CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Returns to 4K Ultra HD Steelbook

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD Steelbook from director Paul Greengrass and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment comes a story of a crew, pirates and a man known as CAPTAIN PHILLIPS.

Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) is a commanding officer of a U.S. container ship. Preparing for the next voyage he reads about pirates in the area so Capt. Phillips has the crew work on drills for safety.

As quickly as that is finished Capt. Phillips spots a few boats racing toward the container ship. Immediately taking action they manage to evade the pirates boarding their ship. What they don’t count on is the persistence of one particular Somali names Muse (Barkhad Abdi) who fixes his vessel and goes back for the ship.

Unable to stop them the second time, Muse and his crew board the container ship. Knowing it was inevitable, Capt. Phillips has the crew hide with orders not to show themselves no matter what.

Muse himself becomes a captive and an exchange is made – or one was to be made as the container ships lifeboat is launched and now Capt. Phillips is their only hostage. Heading for the Somalian coast, the pirates now including Bilal (Barkhad Abdirahman), Najee (Faysal Ahmed) and Elmi (Mahat M. Ali) are agitated.

As the military follows the lifeboat, plans are made that may bring everyone close to the edge!

Hanks in the starring role as Captain Phillips is everything an Academy Award winning actor should be. He is poised, controlled, in authority, smart and still a human being. The kind of acting Hanks does in this film is like a dream. I can honestly say I still walk away exhilarated by this performance.

Abdi as Muse is one of the saddest characters I’ve seen in a while. Knowing that every move he makes is wrong he continues to do so. Wanting to keep his village safe, it is desperation that hardens him to the realities of the situation of his own creation. Abdi is amazing and for his first role that is saying a lot. Born in Mogadishu, he immigrated to Minnesota in 1999 and worked for his brother’s cell phone business.

Working with Hanks and director Greengrass, Abdi knew he might face some resentment by the Somali people for his role. Determined to do the film, his performance is affirmation that CAPTAIN PHILLIPS would change his life forever.

Other cast include: Michael Chernus as Shane Murphy, David Warshofsky as Mike Perry, Corey Johnson as Ken Quinn, Chris Mulkey as John Cronan, Yul Vazquez as Captain Frank Castellano, Max Martini as SEAL Commander, Omar Berdouni as Nemo, Mohamed Ali as Asad, Issak Samatar as Hufan, and Catherine Keener as Andrea Phillips.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Bonus Materials include: 4K Ultra Disc Feature Presented in 4K Resolution with Dolby Vision, English Dolby Atmos and Theatrical Trailer. On Bluray Feature Presented in High Definition, Commentary with Director Paul Greengrass, and Capturing CAPTAIN PHILLIPS – in depth behind-the-scenes featurettes on making the acclaimed film.

I’m just going to say it folks – there is nothing, and I mean nothing wrong with this film. It is flawless! Yes, Hanks proves why he is a stellar fixture in Hollywood with a performance that nearly took me out. The cast is on point and melded together so well that not one thing pulled my focus off what was in front of me.

The cinematography is nothing short of perfect as well. From the moment the ship leaves port until the films ending, it is emotionally exhausting. We find ourselves literally in the film surrounded by the same emotions as Capt. Phillips and his crew.

Although nothing could ever bring about the real-life experience, with Hanks at the helm (as it were), be prepared to experience the story for yourself.

In the end – out here survival is everything!

THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH: The True Story of the Men Who Inspired MASTERS OF THE AIR

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Apple TV+ and directed by Mark Herzog and Laurent Bouzereau is a documentary, narrated by Tom Hanks, about the men who served in the air and how they feel today about what combat they experienced being part of THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH.

Germany is invading all over Europe by sea, land and air and the world is in turmoil to stop the constant invasions. Hitler controls Europe and there had to be a way top it. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg speaks about how his own family is affected, Jimmy Stewart makes his feelings known as he was a pilot in the 453 Bomb Group announcing that they needed more men in the air and those to make it happen.

John “Lucky” Luckadoo was a pilot with the 100^th Bomb Group, who tells his story about becoming an Air Force cadet. Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal, also a member of the 100^th Bomb Group, saw what was happening around him at the time and wanted to be an effective part of the war as a young man. He also joined up to become an Air Force cadet.

The call was answered and thousands of men came from all walks of life to sign up to be part of flying in the war. There training was swift as John A. Clark of the 100^th Bomb Group tells his story of flying. Harry Crosby of the 100^th Bomb Group decided to become a navigator as flying didn’t work out so well. Joseph Armanini also became a navigator of the 100^th Bomb Group. The ten-hour training moved the pilots swiftly to the Boeing “flying fortress” B-17 planes. 

Loaded with weaponry, the pilots were trained for six months and in May of 1943, Frank Murphy of the 100^th Bomb Group, was sent to England to become a part of the 8^th Air Force. The pilots being told they were going “overseas to die” did not stop the men from arriving at Thorpe Abbotts, East Anglia, England. Sharing the bombing duties with the British, they spent day and night bombing the Germans.

Richard C. King, Owen “Cowboy” Roane, Robert Wolff, Robert Rosie Rosenthal, John “Bucky” Egan and Gale “Buck” Cleven, pilots of the 100^th Bomb Group get a chance to know each other. Cleven and Egan stand out as the leaders with flare of the group. Seth Paridon, Historian at the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum talks about these two men and what they believe in.

Bruce Alshouse, a Tail Gunner for the 100^th Bomb Group talks about the plans they learn about as to what their missions would accomplish and what equipment the men would need to fly. One by one the planes take off and form a “combat box” to be able to fight their way to the drop point. The anti-aircraft guns firing from below, shrapnel made its way through the skins of the plane made of aluminum.

German pilots were proficient at fighting in the air but that didn’t stop the B-17’s from dropping their payloads from 12,000 feet up. Gene Bankston, Togglier with the 100^TH Bomb Group says he could see the bombs drop and hit the ground from his window view. After the dropped their payload, they would go home with some damage to the plane as described by Thomas Jeffrey, commander of the 100^th Bomb Group.

Now, the 100^th is assigned to go deep into Germany to bomb factories in Regensburg while the 8^th Bomb Group hits Schweinfurt at the same time. Dr. Conrad C. Crane, SSI Senior Historian, US Army War College describes what is planned and how it can go wrong. Retired Gen. Curtis Leman, Commander, 3^rd Bombardment Division talks about that day. A two-hour fire-fight trying to reach their drop point doesn’t stop the pilots as the Regensburg mission crew pushes through.

In October 1943, there were over six targets and on Black Week the pilots were set to drop thousands of pounds of bombs. Planes are hit and Cleven’s plane was one of them as other ships are severely damaged. In all, only six bombers returned. Egan is furious and returns from leave to lead the group. Their next mission to Munster, Germany is told to the pilots and Egan refers to it as a ‘revenge raid’. It was after this that the name The Bloody Hundredth came about after losing so many men and planes.

Pilots were beginning to feel the stress of the war as men were suffering from combat fatigue. Going to Flak House in Oxford, England, the men had a chance to be away from the war enough to regather their thoughts. Sometimes it helped and sometimes it did not to the point of it affecting missions.

Being shot down over Germany, airmen were not trained on survival tactics. Taken to Dulag Luft, Frankfurt, Germany, captured airmen were interrogated in different and sometimes disarming ways. Transferred to Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Germany, the camp was huge but there was a surprised to discover that there were survivors of the 100^th Bomb Group there that were thought dead. Cleven and Egan were two of the pilots that were there as the two men became leaders once again in the camp.

Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill and meet in Tehran to talk about an assault given the codename “Overlord”. The key to the success of the mission is that air superiority must happen. The P-51 Mustangs arrive in England, they are fast and the range to help the B-17’s reach their goal. Continual raids begin and they are non-stop as fighters keep attacking as Germany starts to feel their dominance in the air falling fast. Dr. Tami Davis Biddle, author of Rhetoric and Reality in Air Warfare talks about it.

Ships, warehouses, ball-bearing factories and bombing Berlin is affecting German morale. At the Stalag, prisoners are attempting to escape, some manage it and others do not. The 100^th begins to work on more combat formations as Jeffries takes over and in two days they were flying the best formation. The basic rule was that after 25 missions, a pilot could rotate back to the states, but Rosenthal wanted to be a part of D-Day that was coming soon. Allied forces were to land in Normandy and the Air Force would be putting up every plane.

D-Day, June 6, 1944, the voice of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, gives a speech that lets each airman know that “they eyes of the world are upon you”. Looking out the window, airmen could see the vastness of planes in the air. As the men hit the beaches of Normandy, the bombs dropped, went back and gassed up collecting more bombs, and back in the air again. Germans are surrounded by Russia and the West and the discovery of what Hitler had done to people in camps.

In Luft III, Dr. Matthew F. Delmont, author of Half American talks about the Red-Tail pilots who were African American and also in the camps. Richard Macon was a pilot with the 332^nd Fighter Group who believed they were better pilots than their German counterparts. J. Todd Moye, author of Freedom Flyers talks of the bomber pilot’s appreciation to the Red-Tail pilots.

The air bombing continues and more missions send up 2,000 bombers as they drop, drop, drop on war manufacturing. The servicemen from Luft II are on the move as the Germans move them from Sagan, to Spremberg, to Stalag VII-A in Moosburg. In a short amount of time, they were rescued and free to finally go home.

On May 1, 1945, the 100^th flew one more mission to drop food to 5 million people in the Netherlands happened. The crews were finally ready to go home and they were celebrated all along the way. The reunions were amazing and the recollection of the pilots are still bringing tears to their eyes. Rosenthal would return to Europe for the Nuremburg Trials.

Now, those who are able to speak on it today, share how they feel about their time with The Bloody Hundredth, how it changed them and how it makes them feel as Americans. “The World War II generation deserves to be remembered”.

What more can anyone say than that? The brave men and women who took up arms when they were needed the most, did so without fanfare, without a second thought and with the courage of their convictions that it was the right thing to do as an American.

AppleTV+ is a video on demand web television that debuted in 2019 viewable through the Apple TV app. CEO Tim Cook wanted original content calling it “a great opportunity for us from a creation point of view”. From THE MORNING SHOW to TRYING and THE BANKER and Jason Momoa in SEE, there is plenty of choices for everyone. Plenty of genres? That is exactly what they are bringing to viewers and to see more of what they have to offer please visit www.apple.com/tv/.

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have once again come together to bring us the stories of these brave individuals who have the courage of their convictions. These two filmmakers have covered space, battles at sea, battles on the ground, in the air and so much more. THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH is another chapter in their ability to bring such amazing stories and, with this documentary, from the words of those who are still alive to tell it today.

THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH is a look at what it took to fight evil from the air. It is absolutely incredible that these pilots were trained so quickly to do a job that was as dangerous as any other. It also examines the friendships, sorrows, death and survival in a time where being anything other than German could be a death sentence.

My grandparents did their part during that time and so did many of my family after becoming service members in all the branches of military. They were fathers, sons and uncles in my family that fought on land, in the air and on the sea giving their lives in some cases and some came back completely different. Those that did return always told me that they served with honor for their country. I never truly understood that until I was older and my own son went to war.

THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH would be a remarkable tool for teachers who cover this part of history. Hearing it from them men who served and the historians is a stunning way to show the history that always needs to be understood.

In the end – it honors the heroes of the 100^th Bomb Group!

Apple TV + Brings the Documentary THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH

 

Apple TV+ to premiere new documentary “The Bloody Hundredth” in celebration of the real-life heroes featured in its global hit series, “Masters of the Air”.

Premiering Friday, March 15 and narrated by Tom Hanks, “The Bloody Hundredth" features rarely seen archival footage and exclusive interviews with the 100th Bomb Group airmen.

On the heels of the premiere of its broadly celebrated, global hit series “Masters of the Air,” Apple TV+ today announced “The Bloody Hundredth,” a new documentary honoring the real-life heroes of the 100th Bomb Group. Produced by Playtone-Amblin and narrated by Tom Hanks, “The Bloody Hundredth” will premiere globally on Friday, March 15, 2024 on Apple TV+, just in time for the “Masters of the Air” series finale, and is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman.

Directed by Mark Herzog and long-time Spielberg collaborator Laurent Bouzereau, the hour-long documentary spotlights the true stories of several characters and real-life airmen featured in “Masters of the Air” including John Egan (played by Callum Turner), Gale Cleven (played by Austin Butler), Harry Crosby (played by Anthony Boyle), Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal (played by Nate Mann), Frank Murphy (played by Jonas Moore), Alexander Jefferson (played by Brandon Cook), Richard Macon (played by Josiah Cross), as well as veterans John “Lucky” Luckadoo, Robert Wolf, and many others. From the shock of Pearl Harbor to the joy of VE Day, “The Bloody Hundredth” is a record of what was endured and achieved by a group of young Americans when their country and the world needed them most.

AppleTV+ Flies with MASTERS OF THE AIR

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Apple TV+ from Executive Producers Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman and developed by John Orloff is the miniseries about World War II fliers who are MASTERS OF THE AIR.

It is World War II and Major Cleven (Austin Butler), Commander of the 350, and Major Egan (Callum Turner) are leading the 100^th Bomb Group to join up with the 8^th Air Force in England to go up against Germany. Cleven is saying his goodbyes to sweetheart Marge (Isabel May) and makes his way with the group to fly some of the most dangerous missions of the war.

Major Harry Crosby (Anthony Boyle), Capt. John D. Brady (Ben Radcliffe) and Lt. Biddick (Barry Keoghan) are more pilots who meets up with Cleven as the later pilot shows how dangerous landings can be. There is no time for them to learn the lay of the land as their first mission comes in to bomb a U-boat factory. Knowing they are flying into enemy territory; each man prepares in his own way. Cleven comes back from the mission a bit shell shocked wanting to know why buddy Egan didn’t warn him how brutal it could be.

Sgt. Lemmons (Rafferty Law) is a young man who is keeping the planes in the air. He and his on the ground crew patch, fix, repair and send up the planes going on the missions. Those staying at the base would spend every moment preparing each plane and its crew for the next mission, and in this case after German submarines.

Cleven learns who will be going on the next flight to Africa and getting there as a precision placed group of flyers is the only way to make the mission a success. In between friends are lost and captured as the men try to deal with what is ahead. Each mission is different, sending these men into different parts of the world to make it clear to Germany that what is coming toward them from the air is bravery and determination.

This is only a small part of a larger pictures with these masters of the air!

Butler as Cleven is a man who doesn’t indulge in the same things as his fellow pilots. Often made the end of jokes, he takes it all in stride with his very calm presence for his team and those who serve with him. Butler has that down home boy swagger and it comes across on the screen as his character is truly respected among the men.

Turner as Egan is the opposite of his friend Cleven. He is open, opinionated and sometimes can cause a bit of trouble but knows the mission and takes it very seriously. Turner gives his character a presence that enhances the friendship between Cleven and Egan and it works so very well. Boyle as Crosby is a pilot who is part of this group of flyers but there is a quiet about him until he is in the pilot’s seat. Then, Boyle’s intensity comes out as he tries to hold it together for the sake of his crew.

Keoghan as Biddick has his own flying ways and even has a few misses of his own. Keoghan is coming off recognition for his role in the film SALTBURN but in MASTERS OF THE AIR, he is showing his diverse talent in uniform. Law as Lemmons is an extremely young man of 19 who has great responsibility on the airfield. Being a bit of a kid still, he has come to make friends with the kids from the surrounding area. I enjoy when he is on the screen as he adds a little lightheartedness to the story.

It is important to mention as many actors as possible as MASTER OF THE AIR is brimming with talent and they should all be recognized for their stunning performances.

The extensive cast includes Nikolai Kinski as Col. Huglin, Stephen Moore as Major Bowman, Sawyer Spielberg as Lt. Claytor, Nate Mann as Major Rosenthal, Josipah Cross as Lt. Macon, Branden Cook as Alexander Jefferson, Ncuti Gatwa as Lt. Robert Daniels, Kai Alexander as Sgt. Quinn, James Murray as Major Harding, Fred Carter as Lt. Friedkin, Oaklee Pendergast as Sgt. Hinton, and Louis Greatorex as Capt. Payne.

Also, Adam Long as Capt. DeMarco, Jordan Coulson as Lt. Hamilton, Fionn O’Shea as Sgt. Bosser, Max Hastings as Lt. Allen, Nitai Levi as Sgt. Vrabec, Jr., Laurie Davidson as Lt. Nash, Fracis Lovehall as Captain Pruitt, Luke Whoriskey as Lt. Biller, Bradley Banton as Lt. Archer, Edward Ashley as Lt. Kidd, Kieron Moore as Sgt. Starkey, David Shields as Major Blakely, Luke Coughlan as Sgt. Johnson, Neil Pendelton as Sgt. Stewart, Jon Ewart as Lt. Couch, Daniel Briggs as Sgt. Crabb, George Smale as Lt. Nutting, Jonathan Halliwell as Sgt. DeBlasio, John Schwab as Lt. Lann, James Meunier as Lt. Lorch, and Elliott Ross as Lt. Strout.

Sam Hazeldine as Col. Clark, Darragh Cowley as Lt. Graham, Elliot Warren as Lt. Douglass, Adam Silver as Lt. Solomon, Josh Bolt as Lt. Lewis, Louis Sparks as Sgt. Saunders, Sonny Serkis as Lt. Evans, Jack Franklin as Charles Mylius, Kwame Agyei as Lt. Gordon, Phillip Lewitski as Lt. Harper, Alex Boxall as Sgt. Thornton, Rahshan Wall as Lt. Funderburg, Christopher Lakewood as Col. Jeffery, Ian Dunnett as Lt. Bailey, Sid Phoenix as Ralph Nist, Robert Hands as Major Smiloleit, Jojo Macari as Captain Petrich, George Webster as Lt. Dye, John Hopkins as Dr. Stover, Sam Rosenthal as A. Jacobs and Nathen Solly as Lt. Hoerr.

Joanna Kulig as Paulina, Bel Powey as Alexandra Wingate, Lauren McQueen as Rose, Amelia Gething as Isabel and Mimi Slinger as Sally.

Apple TV+ is a video on demand web television that debuted in 2019 viewable through the Apple TV app. CEO Tim Cook wanted original content calling it “a great opportunity for us from a creation point of view”. From THE MORNING SHOW to TRYING and THE BANKER and Jason Momoa in SEE, there is plenty of choices for everyone. Plenty of genres? That is exactly what they are bringing to viewers and to see more of what they have to offer please visit www.apple.com/tv/.

The series includes the first four episodes directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, episodes five and six directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, episodes seven and eight directed by Dee Rees and episode nine by Tim Van Patten.

The series is based on the 2007 book by Donald Miller Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany. Executive Producers Steven Spielberg (Amblin Television), Tom Hanks (Playtone) and Gary Goetzman are also responsible for bringing the series BAND OF BROTHERS in 2001 and THE PACIFIC in 2010.

One of the most important things I can say about this film is that the cast is seamless in portraying their characters. It is not only the story of war, but of these men who are trying to live some semblance of a life knowing that with every mission comes the severely high risk of not coming back. There is a camaraderie, even when they are tense with each other, that comes through when it counts the most.

The cinematography and special flying effects are stunning to watch and add richness, and intensity, to the story that is being told. We live in such a modern warfare and technological age that it can be incomprehensible what these pilots, crews and ground crews went through with the crudest of weapons to win the war again a cruel enemy.

Costuming and choice of where shooting the series brought me deep into each episode as I found myself feeling tensed up and a lot of the time with my jaw dropped and strong inhales of ‘whoa!’. I would expect nothing less from Spielberg, Hanks and Goetzman as they have proven with their other collaborations. They are truly interested in the authenticity, depth and intensity of the stories they put on screen and the result is another series that will keep audiences captivated.

This is a very vague review of this series and that is because I honestly believe that the entire series is one worth the time to experience on one’s own. So, knowing that, Apple TV+ brings nine episodes of MASTERS OF THE AIR and you can believe when I say that every single one of these episodes is iconic, historic and stunning!

In the end – join them in the air!

Hanks is A MAN CALLED OTTO

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and Digital from director Marc Forster and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the complicated history and life of A MAN CALLED OTTO.

Living in a suburb of Pittsburgh and begrudgingly retired, widower Otto (Tom Hanks) is a rigid man with a routine that gets him up daily. He decides that he has had enough of life and had planned to make an end of it. Out the window he sees a boisterous family moving in. A very pregnant Marisol (Mariana Trevino), Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), Abby (Alessandra Perez) and Luna (Christiana Montoya) are not exactly what Otto expected.

Marisol makes it clear that she is going to be his friend and tries to learn about him. Otto is not forthcoming with his memories of meeting wife Sonya, their life together or how she passed. His life is changing moment by moment as the neighborhood comes out of hiding to begin to embrace Otto.

From teaching Marisol how to drive out of pure frustration and helping young Malcolm (Mack Bayda) how to care for his bike, Otto is busy again. He even tries to repair a friendship with life-long neighbors Anita (Juanita Jennings) and Reuben (Peter Lawson Jones) and caregiver Jimmy (Cameron Britton). The life he once thought he wanted to end, is a life he now sees with possibilities without having to change his grumpiness.

But what really gets Otto in high gear is when he learns that real estate builders Dye & Merika are forcing his friends out of their home. Now, Otto knows what must be done and how to make his days more than he could have imagined.

He does it all in his own Otto way!

Hanks as Otto has managed to bring a little of every character he has played into this man who’s sadness and inability to budge is charming and endearing. The frightening part is that I have the same fixation with parking spots! When Otto finds Sonya, he finds a woman who accepts him for exactly who he is and Hanks runs with that in his character. I do love that although curt, Otto’s thought process can bring on giggles.

Trevino as Marison is fast talking, a bit loud and will not stop until she knows what Otto is up to. Once she does, she, like Sonya, embraces Otto for who he is and does what she can to help him see the joys he has been missing since his wife’s death. Trevino also gives us the mom who loves her family and embraces everything around her. Trevino gives us such a wonderful character.

Rulfo as Tommy just goes along with his wife and Otto but in such a loving way it is heartwarming. Perez and Montoya as their young daughters are not afraid of Otto but find him rather entertaining. Britton as Jimmy is a caregiver that truly does care about not only Anita and Ruben but all the neighbors.

Bayda as young Malcom remembers Sonya and the times Otto came to class so as everyone else is a bit standoffish. He also sees something more in the man and knows where to turn for help.

Other cast include Mike Birbiglia as Real Estate Agent, Kelly Lamor Wilson as Shari Kenzie, Dave Magee as Dye & Merika Rep, Rachel Keller as Sonya, Emonie Ellison as young Anita, Laval Schley as young Reuben, and Truman Hanks as young Otto.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

Bonus Materials include Breaking the Rules: Making A MAN CALLED OTTO, ‘Til You’re Home’ Music Video, In the Studio with Rita Wilson & Sebastian Yatra and Deleted Scenes.

A MAN CALLED OTTO is heartwarming story of when a man who has wrapped himself in a cocoon of memories and sadness. Hanks gives us heart, soul and laughter in watching Otto become ‘alive’ once again. The cast starting with Trevino as Marisol has me cheering from start to finish with each character bringing level upon level of compassion.

The film is based on the New York Times Bestseller A Man Called Ove. Gather the family because this story is the definition of a movie night!

In the end – fall in love with the grumpiest man in America!

The Story of FINCH

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently streaming on Apple TV+ and director Miguel Sapochnik is the story of a world surviving the destruction and a man named FINCH.

Ten years in and Finch Weinberg (Tom Hanks), and dog Goodyear, are living in a world that has been destroyed by a solar flare. Temperatures have turned the Earth into a hot box making it extremely hazardous for human beings. He cannot even go outside without a suit and a warning system that lets him know when radiation becomes too much for him to be outside.

Out looking for food with robot Dewey, he is also looking for parts for another project he has set in motion. Creating a robot, Finch also takes books scanning them into a program for his robot with an emphasis on training and taking care of a dog.

Once his robot comes to life, Finch begins to teach him what he thinks will help when his creation discovers that a dangerous storm is approaching. It also tells Finch that the storm will last forty days. He gathers up everything in a Winnebago, along with Goodyear, Dewey and they head for a place on a post card - San Francisco.

Along the way, Finch tries to teach the newly named robot Jeff (Caleb Landry Jones) about how to survive in a world where there is very little trust. Trying to explain things to Jeff can be taxing at times. Jeff tries to take initiative and it gets them into situations that are difficult and with heavy consequence3s.

But the journey is everything!

Hanks as Finch is, well, just a national treasure and cannot do a wrong roll if he tried. The film does have a bit of a WALLY and THE MARTIAN (except Finch is still on Earth) and I personally love both of those films so there's that! Hanks gives us compassion, frustration, love and teaching moments as he always seems to do. He is a man on a mission, but it is one of love that comes through.

Jones as the voice of Jeff is so sweet and innocent that my heart just melted. Even when he does his happy dance of "initiative" I cheered with him. The lessons Jeff has to learn are harsh at times but in order to survive it is understandable that Finch pushes so hard. He wants something special for Jeff and it has to happen under such intense circumstances. Jones does a wonderful job lending his voice.

Shout out to Goodyear, good puppy and good friend who has to learn the same as Finch and Jeff - that trust can be hard to come by but give it time.

Other cast include: Oscar Avila as the Truck Driver, Lora Martinez-Cunningham as Mother, Maria Wagernman as the Daughter.

Apple TV+ is a streaming service featuring Apple Originals, award-winning series, compelling dramas, groundbreaking documentaries, kids’ entertainment, comedies, and more with new Apple Originals added every month. To see more of what they have to offer please visit www.appletvplus.com.

FINCH is a tender and harsh film all rolled into the performances of Hanks and Jones. It is a world of survival and the day-to-day danger of food, water and a safe place to be. Hanks' performance as Finch is just so beautiful to watch, his tenderness with Dewey and Jeff are there from beginning to end (even if there are moments Jeff pushes his nerves).

Filmed in the harshest environments imaginable, director Sapochnik gives us a heavy dose of what our world could look like under those circumstances. Having Hanks and Jones on the creative journey with him allows us to embrace the story, the set and the characters as they take us on their adventure.

In the end – their friendship was more real than they could have imagined!

On Brilliant Bluray is NEWS OF THE WORLD

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K, Bluray and DVD and currently on Digital from director Paul Greengrass and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the journey that is filled with NEWS OF THE WORLD.

It is 1870’s Texas as Confederate Army 3^rd Texas Infantry Captain Jefferson Kidd (Tom Hanks) has a new career going from town-to-town reading newspapers for townsfolk who donate ten cents. He is well received as the news of the world brings so much to those who live in relative seclusion.

After one such reading, Captain Kidd is on the road again and comes upon an overturned wagon. In the tree is a man hanging and in the bushes he finds a very defiant young girl. Finding papers that identify her as Johanna (Helena Zengel), it is twist that this young blonde-haired blue-eyed girl is wearing the clothing of the indigenous people and has lost her family.

Told to take her to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, they let the Captain know that no one can care for her for months. He decides that it is his responsibility to make sure that Johanna is taken to next of kin. There are those who see it another way and want Johanna for themselves. That is their first encounter with problems and Johanna begins to understand that the Captain is protecting her.

Their journey is arduous, perilous and yet Captain Kidd and Johanna begin to understand one another and with each new day they help one another survive human and mother nature. A bond forms that is difficult to break once Johanna meets her next of kin. She is a child of two worlds, and he must decide which will bring her joy.

Hanks as Captain Kidd has once again turned in a touching performance that does not allow for a moments peace without heart string pulling. As this character he has a past of war pain and what was waiting for him when he returned. Trying to stay away from it all, he keeps busy on the road making others informed and even happy with the stories he reads. I would expect nothing less from Hanks than the performance he gives us as Captain Kidd. He is intelligent, crafty and has the heart to protect someone he does not even know. Just a beautiful character brought to life by Hanks.

Zengel as Johanna, in this performance, has already shown the wide range needed for such a young actress. She gives her character heart, fierceness and shares the same ability to think quickly through a problem for answers that save them both. What most would see as defiant, I see as a young girl trying to understand where she fits in because she truly is a child of two worlds. Zengel is a talent to be watched and appreciated in the years to come.

Other cast include: Michael Covino as J.G. Almay, Fred Hechinger as John Calley, Neil Sandilands as Wilhelm Leonberger, Thomas Francis Murphy as Merritt Farley, Ray McKinnon as Simon Boudlin, Mare Winningham as Doris Boudlin, Elizabeth Marvel as Ella Gannett, Chukwudi Iwuji as Charles Edgefield and Bill Camp as Willie Branholme.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Bonus Features on 4K, Bluray, DVD and Digital include Deleted Scenes, Partners: Tom Hanks & Helena Zengel, Western Action, Paul Greengrass Makes NEWS OF THE WORLD, The Kiowa and Feature Commentary with Co-Writer/Director Paul Greengrass.

NEWS OF THE WORLD is a roller coaster of emotions but focused on one thing – Captain Kidd protecting the young Johanna. As each event happens, his protection becomes stronger not realizing they share so much in common. Both have to come to terms with a past that is painful before they can each look toward a future they could never possible have imagined. Zengel and Hanks work together, and it looks flawless and seamless.

The cinematography is vast and impressive, and the costuming has once again added such a richness to the story being told. Writers Greengrass and Luke Davies took their time in telling the tale through writing and Greengrass allowed this story to unfold in its own time and in its own way. That is amazing directing and powerful.

In the end – find where you belong!

 

The Pack Could Never Know the Tenacity of a GREYHOUND

Jeri Jacquin

Currently screening on AppleTV+ from director Aaron Schneider and writer Tom Hanks based on the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C.S. Forester is the story of men running like a GREYHOUND.

US Navy Commander Krause (Tom Hanks) has been assigned to the USS Keeling to be a part of an escort group that are to defend merchant ships crossing the Atlantic. This 37-country multi-national group is defending against German submarines at the beginning of World War II.

Given the codename Greyhound, along with the HMS James – Harry, Polish destroyer Viktor – Eagle and Canadian HMCS Doge – Dickie are about to enter a part of the sea known as the Black Pit and must go it alone without air support for three days. It does not take long before the German U-boats make themselves known.

That is when Commander Krause begins his assault to protect the other ships and once the firing begins, it does not stop. The ‘wolfpack’ is waiting for the cover of night to begin their attacks again. Taunted by the German submarines, the crew keeps to their jobs and tries to help the ships that are hit by taking their share of submarines with depth charges.

Getting closer to the reacquisition of air support, Commander Krause has a decision to make. The submarines are beginning an all-out attack while Commander and crew do everything it takes to stay alive and support the boats that are still afloat. It is a fight that only one can win!

Hanks as Commander Krause does what this actor has always done, put everything into a performance bringing tension and a bit of fear into this character. In GREYHOUND we also see a character that follows his beliefs and is a stern Commander but also a fair one. I would expect nothing less from Hanks. He has always brought such amazing stories to the screen and finds characters that are exceptional in their beliefs and extraordinary in what they accomplish with the support of a crew.

This is seen time and time again from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN to SULLY, Hanks plays opposite those who trust and believe in the lead character. There are also moments where the flaws of his character show, yet it does not deter them from doing what is right for others in the more dire of circumstances. Those are the story I definetly want to see and experience.

Stephen Graham as Lt. Cole supports his Commander and might hesitate for a moment when given an order but sees it through and understandings why Krause is the Commander. Rob Morgan as Mess 2^nd Class George Cleveland is absolutely lovely, and he deserves a shout out for it.

Also, Elisabeth Shue as Evelyn, Commander Krause’s love who may have had a small role, but it is one that shows the worry of women watching men go off to do a dangerous job in a dangerous time.

Other cast include Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Lopez, Karl Glusman as Eppstein, Tom Brittney as Lt. Watson, Matt Helm as Lt. Nystrom, Craig Tate as Pitts, Devin Druid as Wallace, Travis Quentin as Ipsen, Jeff Burkes as Shannon, Matthew Zuk as Flusser, Joseph Poliquin as Helmsman Lee, Michael Benz as Carling, Jake Ventimiglia as Flipper and Chet Hanks as Bushnell.

AppleTV+ is a video on demand web television that debuted in 2019. Viewable through Apple’s TV app, CEO Tim Cook wanted original content calling it “a great opportunity for us from a creation point of view”. From THE MORNING SHOW to TRYING and THE BANKER and Jason Momoa in SEE, there is plenty of choices for everyone. Plenty of genres? That is exactly what they are bringing to viewers and to see more of what they have to offer please visit www.apple.com/tv/.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

The novel The Good Shepherd written by C.S. Forester is a story that shares the struggles of the era with war at sea. More than that it shares the story of a battle group and what was required of them to fight a taunting enemy. This would not be his only story of war responsible for the series of Horatio Hornblower and the novel African Queen which was also made into a film in 1951 with Humphrey Bogart and many more.

GREYHOUND gives us a moment to prepare for all the action that comes after the opening scene with Hanks and Shue. The moment Commander Krause steps aboard his ship it is a whirlwind of strategic decisions and knowing each one of those decisions can cost lives. Even when Hanks’ character questions himself quietly (and you can see it on his face), when the moment calls for it – the answer is as swift as the U-boat chasing them.

Although unfortunate not to have seen it on the big screen, I would not have missed it on a smaller one for the world. This is just what the quarantine ordered for entertainment that brings suspense, drama, intrigue and heroism that takes us all away from the moment we are living in. That is what entertainment is supposed to do – sweep up away and experience something that is impactful, and GREYHOUND does just that.

In the end – the only thing more dangerous than the front lines is the fight to get there!

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is from the Heart

Jeri Jacquin

On Bluray, DVD and Digit to delight and remind us all of our potential from director Marielle Heller and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is a writer who is making a name for himself and it's not a good one.  As no one else will work with him, Esquire editor Ellen (Christine Lahti) gives him the only assignment left which is interviewing Mr. Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks). Unhappy with it, wife Andrea (Susan Watson) reminds him that Mr. Rogers is an icon and to "please don't ruin my childhood".

Grumpy about all of it, he meets with Mr. Rogers at the studio where he makes his children's television show. Watching his interaction with others makes Lloyd uncomfortable but for more reasons than he is ready to grasp. When it only lasts a few moments, Lloyd packs up his wife and young newborn son and its off to sister Lorraine's (Tammy Blanchard) wedding. Also at the wedding his Jerry Vogel (Chris Cooper), Lloyd's estranged father.

An outburst at the wedding leaves both Lloyd and Jerry roughed up and at the next interview with Mr. Rogers, he notices. Talking it out makes Lloyd even more uncomfortable and can't seem to get away fast enough. That's when Lloyd realizes that things from his past are interfering with his present life. When Jerry tries to reach out but he just can't get past his anger.

Throwing himself into the article, Lloyd watches Mr. Rogers and how he speaks to people, the life topics he covers and his outlook on life. Trying to grasp it all, a family issue means that Lloyd might have the opportunity to see firsthand what Mr. Rogers has been trying to tell and show him about kindness and forgiveness.

Sometimes we all just need one person to believe in us!

Hanks as Mr. Rogers is completely stunning and leaves an imprint in the heart. Because I come from a generation that knew about Mr. Rogers, I cannot think of one actor besides Hanks that could have done this film. I believe so much in what Lloyd's wife says about not ruining our childhood and that could have easily happened. Instead, Hanks reminds us so much of why we embraced Mr. Rogers and why we hold his and our memories so dear. The calmness in the midst of so much sadness in Lloyd's life allows us to open our hearts even further to the story we see on the screen. But do we really expect anything different from Hanks? He gives us all something to think about through his performances and in being Mr. Rogers, we owe him that much.

Rhys as Lloyd is a man who is just living life one moment at a time and it all comes from a childhood anger that he carries like a bag of bricks. Everyone seems to give him a pass with the anger he carries for his father but, as with anyone who lives for anger, the pass is about to expire. He can't fathom how Mr. Rogers can keep his heart so open to others and feels that "Mr. Rogers" is a television persona. It's when he puts the bag of bricks down does Lloyd have a chance to truly connect with those who continue, through it all, to love him. Of course, Mr. Rogers isn't about to leave Lloyd to do all of it on his own.

Watson as wife Andrea accepts Lloyd for the emotional roller coaster he always seems to be on. With a new baby to tend to, she wants more for her family in the way of connection and love. It is easy to believe Watson's performance since it is very similar to Beth from the television drama series This Is Us. Blanchard as sister Lorraine understands Lloyds anger but in her own life is trying to make different choices. She may have made her own mistakes (such as marriages) but Blanchard shows a forgiving nature in the midst of it all.

Cooper as dad Jerry is rough around the edges and not very good at showing remorse or affection. Lloyd can't even look at him without remembering pain and Cooper plays a man who is not only dealing with issues but trying to find a way of saying 'I'm sorry'. Cooper has the amazing ability of playing roles that have so much depth to them once you get past the gruffness as with Jerry.

Other cast include: Maryann Plunkett as Joanne Rogers, Enrico Colantoni as Bill Isler, Wendy Makkena as Dorothy, Noah Harpster as Todd, Carmen Cusack as Margy, Maddie Corman as Lady Aberlin and Daniel Krell as Mr. McFeely.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

The Special Features include Over 15 Minutes of Additional Scenes, Blooper Reel, Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, The People Who Make a Neighborhood: The Making Of, Dreaming Big, Building Small: The Puppets & Miniatures, Daniel Tiger Explains: Practice Makes Perfect and Filmmaker Commentary.

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is not exactly what I expected. Yes, it's about Mr. Rogers and yet it isn't. It is Lloyd Vogel's story about Mr. Rogers and how spending time with him changes everything. Then again most of us already know that it can happen because, as with my own experiences, it has before.

Mr. Rogers embraces Lloyd, whether he likes it or not, to try and show that we need one another. Being patient isn't something Lloyd seems to have but it is something Mr. Rogers seems to have in abundance. The two most unlikely people to come together happens slowly throughout the film - and mainly due to the persistence and belief from Mr. Rogers.

Watching Rhy's Lloyd go through his struggle is at times heartbreaking and Hanks as Mr. Rogers almost encourages us to feel that heartbreak. There is acceptance and forgiveness in each frame of the film and, to be honest, it also felt as if we didn't we would let down Mr. Rogers!

It is the perfect time of year for A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD and for reasons that are plain but I'll go ahead and mention them anyway. This is a film about listening to one another, offering help in any way that would ease pain, be there for those we love, forgive just as easily as we hold grudges and always embrace a couple of seconds longer just so the people we care about know that they are not alone.

In the end - we could all use a little kindness!

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is from the Heart

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is from the Heart

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres to delight and remind us all of our potential from director Marielle Heller and Sony Pictures with A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is a writer who is making a name for himself and it's not a good one.  As no one else will work with him, Esquire editor Ellen (Christine Lahti) gives him the only assignment left which is interviewing Mr. Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks). Unhappy with it, wife Andrea (Susan Watson) reminds him that Mr. Rogers is an icon and to "please don't ruin my childhood".

Grumpy about all of it, he meets with Mr. Rogers at the studio where he makes his children's television show. Watching his interaction with others makes Lloyd uncomfortable but for more reasons than he is ready to grasp. When it only lasts a few moments, Lloyd packs up his wife and young newborn son and its off to sister Lorraine's (Tammy Blanchard) wedding. Also at the wedding his Jerry Vogel (Chris Cooper), Lloyd's estranged father.

An outburst at the wedding leaves both Lloyd and Jerry roughed up and at the next interview with Mr. Rogers, he notices. Talking it out makes Lloyd even more uncomfortable and can't seem to get away fast enough. That's when Lloyd realizes that things from his past are interfering with his present life. When Jerry tries to reach out but he just can't get past his anger.

Throwing himself into the article, Lloyd watches Mr. Rogers and how he speaks to people, the life topics he covers and his outlook on life. Trying to grasp it all, a family issue means that Lloyd might have the opportunity to see firsthand what Mr. Rogers has been trying to tell and show him about kindness and forgiveness.

Sometimes we all just need one person to believe in us!

Hanks as Mr. Rogers is completely stunning and leaves an imprint in the heart. Because I come from a generation that knew about Mr. Rogers, I cannot think of one actor besides Hanks that could have done this film. I believe so much in what Lloyd's wife says about not ruining our childhood and that could have easily happened. Instead, Hanks reminds us so much of why we embraced Mr. Rogers and why we hold his and our memories so dear. The calmness in the midst of so much sadness in Lloyd's life allows us to open our hearts even further to the story we see on the screen. But do we really expect anything different from Hanks? He gives us all something to think about through his performances and in being Mr. Rogers, we owe him that much.

Rhys as Lloyd is a man who is just living life one moment at a time and it all comes from a childhood anger that he carries like a bag of bricks. Everyone seems to give him a pass with the anger he carries for his father but, as with anyone who lives for anger, the pass is about to expire. He can't fathom how Mr. Rogers can keep his heart so open to others and feels that "Mr. Rogers" is a television persona. It's when he puts the bag of bricks down does Lloyd have a chance to truly connect with those who continue, through it all, to love him. Of course, Mr. Rogers isn't about to leave Lloyd to do all of it on his own.

Watson as wife Andrea accepts Lloyd for the emotional roller coaster he always seems to be on. With a new baby to tend to, she wants more for her family in the way of connection and love. It is easy to believe Watson's performance since it is very similar to Beth from the television drama series This Is Us. Blanchard as sister Lorraine understands Lloyds anger but in her own life is trying to make different choices. She may have made her own mistakes (such as marriages) but Blanchard shows a forgiving nature in the midst of it all.

Cooper as dad Jerry is rough around the edges and not very good at showing remorse or affection. Lloyd can't even look at him without remembering pain and Cooper plays a man who is not only dealing with issues but trying to find a way of saying 'I'm sorry'. Cooper has the amazing ability of playing roles that have so much depth to them once you get past the gruffness as with Jerry.

Other cast include: Maryann Plunkett as Joanne Rogers, Enrico Colantoni as Bill Isler, Wendy Makkena as Dorothy, Noah Harpster as Todd, Carmen Cusack as Margy, Maddie Corman as Lady Aberlin and Daniel Krell as Mr. McFeely.

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is not exactly what I expected. Yes, it's about Mr. Rogers and yet it isn't. It is Lloyd Vogel's story about Mr. Rogers and how spending time with him changes everything. Then again most of us already know that it can happen because, as with my own experiences, it has before.

Mr. Rogers embraces Lloyd, whether he likes it or not, to try and show that we need one another. Being patient isn't something Lloyd seems to have but it is something Mr. Rogers seems to have in abundance. The two most unlikely people to come together happens slowly throughout the film - and mainly due to the persistence and belief from Mr. Rogers.

Watching Rhy's Lloyd go through his struggle is at times heartbreaking and Hanks as Mr. Rogers almost encourages us to feel that heartbreak. There is acceptance and forgiveness in each frame of the film and, to be honest, it also felt as if we didn't we would let down Mr. Rogers!

It is the perfect time of year for A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD and for reasons that are plain but I'll go ahead and mention them anyway. This is a film about listening to one another, offering help in any way that would ease pain, be there for those we love, forgive just as easily as we hold grudges and always embrace a couple of seconds longer just so the people we care about know that they are not alone.

In the end - we could all use a little kindness!

TOY STORY 4 Reunited Our Favorite Friends

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital Code from director Josh Cooley, Pixar Animated Studios and Walt Disney Pictures Home Entertainment brings back our friends for TOY STORY 4.

Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the gang are still living with Bonnie. As time has gone on, Woody has found himself spending more time in the closet and less time with Bonnie. Yet Buzz, Jessie (Joan Cusack), Dolly (Bonnie Hunt), Trixie (Kristen Schaal), Rex, (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Slinky Dog (Blake Clark), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris) and the gang are still supportive of Woody.

But he has other things to worry about when Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) is upset about going off to kindergarten. Taking the initiative, Woody decides to make sure she has a good day! When things don't seem to be going in that direction, he helps Bonnie create a new friend, Forky (Tony Hale) and she is delighted.

Before the real school year starts, Mom and Dad decide it's time to go on a little road trip. The toy-gang is thrilled as well and wait to be packed into the RV for a little adventure. When Forky escapes the RV, Woody tells he gang he will meet them at the RV park in the next town while he goes off to settle their new toy friend down a bit.

It gives time for Woody and Forky to bond as the sheriff gets time to explain the situation to him. Getting close to the RV park, Woody sees something in an antique store window. A lamp that his friend Bo Peep (Annie Potts) once called her home with the three sheep Billy, Goat and Gruff. Taking a small detour to find out if she is in the shop, he and Forky meet Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) who only wants one thing from Woody!

When she doesn't get it, Gabby Gabby takes Forky as hostage at the same time Woody finds Bo Peep. Now she needs to bring her friends to help including Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) because Bonnie and her parents are about to leave the RV park and not everyone is aboard. Buzz jumps into action to help as the gang in the RV make a little plan of their own.

It's pretty much help your friends, help your new friends and make a decision that will change the lives of everybody all while getting back to Bonnie.

Because that's what friends do for one another!

Hanks as Woody will now and forever be considered a beloved icon in both movies and animation. He has brought all of us so much love and teachable lessons in the character of Sheriff Woody. From the very first TOY STORY in 1995, I knew this was going to be a ride from adults to children, little did I know now that it would include grandchildren. Woody can be found in kids' rooms still because he is the friend we all wish we could have for a lifetime.

Allen as Buzz is once again the lighthearted friend who tries to keep Woody's spirits up and when it comes time to bring him home, it is Buzz who go to find him. They are an unbeatable pair and even if he is still a little confused sometimes, he doesn't let that stop him from hearing his own 'inner voice'.

Potts as Bo Peep is sweet, strong and has a little fight in her swagger. She has a story to tell and it is about where she has been and how she now sees the world. McGraw as Bonnie is such a young girl learning to be outside of her bedroom and toy world into something much bigger – but she still needs her toy friends.

Cusack, Hunt, Schaal, Shawn, Ratzenberger, Benson, Clark, Rickles, Harris return as their respective and beloved characters and, of course, we wouldn't have it any other way. As much as there wouldn't be a TOY STORY without Woody and Buzz, there equally wouldn't be a Woody and Buzz without Jessie, Dolly, Rex, Hamm, Barbie and the Potato Heads.

Hendricks as Gabby Gabby can be a little bit off putting and a tad-bit like Lotso from TOY STORY 3 in that she wants to be large and in charge. It is clear that there are deeper issues and Woody needs to get to the bottom of it.

Reeves as Duke Caboom may have only been in the film briefly but man did he make me laugh! This was a fantastic chance for Reeves to show his comedic side in a way that most would see as unexpected and awesome at the same time.

Other cast include Bill Hader as Axel the Carnie, Ally Maki as Giggle McDimples, Jay Hernandez as Bonnie's Dad, Lori Alan as Bonnie's Mom, Emily Davis as Billy/Goat/Gruff, Carl Weathers as Combat Carls, Jeff Garlin as Buttercup, Jordan Peele as Bunny Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants, Jodie Benson as Barbie, Jeff Pidgeon as Aliens, and especially Mel Brooks as Melephant Brooks, Carol Burnett as Chairol Burnett, Betty White as Bitey White and Carl Reiner as Carl. Reineroceros.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment began distributing under its own label in 1980 and continues to bring quality programming to kids and kids at heart. Home of the most beloved animated features including SNOW WHITE, PINOCCHIO and SLEEPING BEAUTY to name a few is what keeps families coming back for more. To see what is currently available to add to your own family library please visit. www.movies.disney.com for their At Home titles!

The Bonus Extras include Deleted Scenes, Bo Rebooted - Bo Peep is Back and Stronger Than Ever, Toy Stories - Cast and Crew Remember Their Beloved Childhood Toys, Woody & Buzz - A Look Back At A Legendary Friendship, Toy Box - Meet the New Cast of Characters, Let's Ride! With Ally Maki - A Humorous Lesson in Voice Recording AND MORE!

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

TOY STORY 4 is a chance for the toys themselves to actually have an adventure that is about – well – them! Of course there is the continuing story of Bonnie but it is also about how these toys are still caring of one another.

They have their own attachments and feelings about the years they have spent together and TOY STORY 4 has a chance to tell that side of it all and do so in a way that brings closure we didn't even know we needed. The best part is that now we can all watch again and again toys that have become part of our lives as much as Andy and Bonnie's. Something tells me they don't mind.

In the end – on the road of life there are old friends, new friends and stories that will change you forever!