Captain Phillips - another film ruined by shakey-cam

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  • circlebro2019circlebro2019 Posts: 17,560
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    very good film and very good directing

    thread title should be changed by mods
  • Virgil TracyVirgil Tracy Posts: 26,805
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    whedon247 wrote: »
    very good film and very good directing

    thread title should be changed by mods

    the photography was awful , Greengrass needs some new ideas , he's been using this technique on the last 4 films .
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
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    whedon247 wrote: »
    very good film and very good directing

    thread title should be changed by mods

    I didn't notice any faults with the way it was shot.....both at the cinema viewing and the other night on Sky. However, I did feel the film lost a lot of it's visual impact when watched on TV.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    the photography was awful , Greengrass needs some new ideas , he's been using this technique on the last 4 films .

    Most directors have similar photography techniques and styles in their films, it's hard to find directors that don't, it doesn't mean they're running out of ideas, it's just a style or technique they like.

    And no, the photography in Captain Phillips was not awful, not by a long shot. Maybe it wasn't to your taste, but it's certainly not bad.

    I'd also point out Greengrass isn't directly responsible for the films photography, his DP is...
  • Johnny ClayJohnny Clay Posts: 5,315
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    I'd also point out Greengrass isn't directly responsible for the films photography, his DP is...
    It does seem that once again cinematography and direction are perhaps getting confused.

    Briefly, cinematography is how a film is photographed (colour, light, focusing etc), as it were. Direction is angles, composition, how a scene is actually handled etc. Thus the cinematographer (or DP: Director of Photography) has the authority to tell the director that a certain shot he/she wants isn't possible because of the technical issues involved with the cinematography.

    It sounds like the problem people have with this film is down to the direction rather than the cinematography, as the DP was simply doing what was requested from Greengrass.
  • stripedcatstripedcat Posts: 6,689
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    I did watch it last night on my Sky box. I know that it is Greengrass' style and probably sort of fits in with this film being sea set and also based on a real life story - what with the documentary style. I've got to say that I'm not a fan of the "shakey cam". Watching on the TV - it probably wasn't as bad as if I had viewing it at a cinema or an IMAX screen!
  • SaigoSaigo Posts: 7,893
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    Hardly ruined - superb film.
  • abigail1234abigail1234 Posts: 1,292
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    Saigo wrote: »
    Hardly ruined - superb film.

    I saw this at the cinema and was on the edge of my seat throughout. I watched it again recently, this time on dvd and my family were riveted and I loved it even more, especially the final scene which had us all with jaws dropping. The shaky camera work perfectly suited the movie, drawing us into the film and making it more real - as if you were there, experiencing what they were experiencing.

    Brilliant film and acting
  • mgvsmithmgvsmith Posts: 16,452
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    Exactly. I find excessive use of handheld cameras annoying but the technique is perfectly valid in this film. There's some good acting in Captain Phillips and Greengrass does his best to ramp up the tension but for some reason I found the film curiously unexciting and less than convincing.

    There's an unintentionally funny moment at the end where the medic treating Phillips says (and I swear I heard it) 'Hello, I will be your medic for this evening' just as if she were a waitress.:D

    The handheld camera style worked very well.
    As the film was based on a story many viewers would have known, I felt the movie tried to fill out the story and did this very well.

    Also the medic at the end isn't an actress, she actually is a naval officer, I thought that approach heightened the drama.
  • midsblue1972midsblue1972 Posts: 25
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    Testament to the film that it was so gripping that I didn't even notice how shakey the camera was.

    It was one of those films I thought meh when advertised and when I watched it I was so glad I did. Excellent film, especially showing the background on the pirates forced to piracy and gave them a rounded character rather than the typical terrorist/bad guy films where the "bad guy" is one-dimensional. Even to the last second when Cpt Phillips was in deep state of shock after the experience being interviewed by medic, which hammers home that he was saved from the boat but not from the experience... truely great movie.
  • FusionFuryFusionFury Posts: 14,121
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    Great film, Hanks at his brilliant best.
  • Chas1989Chas1989 Posts: 157
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    Great movie. Tom Hanks can turn his hand to any role so well.
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
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    mgvsmith wrote: »
    The handheld camera style worked very well.
    As the film was based on a story many viewers would have known, I felt the movie tried to fill out the story and did this very well.

    Also the medic at the end isn't an actress, she actually is a naval officer, I thought that approach heightened the drama.

    I agree. I've worked with the military. No bullshit....they get straight to the point. They are trained to explain things without emotion and with as few words as possible.
  • roddydogsroddydogs Posts: 10,298
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    Agree with post 1, far too long, horrible shaky effects. If had been an unknown actor would have sunk without trace (joke) Desperately boring.
  • Jean-FrancoisJean-Francois Posts: 2,301
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    Lucky me, I rarely even notice this thing that seems to get so many people upset.

    You and I both T-Lips, I watched this movie last night, after recording it on Sky +.
    I thought that it was fine and well acted.
    After reading these shaky-cam comments I thought, did I miss something, should I go to Spec-Savers?
    Then I thought about it, and I remembered that in the very beginning, when Hanks was driving to the airport with his wife, some of the camera angles were a little off, or distorted, perhaps that was what was meant?
    It's a good watch IMO, don't let the shaky-cam comments put you off seeing it.
  • Trsvis_BickleTrsvis_Bickle Posts: 9,202
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    mgvsmith wrote: »
    The handheld camera style worked very well.
    As the film was based on a story many viewers would have known, I felt the movie tried to fill out the story and did this very well.

    Also the medic at the end isn't an actress, she actually is a naval officer, I thought that approach heightened the drama.

    Yeah, that's why I didn't describe her as an actress and, if we're being pedantic, she was a Hospital Corpsman (2nd Class) so a rating, not an officer.

    I struggle to understand how using a rating, as opposed to an actress, to deliver a single line, made any difference whatsoever to the 'drama', especially as the drama was over by that point, the siege having ended.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 106
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    a very over hyped movie. just because it was a true story had tom hanks and a unknown guy. but treally it was no different than a jason staham movie except the above. eveything else was the same except the acting wasn't good in this. token award and obvious award for the supporting actor . who lest be honest wasn't good

    p.s i hate shakey cam worst thing ever luckily they are stopping it
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 183
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    I loved it, best film I have watched for ages
  • jclock66jclock66 Posts: 2,411
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    Snow.drop wrote: »
    I loved it, best film I have watched for ages

    Me too, watched it again last night and it gripped me from start to finish.

    Greengrass is one of the best directors working today.
  • FusionFuryFusionFury Posts: 14,121
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    There's not many Tom Hanks flicks I don't like, brilliant actor.
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