Captain Phillips (Greengrass, 2013)

It's a wonder superhero movies are so prevalent in today's market, as there are so many real-life heroes gaining recognition on the silver screen. Hollywood is now sort of in a habit of plucking stories straight from the headlines and plopping them in theaters across the nation (see Mark Boal's superb adaptation of the bin Laden hunt in Zero Dark Thirty, or Chris Terrio's work on Argo). The latest of adaptation of a news event is the harrowing true story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was kidnapped by Somalian pirates in 2009. The result is a fittingly heroic character study that does justice to the real-life event.

Captain Phillips, from The Bourne Ultimatum's director Paul Greengrass, is a fast-paced, claustrophobic thriller meticulously shot with crisp camerawork and inspired direction. Tom Hanks stars as the titular character, in what is probably his best performance since 2000's Cast Away. His wonderful performance will undoubtedly earn him his first Oscar nomination in over decade, and quite possibly makes him a frontrunner to win Best Actor- an award he hasn't won since Forrest Gump in 1994.

For those who do not remember the event, Captain Richard Phillips was the commander of a United States cargo ship called the Maersk Alabama. It was shipping supplies to various spots in Africa, when all of a sudden two skiffs showed up on the vessel's radar. These skiffs were controlled by Somalian pirates, who subsequently attacked the cargo ship. After failing to keep them off the ship, the Maersk Alabama crew plays cat-and-mouse with the pirates, while Captain Phillips tries to keep the Somalians from finding his shipmates. His solution to the problem puts his own life in grave danger, and the U.S. Navy has to rescue him before a very short time window runs out.

While many directors avoid or have no success with handheld "shaky cams", Paul Greengrass wields them like a journalist- he captures the emotion and tightness of the situation with unstable cinematography and controlled direction. Every pan, tilt, and movement is inspired by the feelings of the characters in the frame. Scenes with just Captain Phillips seem very experienced, slow, and wise; scenes in Somalia are jarringly shot with several quick cuts in succession. It's the mastery of the cinematographic craft by a true artist.

Tom Hanks demonstrates every emotion as Captain Phillips, from the uncomfortableness at the beginning, to the nervousness during the initial assault, and cumulating in the terrifying shock during the last ten minutes. He can only flex his acting muscles so much, however, as the film only deals with the event itself, and nothing before or after. Hanks outshines the rest of his co-stars, but Barkhad Abdi holds his own as the villain Muse. Abdi makes the pirate seem almost sympathetic at times, right before doing something brutal or drastic to any that stand in his way.

The screenplay is cleverly written, and in combination with the editing, makes for one thrilling adventure. Though a meatier part of the story could have come from the before and after of the situation, Greengrass still handles the material nicely. It just would have been nice to see some "movie exclusive" story elements not featured in the news, either from Phillip's book or personal testimonials.

Captain Phillips is likely to become Oscar bait come March, much like other recent real-world narratives. Tom Hanks, one of contemporary cinema's greatest actors, is certainly overdue for Academy recognition. His award would also be for Captain Phillips himself, one the greatest American heroes of the past decade. No, not just a real-world hero- a real-world superhero.

Four and a half out of five stars.

The Family (Besson, 2013)

Robert DeNiro has finally returned to what he does best.

After years of squandering in comedic movies like Meet the Parents, The Big Wedding, and New Year's Eve (shudder), the man who grew to fame in mob movies has returned to his roots. He played a long-overdue tough guy in last year's Silver Linings Playbook, but now Robert DeNiro is once again holding a baseball bat and beating people to a pulp.

The Family, a dark dramedy from director Luc Besson (Leon: The Professional, The Fifth Element), is equal parts a love letter to gangster movies and a surprisingly entertaining family saga. The comedy usually falls flat, but overall The Family prevails as good old-fashioned mobster fun. 

Robert DeNiro plays Giovanni, a former mob boss who sold out names to the FBI. He and his family, including wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer, another gangster veteran from Scarface and Married to the Mob), daughter Belle (Dianna Agron), son Warren (John D'Leo), and dog Malavita (Emeron), are subsequently thrust into the witness protection protection. However, their failure to adapt to their new lifestyle forces them to move quite frequently, and eventually wind up in a small town in France. 

The "Blake's", as they are now called, still live the way the did in the mob: they use violence, extortion, and bribery to get what they want. During their first day in the country, the Blake's manage to take over the local school, blow up a convenience store, and brutalize a plumber. Constantly on the look-out for assassins and their former friends, the Blake's must overcome their own family differences if they ever hope to survive. 

Each actor in the Blake family, Emeron included, plays their characters with emotional depth and honest sincerity. That being said, there is practically zero chemistry between DeNiro and Pfeiffer, and the other performers in the film (including an awkward and uncharacteristically uninteresting Tommy Lee Jones) do not impress. Agron and D'Leo do have a good relationship, and their subplots in school are much more interesting than Pfeiffer's failure to adapt to the town. 

Besson goes for a dark, bizarre comedy vibe, but most of the jokes fall short. His directional style does not seem to fit the tone of the story. Nevertheless, his admiration for the gangster culture does ultimately soak through, and the insightful flashbacks are notable portions of the narrative. Plus, there are several references to other crime movies throughout the film, some more obvious than others. 

The Family will make viewers long for the gangster glory days of Martin Scorsese, but it may prove too gruesome for squeamish viewers. Overall, it's an entertaining mob movie with just a little bit of heart. Plus, it's a heck of a lot of fun to see Robert DeNiro beating the living daylights out of someone.

Welcome home, Bobby.

Three out of five stars. 

Flashback Friday: Scarface (De Palma, 1983)

The "mob movie" has remained a consistently popular genre throughout the history of cinema. From the days of James Cagney, to the rise of Martin Scorsese, gangsters have fascinated moviegoers with their carefree lifestyle, stark loyalty, and brutal method of enforcement. This weekend, we get to see Robert DeNiro return to the big screen as a tough-as-nails gangster, protecting his wife and kids from other mob bosses in The Family. His wife is played by none other than Michelle Pfeiffer; however, this is not Pfeiffer's first time playing a mob wife. She has also been married on screen to another gangster film favorite- Al Pacino. But instead of the devoted mother she is in The Family, Pfeiffer's character's marriage to Al Pacino is a nightmarish combination of sex, violence, and murder. Oh, and a TON of drugs. This week on Flashback Friday, we're looking at the gangster cult classic Scarface. 

Scarface is actually a remake of the 1932 film Scarface: Shame of the Nation, but modernizes the story to feature a group of Cuban criminal immigrants. The 1983 Scarface is directed by Brian De Palma, based on a screenplay written by Oliver Stone (before he became huge). The movie is about the rise and fall of drug lord Antonio "Tony" Montana, played by scenery-chewing Al Pacino. He has a twisted vision of the American Dream: one can accomplish anything only by rampaging your way to the top. 

Though at first Montana works an honest job, he quickly resorts to old methods when he loses patience, and seeks to complete a drug deal with a brutal dealer. This leads us to the infamous "chainsaw" scene, in which the drug dealer interrogates Montana by "skinning" one of Montana's friends. It all works out for Tony, who kills the dealer and his cohorts, and returns the drugs to mob boss Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia). After meeting Frank, Montana encounters Frank's mistress- the beautiful Elvira Hancock (Michelle Pfeiffer). Another subplot involves Tony's best friend Manny Ribera's (Steven Bauer) relationship with Tony's sister Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham co-stars as Frank's main lieutenant. 

When trying to get the film released, Brian De Palma had to go through extensive re-cuts to lower the film's X-rating to an R. After the third cut failed to make the grade, De Palma set up a panel of experts to testify that the film had artistic, as well as real-life, merits. The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America, the people who give movies ratings- G, PG, PG-13, R, or X) eventually conceded to the third cut. However, when the MPAA, who could not carefully identify the differences between the cuts, approved the third cut, they did not realize that they were actually watching the original, director's cut of the film. One of the many funny MPAA vs. film director stories (see Alfred Hitchcock for Psycho).

Most people refer to the bloody violence, heavy drug use, and strong profanity when talking about Scarface; this is a shame, because the film is so much better than that legacy suggests. Narcotics officers say that it is a very accurate portrayal of drug lords and their cartels, and filmmakers point to the phenomenal acting and quotable screenplay. The editing is not great (see the fallen shoe that magically appears on the helicopter, and the nauseous cuts as the movie progresses), but the final, operatic finale is worth the price of admission. Martin Scorsese loved the film (shocker), and warned the stars that Hollywood would not like it. Scarface received mixed critical reaction upon release, but has since been reevaluated as a classic film since it's cult following became so prominent. 

Al Pacino's performance as Tony Montana has become a legendary image; today, the cult favorite has made it's way to a "cool" aura among college fraternities. Al Pacino did a good job in the film, but his Cuban accent was a little over-the-top at times. The similarities between Tony Montana and Al Pacino's own Godfather role Michael Corleone are striking. Think about it:

1. They each rise to the top of a mob by murdering those who stand in their way
2. They each die desperately alone
3. They each had a very important female family member (sister Gina for Tony, daughter Mary for Michael) that represented the only bright, pure spots in their lives, but who ultimately die because of the actions of Al Pacino's character
4. They each have an awful relationship with their wives, each of whom leave Al Pacino because he is "not the man (they) married"
5. They each cannot have a child because of their wives (Kay from Godfather has an abortion, and Elvira cannot healthily conceive)  

Michelle Pfeiffer does a great job as Elvira in one of the actress' earliest roles. She has an ice-cold beauty, selfish but dangerously gorgeous. Elvira is an addict first and foremost; her significant others (Frank and later Tony) are merely stepping stones to get those drugs. Pfeiffer later played the complete opposite of Elvira in Married to the Mob, where she is the hilarious widow of a mob boss. Hopefully, Pfeiffer will find a happy medium between the two in The Family.

Scarface is one of the all-time great gangster pictures, both for it's cultural importance ("Say hello to my little friend!", anyone?) and it's cinematic portrayal of what life is like in a drug cartel. Try to get past some of the disturbing violence and language, and watch the film as a piece of cult film history. After all, Tony Montana just wants a piece of the good old-fashioned American Dream. 

"The world is yours."

Flashback Friday: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (Spielberg, 1982)

There's something truly magical about going to the movies. They can transport us to another dimension, and can allow us to escape our own lives if only for a few hours. Films can touch our hearts in multiple ways, allowing us to feel our deepest emotions in even the darkest of days. It's this magic of the cinema that makes us watch film after film, over and over again- our desire to truly feel and celebrate life the way nothing else can. As children, we each have that fantastical movie experience- whether it's the first time you see Star Wars, or cry over the ending of Casablanca, there are movie moments that define us all. But one movie consistently cracks even the coldest of hearts, and for two hours allows us to become a kid again. It teaches us so much about friendship, love, determination, and growing up- and nothing in the entire universe can top the magic of seeing the bike fly across the moonlight. Today, as our very special return to Flashback Friday, we're taking a look at E.T. The Extra Terrestrial.

Over the past few years, my family has been collecting our favorite movies on Blu Ray, and over the summer I managed to re-watch most of them. But E.T. stuck out as my favorite re-watch of the year. It had been several years since I'd seen the film, and for some reason now that I'm older, I appreciated it even more than I did as a child. I kept asking myself why; technologically, it's well done, even great, but not enough to truly warrant a huge discussion. The acting is impressive, and the writing is poignant and nostalgic. The direction is great even for Steven Spielberg, but normally I would not consider this to be my favorite film of his. 

So why is this film so good? Why does it keep ranking among the all-time bests? In fact, a few years ago, ABC released a documentary of fan picks for the best films ever; E.T. ranked at #5, bested only by  classics like The Godfather and Gone with the Wind. 

But then it clicked: E.T. works because, first and foremost, it is a movie. 

Let me explain. No matter how much analysis one puts into a motion picture, no matter how much critics praise or pan a film, cinema is intended for the audience. Some directors, like Spielberg, just do it better than others. But E.T. is an exception even for the director of Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is the family film that is ahead of all others, and is the one movie that virtually everyone, no matter what age, can agree on. However, the majesty of E.T. exists not only on the silver screen, but through the production as well. 

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial was a combination of Steven Spielberg's desire to follow up Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and tell a story of how divorce affects children. His family had personally gone through a divorce, and many of the elements of the film reflect his childhood experiences. Young Steven had also created an imaginary friend to make up for the absence of a father figure, eventually inspiring the friendship between main character Elliot and E.T. 

The character of E.T. was designed to look stumpy, and many prosthetics and computer effects were used to generate the body and motions. When his image was first revealed, many promotion companies found him to be ugly. Mars, Incorporated thought he would ruin the image of their M&M's, so Universal instead drafted The Hershey Company to use the similar Reese's Pieces. That product received a 65% sales boost after the popularity of the picture. The line "E.T. phone home" has become very synonymous with this film and with popular culture in general. 

Most of the film is shot from Elliot or E.T.'s perspective; with the exception of Elliot's mother (Dee Wallace), no adult is seen in the film until the scientists ransack Elliot's family's home (and even then, the adults are dressed in space suits- horrifying for most children). The scientists who try and save E.T. were all actors, so that their medical jargon was clearly fake and confusing, as if we were hearing it the way Elliot would. 

Spielberg has an uncanny ability to capture children's emotions, and after he cast the picture, ordered a rare production schedule in which they would film the scenes chronologically. This was to ensure clairty and genuine emotion for the young actors, and during production, the kids would all receive on-the-set schooling. Production was kept relatively short, as child labor laws prevented long hours. Spielberg has repeatedly stated that this was one of his most relaxed and enjoyable films to make.

Henry Thomas nails it as Elliot. Robert MacNaughton's performance as the brother Michael remains consistently underrated; his story is almost as important and realistic as Elliot's (but perhaps I think so because I too am the oldest brother). Drew Barrymore certainly entertains as the young Gertie, and all the children's relationships with Spielberg made him believe that he was ready to become a father. 

John Williams composed an Oscar-winning score, which Spielberg gave his complete blessing the first time he heard it. Williams particularly notes the difficulty of scoring the famous flight sequence, to make sure he hit the right cuts and moments. After several orchestral problems, Spielberg offered to turn off the film and let Williams flow the music naturally. This made the music sound much better, so Spielberg carefully edited the cuts in the film around the score, a very rare thing to do for directors. 

Part of the enjoyment of watching E.T. comes from the genuine emotions experienced throughout the movie. E.T. and Elliot's drunk scene is hysterical, as is seeing E.T. hide amongst the stuffed animals and dressing up for Halloween. The near-fatal sickness of E.T. and his first encounter with Elliot is pretty scary even for adults, and remains nearly traumatic for children. And, of course, we feel as mentally attached to the cute alien as Elliot is, so seeing their friendship flourish is heart-wrenchingly touching. 

Several critics are not prepared to accept the film at face value, and as such several theories about the picture have developed over the years. Many compare the film to Peter Pan- with a boy who longs to stay young forever, and a band of scientists/pirates who seek to control his dream. Others call it a modern-day fairy tale, and compare E.T. to the resurrection of Jesus (Spielberg always laughs at this one, for obvious reasons: he's Jewish). 

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial was released in 1982, to widespread critical and commercial acclaim. First viewed in it's entirety during the Cannes Film Festival, Spielberg fondly remembers the nearly half-hour long standing ovation. It beat Star Wars as the highest-grossing movie of all time (a record it held for over a decade, until Spielberg's own Jurassic Park topped it in 1993), and has seen two re-releases since it's initial debut. Virtually every critic adored it, calling it great science fiction and great storytelling in general. AFI has ranked it on nearly every one of it's lists, and the film currently stands at #24 among their greatest films of all time. 

The production, the reception, and the legacy of E.T. all prove it's worth and greatness. But are these aspects what makes E.T. magical? Yes, but then again I believe that the magic of E.T. comes from viewers experiences; we all can find a bit of ourselves in Elliot and E.T. It's a film that gets better the more we age, and it reminds us what it feels like to be a kid. No movie generates the kind of raw emotions that E.T. does. For no truer words were spoken than when E.T. puts his glowing finger on Elliot's heart, in one of cinema's most powerful scenes, and says those magical words:

"I'll...be...right...here." 

Summer Movie Season 2013: Winners and Losers

With Labor Day weekend coming to a close, the summer movie season has officially ended. It's been a long four months, with several anticipated sequels and projects finally making their way to the big screen. But what genres were the winners and losers? What movies were surprise successes, and which were major flops? And what takes the crown as the best summer movie of 2013? Today, join Movie Critic's Club in taking a look back at this summer on the silver screen.

Here are my choices for this year's winners and losers:

Best Genre: Animation- Part of the reason the summer movie season is so commercially successful is because students have off school. In their boredom (and sometimes need to get out of the house), parents take their children to the movie theater, where there are usually an abundance of kid's flicks waiting to be seen. However, unlike year's past, nearly every family-friendly animated adventure this summer was amazing. Stunningly animated, breathtakingly funny, and full of heart, this was the genre that continually stood above the rest. This may end up being one of the tightest races of this year's Oscars. Five out of five stars.

Includes: Epic, Monster's University, Despicable Me 2, Turbo, Planes

Worst Genre: Thriller- As the name suggests, a thriller should get the heart pumping and skin crawling. Unfortunately, no movie managed that feat. The theme of this summer must be taking really interesting, high-profile premises and wrecking them with sloppy technique and poor filmmaking, because this happened at least a handful of times. I have never felt more bored at thrillers than I have this summer. Out of remorse for the premises alone, one out of five stars.

Includes: After Earth, White House Down, Getaway, Kick-Ass 2, The Purge, Paranoia, Getaway


Biggest Surprise: Comedy- To those who are familiar with me personally or with this blog, this winner may come as bit of a surprise. I am not a huge fan of modern comedies, and with only a few exceptions, find the current treatment of the genre to be disgusting. Simply put, I do not think that they are funny. However, to my shock and awe, comedy was arguably the best genre of this summer. I have never laughed so hard at a movie theater in my entire life as I did this year, and I couldn't be happier about it. Ignore the distasteful Grown Ups 2, and focus on classy The Heat. Four out of five stars.

Includes: This is the End, The Heat, We're the Millers, The World's End

Biggest Disappointment: One-Man Hero- Some of the most anticipated pictures of 2013 featured a one-man army saving the planet. Clearly, people, the days of Die Hard and Rambo are over. Every now and then, these pictures work and are somewhat decent. But this year, stupidity hit a low point. Do not get me wrong, I love a good, old-fashioned action picture as much as the next guy, but they need at least a resemblance of a plot to make me believe them. I did enjoy the work done with heroes like Iron Man and Captain Kirk, but the mythologies of Superman and The Lone Ranger were too gravely disrespected to ignore. Two out of five stars.

Includes: Man of Steel, White House Down, The Lone Ranger, World War Z, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Elysium, After Earth

Winner: Actors Having a Lot of Fun in Their Roles Despite Being in (Mostly) Terrible Pictures- Movies made for the general audiences, for the most part, are purely intended as escapism. They give people a chance to escape their boring lives and live through the characters on screen. Sometimes, actors need that too, as evidenced by a great many high-profile performers giving their all into an awful film. In fact, sometimes the actor's energies were so infectious that they made us forget that the movie sucked- at least for a while. Bruce Willis, Jeff Bridges, and Vin Diesel are settled enough into their careers where they don't really need to win an Oscar for everything. So why not have a little fun with it? Four out of five stars.

Includes: RED 2, Fast & Furious 6, R.I.P.D., 2 Guns, The Lone Ranger

Loser: (Not So) Inventive, (Not So) Original Science Fiction- Science fiction, at it's best, is an allegory for a certain moral crisis at the time of release. It teaches the world the dangers of racism, war, and revenge by pitting starships against intergalactic threats. Sometimes, all it takes is fast-forwarding to Earth in 20 years, showing how disparate the classes are. Science fiction got off to a high note with Star Trek Into Darkness; however, that movie also foretold a series of futuristic busts that contained no originality or inventiveness whatsoever. Into Darkness, while really fun and entertaining, was virtually identical to it's predecessors in terms of plot and design. While this worked and made Star Trek Into Darkness an early summer blast, it nevertheless led the way for more sci-fi blockbusters to take what has already been done and put a new spin on a cliche theme. Two and a half out of five stars.

Includes: After Earth, The Purge, Man of Steel, Pacific Rim, R.I.P.D., Elysium

Winner: Surprisingly Good Sequels- Summer blockbusters are bound to include a majority of sequels; their obvious successes in the first installment makes studios confident that the sequel will generate equal or increased revenue in the heat of summer. While some sequels got a lot of flack when first announced, the cast and crew nonetheless generated a worthy successor to the original, making them as equal and entertaining as before. Five out of five stars.

Includes: Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Fast & Furious 6, RED 2, Before Midnight, The Wolverine, Monsters University, Despicable Me 2, The World's End

Loser: Not Surprisingly Horrible Sequels- On the other hand, some sequels were just doomed from the start. Some were insulting to the original glory, others were sequels to movies that sucked in the first place. Often, however, they're sequels we just didn't need. One out of five stars.

Includes: Grown Ups 2, Kick-Ass 2, The Hangover: Part III, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Smurfs 2

And finally, drumroll please, my choice for the best movie of the 2013 Summer Movie Season is...

Iron Man 3- Summer 2013 got off to a bang that was never quite replicated. Out of all the movies I've seen this summer, this one easily takes the crown. It felt just as fresh as the other Iron Man pictures, but still worthily followed up The Avengers- no small feat, mind you. Robert Downey, Jr. still amazes as Tony Stark, and all the supporting characters provided excellent performances amongst a highly entertaining picture. Plus, perhaps biggest of all, Iron Man 3 genuinely surprised me at times. I did not see several of the plot twists coming, and having that almost never happen anymore, this was the biggest gift a film could give me. Popcorn entertainiment, thought-provoking themes, and a heck of a fun ride, Iron Man 3 is clearly the best film of Summer 2013.

Honorable Mentions: Star Trek Into Darkness, Monsters University, The Wolverine, The Heat

Hope you've enjoyed reading this 2013 Summer Movie Season Review! I would love to know what winners and losers stood out to you from May-August. Now, within the next month, Oscar season will begin, and Movie Critic's Club will once again be following it every step of the way. Stay tuned next week for the return of Flashback Friday, where we'll be taking a look back at a very special film I watched again this summer. Enjoy your viewing time, and I'll see you at the movies!