accountant - Friday, October 14 (The Accountant Trailer.)

Kevin Hart: What Now? - Friday, October 14

Max Steel - Friday, October 14

A Monster Calls - Friday, October 21

Boo! A Madea Halloween - Friday, October 21

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back - Friday, October 21

Ouija 2 - Friday, October 21

Keeping Up with the Joneses - Friday, October 21

I Am Ashamed - Friday, October 21

Inferno - Friday, October 28

Doctor Strange - Friday, November 4

Trolls - Friday, November 4

Hacksaw Ridge - Friday, November 4

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk - Friday, November 11 (Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Trailer)

Shut In - Friday, November 11

Almost Christmas - Friday, November 11

Arrival - Friday, November 11

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them - Friday, November 18

The Edge of Seventeen - Friday, November 18

Bad Santa 2 - Wednesday, November 23

Allied - Wednesday, November 23

Moana - Wednesday, November 23 (Moana Trailer)

Rules Don't Apply - Wednesday, November 23

Jackie - Friday, December 2

The Eyes of My Mother - Friday, December 2

Incarnate - Friday, December 2

La La Land - Friday, December 9

The Bounce Back - Friday, December 9

Office Christmas Party - Friday, December 9

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Friday, December 16

Collateral Beauty - Friday, December 16

Assassin’s Creed - Wednesday, December 21 (Assassin's Creed Trailer)

Passengers - Wednesday, December 21

Patriots Day - Wednesday, December 21

Sing - Wednesday, December 21

The Space Between Us - Wednesday, December 21

Why Him? - Friday, December 23

A Monster Calls - Friday, December 23

Silence - Friday, December 23

Fences - Wednesday, December 28

20th Century Women - Wednesday, December 28

Hidden Figures - Wednesday, December 28

Live By Night - Wednesday, December 28

Which 2016 movies should you still be looking forward to? We break down the most anticipated movies of (the rest of) the year next...

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Much in the same way that Toy Story taught us what our toys get up to when we have our backs turned, The Secret Life Of Pets plans to showcase what our housebound critters partake in as soon as we leave the house. It turns out that the cats, dogs, birds, and any other beast that you have locked away in your abode make the home their own as soon as the door closes. You can see exactly what they get up to thanks to the first trailer for The Secret Life Of Pets.

I’ll tell you what, there were an awful lot of adorable pets to behold in that two-and-a-half-minute spell. Even though, admittedly, it looks overly cartoony and childish, there was enough cuteness and humor in the teaser trailer to suggest that The Secret Life Of Pets could be worthwhile.

I mean the sight gag of the cat repeatedly opening up the fridge and giving off different reactions as he contemplated eating the chicken certainly worked. In fact, it was topped by the shot of the cake on the bottom shelf after she’d eaten it. Plus, the dog getting a massage from an electric whisk, while incredibly unhygienic, was a joy to see, as was the revelation that the poodle preferred rocking out to some heavy metal instead of listening to classical music.

All of these cutesy quips suggest that The Secret Life Of Pets will be a bright, fun, and energetic addition to the animation genre. If you agree, your excitement for the project will only increase tenfold once you learn of the film’s esteemed cast. Taking the leading vocal role in the film is non-other than comedy sensation, television innovator, and all-round adorable misanthrope Louis CK. I’m guessing that certainly piqued the interest of some of you naysayers out there.

Louis CK voices Max, a terrier who adores his easy life in a Manhattan apartment, where he is the favorite pet of his owner. However, Max’s life is flipped upside down when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). But they have to put their differences aside when they learn that Kevin Hart’s Snowball, an adorable white bunny, plans to take revenge on pets that have happy lives, and he’s amassed an army of abandoned animals to help him. Yeah, I know, it’s ripping off Toy Story in pretty much every way imaginable, but at least they’re stealing from the best.

Joining Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, and Kevin Hart, which is already a sensational trifecta, The Secret Life Of Pets is a cavalcade of impressive comedic talent. There’s acclaimed stand-up and Broad City star Hannibal Burress, Saturday Night Live’s Bobby Moynihan, In A World’s Lake Bell, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Ellie Keeper, Obvious Child’s Jenny Slate, Wayne’s World’s Dana Carvey, and the comedy hero that is Albert Brooks (Finding Nemo). It remains to be seen if this esteemed cast will be given the platform to showcase their undeniable comedic gifts, but if they are, I’ll be first in line when The Secret Life Of Pets is released on July 8, 2016.

It used to be that actors did animated films because that was the only work they were typically hired for. All of that changed once Robin Williams let the proverbial genie out of the bottle with his performance in Disney's classic Aladdin, and nowadays animated films are normally stuffed with heavyweight Hollywood names. In the case of The Secret Life Of Pets, Louis CK and Kevin Hart are the anchors, and they've got some interesting back up checking off all of the other boxes.

Courtesy of a report from The Hollywood Reporter, we learned that the recently rescheduled Universal Studios project is not only another one that sees them teaming up with animation studio Illumination Entertainment, it's also attracted the comedic likes of Eric Stonestreet, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, and Jenny Slate for starters. As if that wasn't impressive enough, fellow laugh makers Lake Bell and Hannibal Buress have roles in The Secret Life Of Pets as well. But the MVP of the back bench line up happens to be someone with a little bit of experience with animated films, as well as Academy Award nominations: legendary comedian, and star of Finding Nemo, and its sequel, Finding Dory, Albert Brooks.

The Secret Life Of Pets is about, "the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day." In other words, Illumination Entertainment is going back to the old animation well with a movie about objects or organisms that don't normally talk... except when we're not around. Considering the project is being crafted by key members of the same team that made Despicable Me a smash hit back in 2010, there's a good chance this film can overcome the rather overdone plot and become a movie that should stand with its more Minion-heavy compatriots. Considering how original Despicable Me's logline sounded before anyone even caught a glimpse of it, perhaps it's not as easy to judge this one by its concept alone.

Still, animated films are becoming as competitive as blockbuster franchises and tween book phenomenons. Standing shoulder to shoulder with those equally successful genres is no easy feat, and The Secret Life Of Pets will face off against one of the two as it is opening on the same crowded summer day as Star Trek 3. The best chance this film has is the fact that both Louis CK and Kevin Hart are pretty big in the comedy world at this point in time. Hart will draw in the bigger box office crowd at large, while Louis CK stands to reel in the more cynical audience that enjoys his work no matter what the medium. Even with a cast stuffed with funny talent, it won't be a big surprise if we see this project tear a page out of the Dreamworks Animation playbook and shift its release to a date more friendly for potential new properties.

For the moment, The Secret Life Of Pets will be revealed on July 8, 2016. All we're saying is if we were betting people, we'd put a little money on this one changing its plans at least once.