[Opening This Week] Taken From The International Hotel For Dogs

Ah, finally I can get back to blogging properly again. Sorry for the late 'Opening This Week' post that was supposed to be on Sunday. Don't even think anybody looks forward to it. Nevertheless, I shall proceed.

This week in Malaysian cinemas, we have Taken, The International and Hotel For Dogs. Only three movies opening this week so this post should short and simple. Let's get straight into it shall we?

The International (2009)
Starring: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts
Director: Tom Tykwer
USA release: 13 February 2009
Msia release: 19 March 2009
USA gross to date: $25,042,143
Worldwide gross to date: $42,428,711
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Runtime: 119 mins
Rated in USA: R for some sequences of violence and language
Rated in Msia: 18SG
IMDb User Rating: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatometer: 59%

Interpol Agent Louis Salinger and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman are determined to bring to justice one of the world's most powerful banks. Uncovering a myriad of reprehensible illegal activities, Salinger and Whitman follow the money from Berlin to Istanbul. Finding themselves in a high-stakes chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk as their targets will stop at nothing - even murder - to continue financing terror and war. (taken from IMDb)

Taken (2008)
Starring: Qui-Gon Jinn aka Liam Neeson and Jean Grey aka Famke Jannsen
Director: Pierre Morel
USA release: 30 January 2009
Msia release: 19 March 2009
USA gross to date: $127,314,362
Worldwide gross to date: $200,979,737
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Runtime: 96 mins
Rated in USA: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language
Rated in Msia: 18PL
IMDb User Rating: 8.0/10
Rotten Tomatometer: 56%

Bryan Mills is a retired secret agent living in California who reluctantly grants permission to his 17 year-old daughter, Kim to travel to Paris with her friend, Amanda. When she they are there, they are kidnapped and forced into the world of human trafficking. Bryan heads to Paris on a mission to hunt down the kidnappers, and kill them to save his daughter.

Hotel For Dogs (2009)
Starring: Julia Robert's niece aka Emma Roberts and these other kids
Director: Thor Freudenthal (what kinda name is that??)
USA release: 16 January 2009
Msia release: 19 March 2009
USA gross to date: $70,133,586
Worldwide gross to date: $105,081,211
Genre: Comedy, Family
Runtime: 100 mins
Rated in USA: PG for brief mild thematic elements, language and some crude humor
Rated in Msia: U
IMDb User Rating: 3.7/10
Rotten Tomatometer: 43%

When two kids find a stray dog, they look for a place to keep him without the knowledge of their parents. After finding an old, abandoned hotel, it quickly turns into a 'Dog Hotel'.

Definitely a dog lover's movie.