John Ortiz – We Are Movie Geeks

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of NOBODY 2

THIS SUMMER, NOBODY RUINS HIS VACATION! UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS BOB ODENKIRK IN NOBODY 2. RATED R.

ONLY IN THEATERS AUGUST 15TH.

The St. Louis screening is at 7PM on Tuesday on Aug 12^th at The Galleria 6 Cine. (6pm Suggested Arrival)

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: http://gofobo.com/VoiGL05692

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Sometimes the most dangerous place for a dad is a family vacation.

Bob Odenkirk returns as suburban husband, father and workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell in the new chapter to Nobody, the hit 2021 bare-knuckle action-thriller that opened at number one at the U.S. box office.

Four years after he inadvertently took on the Russian mob, Hutch remains $30 million in debt to the criminal organization and is working it off with an unending string of hits on international thugs.

Much as he likes the slam-bang action of his “job,” Hutch and his wife Becca (International Emmy nominee Connie Nielsen) find themselves overworked and drifting apart. So, they decide to take their kids (Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath) on a short getaway to Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway and Waterpark, the one and only place where Hutch and his brother Harry (Grammy and Emmy nominee RZA) went on a vacation as kids.

With Hutch’s dad (Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd) in tow, the family arrives in the small tourist town of Plummerville (“Plummerville is Summerville!”), eager for some fun in the sun.

But when a minor encounter with some town bullies yanks the family into the crosshairs of a corrupt theme-park operator (John Ortiz; Fast and Furious franchise, Bumblebee) and his shady sheriff (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Colin Hanks), Hutch finds himself the focus of the most unhinged, blood-thirsty crime boss he (or anyone) has ever encountered (Emmy winning and Oscar® nominated screen icon, Sharon Stone).

Nobody 2 is an 87North/Eighty Two Films/Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment production, directed by Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us, The Big 4). The screenplay is by returning writer Derek Kolstad (John Wick, Die Hart) and by Aaron Rabin (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), from a story by Derek Kolstad, based on characters created by Derek Kolstad.

This film’s returning producers are 87North founders Kelly McCormick (Bullet Train, The Fall Guy) and David Leitch (Bullet Train, The Fall Guy); Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment founder Marc Provissiero (No Hard Feelings, PEN15), Eighty Two Films founder Braden Aftergood (Hell or High Water, Samaritan); and Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad). The executive producer is David Hyman.

The stunt designer and coordinator is GREG REMENTER (Bullet Train, Nobody), the stunt coordinator is KYLE MCLEAN (Bullet Train, Black Adam) and the fight choreographer is KIRK JENKINS (Bullet Train, Nobody). The motorcycle driver is RICK SKENE (Nobody, The Ice Road) and the stunt rigging coordinator is NEIL ADAMS (Nobody, Violent Night).

The film’s director of photography is CALLAN GREEN ACS, NZCS (The Enforcer, The Gentlemen); the production designer is MICHAEL DINER (supervising art director Killers of the Flower Moon, art director Jurassic World: Dominion) and the costume designer is PATRICIA J. HENDERSON (Nobody, Under the Bridge). The film is edited by ELÍSABET RONALDSDÓTTIR ACE (Bullet Train, John Wick), and the music is by DOMINIC LEWIS (Bullet Train, The Fall Guy). The casting is by MARY VERNIEU CSA (Alien: Romulus, The Fall Guy) & LINSDAY GRAHAM AHANONU CSA (The Fall Guy, The Last of Us).

Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell in Nobody 2, directed by Timo Tjahjanto.

AMERICAN FICTION – Review

Jeffrey Wright stars as Thelonious “Monk” Ellison in writer/director Cord Jefferson’s AMERICAN FICTION. An Orion Pictures Release. Photo credit: Claire Folger. © 2023 Orion Releasing LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Everyone wants to feel seen as who they are, not who others think they should be. In the smart, hilarious comedy/drama AMERICAN FICTION, college professor/author Thelonious Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), called “Monk” by family and friends, is frustrated when a publisher turns down his latest novel for not being a “Black novel.” “I’m Black, and I wrote it, it’s a Black novel,” the author complains to his agent Arthur (John Ortiz). “Your books are good,” the agent tells him, “they’re just not popular.” It seems his books just don’t fit audiences’ preconceived notions of what a Black novel should be – gritty, urban, struggling, violent perhaps. At a literary conference, Ellison hears author Sintara Golden (Issa Rae), a Black academic like himself, read from her own latest hit novel, a novel that fits those expectations. The frustrated Ellison decides, sarcastically, to write a novel that hits all those expected stereotypic beats – as a joke. Except the joke finds a publisher.

Smart, clever AMERICAN FICTION is simply laugh-out-loud funny, perhaps the year’s funniest film, and also has an unpredictable story that you never know where it will go next. Director/writer Cord Jefferson based his excellent film on Percival Everett’s novel “Erasure,” but much of the success of the film goes to the film’s cast, which also includes Sterling K Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz and Leslie Uggams, and to Jefferson’s script. Besides being a biting, clever satire – of publishing, of the reading public, of contemporary American culture overall, and the meaning of “authentic” – that builds to breathlessly funny absurdity as this joke spins out of control, the film is also an insightful, even warm family drama, as the lead character, no flawless hero himself, is forced to deal with his not-too-functional family and his own shortcomings.

A curmudgeonly grumbler, Monk has been, informally, put on leave for the semester from his teaching job, for offending the sensibilities of a student. His dean suggests that he go to the literary conference he has planned to attend (where he hears that other author), and then stay on to visit with his Massachusetts-based family to “relax.” “You think spending time with my family is relaxing?” Monk snorts. Turns out, college professor/author Monk is a bit of a “black sheep” in his affluent Black family, where both his sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross) and brother Clifford (Sterling K. Brown) are doctors, and his widowed mother Agnes (a wonderful Leslie Uggams) is vaguely disappointed in her youngest child.

Monk’s sister Lisa (a wonderful Tracee Ellis Ross) teases her sourpuss brother Monk relentlessly but there is an affection between them underneath it. Since Monk lives on the other side of the country, he has not seen the decline in their mother that Lisa is dealing with. She tells Monk that things are not going well with their mother, who seems to be in the early stages of dementia, and asks her brother for help getting her into assisted living.

It is a topic nearly all families deal with at some point as parents age, and having one sibling avoiding the topic while another is shouldering the larger burden is a familiar theme too. Early cognitive decline means his mother’s filter is sometimes off, and Leslie Uggams’ Agnes Ellison veers between fondly fussing over her younger son, and painful criticism and even some embarrassing non-PC remarks, in a fine performance.

Monk gets along much better with his sister than his brother Cliff, and Sterling K Brown gives a striking performance as Cliff, an out-spoken cosmetic surgeon, recently out of the closet and going through a messy divorce. There are verbal sparks between the brothers and personalities clash big time.

AMERICAN FICTION unfurls along two narrative tracks in brilliant parallel, one a farcical path about what happens with that “joke” novel and the other a sharp family comedy/drama. The very talented Jeffrey Wright giving a outstanding performance that is by turns bitingly funny and the other touchingly human, creating a character with real depth. The other narrative track has humor too but also a dash of realism, as Monk grapples with his family issues and his own flaws.

The bulk of the laugh-out-loud humor comes from the thread about the “joke” novel. At the literary conference, Issa Rae hits the right notes as the scholarly, erudite academic Sintara Golden, who jars us when she reads in street slang from her inner-city set novel, and then is praised for the novel’s “authenticity,” despite the mismatch between who she is and the characters in the novel (a subject that comes up in a later scene between the two writers). Irritated by the response to her novel, Monk writes his sarcastic “joke” book, a memoir titled “My Pafology” under a pseudonym that should have been a tip-off: Stagg R. Leigh. Shocked when a publisher expresses interest, Monk tries to wave it off but his agent presses him to go ahead and sell it – because he needs the money. That requires that the buttoned-down Monk pose as fugitive ex-con author Stagg R. Leigh in dealing with the publishers, who are far too thrilled to be dealing with the “dangerous” but cool Stagg R. Leigh, in some hilarious scenes.

Monk finds himself living two lives, and trying to keep them separate, a situation rich in humor potential that both Cord Jefferson and Jeffrey Wright use hilariously. The film also has a love interest, with a neighbor, Coraline (Erika Alexander), at the family’s beach house, which adds another layer of complexity to Monk’s already complicated life.

Few movies are as smart and funny as AMERICAN FICTION, and few actors who could carry the lead role in it as perfectly as Jeffrey Wright. This is a must-see film, and a film on my and many critics’ Top Ten lists for 2023’s best films, and it is a sure thing to continue to garner nominations and win awards as the movie awards season makes its way to the Oscars.

AMERICAN FICTION opens Friday, Jan. 5, in theaters.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

WAMG Giveaway – Win PEPPERMINT Starring Jennifer Garner on Blu-ray

Revenge has no limits for Riley North in the action-packed thriller, Peppermint, arriving on Digital on November 20, 2018 and on Blu-rayCombo Pack, DVD and On Demand on December 11, 2018 from STXfilms and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. A powerful story about an underdog hero fighting for justice, the high-octane film is directed by Pierre Morel (Taken, The Gunman) and stars a stellar cast including Golden Globe^® winner Jennifer Garner (“Alias,” Juno), John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook, American Gangster), John Gallagher, Jr. (10 Cloverfield Lane, Hush), Juana Pablo Raba (The 33, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) and Annie Ilonzeh (“Person of Interest,” “Arrow”).

Now you can win the PEPPERMINT Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has 4 copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie with Jennifer Garner in it? (mine is ELEKTRA!). It’s so easy!

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.

Young mother Riley North (Garner) awakens from a coma after her husband and daughter are killed in a brutal attack on the family. When the system frustratingly shields the murderers from justice, Riley sets out to transform herself from citizen to urban guerilla. Channeling her frustration into personal motivation, she spends years in hiding honing her mind, body and spirit to become an unstoppable force – eluding the underworld, the LAPD and the FBI – as she methodically delivers her personal brand of justice. From the director of Taken, this film is being hailed by critics as “a total adrenaline rush from start to finish!” (Dave Morales, Fox TV Houston).

Charged with non-stop action and kick-ass fight scenes, Peppermint on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital showcases exhilarating bonus content including a special featurette and film commentary with director Pierre Morel.

BONUS FEATURES on BLU-RAY^™, DVD AND DIGITAL

Justice: A behind-the-scenes featurette with Jennifer Garner & Director Pierre Morel
Feature Commentary by director Pierre Morel

Peppermint will be available on Blu-ray^™, DVD and Digital.

Blu-ray^™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

Jennifer Garner Has a Death Wish! PEPPERMINT Available on Blu-ray and DVD December 11th

BONUS FEATURES on BLU-RAY^™, DVD AND DIGITAL

Justice: A behind-the-scenes featurette with Jennifer Garner & Director Pierre Morel
Feature Commentary by director Pierre Morel

Peppermint will be available on Blu-ray^™, DVD and Digital.

Blu-ray^™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

PEPPERMINT (2018) – Review

Though the Summer movie season officially ended with the previous three-day holiday, one big, bombastic “shoot-em-up” is arriving in advance of the serious Fall flicks. This “hard R” action thriller is riding the still new wave of “female-fronted” stunt spectacles that began last year with the surprise (to many studio heads) smash WONDER WOMAN, proving that a superhero saga starring a woman could attract the big box office numbers. A couple of months later, Oscar-winner Charlize Theron took things much further in the very adult, extremely violent tale ATOMIC BLONDE. Near the start of this year, another Best Actress, Jennifer Lawrence, was the lead in the equally bloody and sexy RED SPARROW. Now comes a star who actually earned her action accolades on TV, a dozen years ago on “Alias”, though the last decade or so she’s been a staple of “rom-coms” and domestic dramas. Can she get her martial arts “mojo” back now, not as another superhero or super-spy, but as an angel of vengeance, seeking justice while amassing a very high body count in PEPPERMINT?

The story begins as the quiet of a pre-dawn LA is broken by the strained “shocks” of a car’s that’s seen better days. From the gasps and grunts, we’re thinking “we shouldn’t come a’ knockin’ “. The camera zooms into the interior where we do see a couple getting quite “physical”. A gunshot ends the noise. Exiting the vehicle is a woman, Riley North (Jennifer Garner). “Just how did she get here?”, we’re wondering, just as the movie shifts into reverse and comes to a halt nearly five years ago to the day. Riley’s a working mother trying to make ends meet along with her husband Chris (Jeff Hephner), who’s the owner of a struggling auto shop. Still they’ve made a wonderful, cozy home for themselves and nine year-old daughter Carly (Cailey Fleming). However, Chris is tempted when one of the mechanics offers him a job as the “wheel man’ in his plan to rip off a drug dealer. But Cailey’s birthday night is a “wake up call” for Chris, who leaves a message on the mechanic’s cell, declining the gig. Too late. Drug kingpin Garcia (Juan Pablo Raba) has gotten wind of the plot, offing Chris’s pal before sending a hit squad to get Chris. The assassins tail the North family car to an outdoor Christmas/Winter carnival. Under the neon light of the ferris wheel, the gang opens fire, killing Chris and Cailey as Riley is seriously wounded. When she awakens in the hospital, sympathetic police detective Carmichael (John Gallagher, Jr.) delivers the bad news. But they’ve picked up some suspects. Riley immediately agrees to pick them out of a line up, which she does without hesitation. After a defense attorney tries to bribe her, Riley throws him out of her home on the eve of the hearing. This turns into a farce, with the Judge releasing the three suspects. When Riley lunges for them, she is restrained and placed into an ambulance bound for a mental hospital. Riley escapes and disappears on the busy streets. And flash forward to today as Carmichael , who’s now spiking his morning coffee with booze (clue) and colleague, Detective Beltran (John Ortiz) are called in to meet with FBI agent Inman (Annie Ilonzeh). They’ve tracked Riley across the globe as she transforms herself into a killing machine, expert in hand-to-hand combat, and skilled in all manner of firearms and explosives. The anniversary of the attack is in the next couple of days. Will Riley take down Garcia and his operation, along with crooked cops and judges in his pocket, and make it a blood red Christmas in Los Angeles?

So has Ms. Garner gotten her action hero “groove” back? Oh, she most assuredly is a force of nature, and retribution, in this flick. Not a “mama grizzly”, more of a “mama T-Rex”. Riley is a stretched out Sarah Conner from T2 mixed with equal parts Pvt. Vasquez and Ripley from ALIENS. Though she’s hyper-focused on “taking out the trash”, Garner brings some vulnerability to her during the quiet moments, when every child becomes her lost daughter. Cailie’s ghost pops up several times, hubby Chris, not at all. On the witness stand, Garner shows us how the barely together mother, not fully healed physically or mentally, completely unravels, realizing that the cards are stacked against her. Plus she gets just as down and dirty as the Rock or Cruise this past Summer. Welcome back from “PG purgatory” and the string of noble, often interchangeable parent roles. I’m sure she’ll do a few more, but let’s hope she gets more parts in this similar mode ( and better written). As for Riley’s “mop up crew” (scouring the aftermath of her “project”), Gallagher is all clean-cut (despite the bushy “porn ‘stashe”), earnest concern in the flashbacks, while in the now, he’s more cynical, less easy to “read”. Ortiz’s Beltrand is pretty much the somber, straight-talker in both timelines, as he tries to hide his admiration for the avenging “angel of Skid Row”. Raba makes a most intimidating villain as the brutal, “iron-fisted” ruler of the underworld, Garcia. No “three strikes”for him, make a foul or error and you’re out…permanently.

Veteran action director Pierre Morel (TAKEN) keeps the tension very taut during the violent set pieces, though the film starts to sputter during the cuts to the cops closing in on Riley. This may be due to the somewhat cliched script by Chad St. John that features “cannon fodder” baddies who strut and grimace as though they were lifted from old episodes of TV’s “Miami Vice”. And because of their ethnicity, the shadow of xenophobia rears its ugly head. Yes, Riley does take out one shady guy that she might have run into at the PTA meeting, but two other “wasp sell-outs” are liquidated off camera (tossed off in a mention by a “G-man”), while Riley mows down a near army of heavily “tatted” Latinos who get the old JOHN WICK, “head shot” treatment. There’s even a huge gun battle in a pinata (?) warehouse (well there were packs of drugs hidden in the candy). And the film makers missed out on a major “crowd pleasin'” scene by not letting us see Riley take down the worst, most smarmy of the “white collar” creeps. Yes, we know it’s a revenge fantasy much like DEATH WISH (the original, not the recent tepid remake), but much of the plot comes off as ham-fisted and silly, particularly the overwrought Skid Row smackdown (yes these gangs are that dumb). Plus the last few seconds nearly scream “franchise” before it fades to black. I’m thinking this might be the only “mission” for this lady “Punisher” (her origin was very close to the recent Netflix Marvel series, only missing the carousel), although it’s a huge step up from Garner’s last revenge seeking character, ELEKTRA (a major Marvel misfire before they had their own studio). This bit of PEPPERMINT is far from refreshing, leaving a bad aftertaste.

2 Out of 5

WAMG Giveaway – Win A DOG’S PURPOSE Blu-ray

“I had a purpose, I was needed again and again and again. With each new life I was learning a new lesson.”

A DOG’S PURPOSE IS NOW AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL HD AND ON BLU-RAY & DVD MAY 2ND

Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A DOG’S PURPOSE, from director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Dear John, The 100-Foot Journey), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. The family film told from the dog’s perspective also stars Britt Robertson, KJ Apa, John Ortiz, Juliet Rylance, Luke Kirby, Peggy Lipton, Pooch Hall and Dennis Quaid.

Now you can own A DOG’S PURPOSE Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has seven copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie starring Dennis Quaid? (mine is BREAKING AWAY!). It’s so easy!

Good Luck!

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.

A DOG’S PURPOSE – Review

Excuse the pun, but Hollywood has gone to the dogs. And it’s not the first time. Man’s (and the movies’) best friend has been the hero and heroine of many a flick since the old nickleodeon days. The first canine superstar was probably Rin-Tin-tin way back in the silent era. He was a German Shepherd who rescued human co-stars and even a soon to be major studio (the Warner Brothers might not have survived without his box office bucks). Then came Lassie in her many media incarnations, along with other dogs that provided comic relief from Nick and Nora’s terrier Asta to that Saint Bernard behemoth, Beethoven. With the advent of social media there’s been an avalanche of pet adoration, with funny home videos of dogs taking a big bite out of the bandwidth. This helped fuel last summer’s animated smash THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS (primarily dogs, with a few kitties, birdies, and an ill-tempered bunny). Now comes this (mostly) live action ode. But it attempts more than just silly slapstick and tugs at the ole’ heartstrings. This movie ponders the whys and wonders of A DOG’S PURPOSE.

Or should the title be plural, since several dogs share the same spirit, given voice by Josh Gad (yes, Olaf from FROZEN). First he’s an unnamed wondering puppy, quickly scooped up by the city’s Animal Control (and happily sent to that “farm up north” off camera). Then we get to the main story as that life force jumps into a Red Retriever pup that is taken in by eight year-old Ethan (Bryce Gheisar) and named Buddy. The two become inseparable even as Ethan’s parents slowly drift apart. That bond is still strong as Ethan matures into a high school football star (now played by K.J. Apa) who hopes for a scholarship while starting a romance with Hannah (Britt Robertson). Things don’t go as planned while Buddy begins to feel the effects of old age, and soon that chatty spirit goes traveling, finally returning as a German Shepherd lady (!) named Ellie. She’s put to work almost immediately, training to be a police dog, taught by her owner/partner, a lonely cop named Carlos (John Ortiz). Their strong bond is soon cut short by the mean streets of Chicago. Then it’s puppy time again, this time as a cute Corgi named Tio, who’s adopted by a shy college student, Maya (Kirby Howell-Baptiste). The two bond over a mutual love of junk food, which leads to long walks in the park (the vet prescribes lots of exercise) where they meet another college student Al (Pooch Hall). Tio’s along for the romance with Al and his jumbo-sized lady dog, watching as their owners marry and have kids, until time passes by. Boom, another host, this time a big mixed breed mutt neglected and abandoned by a disreputable couple. The dog’s lost, but the sights and sounds seem vaguely familiar. He recognizes Hannah’s scent at a playground and soon stumbles upon the familiar farm now owned by middle-aged bachelor Ethan (Dennis Quaid). He names the dog Bailey, who returns to that playground and follows that smell to the grandmother of those kids in the park, Hannah (Peggy Lipton). Bailey soon embarks on a mission to reunite the high school sweethearts. Could the role of canine cupid be his real purpose?

The human actors in the cast do their level best not to be upstaged by the adorable and energetic canine actors, proving that W.C. Fields adage quite true (“Never work with animals or children”). The best known of the cast is probably the ever charming Dennis Quaid who utilizes his well-worn crinkly smile to great advantage as the good man who’s endured his share of bad breaks. We’re really rooting for him and hope he gets one last chance at love. That chance is epitomized by the dazzling, forever mod Lipton, an actress deserving of many more high-profile roles. Their younger counterparts are also very engaging. Robertson, a real rising star, embodies the ultimate wholesome “girl next door”. As for the “Ethans”, Apa is both tender and tough (defending his dysfunctional family), while Gheisher melts our hearts as he bonds with his best pal (and he’s got excellent taste in literature…faded 50’s issues of “Captain America: Commie Smasher”). Ortiz is quite compelling as the tough, emotionally wounded cop who finally begins to heal. Howell-Baptiste and Hall have believable chemistry as the young couple brought together by their pets. Kudos to Luke Kirby who brings a real bit a pathos to a part that could easily be a standard villain, that of Ethan’s dad who turns to booze when his dreams are crushed. Oh, and Gad is thankfully more cute and endearing rather than cloying or obnoxious as the “dog spirit”.

This story, credited to five (?!) writers too often wallows in sentimentality when it’s not trying to deliver laughs with sophomoric slapstick (dinner time calamity with the boss and his wife…who’ll go face down into the mashed potatoes?) and gross-out gags (butt-sniffing and doggie flatulence). The anthology structure really slows the story’s pace, as we wait for Gad’s voice to change bodies and meet new owners (it could almost be titled “Marley Can Wait” ala the Warren Beatty 70’s classic). Being a comic book fan, I was reminded of DC’s “Deadman” (hmmm, “Deaddog” would’ve been quite off-putting). Director Lasse Hallstrom gets some good performances out of all the cast, while making sure the dramatic moments aren’t too mawkish (hey, this is a step up from those Nicholas Sparks adaptations). Much like the recent MONSTER TRUCKS, this is a flick squarely aimed at kids, one that is more watchable than expected. And if adult animal lovers can get past the recent behind the scenes video scandal, they should have a pretty good time. Though it’s not great cinematic art, for those audiences, A DOG’S PURPOSE, for lack of a better word, fulfills its purpose.

3 Out of 5

Watch Dennis Quaid In New Trailer For A DOG’S PURPOSE

Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures have released the trailer for A DOG’S PURPOSE.
Check out the cuteness now.

Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog’s Purpose, from director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Dear John, The 100-Foot Journey), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. The family film told from the dog’s perspective also stars Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton, Britt Robertson, K.J. Apa, Juilet Rylance, Luke Kirby, John Ortiz and Pooch Hall.

A Dog’s Purpose is produced by Gavin Polone (Zombieland, TV’s Gilmore Girls). The film from Amblin Entertainment and Walden Media is executive produced by Alan Blomquist and Mark Sourian, and it will be distributed by Universal Pictures.

A DOG’S PURPOSE opens on January 27, 2017.

Visit the official website: www.adogspurposemovie.com

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of THE FINEST HOURS In St. Louis

THE FINIEST HOURS is the remarkable true story of the most daring rescue mission in the history of the Coast Guard.

WAMG has your passes to the heroic action-thriller featuring Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Kyle Gallner, John Magaro, Casey Affleck and Eric Bana.

Directed by Craig Gillespie, Disney’s THE FINEST HOURS storms into theaters on January 29, 2016.

WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win a pass (Good for 2) to the advance screening of THE FINEST HOURS on Wednesday, January 27 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.

We will contact the winners by email.

Answer the following:

Eric Bana and Ben Foster previously co-starred in which 2013 film?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

3. No purchase necessary

The film is rated PG-13.

Visit the film’s official site: movies.disney.com/the-finest-hours

Chris Pine And Casey Affleck Talk THE FINEST HOURS In New Featurette

Watch the new featurette from the heroic action-thriller THE FINEST HOURS featuring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Kyle Gallery, John Magaro and director Craig Gillespie talking about the spirit of camaraderie on set and praising the real-life heroes behind the remarkable true story of the most daring rescue mission in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.

On February 18, 1952, a massive nor’easter struck New England, pummeling towns along the Eastern seaboard and wreaking havoc on the ships caught in its deadly path, including the SS Pendleton, a T-2 oil tanker bound for Boston, which was literally ripped in half, trapping more than 30 sailors inside its rapidly-sinking stern. As the senior officer on board, first assistant engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) soon realizes it is up to him to take charge of the frightened crew and inspire the men to set aside their differences and work together to ride out one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast.

Meanwhile, as word of the disaster reaches the U.S. Coast Guard station in Chatham, Massachusetts, Warrant Officer Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana) orders a daring operation to rescue the stranded men. Despite overwhelming odds, four men, led by Coast Guard Captain Bernie Webber (Chris Pine), set out in a wooden lifeboat with an ill-equipped engine and little, if any, means of navigation, facing frigid temperatures, 60-foot high waves and hurricane-force winds.

Disney’s THE FINEST HOURS which is directed by Craig Gillespie and stars Chris Pine, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz and Eric Bana, storms into theaters on January 29, 2016.

The movie will be presented in Digital 3D, Real D 3D and IMAX 3D

Visit the official site: movies.disney.com/the-finest-hours

http://www.facebook.com/thefinesthoursmovie

https://twitter.com/disneystudios

https://instagram.com/disneystudios

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