Alpha
Separated from his tribe during a buffalo hunt, a young caveman, Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee), must fend for himself, thwart off enemies, and find his way home– a quest that will ultimately result in the first symbiotic relationship between humans and canines; but, with winter coming will the two make it back to safety before the frozen earth saps them of their life force? 
Written by Daniele Sebastian Wiedenhaupt and Directed by Albert Hughes this rudimentary “Hero’s Quest” begins with a rather slow first act but does manage to pick up steam by its midway point to carry the audience through, what feels like, every possible natural disaster. Seamlessly blending CGI and cinematography this is an experience that will probably translate best on the big screen; and, even though the audience is spoon fed a checklist of well known dog tricks and behaviors, there’s still a certain overall charm that’s hard to deny. From an acting standpoint Smit-McPhee effectively jumps through all the hoops to sell the drama as believable, the rest of the ensemble fall right in line. Dog lovers, here’s your anthropomorphized bone for the year, enjoy, just don’t expect to remember much about the experience after the fact. Alpha is rated PG-13.