Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Eric Bana, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger

Craig Gillespie

It’s easy to see why studios are drawn to stories like the one behind “The Finest Hours,” where four Cape Cod Coast Guardsmen braved impossible weather to rescue the 33 men trapped on a severed oil tanker. By all rights, every one of them should have died a cold, miserable death that night in early 1952, but they didn’t, and it is still considered one of the greatest rescues in Coast Guard history, which is why someone thought, “We should make a film about this.” That in itself is not a bad idea. The bad idea is when the film they make about this incredible story looks like every other film ever made about a similar story. This is a pity; the water sequences are breathtaking, but it’s hard to get emotionally invested in any of the characters, not for a lack of effort on Casey Affleck’s part.

Coast Guard Boatswain Mate First Class Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) is about to meet, for the first time, the girl he has spent the last four weeks talking on the phone. He’s nervous about how she’ll feel about him, even though a) she’s taken his calls for four weeks, and b) he looks like Chris Pine. The girl, Miriam (Holliday Grainger), likes him just fine, and a few months later, unsung feminist pioneer Miriam asks Bernie if he’ll marry her. Almost immediately after he says yes (in the most awkward, bumbling manner possible), Miriam gets a taste of life as the wife of a Guardsman.

A nasty Nor’easter splits two oil tankers in half off the Massachusetts coast. Bernie, who works in nearby Chatham Station on Cape Cod, is instructed to look for the SS Pendleton, even though there has been no contact from the Pendleton, the Chatham office only has an educated guess where the Pendleton is due to a malfunctioning radar, and there’s a good chance that Bernie’s crew will get stranded on a sand bar before reaching the deep blue sea. The de facto captain of the Pendleton is Ray Sybert (Affleck), an unpopular engine room lifer who knows the ship better than anyone on board, and must convince the crew that he can lead them, or at least keep them alive the longest.

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Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Bryan Cranston, J.K. Simmons, Kate Hudson, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Jackie Chan

Alessandro Carloni & Jennifer Yu

It would be fitting if this turned out to be the final installment in the “Kung Fu Panda” series, because the moral of “Kung Fu Panda 3” is “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Those were the last words of the last song on Abbey Road, the last album the Beatles made together. (Yes, there is a snippet of a song after it called “Her Majesty,” but that was the engineer’s doing, and was never supposed to be on the final master tape.) It’s an excellent piece of advice, and makes for a very touching finale, but there is a sameness to these films that cannot be denied. Po is the animated, martial arts equivalent of Dr. Gregory House, the one who continues to get it wrong before finally getting it right.

There is a great disturbance in the spirit realm, as the ox Kai (J.K. Simmons), a onetime friend of the recently deceased Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), is vanquishing all departed kung fu masters in order to steal their chi (think of it as channeling the energy of the universe) and use it to cross over to the mortal realm and continue his reign of terror. Oogway chose Po (Jack Black) to be the Dragon Warrior knowing that this was coming, though no one in the mortal realm has much faith that Po will succeed.

Po also receives a visit from his biological father Li (Bryan Cranston), much to the consternation of his adoptive father Ping (James Hong). Li lives with a group of pandas in a hidden location, and he brings Po (and Ping, reluctantly) back with him to learn the art of chi, as well as how to be a proper panda. Po doesn’t have much time, though; soon after crossing over to the mortal realm, Kai makes short work of the Furious Five, save Tigress (Angelina Jolie), and is coming for Po.

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Lincoln is bringing back the iconic Continental name for its new flagship sedan for the 2017 model year. The full-size, luxury sedan will be available in the fall of 2017 in the US and China.

Lincoln’s new signature grille grabs your attention immediately as the most distinctive feature of the new Continental. It will be interesting to see how this new grille starts to impact the design of other models in the Lincoln line-up, as it’s such a departure from the more modern and stylized grille currently dominating Lincoln designs. This new grille offers a more classic and traditional look. It’s elegant and appropriate for a luxury line, and it may be representative of the design direction Lincoln needs to follow to reclaim its traditional place among the top luxury brands in the US. I’ve heard some feedback that the new look is too similar to other luxury brands like Bentley, and while that may be a fair criticism, the new front end certainly looks good on this new vehicle.

“The Continental name has long been associated with the ultimate in Lincoln beauty and luxury,” said Kumar Galhotra, president of Lincoln. “With the all-new model, we are focusing on creating more human, personally tailored experiences for our clients – providing what we call quiet luxury.”

Lincoln is stressing all of the luxury and comfort offered by the new Continental, but I’m most interested in the all-new Lincoln-exclusive 3.0-liter V6 engine with twin turbochargers that produces a projected 400 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. We can see from the photos that the new design is worthy of the Continental name, so I’m anxious to drive the vehicle and see of the entire experience lives up to that standard as well.

Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on Facebook and Twitter with your friends.

WHAT: Former bad boy chef Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) seeks to put his life back together and earn a coveted third Michelin star when he convinces his old business partner, Tony (Daniel Brühl), to take over his languishing London restaurant and turn it into one of the world’s best.

WHY: John Wells’ culinary drama was ripped apart by critics upon its theatrical release, and although the criticisms weren’t completely unfair, “Burnt” is far from disastrous. In fact, if you enjoy foodie shows like “Top Chef,” the kitchen-based sequences offer a pretty fascinating look behind the curtain of the restaurant world, even if it seems a bit more glamorous than in real life. Where the movie starts to fall apart is outside the kitchen with the clichéd personal drama and strained romantic subplot between Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller. It’s all too safe for a film about a guy who used to live on the edge, especially when his redemption arc lacks the required emotional punch. There’s enough quality among the ensemble cast (including all-too-brief cameos by Alicia Vikander and Uma Thurman) to hold your interest, but much like Cooper’s last chef-inspired project, the short-lived TV series “Kitchen Confidential,” it’s a little undercooked.

EXTRAS: There’s an audio commentary by director John Wells and chef consultant Marcus Wareing, deleted scenes, highlights from a cast Q&A and more.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

WHAT: After he breaks into his neighbor’s house to investigate a distress call, teenager Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) discovers a bookshelf filled with “Goosebumps” manuscripts that have been mysteriously sealed with a lock. When Zach unwittingly opens one and unleashes the monster trapped inside – setting off a chain reaction in the process – he must team up with R.L. Stine (Jack Black) and his daughter (Odeya Rush) to stop the author’s creations from wreaking havoc on their small town.

WHY: “Goosebumps” is not a great film by any stretch of the imagination, but it does have a lot of fun with its premise, which takes a very meta approach to the source material. If anyone was going to make a “Goosebumps” movie, this was the way to do it. Unfortunately, while the film is much better than the cheesy, mid-‘90s TV series, nothing about it really stands out apart from Jack Black’s amusing performance as the macabre author. The visual effects are solid, if a little cartoony, and although Darren Lemke’s screenplay nails the spooky/funny tone of the typical “Goosebumps” tale, it’s riddled with plot holes. In spite of its obvious flaws, however, the spirit of “Goosebumps” is very much alive in director Rob Letterman’s movie. Fans of the YA book series will find more to love than most, but it’s a harmless slice of family entertainment that evokes the goofy humor and PG-rated scares of other Halloween classics like “Hocus Pocus.”

EXTRAS: In addition to a pair of featurettes on the film’s creatures, there’s an alternate ending and opening, deleted scenes, a blooper reel and more.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

Although the Robert Oatley Vineyards is located in Mudgee, they don’t limit themselves to fruit from that region. Instead, they look throughout Australia and source grape varieties in the Australian regions where they thrive most. They use sustainable practices and strive to be as organic as possible. They produce a wide swath of wines that show off good varietal character. I recently tasted through a number of their current releases and found a lot to like. Here are some thoughts on a few of my favorites.

Robert Oatley 2014 Signature Series Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc ($18)

Lemon zest aromas inform the welcoming nose; subtle bits of grass and white pepper are present as well. The palate is gently layered with white peach and other stone fruits. A hint of marzipan emerges on the finish, alongside bits of sour yellow melon and grapefruit. This Sauvignon Blanc has a really soft and lovely mouth-feel. It goes down easy and features lots of solid character. It also rides the middle of the Sauvignon Blanc line; it’s not super citrusy, overly grassy, nor extremely tropical. Instead, it draws bits from all of those camps.

Robert Oatley 2014 Signature Series Margaret River Chardonnay ($18)

Anjou pear and wisps of white peach emerge from the nose here. The palate is fruit-forward, while remaining proportionate and lovely. Lots of orchard and stone fruit characteristics are joined by subtle hints of spice. Bits of limestone are present on the above-average finish. There is a nice weight and terrific feel to this wine; I simply didn’t want to put it down. It’s a really expressive and clean Chardonnay that is gently accented by oak.

Robert Oatley 2014 Signature Series McLaren Vale GSM ($18)

This wine is a blend of Grenache (60 percent), Shiraz (30 percent) and Mourvedre (10 percent). There’s a gentle bit of pleasing tar on the nose, alongside a potpourri of red fruit aromas. Blackberry and forest floor elements are in evidence throughout the palate, while earth, minerals and hints of smoked meat are evident on the finish — which is well above average for the price point. This is a fantastic food wine; pair it with all but the lightest or heartiest fare.

Robert Oatley 2014 Signature Series McLaren Vale Shiraz ($18)

Plum, violet and blueberry aromas are tinged by a tiny hint of charcoal on the lovely nose. There’s a ton of black cherry and pepper spice on the palate, along with more blueberry notes. Bits of espresso and sour black fruits mark the finish. Fleshy tannins and firm acid provide good structure. You’ll have a hard time finding a better wine to pair with a burger.

Robert Oatley 2013 Signature Series Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon ($18)

Toast, vanilla, sage and dark berry fruits are all present on the nose here. The palate is stuffed with black fruit flavors, spice and savory herbs. Bits of earth, black cherry and a dusting of cocoa are all present on the finish.

This quintet of wines from Robert Oatley impresses with the quality in the bottle at under $20. In each case, the wine is typical of the variety in question. In the case of the blend, it’s a pretty classic example of a GSM at a very agreeable price. Besides those qualities, these wines are connected by a purity of fruit and lovely textural elements that keep them on the same stylistic page. These are wines that most can afford to drink on a regular basis, but the quality may inspire you to pour them on special occasions too — and that’s okay; they’re clean tasty wines that will enjoy wide appeal. These wines represent the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Robert Oatley portfolio.

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