Monday's At The Movies - Hotel for Dogs & Nancy Drew

We ended up having a family movie weekend watching dvds.

Hotel for Dogs
Starring: Emma Roberts, Lisa Kudrow, Don Cheadle, Jake T. Austin
Director: Thor Freudenthal
Genre: Comedy, Family
Year: 2009
Summary from Netflix
Placed in a foster home that doesn't allow pets, 16-year-old Andi (Emma Roberts) and her younger brother, Bruce (Jake T. Austin), turn an abandoned hotel into a home for their dog. Soon other strays arrive, and the hotel becomes a haven for every orphaned canine in town. But they have to do some quick thinking to keep the cops off their tails. Based on a novel by Lois Duncan.

This was delightful fun family movie. It opens with a little terrier type dog walking the streets in search of food. I mention this sequence as it is told from the point of view of the dog, which was a fun way to introduce the movie. Food is what eventually lands Friday into trouble with the law and he is taken to the pound. Andi and Bruce realise that looking after Friday is going to be much more difficult in an inner city apartment building then previously. They discover the abandoned hotel that is occupied with two other dogs and the siblings decide to look after the dogs there.

There is something here for young and old. The inventions that Bruce creates are fantastic and ingenous. Most provide a big chunk of the comedy as you watch the dogs interact with the inventions. The dogs naturally steal the show with Georgia in particular being our comdey favorite.

Emma Roberts has the potential to be a really interesting actress and I'll be interested to see which way her career goes.

Rating 4 out of 5 popcorns

Nancy Drew
Starring: Emma Roberts, Rachael Leigh Cook, Tate Donovan
Director: Andrew Fleming
Genre: Children & Family
Year: 2007
Summary from Netflix
Intrepid teen private eye Nancy Drew (Emma Roberts) investigates a Tinseltown murder in this mystery based on Carolyn Keene's popular book series. Nancy heads to Los Angeles with her father (Tate Donovan), where she uncovers new clues to the unsolved murder of a movie star. Can the small-town girl cut through the Hollywood hype to solve the case?

I have never read the Nancy Drew books so can not compare with the beloved book series. However for what I could see they seemed to keep the character Nancy close to the book. How can I say that? well when Nancy was going through her slueth kit she says she has a fountain pen. How many modern kids would even know what a fountain pen is let alone have one. Also Nancy has tinned home made cakes to give everyone, again even if a modern child thought to carry around food to give people I am sure it would be a pre-packed store bought something. The director tied this old world view and values Nancy has in that she just really likes old things.

Anyway on to the story Nancy and her father movie in the old abandonded house of a 70's movie star who had died mysteriously. Nancy though has vowed not to do any more sluething while they are in L.A. However soon Nancy is discovering clues (as her father exclaims "mysteries just find you") that point to solving the mysterious death of the actress.

This was cute fun movie that the whole family can enjoy. You will recognise a lot of the supporting adult cast faces (Bruce Willis is even in there) and they all turn in pretty good efforts acting wise. I was suprised by this film and really enjoyed it. There is a sequel slated that, if the same actors are in it, I will give a chance.

Rating 3.5 out of 5 popcorns

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