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If the day involves cocktails, books, and dogs, count me in.

It’s a rainy Sunday today, and Beckham and I are planning to curl up on the sofa to watch a classic Dog Movie and plan our next party.  National Book Lovers Day is August 9^th, and we’ve decided to plan a movie marathon party for our friends and their pups with classic Dog Movies based on classic Dog Books.

Lights, camera, action – let’s get this party started!

8 Classic Dog Movies based on Classic Dog Books

Marley and Me (2008)

Based on the book by John Grogan, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Anniston play the human stars in this movie, who adopt Marley, who is a yellow Lab puppy, after they marry and move to Florida.  The movie follows John and Jenny through the ups and downs of life with Marley showing that humans aren’t the only creatures capable of empathy and love. Click on picture to purchase.

101 Dalmatians (1996)

The Hundred and One Dalmatians is a 1956 children’s book by Dodie Smith about the kidnapping of a family of Dalmatian puppies.  It was made into a Disney animated movie, but then also done as a live-action movie in 1996, starring Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil.  Cruella is a black-and-white haired fashion designer who wants to use the spotted skins of the Dalmatian puppies to make a new coat.  Available on Amazon Prime Video. Click on picture to purchase.

Must Love Dogs (2005)

Must Love Dogs is a romantic comedy starring Diane Lane, who is a single woman whose friends push her into dating by setting up an online dating profile for her that includes the requirements “must love dogs.”  John Cusack has friends who also want him to start dating again, so one of them sets up a meeting after seeing her profile.  The movie is based on a 2002 book of the same name written by Claire Cook, who later wrote a series of books based on the characters. Click on picture to purchase.

Lassie Come Home (1943)

There is no dog movie more classic than Lassie Come Home with the 1943 version considered the best of the Lassie movies.  A family is forced to sell their dog for financial reasons, but the new owners can see that Lassie misses his former family and allows the dog to escape and find his way home.  The granddaughter of the new owner is played by Elizabeth Taylor.  The book Lassie Come-Home was written by Eric Knight, who introduced the character of Lassie to the public in a magazine story published in 1940.  A remake of Lassie was released in 2005. Click on picture to purchase.

A Dog’s Purpose (2017)

Based on a novel by W. Bruce Cameron, this movie stars Dennis Quaid and is a fantasy film based on a spirit that continually reincarnates into various dogs over the course of five generations.  Through these different lifetimes, the spirit learns that his life’s purpose is to find people to love and to live in the moment.  Yes, a guaranteed tear-jerker. Click on picture to purchase.

 

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

Before the Burnfords head out for their family vacation in San Francisco, they drop off their two dogs and cat at a friend’s ranch.  But Golden Retriever Shadow, American Bulldog Chance, and Cat Sassy falsely believe that their family is abandoning them.  So they decide to escape so they can search for their family.  The movie is based on the novel “The Incredible Journey” by Sheila Burnford, and this version is a remake of the 1963 film, which was also released by Disney. Click on picture to purchase.

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

This is a Disney animated classic, which is a tale of unlikely romance.  The local animal pound tries to catch and lock up the once-spoiled Cocker Spaniel, Lady, but she is rescued by a street-smart mutt named Tramp.  They fall in love and return to Lady’s home, where she discovers her human family to be ecstatic that she is home with a new friend.  The movie is based on a magazine story in 1945 called “Happy Dan, The Cynical Dog,” by Ward Greene. Click on picture to purchase.

My Dog Skip (2000)

In the small town of Yazoo, shy Willie, who is played by Frankie Muniz, struggles to make friends and finds his loneliness unbearable.  His parents, who are played by Diane Lane and Kevin Bacon, get him a Jack Russell Terrier named Skip for his birthday.  Skip changes Willie’s life for the better, and the movie shows the two friends growing up together.  The movie is based on the autobiographical book written by Willie Morris. Click on picture to purchase.

 

 

Strawberry Peach Bellini & Popcorn 

Nothing pairs better with a movie than popcorn and a cocktail.  We’ve come up with a Classic Cocktail recipe that will have you craving  the combination of caramel and cheese popcorn and a Strawberry Peach Bellini.  Treat your People Guests to a popcorn bar with fun flavors such as honey butter kettle corn and buffalo cheddar popcorn.

 

Strawberry Peach Bellini 

Ingredients

• Strawberry sugar – blend white sugar and freeze-dried strawberries together in a food processor
• Prosecco
• ¼ cup frozen peaches
• ¼ cup frozen strawberries
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup

Directions

• Wet the rim of a champagne glass and roll in strawberry sugar until coated.
• Combine frozen peaches and strawberries in a blender with simple syrup and blend until smooth.
• Spoon a few tablespoons of the strawberry-peach puree into a glass and top with prosecco before serving
  

  Pupcorn Balls — Gourmet Pup Treat 

  Everyone believes that movies are always best with a giant bowl of popcorn – and your dog definitely does not want to be left out of the fun.  Popcorn is healthy for your dog and is low on calories as long as it is prepared in an all-natural way.  Skip the buttered popcorn for your pup and instead make him a batch of these Pupcorn Balls, which are dog-friendly and delicious.

  Ingredients

  • ½ cup of peanut butter
  • ½ cup of natural stovetop popcorn
  • 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon of all-natural honey

  Directions

  • Pop the kernels in oil on stovetop.
  • Mix in the rest of the ingredients until the popcorn is fully coated.
  • Use a tablespoon to form the popcorn into small balls on waxed paper.
  • Add more honey if needed to hold the balls together.
  • Allow the popcorn balls to set.

  

   

  Books & Movies are Magic 

  Grab your puppy by the paw and make time to have fun every day of your life.

  Your life – and your personal book and movie – will be magical with your Dog Star by your side in every adventure that comes your way.