Buy War Stories on DVD

War Stories

Uncheckable Films / Year: 2009

DVD-R More Info Region Code: 1 ISBN: B007IOVBNG Catalog #: DR33824302 Languages: English (Primary) Please Note: Some older DVD players are not programmed to play DVD-R. Please make sure your player can play DVD-R before purchasing.	In stock and ready to ship	$19.99 (33% off) List Price: $29.99
Streaming More Info Watch as many times as you like for 7 days after your purchase! Click "WATCH" and proceed with the purchase processs. You will be prompted to start watching your high quality rental immediately! Available to both PC and Mac users. VOD Questions?	Duration: 7 days	$3.99

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Synopsis

For Tim Curtright (Michael Brenton Gordon), life in his quiet Kansas hometown seems boringly ordinary. For Tim, his gay best-friend, Austin (Mark Ayesh), and girlfriend, Laura (Sara Hammond), life consists as a series of school projects, dances, and the occasional party. While working on a research project for school, Tim is stunned to discover his father didn't die in the Gulf War as he had previously been led to believe. With his mother, the local community, and a mysterious FBI Agent standing in the way, can Tim and his friends break through a generation of lies and secrets and discover what really happened to his father? A thrilling, mysterious, and provocative adventure, War Stories challenges viewers to ask themselves, just how well they know their family's past.

3 Reasons To buy this film

Lee M. Whitman is a writer/director/cinematophrapher worth keeping an eye on. This debut feature is skillfully crafted. We're looking forward to seeing what he does next!
Michael Brenton Gordon and Mark Ayesh have great chemistry together as best high school friends - one gay, one straight.
There is a scene early in the film where Austin (Mark Ayesh) spins around like a superhero and flips over an Army recruitment table after being rejected for weaing a rainbow gay pride bracelet. That scene alone makes this movie worth watching!

Review

Tim (Michael Brenton Gordon) always thought that his father had died in combat during the Gulf War. While researching a school paper, however, he discovers otherwise. The state of Kansas has no record of his father's death and his stern, conservative mother isn't forthcoming with information. With the help of his gay best buddy Austin (Mark Ayesh), Tim sets out on an obsessive mission to find out the truth behind his father's seemingly strange disappearance.

I don’t want to say too much about this compelling mystery for fear of giving away some of its secrets. Whitman, who also wrote the screenplay, keeps the story largely unpredictable. Rest assured, the film has a strong focus on "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" and other issues related to gay men in the military. The relationship between Tim and Austin is also nice to see. It isn’t often that we’re shown a friendship between two high school boys, one straight and one gay, so lovingly and realistically depicted – wherein the gay teen’s sexuality is completely accepted and even embraced.

Despite a low budget, War Stories has lofty goals which director Lee M. Whitman reaches with aplomb. The cinematography is impressive for a first-time feature filmmaker and the soundtrack, both song selections and the original score, are consistently riveting. From the second the film’s central mystery was introduced, I was pulled into Tim’s world and perfectly ready to follow him in his search for answers. I have no doubt that you will be as well!

-- Robert O'Neill

Product Format Information

DVD-R : $19.99

Availability: In stock and ready to ship
Region Code: 1
Catalog #: DR33824302

Studio : Uncheckable Films

Languages: English (Primary)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen
Features:
Audio commentary: with director Lee Whitman

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Streaming : $3.99

Customer Reviews

If you didn't really know your dad

oaksong wrote on 06/03/2012:

What happens when your early memories have been manipulated and the story that you know of your father, that he was a hero in the war and died for his country is not really the truth. Where he is and why he wasn't there to bring you up can weigh heavily on a boy ready to leave high school and move out in the world. This is a prize winning film and deservedly so. Keep a hanky handy, this film has some surprises.

You'd Never Know

MC wrote on 05/26/2012:

Director Lee Whitman's debut film War Stories keeps audiances guessing until the end. The storyline is interesting, the acting is well done, and the filming and editing is beautifully done. You would never guess it's a debut film. It's a must see.

mysterious and cool

lbla wrote on 05/24/2012:

This is a fantastic piece of work from a debut director. Tautly written, inventive, cool shots, and with twists and turns that keep you guessing right up to the very end.

Discovering Truth

Amos Lassen wrote on 05/04/2012:

Tim Curtright (Michael Brenton Gordon) lives in Kansas in a quiet town and has two good friends—Austin (Mark Avesh) and Laura (Sara Hammond). There is not a whole lot to do and Tim’s life is made up of school, dances and an occasional party. As he works on a project for school, Tim discovers that his father did not die in the Gulf War like he believed to be true and he decides to find out more. Of course, his mother is not in favor of this and the townsfolk also discourage it as well as a mysterious FBI agent who stands in the way of Tim’s investigation. Tim keeps going and he and his friends find lies and secrets everywhere as they try to find out what really happened to Tim’s dad.
Tim is not just determined—he is obsessive to find out what really happened and to say too much about the plot would ruin this wonderful film for those of you who want to see it. “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” plays a major role here as do other issues about gays in the military. Austin, who is gay, has a terrific scene and it is so refreshing to see two best friends, one straight and one gay, actually love each other as people.
Lee M. Whitman directed this film with great style and this is his first film. He pulls us into the world of Tim and we really care about the characters.