Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass, 2013)

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Rating: Q=5, P=3 / Thanks But No Thanks

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=1
 

Based on Real Events, Thriller, Drama, Piracy, Psychological
 

Glad I watched it, probably won't again. It is a thrilling ride with some very interesting psychological moments, but overall it just didn't do anything for me. Greengrass throws us into the action almost right away with very little background to any of the characters and their motivations. Language barriers are one thing, cultural barriers are another. I think I would have liked the film more with more context. There is no hostage situation where the hostage is the only victim and even though pirates die and Phillips is saved, Captain Phillips still seems to play out this way.

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Oscar Dash 2014--The Results

Oscar Results!

Sorry for the delay--a bad cold caught me on Oscar Sunday and lasted until yesterday. Still feeling under the weather but I was delighted by awards, shenanigans, and other Oscar things that happened.

I guessed right on nearly all the awards and can't wait to complete my dash now that I have more time, health, and easier access to the films--most are on Netflix this month!

The big winner, in case you didn't hear: 12 Years A Slave

Oscar Dash 2014--Update

The last month has been busy, full of Olympics, and not enough movies! But I still plan to catch up after the big event this Sunday night. In thinking about who will win, I found this link to be very cool: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140225-what-will-win-best-picture

Right now I'm leaning toward 12 Years A Slave but we'll see!

Lee Daniels' The Butler

Lee Daniels' The Butler (Lee Daniels, 2013)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Civil Rights, Based on True Story, Biopic, Drama

From time to time I enjoy a historical/biopic film like Lee Daniels' The Butler. This one was emotional, had good performances, and left me feeling generally more optimistic about our culture. This is a good thing, as so many films today do just the opposite. Both styles have their place and value in film. Forrest Whitaker does a fabulous job tackling this character and portraying the patient and loyal kind of heroism.

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