Film
The Snowman and the Snowdog
A gentle 24-minute animated sequel to Raymond Briggs's beloved *The Snowman*, bringing back the wordless charm and hand-drawn warmth of the original. A boy and his new snowdog companion embark on a magical Christmas adventure, capturing that specific ache of winter childhood—wonder mixed with quiet loneliness. For anyone who treasures nostalgia without sentimentality.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you loved the hushed, wordless wonder of the original and want a gentle sequel that trusts a child's imagination, with a dog-shaped snowman doing the heavy lifting.
Skip it if you want dialogue, plot turns or a brisk story; this is quiet, mostly silent, and happy to let a single small wintry idea unfold at its own unhurried pace.
What it asks of you: Twenty-four minutes of patience with silence and slow drawn-out moments, then it is gone; it asks you to stay still and look rather than be entertained.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Snowman1982
The original masterpiece: wordless, perfectly paced, achingly beautiful. If you loved the sequel, the source material is essential—it's where the magic began, and it holds up completely.
But Only 26 minutes long, and entirely without dialogue. Some find the brevity disappointing or the quietness unsettling rather than meditative.
Paddington2014
Same warmth, same generosity of spirit, but with dialogue and a fuller story. A lonely creature finding belonging in a family. Beautifully animated, genuinely funny, made with obvious love for its source material.
But Longer and busier than *Snowman*—if you prefer the stillness and simplicity of shorter work, this might feel overstuffed.
The Tale of Despereaux2008
Hand-drawn fantasy animation about an outsider mouse finding his place. Melancholic and whimsical in equal measure, with a narrator who guides you through the story like a bedtime tale.
But The animation is lovely but uneven. The pacing drags in places, and some viewers find the emotional beats saccharine rather than earned.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Snowman and the Snowdog
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Turn of the Screw2009
Both feature a child's solitary imagination and a visitor (snowdog, ghost) that may or may not be real. Both understand that childhood magic and childhood horror are neighbors.
A ghost story told by a children's illustrator (adapted from Henry James). Live-action, intimate, genuinely unsettling. Uses the visual language of children's literature to ask what happens when innocence confronts something unknowable.
But Bleak and slow. This is not comfort viewing—it's winter and dread, not winter and wonder. The ambiguity about what's real will frustrate anyone wanting answers.
More like this (7)
Arthur Christmas2011
A Christmas film about an anxious boy proving himself, animated with genuine care. Cosy without being cloying, funny without being frantic. Perfect for that specific December mood.
But The premise—Santa's high-tech operation—feels busy and conceptually overstuffed for what should be a simple story.
Coco2017
Pixar at its most emotionally intelligent: a boy, a magical journey, and the ache of missing someone. Visually gorgeous, structurally sophisticated, genuinely moving without ever feeling manipulative.
But Nearly two hours, and quite complex plot-wise. Demands more emotional labour than *Snowman*, which some prefer to save for when you're ready for it.
The NeverEnding Story1984
A boy disappears into a magical book. Practical effects and puppetry give it a tactile, dreamlike quality that CGI struggles to match. Genuinely strange and wondrous, not trying to be safe.
But Slow-paced by modern standards and quite dark in places. The production design is deliberately artificial, which some find dated rather than charming.
A Christmas Story1983
Nostalgic without being saccharine, funny without being mean. A boy's winter obsession told with real affection for childhood logic. Endlessly rewatchable.
But Aggressively American in its sensibility and humour. If you're not already nostalgic for that specific 1940s Midwest Christmas, it might feel mannered.
Spirited Away2001
A girl in a magical world learning to survive and help others. Hand-drawn, lush, genuinely enchanting. Miyazaki proves animation can achieve profound beauty without sentimentality.
But Subtitled, quite long (two hours), and structurally unconventional. The pacing and logic are dreamlike—which is the point, but not for everyone.
Klaus2019
A young postman and a reclusive woodcarver in a frozen town. Stunning animation that mimics oil painting. Surprisingly generous-hearted about human connection and loneliness.
But The animation technique, though beautiful, can feel precious. And the heartwarming message is delivered quite deliberately—no ambiguity, which some find heavy-handed.
Le Samouraï1967
Both are wordless or nearly wordless meditations on solitude and grace. Both prove that animation or cinema can work as pure visual poetry, trusting the image to carry everything.
A Japanese hitman in Paris. Monochrome, minimal, hypnotic. Every frame is composed like a photograph. Plot barely matters—you're watching a man move through a world of pure style and loneliness, speaking almost never.
But Glacial pacing, virtually no dialogue, oblique plotting. This is the opposite of a narrative film. If you need things explained or want character development, this will feel like punishment.
People
Directing
- Robin ShawAssistant Director
- Hilary AudusDirector
Writing
- Raymond BriggsCharacters
- Hilary AudusWriter
- Joanna HarrisonWriter
Production
- Camilla DeakinProducer
- John CoatesProducer
- Ruth FieldingProducer