Daily Archives: October 14, 2013
Captain Phillips (2013)
Captain Phillips (2013)
Captain Phillips is based on the true story of when a US flagged-cargo ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. This was the first time that this had happened to an American cargo ship in 200 years. Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) was the captain of the ship.
Back in 2009 I had a warehouse job that enabled me to listen to the radio all day long during my shifts. I remember having my ears glued to the little radio that was set up in my work station as I listened intently for updates about what was happening with Captain Phillips, his crew, and the Somali hijackers.
It was already 4 years ago, but it feels like yesterday. I remember how America responded to this act of terrorism and that made me curious to see how the film would portray the situation. I figured if the movie followed the truth closely, than it might have the potential to be a quality film and an Oscar Contender.
The movie was directed by Paul Greengrass. Billy Ray wrote the screenplay, but Richard Phillips wrote the book that it is based on, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea.”
The noteworthy cast includes Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Michael Chernus, David Warshofsky, Chris Mulkey, Max Martini, Omar Berdouni, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, and Mahat M. Ali.
Hanks has not had a great part for a while, until now. There was a time when he had one excellent movie after another. This will be the movie that puts him back into the spotlight (it already has). The role fit him like a glove and he wore it well. His performance should be worth an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and if he wins, it would be well deserved (another one to add to the collection). The film also deserves a Best Picture nomination.
The film does not follow the facts completely, but the few things that it does change only serve to make the movie more powerful, more entertaining, and more enjoyable. The things that were changed were done so tastefully. After all, with Tom Hanks in the driver’s seat, Hollywood has to dress the story up a little bit to turn it into a blockbuster.
Captain Phillips is an edge-of-your-seat suspenseful thriller that is one of the best movies of 2013. It is one of those films that hits home a little harder because it is based on a true story.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Gravity (2013)
Gravity (2013)
There are countless films and television shows that have taken place in outer space. Often, many of these shows are very similar to each other and lots of them, not all of them, are cheap and awful.
Most science fiction shows take place in outer space at one point or another. As a general rule, I am not a big fan of the science fiction genre. There are certain aspects of science fiction that I love, but for the most part, I cringe when I first hear mention of a science fiction film.
What don’t I like about most science fiction movies? There is usually one aspect of the film that is way too unrealistic. The unrealism spreads like a cancer and attacks the credibility of the rest of the movie. This causes me to lose interest because what I am seeing on screen is too bogus for me to attempt to believe my own eyes. Things are hard to enjoy when they seem completely fake.
Over the years, special effects have been the root cause for me not liking science fiction movies. At first special effects were so cheap that they would make everything look phony. Eventually technology got better and better until finally, filmmakers could make almost anything that was super outrageous look unquestionably real.
So, what changed? Movie makers felt that they had to outdo one another. Special effects became so real that they made everything look like a counterfeit copy of reality. If you know that a hundred dollar bill is a counterfeit, than it is no good. But, if you can’t tell that the hundred dollar bill is a “fugazi”, than you might be able to pass it off as legitimate currency.
Occasionally a science fiction film will boast legitimate special effects and those are the ones that I seek out. It’s best if I stay away from the rest of the “fugazi’s” because they only cause disappointment.
I was a little unsure of Gravity before going to see it because for a change, the trailer did not give away too much. The trailer only showed legitimate special effects.
Gravity is about two astronauts who must fight for their own survival after an unfortunate accident causes them to be stranded in outer space a long way from their ship.
The film was written by Alfonso Cuaron and Jonas Cuaron and directed by Alfonso Cuaron. The noteworthy cast includes Sandra Bullock George Clooney, and Ed Harris.
The trailer tells us that Bullock and Clooney are in for a wild ride on the gravity train. What the trailer does not tell us is that the film is an insane trip.
The trailer only showed legitimate special effects, because there is no other kind of special effects in Gravity. The film has the best special effects that I have ever seen in a movie. It is the most realistic that outer space has ever looked on a screen. Both of those facts are a big deal. On top of that, the extreme intensity and suspense will blow your mind and the phenomenal performance by Bullock makes Gravity an extraordinary journey that doesn’t stop until the credits roll.
Gravity is a must-see. It’s a top notch science fiction movie (because of the outer space aspect) that has Oscar written all over it. It should be nominated for an Academy Award in almost every category and it could win most of them. It is easily one of the best movies of 2013.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
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