Movies based on actual events where the outcome is known can be tricky. Done right, they can be an excellent piece of a time capsule. This is the case in "Captain Phillips," a film that features high-tension and white-knuckle suspense despite the world knowing how this situation ended.
Much like "All Is Lost," the sea plays a large role in the story. It is massive and untamed, a playground for hopeless and hungry pirates. Newcomer Barkhad Abdi plays the role of one of the Somali pirates. He encompasses evil, hunger, humanity and desperation without being overbearing - amazing considering he is an actual Somali who is acting in his first film. Abdi should win Best Supporting Actor but most likely will not. You will feel empathy toward his character and his lack of options.
Tom Hanks turns in another solid performance - his emotional and physical breakdown at the end of the film is unforgettable acting. He disappears into this role and viewers will find themselves forgetting it is actually Hanks.
Paul Greengrass is one of my favorite directors and is at his best when he is directing movies about actual events. While "United 93" was a good movie, everyone needs to see "Bloody Sunday," which should have been a Best Picture nominee (and Best Picture winner) in 2002, but was ineligible because it was shown on British television before being released in the US. If rumors are true, he has been attached to the movie version of "They Marched Into Sunlight," half of which will take place in 1967 Madison. As a proud University of Wisconsin alum, I'm looking forward to his vision of our beloved and tumultuous university.
My generation revers John Hughes movies. My age puts me at the end of this group, but it was easy to relate, nonetheless. "The Breakfast Club," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," and "Sixteen Candles" were all films we could relate to - each representing loss of innocence and the inevitable move from adolescence to "adulthood." While Hughes masterfully masked this with comedy, his themes and images still remain as important now as they did 25 or 30 years ago.
There is a lot of Hughes' influence in "The Spectacular Now." This might not be completely fair as "The Spectacular Now" is a really good movie and deserves to stand on its own merit. I just couldn't help but see the similarities as I watched. In no way is this a bad thing.
Miles Teller plays a gifted but self-indulgent, alcoholic teenager with little ambition, guidance or regard to his own future. While he parties his way through his last year of high school, he remains infatuated with a former girlfriend while neglecting his schoolwork and his impending graduation. Teller plays the role with a veteran actor's ease and confidence - he is surely a young actor to follow.
Shailene Woodley plays Teller's new love interest, someone down-to-Earth with a plan and a good future. Caring enough to try to change Teller, yet bright enough to not allow him to drag her down, Woodley is impressive in her role - she is also an actress who be making headlines for years to come.
This is a very good movie about chances missed, promising futures and realizing the good times might not be so good after all. "The Spectacular Now" is film that would have made Hughes proud.
This is a brutal movie. It needs to be.
Steve McQueen's films are always this way. He often lets his camera linger over uncomfortable scenes drawing the viewer into the moments, forcing them to participate in the unease of the situation. It is brilliant directing and something not often seen in modern film making.
"12 Years a Slave" should be mandatory viewing for everyone. It is violent, it is unforgettable - it is our history.
Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance is noteworthy and deserves the praise it has received. Educated, tired, broken, beaten, resolved, human. He will likely win Best Actor this year - and if this happens, it is well deserved. Michael Fassbender (a McQueen favorite) and Paul Giamatti also have memorable parts in the film. Giatmatti's is especially surprising and wicked.
"12 Years a Slave" will likely win Best Picture of 2013. It is a film whose importance and impact will be studied and appreciated for decades to come. An important piece of our past that needs to be continually revisited to remind us how far we have come - and how far we still need to go.
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