|
|
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Captain Phillips (2013)
|
Mike Blakesley
Film God
Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 10-11-2013 11:51 PM
We got to see this at a screening during the Rocky Mountain Theatre Convention in Boise at the Edwards 9.
What a fine example of moviemaking. This show rivets you to your seat from start to finish. It's one of Tom Hanks' finest performances, and the "bad guy" is one of the baddest bad guys ever on the screen.
The best thing about the movie is, you know how it's going to end but you don't know how they're going to get there. And, when the big moment comes, it's not overblown and overdramatized like most Hollywood movies are....if this had been a Michael Bay film, the Captain would have been rescued following a gigantic explosion and/or a chase scene using small boats, or something.
I haven't been this satisfied by a movie in a long time. Highly recommended. 4.75 stars from me. (I would rate it a perfect 5 stars, but that would mean there have never been, nor will there ever be any better movies.)
We heard after the movie had ended that the "real" Captain Phillips was staying at the same hotel we were -- he was in Boise to speak at a Chamber of Commerce banquet there. Too bad the convention committee didn't know he was going to be in town, that would have been the perfect capper for the evening to have him show up.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stu Jamieson
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 524
From: Buccan, Qld, Australia
Registered: Jan 2008
|
posted 10-26-2013 08:32 AM
Paul Greengrass is the king of gritty realism. With his shaky cam style he is an expert at portraying the moment of chaos and making us feel like we're actually there. It's a risky film making method, it can go horribly wrong in unskilled hands, but with his Jason Bourne films and, most prominently, United 93, Greengrass demonstrated his mastery of the technique. His skill is likewise demonstrated in Captain Phillips.
Captain Phillips has much in common with United 93: they both depict true, well known stories; they are both about terrorism (of a sort); and they are both shot in Greengrass' gritty realist style. But the most interesting thing about the pair are their differences: Captain Phillips has a happy ending (for most); and, unlike United 93, it stars a big name actor in Tom Hanks. Greengrass uses these differences to his advantage.
Using a big name actor such as Hanks works in this film as Capt. Richard Phillips was a headline name at the time and so the inevitable spotlight drawn to Hanks is appropriate. Compare this to the events of United 93 where everybody was anonymous, employing no-name actors (and indeed some non-actors) played to the strengths of that film.
Because Captain Phillips has a known happy ending, we are spared the ever present dread which persisted in United 93. This affords the audience some elation at the end rather than the sombre, crushing reality of the latter. But Hanks' excellent measured performance keeps the end celebrations in check. His performance is an exercise in desperation and humility; emerging in the end a traumatised individual rather than a triumphant American hero. In so doing Greengrass foregoes the American flag waving which could so easily have destroyed this film.
Giving us glimpses into the backgrounds of the Somalian pirates, Greengrass sidesteps the cardboard villain caricatures of lesser films. Aside from one moment of unnecessary preachiness where he underlines the toil of Somalian poverty (that message was already coming through loud and clear), Greengrass delivers a film which admirably keeps it's moral tone in balance.
9 out of 10
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
Home
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic