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Here's a look at the movies I saw this week.

Captain Phillips
Starring: Tom Hanks
Synopsis: Hanks is an incredible and decorated actor. He has won multiple Academy Awards and has helped bring some great projects to the screen as a producer. But it’s been a while, it seems, since he’s had a signature or defining role. In pairing with director Paul Greengrass on “Captain Phillips,” we get a performance that reminds of why Hanks is so great at inhabiting a role. We also get a brilliant film that explores a fascinating true-life story. Greengrass has delivered some exceptional films, and his pairing with Hanks here helps this film to soar. “Captain Phillips” is based on the true-life events that unfolded in 2009 with Captain Richard Phillips (Hanks). Phillips is a merchant captain from the North East in America two took a job on the Maersk Alabama as it made its way around the horn of Africa. It was while on that journey in international waters off Somalia that the ship encountered pirates. The pirates boarded the ship and ended up taking Phillips captive as they tried to make their way back home. The incident touched off a U.S. Navy operation, as several warships intersected with the lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama that contained Phillips and his four Somalian captors. During the ordeal Phillips tried to keep his head and make it back home to his family safely. With true-life stories it’s not usually the specific events that are compelling, especially in the age of the Internet. It doesn’t take much to look up the accounts and find out what happened, especially since this film is based in part on the memoir authored by Phillips himself. But what works well with this film is the way Greengrass puts it together. He tells the story in a fascinating and gripping way. There is an intensity to the film that keeps the audience hooked to what’s happening. This is a hallmark of Greengrass’ storytelling, something he used effectively with another true-life film, “United 93.” There is also an authenticity to the film. Greengrass cast four Somali refugees to play the pirates. These are men who are familiar with the area and its problems, which helps to inform their performances and set the stakes for the narrative. Particularly strong is Barkhad Abdi, who plays the pirate leader Muse. Abdi brings depth and intensity to the role and really helps that aspect of the story come to life. The stakes for Muse are as high as they are for Phillips, which creates a fascinating storytelling dynamic. But the heart of the film is the work by Hanks. Hanks is a great actor who has embodied some of the most iconic characters in film. Here he delivers another incredible performance, but it starts out very subtle. He slips into the character and carries a bulk of the film. Though it’s a strong performance, it isn’t flashy. Perhaps the best scene in the film comes near the end. The raw emotion in Hanks’ performance is incredible. It is one of the most powerful scenes in the film, and one of the most powerful scenes in any film this year. It really serves as a beautiful cap to the film and is one of the enduring images of the film. “Captain Phillips” is a well-done drama. The script from Billy Ray (“Shattered Glass,” “State of Play”) appropriately captures the drama of the story, Greengrass brings it to life in a compelling way and Hanks adds a beautiful performance to ground the film. This is one of the best films of the year so far and is sure to be a contender come awards season.
Rating: PG-13 for sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody images, and for substance use.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Gravity
Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney
Synopsis: In 1979, as part of the promotional campaign for “Alien,” the marketing company coined the tagline, “In space no one can hear you scream.” It was jarring, but accurate. It conveyed the vastness and emptiness of space. But that isn’t typically how we think about space in movies. It’s been a place of promise, adventure and exploration. Films like “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” have painted space differently — like a final frontier that holds a great deal of promise. Writer/director Alfonso Cuaron sides more with the “Alien” view of space, something that’s evident with “Gravity.” While being one of the most beautiful and technologically ambitious films in recent memory, it conveys a sense of vastness, emptiness and danger that most recent sci-fi films eschew. The film centers on astronauts on a mission in space. Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and Commander Matt Kowalski (Clooney) are on a space walk repairing a satellite. It is Stone’s first mission in space, and she’s struggling to acclimate. It’s Kowalski’s final mission in space, and he’s taking it all in. Everything seems normal until the astronauts get a message that space debris from a retired satellite is headed right for them. Kowalski and Stone quickly try to get back into the shuttle, but they can’t before the debris field hits. In the collision, Stone is sent floating into space and the shuttle, Explorer, is badly damaged. It soon becomes clear that Stone and Kowalski are alone in space, not out of danger and left with few options for survival. The vastness, emptiness and danger take hold as they fight to survive. “Gravity” is an incredibly daring film. It’s at once very small and very large in scale. The film uses several voices for characters that aren’t really a part of the visual narrative, but it essentially uses just two actors over the course of 91 minutes. It’s an intimate and personal film. But at the same time, “Gravity” has an epic scope and feel. It may, in fact, be the most effects-driven film of the year. There are special effects used to create the world and make it real in every shot. The film truly captures the epic feel of space and helps the audience realize how small and how alone its characters truly are. That is a rare achievement, and part of the reason “Gravity” has been a hit with audiences. Cuaron is a talented filmmaker. He was the first director to add his style to the “Harry Potter” series following Christopher Columbus, and his take on “Prisoners of Azkaban” remains a fan favorite. His 2006 release — “Children of Men” — was one of the most beautifully shot and told films of that year, though it wasn’t widely seen by audiences. In the time since its release it’s become something of a cult classic.  As a director, Cuaron has a keen visual style, something that’s on full display in “Gravity.” The shots — especially the beautifully filmed and slow-paced opening sequence — are exceptional. This is a very visual film, with a complicated and vast landscape, and Cuaron pulls it off brilliantly. This is a film that has to be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated. In addition, it features a pair of brilliant performances. Clooney brings grace and effortless charm to his part. He is a warm, calming presence in a film that is often quite intense. It is great work that adds depth and dimension to the story being told. But the real star of the film is Bullock, who has to carry “Gravity.” She goes through a range of emotions and offers a beautifully layered performance. Her work is at the heart of the film and she adds the emotional wallop to the story at key points during the brisk 91-minute run time. Cuaron was a part of the entire process with “Gravity.” He co-wrote the screenplay with his son, Jonas, served as a producer and directed the film. It was a labor of love, and it shows. “Gravity” is a brilliant movie unlike anything seen recently on the big screen, and is clearly among the best films of the year.
Rating: PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, October 18 — "The Fifth Estate," "Carrie," "Escape Plan," "12 Years A Slave"
Friday, October 25 — "The Counselor," "Jackass Presents Bad Grandpa," "Blue Is The Warmest Color"