“Good Boy”: When your dog stars in a horror movie, take cues from “The Shining”

Has your dog or cat ever stared intently into the corner . . . at nothing?

That’s the crux of horror flick “Good Boy,” in which Indy the retriever detects a baleful force that his human can’t see. With a magnetic presence on par with scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis‘ and soulful eyes rivaling Anya Taylor-Joy‘s, Indy infuses the supernatural thriller with an emotional resonance that will make viewers sit up.

In the film, city dog Indy accompanies best friend Todd (Shane Jensen) to the country where they hole up a creepy house that once belonged to Todd’s now-deceased grandfather (Larry Fessenden). While a host of intriguing news smells ranging from fallen logs and hidden foxes delight Indy’s nose, he also senses something strange and malevolent in the house that threatens to take over Todd.