neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Good Boy!
	John Hoffman Liam Aiken, Molly Shannon, Kevin Nealon, Matthew Broderick, Vanessa Redgrave, Brittany Murphy, Carl Reiner, Cheech Marin, Delta Burke, Donald Faison 2003		Hollywood literally goes to the dogs with "Good Boy!" — a cloying, fatiguing, cheesy-special-effects-laden sci-fi comedy about a fuzzy wittle doggie from outer space who crash-lands on Earth. Voiced by Matthew Broderick, the alien pup, nicknamed Hubble, is an emissary from an intelligent canine society dwelling in the Sirius sun system. That's Sirius, AKA the Dog Star. (We get it.) Hubble has to evaluate the development of canines sent here to colonize the planet millennia ago. If he sees that Earth dogs are subservient to humans, they'll be forced to return to Sirius for re-education, leaving our world dawg-less! An animal-loving 12-year-old boy named Owen (Liam Aiken) accidentally gains the power to understand dog-speak and befriends Hubble. It's up to Owen and his neighbors' pets to convince wary Hubble to save the pooches from galactic exile. "Saturday Night Live" alums Molly Shannon and Kevin Nealon play Owen's parents; Vanessa Redgrave, Brittany Murphy and Carl Reiner are among the dog vocalizers. One would call this extremely derivative unless one had never seen "E.T.," "Look Who's Talking" or "Lilo & Stitch." Meant for family viewing, it's only suited to easily distracted juniors. "Good Boy!" = Bad movie.