Director Paul Greengrass’ upcoming dramatic thriller Captain Phillips has been selected to open the New York Film Festival this year. The film stars Tom Hanks as real life ship captain Richard Phillips who allowed himself to be taken hostage by Somali pirates in 2009 in exchange for the safety of his crew. Sony Pictures no doubt has high awards hopes for this one, and a NYFF premiere is a swell way to kick off the film’s awards campaign—Life of Pi premiered at the festival last year, going on to win four Oscars including Best Director.
Hit the jump to check out a few new images from the film, and click here to watch the first trailer. Captain Phillips opens in theaters on October 11th.
5. "saw A Hijacking (Danish movie on the same theme) this week" In response to Reply # 0
amazing how they managed to create so much tension with almost no action scenes. Tons of insight into how negotiations work, the impact on families, etc. I doubt Greengrass' effort will be as interesting judging from the trailer, though if he recaptures his United 93 magic who knows
------------------------------ For the record, my teams: MLB: Mets / Soccer: PSG NCAA BB: Arizona / NCAA FB: Michigan NBA: Spurs / NFL: Jets
12. "More on the movie another time..." In response to Reply # 0
But GODDAMN if that super-agressive, unrelenting, shaky-cam on steroids cinematography didn't damn near make me physically ill. I mean, handheld can be tough to take at times even on solid ground, but this shit was on the turbulent rocky seas the whole entire time. My lady and I both had the exact same experience, btw. (Sitting very close in front of massive screen probably didn't help.)
Anyways, it was well acted, and taut, and generally good, but that shit really took me out of the movie to the extent where I literally had to look away from the screen for most of the final act.
See this shit, but if you're up close, take some dramamine.
How'd you like that scene at the end where he was in shock and getting checked by the EMT? I thought that was some of the best acting I've seen all year.
15. "Holy shit at the last 20 minutes!!!" In response to Reply # 0 Sat Oct-05-13 10:06 PM by bwood
This thing was intense throughout but once they get in that lifeboat, that's when shit really hits the fan.
The last 20 minutes of this easily makes it a lock for Picture, Hanks for Actor, and Green grass for Director. Hats off to the Somali kids. They gave life to what could've been one note villain roles.
This reminds me of Gravity, as shit gets worse with every passing second.
Can't wait to see this again on Monday with Hanks and Greengrass.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86670 posts
Sun Oct-06-13 12:07 AM
16. "Greengrass' best film. Hanks' best performance. Sensational." In response to Reply # 0
I was blown away. Can't find a single fault.
Also, the shaky cam normally turns me off, but here I didn't find it nearly as shaky as in the Bournes. This is toned down by Greengrass shaky cam standards.
19. "This is why I hate dumb middle class White Americans *SPOILERS*" In response to Reply # 0
When talking to others who’ve seen the film they said they stood up and clapped and cheered and yelled “America, fuck yeah” and that makes me sad. They seem to completely miss the point the movie is trying to make. This is not a victory. Not everything is as black and white as we like to think and after talking to these people, I now see why foreigners think us Americans are ignorant and stupid, because these reaction make a good case for it.
I find this akin to Zero Dark Thirty. When the big moment happens at the end of the film, it's definitely not an "America, fuck yeah" moment.
I love train wreck Q&As, but it seems my group has gotten progressively worse over the past couple of years.
What's really sad is our organization has a lot history and clout and all that goodwill is being destroyed by the board members and our president, who runs it like a dictatorship instead of group as it should be.
25. "Dug it up until they got in the lifeboat" In response to Reply # 0
Was hooked (npi) w/ everything leading up to the pirates boarding the ship. Really liked the underwater shots & sounds trying to knock the boat off track & the aerial views of all the hoses. The cat & mouse stuff on board the ship was intriguing too.
Once they got on that lifeboat it went downhill. Dude said it was gonna take em 36 hours to reach the shore. After awhile it became a bore & that statement started feeling like real talk/time.
Interested how the real resolution went down because the convenient/corny/cliche ending to the standoff was a huge let down.
27. "& I'm not sure you mean by this but..." In response to Reply # 26
>... but it definitely consisted of him mostly being >restrained while the SEALs popped me from afar.
him? Phillips? & you from afar or them meaning the pirates from afar?
>>Interested how the real resolution went down because the >>convenient/corny/cliche ending to the standoff was a huge >let >>down.
I'm talking about how they kept having to wait for all 3 cams to go green. I understand that tactic completely but the way it finally happened @ the last second & after they stopped the tow screamed all for show. Didn't seem very convincing or realistic at all.
I know it's only based on a true story, but to throw that in @ the end, after almost everything else seemed pretty authentic didn't really sit well with me. Maybe the real deal wasn't as "hollywood" but I don't think it needed to be either.
>I'm sure they had to wait for three greens, although I'm sure >the timing was altered for the sake of the thrill. > >I'm also sure it was waaaaay more realistic than Argo. > >I'm also sure that I didn't care about the realism in either, >really. lol
31. "Nowhere near as bad as Argo...still way too corny" In response to Reply # 28
>I'm sure they had to wait for three greens, although I'm sure >the timing was altered for the sake of the thrill. > >I'm also sure it was waaaaay more realistic than Argo.
30. "That's how it happened. You can read books about it." In response to Reply # 25
I can't remember if they had a gun to Phillip's head while they were shot, but the waiting for all three to go green was factual and the situation was extremely tense when it went down.
32. "I don't doubt the gun to the head or the wait...the tow stop was dumb" In response to Reply # 30
So was the pirate captain fallin for the okie doke but I digress
If that's really how they finally all went green then I stand corrected
>I can't remember if they had a gun to Phillip's head while >they were shot, but the waiting for all three to go green was >factual and the situation was extremely tense when it went >down.
I read a book about this earlier in the year, and they did a great job of portraying this accurately.
Also, the Somalian captain was the most impressive actor of the bunch, I thought. I really felt for his character, especially knowing the factual nature of the situation.
36. "Good but could have been shorter" In response to Reply # 0
It seems like it appears on film actually like it happened in real life. I remember reading the stories at the time.
The final scene with Hanks is very good, shows a great actor at his finest.
Could have been shortened by 10 minutes but the character motivation was believable for both Philipps and the Somalis.
I'd have liked there to be a bit more explanation on why the Somalis suddenly took up piracy like they did, should have had more context but for a major studio movie it was good enough.
Was it the performance? Was it the character's resolution? Was it that deep down inside Tom Hanks is a father figure to a lot of movie-goers? Either way, I was blubbering (and wanted to hug my dad). Greengrass has done that twice now (United 93).
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86670 posts
Sun Oct-20-13 03:21 PM
38. "In addition to the performance, I loved the simplicity." In response to Reply # 37
The realistic shock of allowing yourself to finally let what you've been through hit you. It's not making some grand comment or ending with some on-the-nose moral. Instead, it just is what it is: a harrowing experience.
Greengrass paring it all down to its human essence: a rattled man, tested, never broken, unspeakably fortunate.
39. "better than i expected." In response to Reply # 0
having followed the story when it happened in '09 i was thinking, "i know what happened. he gets rescued, his crew was ok. what more is there to know?" but of course i didn't know the details, what exactly the captain really went through and how he felt.
like most ppl have said, the last 20 minutes was the most intense and powerful part of the movie, but the way it was shot, you got a good idea and understanding of the ship's layout and design, the crew, the pirates and everyone's emotions and fears. i liked that some of the characters in the movie weren't professional actors. Even the Somali pirates, a lot weren't every experienced but they were originally from Somalia, so they added quite a bit of authenticity to the kind of conditions/background they came from in their home country.
tom hanks will definitely get a lot of raves for his role as captain phillips but i thought the somali actors were fantastic.
40. "the same man on each side." In response to Reply # 0
Phillips and Muse take to the ocean with the same motivation -- trying to sustain a way of life that's disappeared -- but their circumstances couldn't be more different. concern over the technology age and tuition payments versus tomorrow's food and warlord visits. it's even more striking to see how similar they are when forced into action. both are natural leaders. both are headstrong to a fault: Phillips knowingly making the ship an easy target, Muse botching the ship search and not settling for the money in hand (partly though, because he couldn't). both put on brave masks, but become equally terrified as their missions devolve into an unknown outcome.
and that last part was really their only difference. Phillips had a way out. Muse did not. nearly the same man at heart, but different fates that were destined from the start.
43. "again, folks have hit on the great and ehh already" In response to Reply # 0
but i must say that last scene after Hanks is saved, COTDAMN. that was a tour de force in acting. where did he go to channel that despair, relief, fright, confusion and appreciation
44. "this scene was clutch, it gave so much context" In response to Reply # 43
to all the preceding scenes..
like 'damn.. this guy went through some SHIT..'
otherwise it would've just been another hostage film.. but that scene was so powerful at the end.. they never show the hostage in that cathartic (not sure if that's the right word) state in movies like this
excellent acting on Tom Hanks' part, i definitely choked up too
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