Posts tagged Corey Johnson
“Captain Phillips” Goes from Bad to Worse
Oct 19th
Posted by Dan Culberson in Hotshots Movie Reviews
“From Bad to Worse”
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
Captain Phillips is based on the true story of an American cargo ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009 in an attempt to hold it for ransom for millions of dollars.
Tom Hanks plays the seasoned captain of the ship, who had a new crew of 20 men he was trying to get into shape.
Ironically, when his wife is driving him to the airport from their home in Vermont at the beginning of this trip, she says, “You’d think these trips would get easier, but they’re not.”
We also see some background of the Somali pirates on shore, too, as their warlord leaders berate them to get out on the water where they should be earning money.
The cargo ship was the Maersk Alabama, and knowing the dangerous waters they are in, Captain Phillips has practice drills for the crew and puts them all on double shifts.
Captain Phillips’ job is to move the cargo as fast as possible, but his crew members are not all happy with what they are doing and where they are going.
The Somali pirates aren’t all happy, either, and we see them fighting among themselves as they prepare to board the ship, which four armed pirates manage to do.
When Captain Phillips realizes that the ship will be boarded, he orders most of the crew to hide below decks until help arrives, stop the ship from moving, and then he tells the leader of the Somalis that the ship is broken and he doesn’t know where his crew is.
The leader of the pirates is called Muse, and he tells Captain Phillips, “Look at me. I’m the captain now.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy sends a ship to take care of the situation, and Captain Phillips offers to give Muse the $30,000 he has in the safe, but Muse believes he can earn millions.
So, when the situation goes from the proverbial bad to worse, the pirates trick Captain Phillips to get into the covered lifeboat with them, so that they can hold him hostage and improve their bargaining position.
The pirates are still fighting among themselves, and Captain Phillips tries to argue with Muse to help his own situation, because now the pirates are trying to get back to Somalia.
Captain Phillips is overrated, overlong, and underedited.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
Captain Phillips – Movie Trailer
Oct 14th
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Movie Trailers
Captain Phillips is a multi-layered examination of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates. It is – through director Paul Greengrass’s distinctive lens – simultaneously a pulse-pounding thriller, and a complex portrait of the myriad effects of globalization. The film focuses on the relationship between the Alabama’s commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (two time Academy Award (R)-winner Tom Hanks), and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage. Phillips and Muse are set on an unstoppable collision course when Muse and his crew target Phillips’ unarmed ship; in the ensuing standoff, 145 miles off the Somali coast, both men will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control. The film is directed by Academy Award (R) nominee Paul Greengrass, from a screenplay by Billy Ray based upon the book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty.
“Kick-Ass” Surprisingly and Thoroughly Enjoyable
Apr 21st
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Hotshots Movie Reviews
Surprisingly and Thoroughly Enjoyable
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
KICK-ASS is a surprising little gem that will knock your socks off with entertaining enjoyment if you just allow it to.
It is based on a comic book, but in this case the comic book was being written at the same time the movie was in development, and so you can cut it some slack as far as source material goes.
Also, even though comic books are pretty much directed toward a young, unsophisticated audience of teenage geeks, nerds, and dweebs, and even though this movie looks as if it is directed toward that same audience, it is actually a very sophisticated tongue-in-cheek send-up of such superhero movies that are based on comic books, or even “graphic novels,” about superheroes, which, after all, are imaginary, remember?
When the movie begins, we meet young Dave Lizewski, a teenage boy who tells us that he was the last person to expect to be a superhero. He says that his only super power is that he is invisible to pretty girls, and we see an embarrassing example of that at his school locker.
Dave is just a regular guy, and he asks his two buddies, “How come nobody has ever tried to be a superhero?”
Dave is reminded that superheroes exist only in comic books, but that doesn’t stop him from achieving his dream, because he believes that just the perfect combination of optimism and naivete is all it takes to become a superhero.
Not to be daunted, Dave creates a secret identity of Kick-Ass, but his first two attempts at stopping crime end disastrously.
Meanwhile, we meet Damon Macready, played by Nicolas Cage in his best role and movie in years. Damon is an ex-cop who was unjustly sent to prison, he is out now, and he has revenge on his mind.
Damon has an 11-year-old daughter, Mindy, whom he is training in being an expert in martial arts and weaponry. Together they make up their own version of a dynamic duo of crime fighters with the secret identities of Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, who is a little sweetheart.
Yes, there is violence and strong language, but the violence comes with laughs and even brings tears to your eyes, sometimes with joy.
KICK-ASS is a real kick in the–well, you know where–and I surprisingly and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”