(c) Disney
As a fan of the space program, scifi flicks and a dog lover, I decided to finally check out the Disney “buddies” in their latest film “Space Buddies.” I’ll admit that within the first few minutes of the film I fell in love with the adorable litter of Golden Retriever pups. Each puppy has a designated personality and through subtle costuming we’re able to keep the otherwise identical appearing cuddly critters separate.
I was surprised by how much of a kids movie “Space Buddies” is as opposed to other films by Disney that I’d describe as family fare. It featured a much more simplistic plot than I had anticipated. “Space Buddies” seems to be geared for a young audience, perhaps 3 – 9 year olds. There are lengthy sequences of puppies floating about the space ship cabin, walking on the moon and simply looking adorable. There are moments in the film where the buddies safety is threatened but unlike most other dog movies it never rose to the point of invoking tears which I appreciated.
I enjoyed DisneyPedia: The Buddies Guide To Space Travel. Not only do the Space Buddies teach viewers about space in this dvd bonus feature but they also host a bit of a behind the scenes look at how the movie magic is created while staying in character. The buddies talk about creating the film in the same way as a human actor would while they explain techniques like green screen filming and wire work that brought the space travel elements to life in the movie. It would be a great introduction for youngsters and reminded me of my trips to Universal Studios when I was little and learned about movie magic. I was disappointed by the bloopers portion. It just wasn’t as cute as I’d expected given that the main stars were puppies.
Overall “Space Buddies” was entertaining film with adorable puppy stars. If you have a young child or grandchild it isn’t a difficult film to sit through but isn’t as engaging for older viewers as other Disney fare.