Saturday, February 07, 2009

A Pleasant Pastime

I went to the movies with Sheryl and the kids yesterday. We saw Hotel for Dogs. I was pleasantly surprised with the story. It had a few laughs, pictures of adorable dogs, and was all around entertaining. There was a little language and a slight kiss which accounts for the PG rating, I guess. The author of the book, Lois Duncan, was a fine writer of books for young adults several years ago. She has evidently broadened her audience.

Sam said it was "ha-wow-we-us", but he tired before it was over. The girls seem to have enjoyed it.

I also saw Doubt this week--glad I did--the acting was terrific, the award nominations well-deserved. The plot, however, fails at the end where Streep seems to change her mind and doubt much too quickly and without any explanation. The movie is not the sterotypical slam the Catholics and their looks the other way about their homosexual priests--it is a rather sympathetic look at a compassionate man who has failed and regrets the failure. Streep's character is a little over the top in some scenes in the schoolroom, but from what I have heard about Catholic schools of the mid-century, the depiction may be right.

Looking back at the movies I saw last year, I think my favorites were Marley and Me and Mamma Mia, neither of which garnered any award nominations.

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