Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Marley the dog has a reign of terror as long as Jason or Freddie Krueger. The only difference is that the victims here are countless pieces of furniture instead of hapless sex-crazed teenagers. Maybe next time you won't shop for your puppy in the clearance section.

John Grogan took a small but popular column and turned it into the insanely popular best seller, Marley & Me. The book and movie follows the ups, downs and drool of 13 years spent with man's best friend, which in this case was the Grogan family's Golden Retriever.

If you're not a dog person, you probably won't get Marley & Me -- and won't want to. Even though the overall tale follows the roller coaster of life, it's really all about the dog. However, just like life, the movie gets cheesy at times. Just be prepared to blubber like a baby at the end (hint: what does 13 add up to in dog years?).

For an alternate take, check out Joe Lozito's review of the theatrical release of Marley & Me.

The Picture

This probably won't be the movie you grasp at when it comes to showing off your home theater setup -- unless you are showing it off to a bunch of kids. While Marley & Me isn't exactly a kids' movie, the kids will enjoy all of the dogs, which look cute, cuddly, and sometimes very dirty in this 2.35:1 transfer. Overall, the film presents a lot of warm tones and aside from the furry creatures, the film's Floridian surroundings look very nice on Blu-ray -- especially from my (still) chilly New England surroundings.

The Sound

There's nothing like hearing the panting, whining and barking of a giant beast like Marley. Is there? Hello? OK -- so the movie might not push your surrounds to the limit, but the DTS-HD 5.1 sound does shine in the film's outdoor settings and gives the film a real theater feel.

The Extras

If you're interested in the film's production, there are a lot of cute shorts here. There's even a nice one on "Animal Adoption" for those clamoring for a pet, even after seeing Marley eat multiple couch pillows. Still, an obvious omission is any type of featurette that relates the book to the movie. The end of the film sent me searching on the web to learn more about Grogan, his writing, and especially his sweet, sad Marley obituary. However, the disc doesn't say a whole lot about the actual man, his family, or his beloved beast. One nice addition, however, is not just a digital copy, but the addition of an entire standard-def DVD.

Final Thoughts

If you're not down with movie dogs (Benji, Beethoven, Hooch, etc.), you'd be wise watch your step when it comes Marley & Me. For the rest, this is a sugary sweet, sentimental look at life with man’s best friend -- and it looks pretty good on Blu-ray to boot.

Where to Buy:

• Marley & Me on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Actors: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin
• Director: David Frankel
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish, French, Portuguese)
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Cantonese, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 3
• Rating: PG
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: March 31, 2009
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• List Price: $39.99
• Extras:
• Deleted Scenes
• Finding Marley
• Breaking the Golden Rule
• On Set with Marley: Dog of All Trades
• Animal Adoption
• Gag Reel
• When Not to Pee
• Dog Training Trivia Track