The Filmscape Reverie

By: Maria Cieslarczyk

Ready to be hounded about my new favorite horror film of the season?

Although the ‘ber months do make me want to curl up as a human burrito under a cozy mountain of blankets, one thing that does wake me up is (you guessed it!) the reemergence of scary movies. Horror as a genre never gets old. Each year, I only become more of a fanatic for its diversity – from your cult classics to your dark re-tellings and favorite scream-queen films.

This year, I already discovered my new favorite horror film of the season. While The Conjuring series does have a special place in my chest of spooky picks, it’s the indie film Good Boy (2025) that has stolen my heart (and my screams) this year.

Why? Well, the answer is simple: there’s a dog.

And not just any dog…Indy is one of the cutest dogs I’ve ever seen. What makes him even more impressive is that he is not a trained animal actor, but rather, the writer and director’s very own pet pooch!

Good Boy (2025) is an horror-thriller film, written and directed by Ben Leonberg. I absolutely love that it is an original story that is told from the perspective of a smart and loyal dog, Indy. When his sick owner moves into a haunted farmhouse in the woods, Indy notices strange entities threatening Todd. To protect the one he loves most, Indy must fight back against terrifying supernatural forces.

Disclaimer: the director confirmed that the dog does NOT die at the end of the movie, so you have nothing to worry about (at least in that regard!)

Rated an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is easy to see why audiences enjoy the film…especially those of us who are dog lovers and pet owners. There are haunting elements of mystery and suspense. We watch as Indy settles into Todd’s deceased grandfather’s rustic house…where the grandfather’s own dog, a golden retriever, went missing shortly after his death.

My favorite part of the film (besides the great jump-scares that had me gripping onto my popcorn and kicking my feet!) was witnessing how loving and loyal Indy continued to be, even after Todd changed. A dog’s bravery goes a long way. It pulled at my heartstrings to see this on the big screen!

At the end of the film, the director explained the techniques used to create the movie, especially since it is his own dog Indy that is the star. As an untrained dog actor, Indy does not know he is in a film, which makes his reactions that much more incredible. It took three years for them to create this movie, as they filmed it in their own home. Leonberg noted that Indy was perfect for the film due to his natural thoughtful expression.

From an editing standpoint, Leonberg shared that they used a lot of juxtaposition. They’d cut from one scene to another to convey an emotion of mystery and suspense. Therefore, a lot of what makes this movie “scary” is the audience’s own interpretation. I appreciated the shadow work and lighting used throughout the film to convey the intensity of these supernatural forces.

I will confess, a huge reason why I wanted to watch this film is because Indy looks a lot like my own dog, Tucker. As many of you lovely readers know, Tucker is a rescue and is a Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Many of Tucker’s mannerisms and breed traits mirror that of his famous cousin, Indy. It was so cool to see Indy star in the film, as my personal connection to being a dog owner made the movie-going experience all the more exciting. Tucker is also highly emotionally intelligent, so I always feel like he can understand how I’m feeling…much like the audience believes that Indy can.

So….why is this film worth seeing?

The answer is simple: dogs are innocent. They are intelligent creatures and more than anything, their loyalty and love is unwavering. That’s why this cinematic choice to tell the story from Indy the dog’s perspective makes the film that much more haunting. Indy may not know exactly what is happening to his owner, but he will stop at nothing to continue to be man’s best friend.

Good Boy is in theaters now. Trust me…you’ll paw-sitively enjoy this new horror film!