"Captain Phillips" is the harrowing, tension filled and exhausting in the best way true story of Somali pirates overtaking of an American freighter ship under the command of said Captain Phillips played by Tom Hanks in a career rejuvenating role that is not to be missed.
Directed by Paul Greengrass of "United 93" and the two best entries in the original Jason Bourne trilogy (Supremacy and Ultimatum), "Captain Phillips" is a tightly wound thriller that is both large in scale and intimate enough to make you feel as if you are a witness to it all. Greengrass is the master of using the camera in a hand held manner that is ideal for this type of story. With scenes taking place in confined spaces onboard the freighter ship as well as the dramatic conclusion inside a lifeboat with Captain Phillips and his pirate hijackers it is a claustrophobic that much like the earlier released "Gravity" helps the viewer experience what the characters are experiencing though here we don't have the 3D technology to exacerbate this sensation-its not needed.
The almost always reliable Hanks has been in a slump as of late choosing to go with roles that require bad haircuts and uninspired acting (The Da Vinci Code), "Captain Phillips" is a welcome returned to form for the actor as this is the type of role that is expected of him and is sure to bring with it an onslaught of end of the year award consideration. Much like the movie itself Hanks brings quiet moments, especially early on in the film as the mild mannered family man Captain who is put in a position that no everyman could be expected to handle any other way than he executes here. The other great performance here is from absolutely unknown Somali actor Barkhad Abdi as the head pirate by the name of Muse. A role that could be easily played as a faceless villain, Abdi brings the human touch to Muse who is clearly out to make a better life for himself by the only way-or option that he knows its a remarkable performance is that its a menacing portrayal but part of you understands why he is who he is.
The events in the movie are true, but as with any "true" story it is hard to really know what happened and even how accurate that events that did happen are portrayed. That being said every moment in this film is believable, there are small moments of humor that break the tension even for a second that seem genuine in a moment of crisis. The scenes on the lifeboat towards the end are the most effective and emotional even with Hanks clearly going for a certain gold statue towards the harrowing conclusion, nothing feels forced.
October brings with it the start of the awards season for cinema and with "Captain Phillips" and the before mentioned and reviewed "Gravity" it looks to be an exciting and ridiculously competitive season. Do yourself a favor and seek out "Captain Phillips" before it gets lost in the inevitable awards bait shuffle, its a decision you will not regret.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Gravity
The 3D genre for most, including this reviewer had seemed to run its course again. After the shock and awe that films such as "Avatar" and "Tron Legacy" brought to those that viewed them in their big screen glory went to the wayside as seemingly every movie that comes out each subsequent week had a lame post 3D conversion to squeeze another dollar out of the moviegoers pocket. With the release of "Gravity", the epic new space opera starring arguably the biggest movie stars in the world: George Clooney and Sandra Bullock the genre has been flipped on its ear and brings moviemaking technology and cinema on its own right to a level not seen before. In a word "Gravity" is simply breathtaking.
The simple premise is two astronauts, the veteran played by George Clooney and the rookie played by Sandra Bullock in easily her least Sandra Bullockly role get stranded in outer space after an accident involving a Russian missile debris leaves their space shuttle inoperable and the two of them spinning seemingly into oblivion. The director, Alfonso Cuaron has created some of the best visuals that I've ever viewed in a movie theater and his use of 3D completely immerses you in outer space as if you are there. There are moments that will leave you breathless and leave your heart racing all in one fail swoop, the film is being released as well in 3D IMAX locations and I can only imagine how much more the large formatted screen adds to it, to be sure standard 3D at the minimum is the only way to view this film. Seeing it in 2D would just be a disservice. Cuaron is almost assured a best director Oscar nomination, there are segments of the film that are just one long take that do nothing but help put yourself in the place of the two astronauts he has crafted this skill even more since his last film 2006's inhumanely underrated "Children of Men". Technical Oscars such as editing, sound, cinematography and of course special effects are a lock.
Other than Ed Harris's voice, Bullock and Clooney are the only ones here. While Clooney does a good job as the veteran astronaut and the calm to Bullock's panicky frenzied Dr. Ryan Stone don't be fooled, this is Bullocks movie in easily the best role of her career. The idea alone of two astronauts floating in space isn't anything groundbreaking, nor that interesting. The two performances intertwined with the visuals are what sells it. The scripted dialogue itself isn't anything to write home about and even has quite a few clichés towards the end but Bullock and to a lesser degree Clooney since he doesn't have the same amount of screen time that Bullock does make you believe and feel that they are in peril.
The runtime is a crisp 90 minutes, any longer and I'd have probably needed a Valium to calm myself. "Gravity" for me was more than a movie-its art. Wherever the 3D technology goes from here "Gravity" will be looked on as the film that took the next step, its the type of film that there needs to be more of it is what makes the movie going experience simply that, an experience.
The simple premise is two astronauts, the veteran played by George Clooney and the rookie played by Sandra Bullock in easily her least Sandra Bullockly role get stranded in outer space after an accident involving a Russian missile debris leaves their space shuttle inoperable and the two of them spinning seemingly into oblivion. The director, Alfonso Cuaron has created some of the best visuals that I've ever viewed in a movie theater and his use of 3D completely immerses you in outer space as if you are there. There are moments that will leave you breathless and leave your heart racing all in one fail swoop, the film is being released as well in 3D IMAX locations and I can only imagine how much more the large formatted screen adds to it, to be sure standard 3D at the minimum is the only way to view this film. Seeing it in 2D would just be a disservice. Cuaron is almost assured a best director Oscar nomination, there are segments of the film that are just one long take that do nothing but help put yourself in the place of the two astronauts he has crafted this skill even more since his last film 2006's inhumanely underrated "Children of Men". Technical Oscars such as editing, sound, cinematography and of course special effects are a lock.
Other than Ed Harris's voice, Bullock and Clooney are the only ones here. While Clooney does a good job as the veteran astronaut and the calm to Bullock's panicky frenzied Dr. Ryan Stone don't be fooled, this is Bullocks movie in easily the best role of her career. The idea alone of two astronauts floating in space isn't anything groundbreaking, nor that interesting. The two performances intertwined with the visuals are what sells it. The scripted dialogue itself isn't anything to write home about and even has quite a few clichés towards the end but Bullock and to a lesser degree Clooney since he doesn't have the same amount of screen time that Bullock does make you believe and feel that they are in peril.
The runtime is a crisp 90 minutes, any longer and I'd have probably needed a Valium to calm myself. "Gravity" for me was more than a movie-its art. Wherever the 3D technology goes from here "Gravity" will be looked on as the film that took the next step, its the type of film that there needs to be more of it is what makes the movie going experience simply that, an experience.
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