casey affleck – We Are Movie Geeks

THE INSTIGATORS – Review

It’s funny how an old TV catchphrase will just magically pop into your brain. While watching this new comedy action caper I recalled George Peppard as Hannibal Smith, leader of the NBC 80s ratings juggernaut, “The A-Team”. With a big cigar clenched between his pearly whites, he’d grin and exclaim, “I love it when a plan comes together” as the bad guys’ vehicles would flip over (though there had to be a shot of them climbing out of the windows unscathed for the censors). Well, the two main characters of this film might say, “I hate it when a plan falls apart”. And it does spectacularly for these luckless schmoes, actually played by members of the “Ocean’s Crew” (the 2000s reboot). And though they spend most of the story’s runtime trying to escape and survive, the title ironically labels them THE INSTIGATORS.

In the film’s opening minutes we meet one half of the duo, the stoic Rory (Matt Damon). He’s attending one of his mandatory therapy sessions at a Boston area VA hospital. He says very little, but a few comments concern the staff psychologist Dr. Rivera (Hong Chau). He talks of making a set amount of money (down to the decimal) and then “cashing in his ticket”. Meanwhile, a “low-rent” petty criminal named Cobby (Casey Affleck) gets a grade-schooler to activate the breathalyzer activator on his motorcycle. The two men cross paths at Mr. Kelly’s neighborhood bar. where a hustler named Scalvo (Jack Harlow) enlists them in a heist. The real mastermind behind it is restaurant owner/crime-boss Mr. Besegai (Michael Stuhlbarg) and his partner, bakery chef Richie (Alfred Molina). The big score ties in with tomorrow’s mayoral election. They think the challenger is no match for long-time crooked incumbent Miccelli (Ron Perlman). The big victory party will be held at a fancy riverport ballroom facility where lots of local business owners will show up to “kiss the ring” as they pass along huge amounts of cash. Before the armored car arrives to pick up the payola, the trio plans to sneak in via motorboat and lift the moola. But the next day, the unthinkable happens…a major political upset. However, Scalvo and his bosses decide to proceed. Everything that can go wrong does, and Rory and Cobby are on the run from Besegai’s “retriever” Booch (Paul Walter Hauser) and Michelli’s ex-police enforcer Toomey (Ving Rhames) along with the entire Boston police force. Can these two bunglers “blow Beantown” and cross the border to chilly Canada? And how does Dr, Rivera fit into the big getaway?

The two main actors prove to be a fairly potent comedy pairing. Damon would be the “straight man” of the two, and he more than fulfills that function as Rory is rigid, maybe “uptight”, and somewhat obsessive over the details, frustrating partners as he wants to write everything down, or needing tidbits repeated. Affleck’s Cobby is the wildcard as he scoffs at Rory’s concerns and fears, while making sure his needs are met, insisting he drive with a painful shoulder wound for fear that he’ll be dumped out on the road. The duo becomes a trio with Chau as the clinical Rivera who upholds her ethics and throws out bits of “self-help jargon” as they dodge bullets and evade endless police cruisers. Harlow is quite funny as the team leader who really doesn’t inspire fear or respect as he tries to mimic pop culture tough guys. Much more intimidating is Stuhlbarg as the perpetually annoyed crime boss, who can’t believe he can’t get smarter “goons”. Molina is much more “laid back” as his “right hand” who’d rather just “make the donuts”. Perelman dominates every scene as the blustery, greedy politico who can’t give up his power, or the graft. And he’s hooked on heaping abuse on his assistant, played as a jittery “toady” by the marvelous Toby Jones. Hauser is dripping with sarcasm and snark as Besegai’s “clean-up man”, while Rhames is at his scary surly best as the SWAT tank-driving “muscle” for the Mayor.

So, how do you celebrate 30 years of feature film directing? If you’re Doug Liman you release two big action comedies…to streaming. Earlier this year he was in a big “kerfuffle” with Amazon Prime over his remake of ROAD HOUSE, and now the main outlet for his newest flick is Apple TV+, though it got the briefest, very limited theatrical run. It’s a shame since both movies would have great appeal for fans of big stunt sequences. While the earlier film focused on the fisticuffs, this one has the most auto-destruction perhaps since the original BLUES BROTHERS (both leave piles of “cop cars”) thanks to that SWAT tank, an armored car, and a fire truck! It’s just a shame that the terrific tech crew (stunts and pyrotechnics) weren’t in service of a stronger script. All we are told of Rory is that he’s a vet who wants to do right to the son taken from him, and we know even less about Cobby, other than his boozy behavior and a wonky flirtation with Rivera (talk about rooting for a couple not to “hook up”). Earlier I noted Damon and Affleck’s part in the Oceans franchise, which helps hammer home that this is the opposite of those slick caper stories, as these bunglers are closer to the early 70s cult fave THAT GANG THAT COULDN’T SHOOT STRAIGHT. If only some of the earlier movie’s grimy charm was upgraded. The impressive supporting cast is really putting in an effort, but some of the twists and turns stretch reality and logic too much. The Boston locales are great (unlike this week’s IT ENDS WITH US this town looks frigid and very “lived in”). Unfortunately all that talent never truly ignites or invigorates THE INSTIGATORS.

2 out of 4

THE INSTIGATORS is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+

Watch Casey Affleck And Matt Damon In First Trailer For Doug Liman’s THE INSTIGATORS

Apple TV+ has dropped this first trailer for the comedy heist thriller THE INSTIGATORS starring Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Michael Stuhlbarg, Paul Walter Hauser, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, Toby Jones, with Jack Harlow and Ron Perlman.

Directed by Doug Liman and written by Chuck MacLean and Casey Affleck, check out this first look now.

Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to pull off a robbery of the ill-gained earnings of a corrupt politician. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos, pursued not only by police, but also backwards bureaucrats and vengeful crime bosses. Completely out of their depth, they convince Rory’s therapist (Hong Chau) to join their riotous getaway through the city, where they must put aside their differences and work together to evade capture—or worse.

An Apple Original Film hailing from Artist Equity, Studio 8 and The Walsh Company, “The Instigators,” is directed by Doug Liman, written by Chuck MacLean and Casey Affleck, produced by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Kevin J. Walsh, Alison Winter with Celia Costas, Dani Bernfeld, Kevin Halloran, Michael Joe, Cynthia Dahlgren, Luciana Damon serving as executive producers.

THE INSTIGATORS will premiere in select cinemas and stream globally on Apple TV+ from 9 August, 2024.

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN – Review

As a seasoned moviegoer (as I trust you are also), when I saw these five words on this new movie’s poster (and later in the actual film’s first frames) alarms went off in my head (not unlike “Spidey-sense”): “This story is mostly true”. First off, many films “inspired by true events”, another warning label, aren’t that compelling and often seem better suited for the small screen. Then there’s that pesky “mostly”, which indicates a certain forced whimsey, maybe even preciousness. Ah, but not to worry. After a few seconds, we spot a most familiar face. Really familiar, due to his still commanding star power, barely dimmed after fifty plus years as a movie leading man (for a couple of decades he truly personified the glitz and glamor of Hollywood). Now many strands of his golden locks have gone grey, and his jaunty clip has slowed a bit. During his publicity stint for this flick, he’s announced that it will be his last film work in front of the cameras (he is an Oscar-winning director, too). Somewhat appropriately the title of his “swan song” is THE OLD MAN & THE GUN.

Indeed, seconds after the above-mentioned preface fades, the story takes us to a small bank at the center of a dusty, tiny Texas town circa 1981. A dapper gentleman (three-piece suit, tie, fedora) enters. Cut to a bank teller hurriedly filling a leather case with cash, then handing it to…let’s call him FT (Robert Redford), in order not to spoil a moniker that will tickle classic movie and TV fans. FT is wearing glasses, a fake bushy mustache, and has an ear piece (a hearing aid, perhaps) with a wire leading down into a coat pocket. As he gets in his car, we learn that the device is attached to a tiny police scanner. FT drives down a dingy alley, switches cars, and speeds to the highway. Ah, the getaway can wait a bit, as FT spots a “damsel in distress”. Actually, it’s a woman having truck trouble. Since he can’t fix the engine problem, FT gives the lady, a widow named Jewel (Sissy Spacek), a lift to a garage. Over pie and coffee at a diner, the two flirt and eventually exchange numbers. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, police detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck) is feeling “burnt out” from “cleaning up messes”. Hunt (clever, eh) has a gorgeous wife and two adorable kids, but he’s in a funk. One morning, on the way to drop the kids of at school, he drops in at his local bank, just minutes after FT has entered. After FT departs, the bank manager announces the robbery and detains the patrons. When his fellow officers arrive, Hunt joins the investigation with a suddenly renewed vigor. Hunt’s main mission is to arrest the “gentleman” robber. Well, it seems that FT has decided to go after bigger banks in cities, so he meets up with his partners, Teddy (Danny Glover) and Waller (Tom Waits). Together they’re plotting the big score. And during their free moments, FT is spending lots of time with Jewel at her tranquil farm and ranch. Could this blossoming romance lead to the other dreaded “r-word”, retirement for FT? Or will Detective Hunt truck him down before the big (perhaps final) bank job?

As you may have guessed, this film is a showcase for the still engaging Mr. Reford. He slips into the title role as if he were easing into a pair of slightly-worn cowboy boots. And even though eighty or so years are deeply etched in that face, RR truly make the being “craggy” attractive. It helps that he wratches up his charm meter well past “11”. He doesn’t resort to big theatrics (no sobbing or ranting), rather he lets his laid-back, easy-going attitude pull us in. Sure he brandishes a weapon on his “jibs”, but we, like the many bank employees, are pretty sure that he’s not going to use it. Still, Redford shows us FT’s conflict as he wonders if he can give up his old “life” to spend his last years, with his likely last love. Truly tough choice since that love is the wonderful Ms. Spacek, who has been busy on TV but much missed on the big screen (at least in a major role). She and Redford engage in a very mature, but still frothy romantic dance. You can feel the heat, from their first meal as they observe and question, prod and verbally poke, across that dingy diner table. They’re a terrific team, as is Redford and Affleck, minus the flirty chemistry and screen time. John Hunt seems barely alive, straining to keep his eyes open while strolling those the petty crime questioning. When FT comes into his orbit, the sleepy cop is jolted awake, dashing home with boxes of evidence and reports, eager to do something important once more. And like FT, he’s inspired rather than conflicted, by his own love mate, the radiant Tika Sumpter as encouraging, no-nonsense Maureen Hunt. Speaking of partners with chemistry, some of the film’s most entertaining scenes are those that with FT’s “guys” (and the ads make it look like he’s a “solo act”). Glover and Waits are “grumpy old men” who bicker and taunt like a long-time married couple but stick together particularly when the news media refers to them as the “over the hill gang”. These crooks have pride, ya’ know?

David Lowery directs his own screenplay (based on the New Yorker article by Davis Grann) with a sure steady hand, letting the dialogue and crime scenes move with a leisurely pace. It’s unhurried, but hardly dull, though an extra ten or fifteen minutes might have stretched the story too thin. It’s quite a change from the strange, dreamy previous two flicks with Affleck (AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS and A GHOST STORY) or his previous work with Redford on the dreary remake of PETE’S DRAGON. There are a couple of clever montages, one with robbery victims nearly telling the same story, and later when FT relates many previous clashes with “John Law” (keen-eyed viewers will spy a vintage bit of film). Late in the film, there’s an effective confrontation scene smartly staged in what seems to be the longest W.C. ever. And though it’s said to be a “swan song”, this is more of a celebration of the enduring Redford. He’s still got “it” (as in that screen something going way back to Clara Bow and others), but doesn’t want to be the last one to leave the “party”. As film finales go, THE OLD MAN & THE GUN is a smooth sweet ride into the sunset for the Sundance Kid.

4 Out of 5

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

WAMG Giveaway – Win A GHOST STORY Starring Casey Affleck on Blu-ray

Written and directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Pete’s Dragon), and boasting a top-notch cast including Academy Award^® winner Casey Affleck (Best Actor, Manchester by the Sea, 2016) and two-time Academy Award^® nominee Rooney Mara (Best Supporting Actress, Carol, 2015 and Best Actress, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 2011), A Ghost Story arrives on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital HD) and DVD October 3 from Lionsgate. A24 debuted A Ghost Story to critical acclaim at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, with reviewers calling it “a poetic meditation on time, memory and spiritual connection” (David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter).

Now you can own A GHOST STORY on Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has four copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie with the word ‘Ghost’ in the title? (mine is GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI!). 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.

Academy Award^® winner Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara star as a young couple who — after being separated by loss — discover an eternal connection and a love that is infinite.

Featuring an audio commentary, two never-before-seen featurettes and a deleted scene, the A Ghost Story Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.

BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

Audio Commentary with Director David Lowery, Cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo, Production Designer Jade Healy, and Composer Daniel Hart
“A Ghost Story and the Inevitable Passing of Time” Featurette
“A Composer’s Story” Featurette
Deleted Scene

Trailer: https://youtu.be/5byKIzwXWRg

Facebook: @GhostStoryMovie

Instagram: @GhostStoryMovie

Twitter: @GhostStoryMovie

A GHOST STORY – Review

There is a long unedited sequence 30 minutes into A GHOST STORY where a ghost, wearing a white bedsheet with two eye-holes cut out like Charlie Brown with the Great Pumpkin, is observing his sobbing widow. She sits on the kitchen floor and eats a pie. That entire pie, bite by bite, is devoured in a scene that goes on a good five minutes. I think this is where uninformed moviegoers who may have wandered into A GHOST STORY expecting a conventional haunted house thriller will have their patience stretched to the breaking point. A GHOST STORY is an arty meditation on love and loss, glacial in pace, and on the surface not much happens in it. It’s not for all tastes, but for adventurous film fans it is rewarding, one of those strange movies that promises to stay with you long after the end credits have rolled.

Casey Affleck stars in A GHOST STORY as ‘C’, a mopey musician who resides in a dilapidated house on the suburban edge of an unspecified city with his wife, ‘M’ (Rooney Mara). Something’s not quite right with the house. There are sudden loud noises, and mysterious lights flicker on the walls. After C is killed in a car wreck in front of their home, he rises from the slab at the morgue and returns to silently observe M as she at first grieves, then eventually moves out of their house and on with her life. But C must stay behind, a quiet observer to the comings and goings of all the home’s subsequent tenants, his fate to endure the passage of time as the world moves on around him. A Spanish-speaking single mom comes and goes as well as a group of young hipsters. The ghost is able to tamper with electricity and move objects, but mostly he just stands around, occasionally communicating with (via subtitles) another ghost in the house next door.

Many questions that arise from A GHOST STORY oblique approach, but that’s what makes it an intelligent alternative to the noisy cinematic marketplace. There are answers in Director David Lowery’s script, which does tell a story. A mystery is solved, and the plot moves satisfactorily from beginning to middle to an emotional ending. A GHOST STORY is nearly wordless with most of the film’s dialog comes from one drunk blowhard party guest (Will Oldham – billed as “The Prognosticator”) who goes on and on in a cynical lengthy monologue, though that was the one scene in the film I disliked. The guy was abrasive and unpleasant, his shirt sported gross armpit stains, and I didn’t connect how his speech fit in with the rest of the film. Lowery shot A GHOST STORY in a boxy 4:3 aspect ratio which cleverly highlight’s the claustrophobic nature of C’s predicament and it’s all driven by Andrew Droz Palermo’s moody photography and composer Daniel Hart’s haunting, affecting score. While it may divide audiences A GHOST STORY is a thought-provoking, challenging film that I recommend.

4 of 5 Stars

A GHOST STORY opens in St. Louis Friday, July 28th exclusively at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater

WAMG Giveaway – Win the MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Blu-ray

Academy Award winner Casey Affleck delivers an unforgettable performance in the heartwarming, emotional, and powerful MANCHESTER BY THE SEA , which arrived on Digital HD February 7 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD and On Demand February 21 from Lionsgate. The award-winning 2016 Sundance Film Festival Official Entry follows Affleck’s character Lee, as he faces the ghosts of his past when he returns to his New England hometown to take care of his teenage nephew. Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Emmy Award winner Kyle Chandler (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, “Friday Night Lights,” 2006), Gretchen Mol (3:10 to Yuma), and Lucas Hedges (Moonrise Kingdom) also star in the film, which was written and directed by Academy Awardnominee Kenneth Lonergan. Critically acclaimed since its debut, the film was nominated for five Golden Globes, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and has won the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Drama for Affleck, three Critics’ Choice Awards, including best actor for Affleck, as well as winning four National Board of Review awards including Best Picture. Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh with a 97% critic score, the Associated Press calls MANCHESTER BY THE SEA “a masterpiece.”

Now, you can own the MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Blu-ray. WAMG has two copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie starring Casey Affleck? (mine is TRIPLE 9). 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.

No purchase necessary

Casey Affleck heads a powerhouse cast in this acclaimed and deeply moving film from award-winning writer-director Kenneth Lonergan. After a solitary Boston janitor (Affleck) unexpectedly becomes the sole guardian of his 16-year-old nephew, he must come to terms with a past that separated him from his wife (Michelle Williams) and his hometown, as uncle and nephew unite for an unforgettable journey of love, community, sacrifice, and hope.

The MANCHESTER BY THE SEA home entertainment release special features include the featurette “Emotional Lives: Making MANCHESTER BY THE SEA ,” looking behind the scenes of the film, a conversation with director/writer Kenneth Lonergan, and deleted scenes. Manchester by the Sea will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD for the suggested retail price of $39.99 and $29.95, respectively.

BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES

“Emotional Lives: The Making of Manchester by the Sea” Featurette
A Conversation with Director/Writer Kenneth Lonergan
Deleted Scenes

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Starring Casey Affleck on Blu-ray & DVD February 21st

Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck delivers an unforgettable, Golden Globe-winning performance in the heartwarming, emotional, and powerful MANCHESTER BY THE SEA , arriving on Digital HD February 7 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD and On Demand February 21 from Lionsgate. The award-winning 2016 Sundance Film Festival Official Entry follows Affleck’s character Lee, as he faces the ghosts of his past when he returns to his New England hometown to take care of his teenage nephew. Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Emmy Award winner Kyle Chandler (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, “Friday Night Lights,” 2006), Gretchen Mol (3:10 to Yuma), and Lucas Hedges (Moonrise Kingdom) also star in the film, which was written and directed by Academy Awardnominee Kenneth Lonergan. Critically acclaimed since its debut, the film was nominated for five Golden Globes, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and has won the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Drama for Affleck, three Critics’ Choice Awards, including best actor for Affleck, as well as winning four National Board of Review awards including Best Picture. Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh with a 97% critic score, the Associated Press calls MANCHESTER BY THE SEA “a masterpiece.”

BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES

“Emotional Lives: The Making of Manchester by the Sea” Featurette
A Conversation with Director/Writer Kenneth Lonergan
Deleted Scenes

Casey Affleck And Michelle Williams Star In First Trailer For MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Roadside Attractions has released the first trailer for director Kenneth Lonergan’s MANCHESTER BY THE SEA.

Amazon Studios and Roadside Attractions will release the film in theaters November 18, 2016.

In MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, the latest film from award-winning writer and director Kenneth Lonergan, the life of a solitary Boston janitor is transformed when he returns to his hometown to take care of his teenage nephew.

The story of the Chandlers, a working-class family living in a Massachusetts fishing village for generations, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA is a deeply poignant, unexpectedly funny exploration of the power of familial love, community, sacrifice and hope.

After the death of his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler), Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked to learn that Joe has made him sole guardian of his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Taking leave of his job, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea to care for Patrick, a spirited 15-year-old, and is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife Randi (Michelle Williams) and the community where he was born and raised. Bonded by the man who held their family together, Lee and Patrick struggle to adjust to a world without him.

In his first film since 2011’s acclaimed MARGARET, Lonergan once again proves himself a powerful and visionary storyteller as he seamlessly weaves past and present together, crafting a tension-filled tale that deftly eschews sentimentality in favor of penetrating emotional insight and deeply affecting human relationships.

Official selection, 2016 Toronto International Film Festival ‘Special Presentations’ category and an Official selection, 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

For more info:
Official Site | Facebook | Twitter

#ManchesterByTheSea

THE FINEST HOURS Washes Ashore On Blu-ray and Digital HD May 24

One of the greatest rescue stories ever told stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster and Eric Bana. Disney presents THE FINEST HOURS a heroic action-thriller based on the extraordinary true story of of the greatest small-boat rescue in Coast Guard history. , THE FINEST HOURS makes its in-home debut packaged with a host of bonus features about the making of the movie and the remarkable true-life events that inspired it. It storms home on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere May 24th.

THE FINEST HOURS, a heroic action-thriller based on the true story of a 1952 U.S. Coast Guard rescue, storms home on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, Disney Movies Anywhere, and On-Demand on May 24^th, 2016. Starring Chris Pine (the “Star Trek” films), Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Casey Affleck (“Interstellar”), Ben Foster (“3:10 to Yuma”) and Eric Bana (“Lone Survivor”), “THE FINEST HOURS” makes its in-home debut packaged with a host of bonus features about the making of the movie and the remarkable true-life events that inspired it. Based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias, viewers can enjoy diving into the thrilling eye of the storm with: An all-new documentary “Against All Odds: The Bernie Webber Story,” in which real-life residents of Chatham recall the events that set the stage for the film’s historic rescue mission; Four making-of featurettes highlighting cast members experiences and reflections by members of the U.S. Coast Guard; as well as two never-before-shared Deleted Scenes.

Directed by Craig Gillespie (“Million Dollar Arm”), THE FINEST HOURS stars Chris Pine (the “Star Trek” films); Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Casey Affleck (“Interstellar”); Ben Foster (“3:10 to Yuma”); Holliday Grainger (“Cinderella”); John Ortiz (“Silver Linings Playbook”); and Eric Bana (“Lone Survivor”). The film is produced by Jim Whitaker (“Cinderella Man”) and Dorothy Aufiero (“The Fighter”), the screenplay is by Oscar® nominee Scott Silver (“8 Mile”) and Oscar nominees Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (“The Fighter”) based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias. Doug Merrifield (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) serves as executive producer.

BONUS FEATURES on the Blu-ray include:

Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, Digital SD, Disney Movies Anywhere

AGAINST ALL ODDS: THE BERNIE WEBBER STORY– Visit the quaint and close-knit town of Chatham, and experience the events surrounding the most heroic Coast Guard rescue ever through the eyes of the people who witnessed them.
BROTHERHOOD– Cast members reflect on the bonds they forged during the shoot.
TWO CREWS– Chris Pine and Casey Affleck share insights into Bernie Webber and Ray Sybert, men who led their respective crews against all odds.
WHAT IS YOUR FINEST HOUR? – A Coast Guard member recounts an incredible rescue.
THE FINEST INSPIRATION: THE U.S. COAST GUARD Meet the people who put their lives on the line for others.
DELETED SCENES: “A Desperate Idea” and “The Story of How They Met”

DVD

BROTHERHOOD
THE FINEST INSPIRATION: THE U.S. COAST GUARD

FILM SYNOPSIS:

This heroic action-thriller is based on the extraordinary true story of the greatest small-boat rescue in Coast Guard history. In 1952, a massive winter storm strikes off the coast of Cape Cod, ripping a T-2 oil tanker in half and trapping more than 30 sailors inside its rapidly sinking stern. When word of the disaster reaches the U.S. Coast Guard, four men led by Captain Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) set out in a 12-seat boat on a daring mission to rescue the stranded men, braving freezing cold, 60-foot waves and hurricane-force winds, and guided by Webber’s vow that “We all live, or we all die.” Packed with thrilling, larger-than-life action and anchored in a belief in the strength of the human spirit, The Finest Hours is a triumph.

ABOUT DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE (DMA):

Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is an engaging and family-friendly cloud-based digital movie service that makes it simple to buy your favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies once and watch them anywhere. With DMA you can explore Disney’s library of over 450 eligible digital movies, discover hours of new and exclusive short-form content, and watch your digital movies from the comfort of the living room or across multiple mobile devices. Using the free DMA apps and website, you can connect your DMA account with participating providers including iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Microsoft Movies and TV and Google Play and unlock access your eligible movie collections across platforms and devices – iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV/Airplay, Amazon’s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Microsoft Movies and TV service on Windows and Microsoft Xbox devices, Android mobile and tablet devices and Android TV, Chromecast and the Roku® platform. In addition, you can redeem Digital Copy codes found in Disney, Pixar and Marvel Blu-rays and DVDs, as well as earn Disney Movie Rewards points with every digital purchase.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:

For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

TRIPLE 9 – The Review

Violent, profane, ambitious, pretentious, overcooked and entertaining as hell, director John Hillcoat’s TRIPLE 9 presents a wide canvas of memorable characters for a satisfying urban crime drama. Michael Atwood (Chiwetel Ejiofor) leads a crew of dirty Atlanta cops and ex-cops (Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, and Clifton Collins Jr.) working for the “Kosher Nostra”, a mob of Russian Jews led by dragon lady Irina Vlaslov (Kate Winslet), who operate out of a meatpacking plant. The crooked cops are introduced pulling off an ultra-efficient bank heist for Irina, but she withholds payment until they execute another job – one she’s convinced will help spring her husband from the Russian Gulag (held there just because “Putin so fears him”) . Michael has a son with Irina’s sexy younger sister Elena (Gal Gadot), who he won’t see again unless he cooperates, so he convinces his team to break into a Homeland Security safe house, a nearly impossible mission. Michael concludes the only way to pull it off successfully is to create a 999, police code for “officer down”, as a distraction to buy them time to pull off their caper. The plan goes awry when Chris Allen (Casey Affleck), the innocent cop they set up to murder, refuses to be sacrificed, resulting in an action-packed third act complete with greedy double-crosses and bloody payback.

There’s plenty that’s familiar in TRIPLE 9 and there are portions that don’t work so well, but adrenalin junkies will appreciate the blistering pace and the careful sense of desperado tension. Hillcoat’s film is distinguished by a series of pulse-pounding dread-fueled scenes that leave the viewer perched on the edge of their seat — the tense opening bank robbery, a carefully planned police raid that quickly spirals out of control, a rolling gun battle, and three heads on the hood of a car – the result of a brutal gang execution. One major reason why I found TRIPLE 9 to be so effective is its complete messiness–there are neither tidy resolutions nor easy payoffs as the initially grim makes way for the even grimmer and almost no character is left off the hook. That all falls in line with what Hillcoat and writer Matt Cook obviously set out to do, which is to paint with grimy authenticity a warts-and-all portrait of cops and criminals and cops who are criminals. Hillcoat and Editor Dylan Tichenor do a great job of maintaining pace and suspense throughout and the remarkable cast helps to bring this sprawling web of nastiness to another level. Aaron Paul and Norman Reedus are excellent as desperate brothers, though Walking Dead fans may be disheartened at how soon their hero is dispatched. Collins Jr. and Ejiofor are especially noteworthy, and Woody Harrelson is outstanding as a drug-abusing good cop. Teresa Palmer as Chris’ wife and Gal Gadot are little more than window dressing but they both look great from behind while Casey Affleck’s performance grounds the story by making us care about the story’s single uncorrupted character. The one glaringly theatrical note is struck by a hammy Kate Winslet as the ballbusting Russian mobstress, but it’s a fun performance highlighted by repellent behavior and bright red high heels.

Whatever one’s reaction to the darkness and grit, it’s a shame that Hillcoat can’t quite maintain the film’s momentum. He effectively keeps TRIPLE 9 moving to its climactic bloodbath, which turns out to be a predictable chain of killings and not much else. The film calls to mind the nihilistic cop stories of director Antoine Fuqua such as TRAINING DAY and BROOKLYN’S FINEST with its tour through the seamy side of contemporary urban America but there is also a strong sense of the 1970s’ about it as it references the gritty police dramas of that decade, especially those from director Sidney Lumet, for its inspiration, pouring on all the realism and downbeat atmosphere movies of that era pioneered. It’s a style that suits Hillcoat and his actors well and TRIPLE 9 is recommended.

4 of 5 Stars

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