Hotel for Dogs Blu-ray delivers great video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
When their new guardians forbid 16-year old Andi and her younger brother, Bruce to have a
pet, Andi has to use her quick wit to help find a new home for their dog, Friday. The
resourceful kids stumble upon an abandoned hotel and using Bruce's talents as a mechanical
genius, transform it into a magical dog-paradise for Friday--and eventually for all Friday's
canine friends. When barking dogs make the neighbors suspicious, Andi and Bruce use every
invention they have to avoid anyone discovering "who let the dogs in."
Why don't we just wander the streets and rescue every stray we see?
It's not even the dog days of summer, but Blu-ray fans have been positively inundated with
canine-centric high definition bliss over the past few months. Space Buddies, Beverly Hills
Chihuahua, and Marley & Me have
all
barked up a storm on Blu-ray, pleasing both young and old alike with tales (or tails) of man's best
friend accidentally winding up in space, taking an ill-advised trip south of the border, or causing
general mayhem and destruction. Not to be outdone, DreamWorks' Hotel For Dogs
throws
its bone into the mix, the film a funny and sweet Comedy about making friends and building a
family.
Somebody tell Salacious Crumb that this is the Hotel For Dogs, not Jaba's palace!
Orphans Bruce (Jake T. Austin) and Andi (Emma Roberts) are siblings that are cared for by a pair
of relics from the 1980s -- Lois and Carl Scudder (Kevin Dillion and Lisa Kudrow, respectively).
The children aren't provided much of a life and secretly harbor a small dog named Friday to keep
them company. When Friday leaves the apartment and becomes lost, the children go out to find
him -- and discover themselves on the run from the police, blamed for a crime they didn't
commit. They hole up in an abandoned hotel until things settle down and meet its occupants --
a pair of dogs that make Friday feel right at home. Fearful of taking Friday back home and not
wanting to separate him from his new friends, Andi and Bruce leave him at the hotel and decide
to care for his needs there. Andi winds up taking in three more dogs from a pet store clerk
named Dave (Johnny Simmons), and before they know it, they've rescued every stray dog in
town! The technically-inclined Bruce constructs for the dogs devices that cater to their every
need and all seems to be going well -- until their cover is blown. Can the children, with help from
a caring social worker named Bernie (Don Cheadle, Traitor), rescue the
dogs from a fate worse than life on the street?
Hotel For Dogs is a movie that does all it sets out to very well, so well in fact that it may
even hold the interest of older audiences who normally don't slobber all over this sort of material.
What the film lacks in believability it more than makes up for in heart, the film a positive and
uplifting story about doing what is right, standing firm in one's beliefs, and helping out a friend (or
in
this case, a multitude of friends) in need. It's no coincidence that the film's pair of primary
protagonists are orphans. Their 80's-loving foster parents treat them not all that much better
than
animals, serving them slop, locking up the pantry to keep their paws out, and keeping the kids on
a
tight leash. The children understand the importance of love and respect, something the animals
they
bring
to the hotel lack in the outside world. The dogs are a mix of disabled and abandoned, adorable
and
ugly, large and small. No matter what they are, where they came from, or what they have to
offer,
they are loved as equals despite any shortcomings. Hotel For Dogs seamlessly
intertwines
a positive message with a funny and witty story that keeps up a nice pace and might even leave
audiences begging for more.
Hotel For Dogs also offers up surprisingly good acting and steady direction, attributes
generally not associated with this sort of kid-centric entertainment. Director Thor Freudenthal
keeps things
interesting and easy, allowing the stars of the film -- those that stand on two legs and four -- to
do their part in making the film a success. Jake T. Austin and Emma Roberts are as adorable as
their canine companions, the two sharing good chemistry as an orphaned brother-sister tandem.
They emote a genuine sense of care, concern, and love for one another and the animals they
shelter, bringing real emotion to the film and reinforcing the themes of togetherness, support,
and love. Kevin Dillon and Lisa Kudrow also deliver hilarious performances as the children's foster
parents. Trapped in the 1980s with dreams of a career as a big hair and leather rock band, they
represent something between benign villain and comic relief. Finally, the steady and ever-reliable
Don Cheadle delivers a classic kid's movie performance as the caring social worker who sees the
good in Bruce and Andi and admires their steadfastness to stand by one another no matter the
circumstances. Cheadle not only plays his part well, but he lends an enormous amount of
credibility to the project. While not his best part or particularly great material compared to some
of his other roles, Cheadle brings plenty of heart and soul to the role and to the film, his touching
performance in its final minutes in particular of praiseworthy recognition.
Hotel For Dogs trots onto Blu-ray with a nice looking 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. As a
new-for-2009 Family Comedy on Blu-ray, everything is in place for a solid transfer, and this one
doesn't disappoint. Detail is well above average, colors are bright and lively if not a bit warm, and
the image is sharp across the board. The interior of the hotel becomes a character, at first
appearing musty and run down, with relics, dust, and debris strewn everywhere, and the transfer
captures all of it nicely. The many cityscape shots also sparkle, those that take place both at night
and during the day. Detail and textures are solid all around. All the dogs look great, and shots that
are sufficiently up-close reveal each strand of fur nicely. Likewise, flesh tones are solid. Black levels
are fine, and the print is free of blemishes and features minimal noise. All in all, DreamWorks'
Blu-ray transfer of Hotel For Dogs is a good one.
Hotel For Dogs barks onto Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This is a
lively, fulfilling soundtrack that is easy on the ears. It fills the soundstage nicely, the music, effects,
and dialogue carried by the front with the rear channels often used in support. Atmospherics, too,
are solid. A thunderstorm as heard in chapter five features enveloping rain and distinctive thunder
that is placed throughout the soundstage to nice effect. Dialogue, barks, howls, and growls are all
reproduced crisply and efficiently. Hotel For Dogs makes for a nice, warm, and inviting
track that never falters.
This Blu-ray release of Hotel For Dogs features several bonus features. First up is a
Commentary track with Director Thor Freudenthal, Producer Ewan "Jack" Leslie, and Actors
Emma
Roberts and Jake T. Austin. The participants offer up a well-rounded track, discussing the themes
of
the film, the performances of the dogs, shooting locations, the idea behind particular sequences,
and more. Though not a must-listen, the track is nevertheless informative and easy on the ears.
A Home For Everyone: The Making of 'Hotel For Dogs' (1080i, 19:07) looks at working
with
the dogs, the extensive animal training, the work of the human actors, and more. That's the
Coolest Thing I've Ever Seen! (1080i, 5:59) takes a closer look at some of the intricate
devices
that are used in the hotel. K-9 Casting (1080i, 6:26) looks at the process of assembling
the right mixture of dogs for the film. Bark On Cue! (1080i, 4:43) examines the
complexities
of getting all the animals on the same page for each scene. The PEDIGREE Adoption
Drive
(1080i, 0:32) is a brief commercial for the Pedigree Foundation. Concluding this set of special
features is a collection of eight deleted scenes (1080p, 10:39), three photo galleries (On-Set
Action, Puppy Love, and 'Dog People') and the Hotel For Dogs
theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:32).
Hotel For Dogs is a surprisingly sweet, touching, and funny Comedy that is easily suitable
for the entire family. Not only are the varied dogs a pleasure to watch, but the performances by the
two-legged actors are better than expected, with Don Cheadle delivering another first-rate
performance. The film features a solid message on the importance of love, respect, and sticking by
friends in both the best of times and the worst of times. DreamWorks' Blu-ray release of Hotel
For Dogs is solid, boasting a well-above-average high definition transfer, a pleasing lossless
soundtrack, and a few bonus features. With a good message, solid acting, witty visuals, plenty of
cute pups, and now all available on a good
Blu-ray release, Hotel For Dogs is a charming winner worth howling about! Recommended.
Paramount Home Entertainment has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of 'Hotel for Dogs', which is due to hit store shelves on April 28th, day-and-date with the DVD release. Video will be presented in 1.85:1 1080p ...
DreamWorks in conjunction with Paramount Home Entertainment have announced that they will bring 'Hotel for Dogs' to Blu-ray on April 28th, day-and-date with the DVD release. Technical specs have yet to be announced at this time, though you can expect a 1080p AVC ...
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