'Manchester by the Sea' Arrives on November 18: Amazon's First Oscar?

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Internet based companies invading the movie making space is all the rage these days and now with the release of Manchester by the Sea, Amazon Studios may just have made some progress toward gaining an edge in the film space.

Starring Casey Affleck and written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, the man behind the screenplay for Gangs of New York, Manchester by the Sea is the story of a the relationship between a man and the nephew for whom he unexpectedly becomes a guardian.

Casey Affleck took on the protagonist role after Matt Damon, one of the producers of the film, had to drop out due to scheduling changes. Now, the film is earning Casey Affleck well deserved Oscar buzz.

Amazon Studios reportedly acquired the rights to Manchester by the Sea for $10 million. The film premiered at the Sundance Film festival and has earned rave reviews thus far. It will be released in theaters on November 18th.

Will 'Manchester by the Sea' be a Hit?

The number of award rumors surrounding this film is astounding. The film has received acclaim from all directions. Professional critics seem to love the film, but individual movie buffs love it as well.

According to reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes, Manchester by the Sea hits it out of the park for multiple reasons -- and it received a 98/100. It also received high ratings on Metacritic and other review sites.

Here are just a few examples of the glowing reviews:

Eric Kohn from IndieWire wrote:

Punctuated by disarming humor, many scenes are so raw with the nuances of human behavior that they border on documentary -- and yet Lonergan remains in tight control of his narrative. While Affleck's subdued delivery gels with the filmmaker's tone, it's rising star Hedges who gives the movie its liveliest moments.

And Justin Chang from Variety says:

[A] beautifully textured, richly enveloping drama about how a death in the family forces a small-town New Englander to confront a past tragedy anew.

To see the trailer for Manchester by the Sea, check out the clip below:

Is Manchester by the Sea going to propel into the small circle of production companies that dominate the industry? It is yet to be seen.

But we would guess that this film is going to finally put Amazon Studios' feature film division on the map.

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