DVD Review Duo: Bride Wars and Hotel for Dogs
From 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Bride Wars
Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) are BFFs who've shared a major dream since they were little girls; both want a June wedding at the Plaza Hotel in New York. It's almost an obsession. As young adults, the galpals become engaged at about the same time. Both are career women with Liv being a bit more "material girl" centric and Emma working as a less success-driven teacher. Of course the old pals hire a wedding planner to arrange things at the Plaza for their June weddings. But, a goof-up puts them on the same date; the only date left in June of course! Only time for one wedding that day and, both girls will fight to the death of their friendship to get it!
Special Features: Three "Deleted Scenes" give you a strange alternate opening with wedding planner Candace Bergen being interviewed. The other two center on a plan by Emma to ruin Liv's wedding dress. Okay but not needed. "The Perfect White Dress" is a kinda cool featurette about Vera Wang wedding gowns but it plays like a big commercial for the designer! No Kate Hudson or Anne Hathaway commentary, interviews or behind-the-scenes chatter, no director's Commentary. All-in-all, not a good set of extras. We interviewed the two actresses here on TeenHollywood about the film and know they are quite entertaining while talking about it. Too bad that chatter didn't go on the DVD.
Wrapping Up: Although this female-aimed comedy has its funny and warm moments, it was doomed from the start by a crazy premise; hey, why not just solve the problem by having a double wedding? The intended grooms know and like each other. Or, brilliant idea! Somebody could get married in May or July! Sheesh! So much ado about zero! The bitchy way the gurlz snipe at each other to ruin their very special day is just sad. The story gives women a bad name as petty, silly air-heads who have nothing better to do than ruin an old friendship over trivia!
If you love Kate and Anne and can get past the plot problems, they both do good work in the film and their dresses are beautiful, their guys are cute, etc. If the story were presented as more of a black or twisted comedy, it might have worked but, as is, it's just a sad tale of two women we'd never really like to meet. Okay to just rent this one.
From Dreamworks Home Entertainment
Hotel for Dogs
This fun, pooch-centered movie stars popular Emma Roberts as Andi and is adapted from the book by Lois Duncan. Andi and her little bro Bruce (Jake T. Austin) are foster kids staying with a wacky, less-than perfect, wanna-be rocker foster mom (Lisa Kudrow) in a downtown neighborhood. They've been hiding their pet doggie from her and hoping for a better life when they find an old hotel where a few strays are hanging out. They decide to turn the place into a shelter for stray dogs and a hideaway home for their own pooch. Andi gets a crush on cute pet shop worker Dave (Johnny Simmons) who helps with supplies but she is ashamed to let him know she's a foster kid. Destined to be a great mechanical engineer some day, Bruce builds some very clever dog-feeding and entertaining machines at the hotel. Will the dogcatchers find the haven? Will a nice social worker and wife adopt the kids? Will Andi get her man? And what's in the future for all those dogs?
Special Features: "Cast and Crew Commentary" is kind of fun with Emma, Jake, the director and producer delivering lots of "how we did that" info and some cute banter. Worth a listen. "A Home for Everyone: The Making of Hotel for Dogs" is a fun behind-the-scenes piece focusing on training and working with all the dogs. If you are an animal-lover, this will really entertain you.
Bruce/Jake's cool homemade gadgets are explored in detail in "That's the Coolest Thing I've Ever Seen!" Very cute! In "K-9 Casting" you get the lowdown on how each dog was picked to be in the film. Many were strays etc. Very sweet. "Bark on Cue!" explores all the sounds in the film.. how did the sound editors get all that barking to work? Interesting. There are eight "Deleted Scenes" that add to your enjoyment of the movie.. some expand the characters but nothing here that should have been in the film. There are also several photo galleries to flip through with everything from on-set photos to the dog and human cast. Also included is a worthy ad asking you to adopt an animal, volunteer, or donate to your local shelters.
Wrapping Up: I think this film is more about the adorable dogs and the really cool and funny inventions the Bruce character cooks up to feed and entertain them than it is about the human cast but Emma does have some nice moments and great actor Don Cheadle plays a sympathetic social worker with great success. This is a charming film with a great heart which encourages all of us to go out and save a wonderful pet rather than buy one, especially not from puppy mill-fed stores! Well worth a rental or a buy if you are an Emma Roberts fan or just love adorable pups!
