The Adventures of Milo and Otis

Milo, an orange cat born on a farm, and Otis, a pug puppy, become friends. One day Milo is carried off downstream inside a box and Otis sets out to find him, and from there the film is a journey across river, forest, sea and snow. Masanori Hata shot it over four years and used no human actors, carrying the story entirely with narration. Allegations that animals were harmed during production were raised in particular by animal rights groups in Australia, which called for a boycott; investigations did not substantiate the claims, but the argument has stuck to the film's name. It was among the most watched domestic productions in Japan of its moment. Who it is for: viewers who like animal stories and nature photography. Who it is not for: anyone unable to set aside the question of how animals were worked in dangerous scenes.