6. Air Bud (1997)
The dumb premise: When a young boy moves to a new town, he meets a dog with an uncanny talent for basketball. The dog joins the school team, but his former owner – an abusive alcoholic clown – comes to take him back to the circus. The school janitor is also inexplicably a retired basketball pro.
Air Bud is classic feel-good family viewing. Of course, the ridiculousness of its premise is obvious – dogs can’t really play basketball like that. Still, Air Bud turned a profit at the box office and remains popular decades after its release.
Did it work? Yes, surprisingly. With an outstandingly talented canine star and a very capable young Kevin Zegers starring, Air Bud really is thoroughly enjoyable. Of course, it doesn’t escape its own silliness, but as a family film, it doesn’t really need to.