The Town was my favorite movie of 2010. Skeptical because it was directed by and starred Ben Affleck (who, besidesGone Baby Gone, hasn't really made waves since Good Will Hunting), I was blown away both by Affleck's characterization of Boston townie Doug MacRay and by the way the film carried itself. It certainly boasts other equally (or more) powerful stars in Jeremy Renner and Pete Postlethwaite, but Affleck's fingerprints are all over this adaptation of Chuck Hogan's book Prince of Thieves that makes the city of Boston just as much a character as any of the actors. And now you can catch the movie with the original ending or Affleck's personal vision for the way that the story plays out.

All of this serves to highlight the story that Affleck told in 2010. A group of masked bank robbers from Charlestown led by McRay and Renner's Jem, who are childhood friends, takes a hostage in bank clerk Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), and MacRay ends up developing feelings for her as he forces his way into her life (in an attempt to make sure she doesn't identify them). FBI Agent Frawley (Jon Hamm) investigates the robbery and discovers a connection between the gang and crimelord Fergie (Postlethwaite) and tightens the net, increasing their anxiety. As the net tightens, the gang finds itself determined to make one final strike to get rich or die trying, as MacRay and Keesey have to decide whether fight-or-flight will serve them together or separately.

Honestly, if you've never seen the movie, then you probably would be just as well served to give the original, high-definition version a spin. But if you've seen the movie before, then you're getting the Ultimate Collector's edition because of everything else included in this three-disc version. And it certainly packs more than its fair share of extras.

• There's a forty-eight page book with stills from the movie, filming, and of the various actors/actresses. It includes simple bios, explanations about the extras who were included from Charlestown, and a tribute to Postlethwaite.
• There's a faux manilla envelope that contains a map of Charlestown, criminal files on the members of McRay's gang, a personal message from Affleck about why he liked this longer (darker) version of the film more, and a few other fun tidbits like a sheet of rub-on tattoos, the employee file from Vericom, and the FBI report about the robbery.
• And finally, there's a new documentary from Affleck's perspective of the making of the movie, "The Town: A Director's Journey," to accompany "Ben's Boston" (a look at making the film in Boston specifically) and commentary from Affleck... along with the various forms of the movie included in this three-disc set.

Ultimately, we're asking the question: can we change? MacRay has a desire to leave the life of crime, and to pursue something new and good, while Jem has determined that this life of crime is all they have. Maybe it's the Lenten season but I'm reminded of the two criminals crucified on either side of Jesus: one hurls insults at him as he tries to fit in with the jeering crowd and the other sees Jesus' nobility and purity and asks to be forgiven. We're often the criminals (from the movie or the crucifixion) caught between what our situation seems like and who we might like to be. If we're going to move forward, we have to embrace hope and TRY. Sometimes we fall back to that place we want to leave, but sometimes we can move forward in that hope toward something better.