A great movie to watch this Memorial Day Weekend!

I always love to watch movies on a long holiday weekend. I am not much of a movie guy because I much prefer episodic television. I don't want to invest the time in a crappy movie. Unless it is an old favorite that I watch over and over again. I have a bunch I love on Memorial Day and I watch at least two of them every year. "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon." "Fort Apache." "The Dirty Dozen." "The Devils Brigade." "The Fighting Kentuckian." "The Alamo." "Go Tell the Spartans." "The Longest Day." "They Died With Their Boots On." "A Bridge To Far." "The Guns of Navarone." They are all available somewhere. On demand. Netflicks. Amazon. Hulu.

But this weekend I saw a movie that was just great  and I highly highly recommend it for this weekend. It is about the most overlooked of the Armed Services. The Coast Guard.

It is called "The Finest Hours." I know it On Demand on most cable services. It stars Chris Pine the New Captain Kirk as well as Casey Affleck and Eric Bana. It chronicles the rescue of the sailors on the USS Pendleton off the coast of New England in 1952.

I love everything about this movie. It is set in my favorite era the 1950's. It shows the heroism of a much neglected service the Coast Guard. I don't know if you have ever had any experience with the Coast Guard. The are terrific and unsung heroes. They have to go out in the worst most dangerous weather to rescue idiots who don't know jack about the sea. When I was a kid my uncle forced my cousins and me to take a Coast Guard safety course. It was run by a crusty old salt who had a lot of hilarious stories about idiots in the Atlantic and the Sound. This movie shows what these guys do and it is both inspiring and moving.

The story is incredible and I won't spoil it for you. But take it from me if you are going to rent a movie in the next few weeks this it one to see. Especially on Memorial day.