Based on the true story of Marine Megan Leavey and her bomb sniffing, warrior dog, Rex, this is an emotional piece that tells a story you have not seen before.  Megan and Rex are kindred spirits as they each have bad past and have trouble connecting with others still.  They find each other in the Marines as Megan becomes Rex's handler and they end up in the Middle East together in 2006, saving lives by sniffing out explosives.

But where will this journey eventually end?  Rex is the property of the U.S. Military, as is Megan. What happens in the Middle East, and what happens when Rex, or Megan for that matter can no longer work?

This movie is very powerful at times, and as a dog lover you can't help but be moved by all that Rex is, and what he becomes. This movie is moving, interesting, and entertaining. It could be a bit too long, but it's not a deal breaker.  It also takes us somewhere we have never been before, and that always gets high marks from me.

Megan Leavey.  Limited release, but worth the find.

47 Meters Down

 Well you can tell summer is here, because here comes the obligatory "shark" movie. And 47 Meters Down, is OK.

This stars Mandy Moore and Claire Holt as two young sisters who are very different on vacation somewhere in southern, tropical waters.  One sister learns of this off the books boat charter that drops you in a cage in scuba gear and submerges you down about 15 meters, and lets the great white sharks swim around you.  Sound fun?

One of sisters (Moore) wants nothing to do with this scheme, while the other (Holt) is all about it, and she pressures the other to do it. So they do.  And it does not go well. The cable snaps that he cage goes to the sea floor. They are stuck, no way to get up, and sharks, and limited air supply.

This movie does a number of things well. First off, it does not wear out its welcome, very short.  It is filmed well, as 90% of this is underwater.  The story is a good one, that is as original as a shark movie can be, and our stars do well in a limited setting.  The only real negative here is in your own mind.  You just may be tired of shark movies, or there may not be enough shark for others.

But this is an entertaining movie. It's no perfect, but neither is any other movie.  Above all this is NOT hokey or stupid. It has a story, it tells it, and that's it.  Effects good, story good, over all good.

47 Meters Down.  Well done!

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