Online only: Year of the Dog Grade:C+ Extras:B

"Year of the Dog" is an endearing movie, but just how endearing you find it depends on how much you like animals.\nIf you love animals, it will probably be your kind of movie. If you're ambivalent about animals, you'll probably be ambivalent about the movie. While "Year of the Dog" has its charms, most of its "heartwarming" factor is wrapped up in its furrier characters.\nThe plot revolves around awkward spinster secretary Peggy (Molly Shannon), a reliable woman who everyone takes for granted but who has no real soul mates except for her dog Pencil. When Pencil dies after eating poison in the neighbor's yard, Peggy tries to cope with the loss by deepening her relationships with people. None of them, however, are her cup of tea. \nShe finally finds shelter volunteering with a dog adoption. There she also meets a charming vegan named Newt (Peter Sarsgaard), who turns out to be celibate, but who nonetheless convinces her too to give up the "murder" of animals and pursue the valiant cause of animal rights activism. \nThe plot might be relative to your affection for smaller mammals, but the movie's characters are its saving grace. They are quirky, slightly detached from reality and interact in hilarious ways. \nBut even the appealing plot and fabulous characters can't save the movie from its awful ending. It's sappy, none of the plot points get any closure and I would have felt completely cheated had it not been for the movie's witty interactions.\nThe special features, however, are better. There are interviews with Molly Shannon and Director Mike White and features on the making of the movie and on the group that trained the animals for the movie. \nOverall, "Year of the Dog" is worth seeing if you're an animal lover. If not, it's just decent.