101 Dalmatians (1996)

What makes 101 Dalmatians (1996) such a treat is how it turns a familiar fairy-tale setup into a lively, real-world romp powered by actual dogs, genuine warmth, and one gloriously unhinged performance. Glenn Close’s Cruella de Vil isn’t just a villain; she’s a full-blown fashion-world hurricane—funny, frightening, and impossible to look away from—while Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson keep the human side grounded and sweet. The vibe is brisk, bright, and cheerfully chaotic, with slapstick escapes and puppy pandemonium that feel tailor-made for a family movie night. It does flirt with darker stakes (the whole fur-coat obsession is as nasty as it sounds), so it may not suit very sensitive kids, but if you want a charming comedy with big personality and peak puppy charisma, it more than earns its spots.

This live-action remake is clearly trying to bottle the breezy charm of the animated original with bigger physical comedy, a real-world London, and a more heightened, theatrical villain. Glenn Close commits hard as Cruella and she’s easily the main reason to watch, but everything around her can feel like a noisy chase sequence stretched thin, with slapstick that lands more bluntly than clever. If you’re expecting the warmth, wit, and personality that talking animals bring to the cartoon, the choice to keep the dogs mostly non-verbal may make the story feel oddly flat and less magical. It’s fine for kids who just want puppies, pratfalls, and a simple good-vs-evil romp, but adults nostalgic for the animated version may find it more hectic than charming.