With news of the ailing economy, foreign wars and various other calamities bombarding the American public these days, it’s nice to have Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Inauguration to look forward to this weekend. Hollywood is getting in on the act too, providing movie-goers with a diverse offering of escapist films to get our minds off of current affairs.

For people stressed about accommodations for this anaugural weekend in the nation’s capital, Nickelodeon is providing a totally different type of hotel for movie fans to check into. Hotel for Dogs is based on the Lois Duncan novel of the same name and follows the story of Andi and Bruce, a brother and sister team played by Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin (Wizards of Waverly Place), who try to keep their dog, Friday, hidden as they move from foster home to foster home. Along the way they end up rescuing nine strays and keep them hidden in an abandoned hotel. The adult supporting cast includes some big names – Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Ocean's Eleven) and Lisa Kudrow (Friends, P.S. I Love You) lead the pack – and the film should provide comic relief to parents and kids alike.

Keeping with the light-hearted theme, Kevin James (King of Queens) draws viewers into the mall with Paul Blart: Mall Cop. James plays the title character, a clumsy mall security guard and single father who dreams of one day becoming a real police officer, but repeatedly fails to make the cut. When the mall is overtaken by a group of organized criminals, Blart has to spring into action to rescue hostages and save the day. While the plot may not be the most original, the film promises enough slap-stick, physical humor to take viewers’ minds off even the most serious of issues.

If you’re in the mood for romance and a little travel this weekend, but can’t afford the airfare, buy a ticket for Last Chance Harvey. The movie boasts the dynamic duo of Hollywood veterans Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, together for the first time since 2006’s Stranger than Fiction. Hoffman plays Harvey Shine, a jingle-writer from New York, who really wants to be a jazz musician and feels stuck in his dead-end job. Shine travels to London for his daughter’s wedding only to find that she has chosen her step-father to walk her down the aisle. He then loses his job after missing his plane back New York. While stranded in Heathrow, Shine meets Kate, played by Thompson, an airport worker who dreams of being writer and feels equally trapped in her life. The two have a whirlwind weekend and leave a lasting impressions on each other's lives.

For more serious fare, check out Notorious, the biographical film on the life and death of hip hop star Notorious B.I.G, aka Biggie Smalls. The film, starring Jamal Woolard, Derek Luke, Anthony Mackie and Angela Bassett, has been getting strong buzz for its unflinching yet surprisingly tender look inside the private life of celebrity whose life ended in violence. Those totally unfamiliar with the East-vs.-West-Coast rap rivalry of the ‘90s and the controversy and mystery surrounding Biggie’s murder might want to do a little research before seeing this film. Yet even the uninitiated should be able to get something out of this look into the life of a man who was not only extremely influential, but also helped create and popularize a cultural phenomenon.

– John Bavoso