Hotel for Dogs

Hotel for Dogs is a 2009 American family film directed by Thor Freudenthal and starring Jake T. Austin, Emma Roberts, Troy Gentile, Kyla Pratt, and Lisa Kudrow. The film is based on the 1971 children's book of the same name by Lois Duncan, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The movie features a range of canine characters, including Beagles, Poodles, and Bulldogs, and was filmed in Los Angeles and New York City with the help of American Humane Association and Animal Actors International.

Plot

The film follows two orphaned siblings, Mark Watson and Sarah Watson, who turn an abandoned hotel into a home for stray dogs, with the help of their friends Bruce and Andi Walker. Along the way, they meet Bernie Wilkins, a kind-hearted social worker who helps them in their mission, and Carl Scudder, a villainous dog catcher who tries to stop them, similar to the character of Cruella de Vil from The Hundred and One Dalmatians. The story is full of adventure, humor, and heart, featuring celebrity dog trainers and animal behaviorists like Victoria Stilwell and Cesar Millan. The movie also explores themes of family, friendship, and community, similar to those found in The Secret Life of Pets and Zootopia.

Production

The film was produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, Ewan Leslie, and Jonathan Gordon, with DreamWorks Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, and Cold Spring Pictures serving as the production companies, similar to the production team behind The Karate Kid and The Parent Trap. The movie features a range of special effects, including computer-generated imagery and practical effects, created by Industrial Light & Magic and Sony Pictures Imageworks. The film's score was composed by John Debney, who has also worked on The Jungle Book and The Emperor's New Groove, and features a range of musical instruments, including the piano, guitar, and drums, similar to the scores of Hans Zimmer and John Williams.

Cast

The film features a talented cast, including Jake T. Austin as Mark Watson, Emma Roberts as Andi Walker, Troy Gentile as Mark Watson's friend Bruce, and Kyla Pratt as Heather, a kind-hearted animal lover who helps the siblings, similar to the characters in The Baby-Sitters Club and The Saddle Club. The movie also stars Lisa Kudrow as Lois Scudder, Kevin Dillon as Carl Scudder, and Don Cheadle as Shane, a social worker who helps the siblings, similar to the characters in The Fosters and Parenthood. The film features a range of celebrity cameos, including Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg, similar to the cameos in The Muppet Movie and The Princess Bride.

Reception

The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising its family-friendly humor and heartwarming storyline, similar to the reviews of The Incredibles and Finding Nemo. The movie holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 46%, based on reviews from Roger Ebert, Peter Travers, and Owen Gleiberman, among others, similar to the scores of The Lego Movie and Frozen. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $117 million at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing family films of 2009, similar to the success of The Hangover and Avatar.

Release

The film was released on January 16, 2009, by Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures, and was distributed to theaters across the United States and Canada, similar to the release of The Dark Knight and Iron Man. The movie was also released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 28, 2009, by Paramount Home Entertainment, and features a range of special features, including behind-the-scenes footage and deleted scenes, similar to the releases of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. The film has since become a cult classic, with many fans praising its unique storyline and lovable characters, similar to the cult followings of The Big Lebowski and Napoleon Dynamite. Category:Family films