MOVIE REVIEW- A DOG'S JOURNEY

** 1/2 out of four stars

If you like the movie "A Dog's Purpose" a few years ago chances are you'll love "A Dog's Journey" , which picks up right where the first movie left off. From the best selling  novels by W. Bruce Cameron, the stories are about a dog named Bailey who comes back to life each time it dies as another puppy, and always for a reason. I won't give away anything in case you want to see this new film or wait for it to appear on cable ( which, judging form the people I saw it with on Sunday morning, won't be too long.

I saw with Holly yesterday morning in King of Prussia, and it looked like it may be a private screening until a family walked in, parents and two small children. It seemed like most movie-goers were seeing either Aladdin or The Avengers.

"A Dog's Journey" goes a little over ninety minutes. It's a lot like a Hallmark Channel flick. Often it's a feel-good movie, kind of sappy and overly-sentimental, other times dark and depressing. Of course anytime you have a movie series that centers around death it's not going to be laughs and chuckles all the time.

I liked the intent of "A Dog's Journey" as I did "A Dog's Purpose," but I can see how the death thing may effect smaller kids. Plus everything seems to work out just right  and there are too many coincidences to make it real.

Dennis Quaid stars again as Ethen, the original owner of Bailey, and he does a good job. The main character seems to be C.J., Ethen's granddaughter, whom Ethen tells Bailey to "take care" of her. Bailey goes through at least three difference dog lives that I counted in C.J.'s life. It's always highly ironic how they find each other but they do.

I won't give away the satisfying, yet sad ending suffice to say there probably won't be a third film in the series. That's OK as the cuteness factor has kind of run its course. But I liked both movies and enjoyed the human ( and animal ) factor in the summer, amongst all the superhero movies out there.

The movies may be too sugary and at times stupid but they have heart.

This franchise spawned more animal-talking movies and even a short-lived TV series. but they proved not to have the same power as this series starring Bailey.

I'm a big dog lover too and that helps. I didn't cry as I admittedly did during the first film, probably because I knew the dog's would come back to life and everything would turn out just fine. However the sentimental ending did get to me a bit. You would have to own a heart of stone for the conclusion not to touch your soul.

The kids in the theater were asking questions through out the movie. Maybe they had a pet who passed on, and the movie can be a good teaching tool however the premise that dogs come back to Earth as other new dogs is ridiculous- but who knows? Anyway, they never really mention if this reincarnation thing just happens to Bailey or do other canine come back too?

All in all I give "A Dog's Journey" two and a half stars. It wasn't as original as "A Dog's Purpose" and the formula was predictable, but  most of the characters were relatable and likable, and the dogs were cute. I won't say you'll exactly have "fun"seeing this film, as it's not a popcorn, action summer movie, but if you need a good cry and are looking for a wholesome family movie to watch together this fits the bill.