Dog's Journey, A

In "A Dog's Journey," Bailey (Gad) is living the good life on the Michigan farm of his former "boy" now grown to manhood, Ethan (Quaid) and Ethan's wife Hannah (Helgenberger). He even has a new playmate: Ethan and Hannah's baby granddaughter, CJ (Prescott). Everything is great on the farm until CJ's mom, Gloria (Gilpin), decides to take CJ away and chase her own fulfillment in the big city. Ethan asks Bailey to watch over CJ wherever she goes and thus begins Bailey's adventure through multi[le lives filled with love, friendship and devotion as he, CJ, and CJ's best friend Trent (Lau) experience joy and heartbreak, music and laughter, and a few really good belly rubs. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Director Gail Mancuso; nine deleted and extended scenes (HD 10:32); a gag reel (HD 07:00); five featurettes: "A Dog's Sequel" (HD 05:13), "Everyone's Best Friend" (HD 03:55), "Working With Dogs" (HD ), "A Healing Journey" (HD 03:09) and "Scoring The Journey" (HD 03:22); upfront previews and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 2.39:1 1080p AVC picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, upconverted to 2160p with greater resolution and luminance, was photographed digitally in Master Scope using the Arri Alexa SXT camera system and sourced from a 2K master Digital Intermediate format. The picture exhibits excellent naturalness, Color fidelity is perfectly natural throughout. Hues are balanced throughout with no exaggeration or unnatural saturation. Primaries are strong, especially reds. Fleshtones are perfectly natural. Contrast is well balanced. Blacks are solid. Shadow delineation is nicely delineated. Bright highlights are realistic with natural intensities. Resolution is excellent, exhibiting fine detail in facial features, complexions, lines, hair and objects. The imagery looks natural and realistic throughout. This is a nicely crafted picture that perfectly conveys happiness, conflict and depression, and sadness. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack, while dialogue focused, is full of realistic atmospherics that extend to the four surrounds. Foley sound effects are amazingly natural and realistic. The orchestral score is lively and nicely complementary to the action. Well recorded, the music carries the story.. Dialogue is perfectly intelligible, natural and mostly effectively integrated spatially, even the ADR, though, at times ADR does sound unnaturally forward. Bailey's voice (Gad) is position forward, but works well. Overall, this is a satisfying soundtrack that will please the family for its natural emotional impact. (Gary Reber)