Summer of Twin Peaks: Episode 4-The One-Armed Man

Directed by Tim Hunter and written by Robert Engels, the fifth episode of Twin Peaks entitled The One-Armed Man is an episode where Special Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman find more answers into the underworld and who is connected to who. Especially as they uncover certain things relating to the Renault brothers and their dealing with drugs as there is more that is going that the authorities don’t know yet. Notably as it plays into growing feud between Josie Packard and Catherine Martell over the sawmill and other events that lurks into the town where Deputy Hawk would finally track a mysterious one-armed man who could be a suspect relating to Laura Palmer’s death.

It’s an episode that plays into a lot of the things that are going behind the scenes in the town of Twin Peaks as the authorities would try to get answers as they confront this one-armed man in Philip Michael Gerard (Al Strobel) who admits to being in the hospital the same night Hawk was meeting the Pulaski family. Yet, it turns out to be a step back where Cooper receives word from a fellow FBI agent in Gordon Cole (David Lynch) about some of the marks in Laura’s body. The episode also reveals about Laura’s missing necklace where James Hurley and Donna Hayward realize that someone had took it based on a vision that Sarah Palmer had.

The episode would feature Donna making a secret alliance with Audrey Horne who wants to find out who killed Laura despite the fact that she and Laura weren’t close friends. It plays into the element of suspense and intrigue as Audrey would plea to her father to work at his cosmetics store as a way to please him who is unaware of her real motives. While it’s an episode that has a few elements of humor as it relates to Cooper’s unconventional methods and an encounter with a veterinarian’s building with all sorts of animals including a llama. It is a darker episode where it would feature the introduction of Norma’s husband Hank (Chris Mulkey) who is awaiting the results of his parole hearing where he promises Norma to do things right for her.

Tim Hunter’s direction definitely plays up the elements offbeat humor with elements of suspense and drama. Notably as it focuses on some of the things that goes on in the town where Josie Packard stakes out a motel where Benjamin Horne and Catherine Martell are having their fling. Much of it plays into Horne and Martell’s plans to ruin Packard while the episode would later reveal Horne being aligned with someone more nefarious as it relates to the underworld of Twin Peaks. Then there’s the Dr. Jacoby character who remains very ambiguous as Audrey believes that he knows something as does Agent Cooper. It all plays into the complexity of the case as well as some strange events where James Hurley meets Laura’s cousin Maddy for the first time as he is surprised at how much she looks like Laura.

The One-Armed Man is an excellent episode from Tim Hunter that maintains much of the film’s strange approach to mystery as well as exploring some of the drama that revolves around some of its characters. Most notably as it showcases some of the darker elements that is happening where those who are good are trying to set things right in a world that is very corrupt. In the end, The One-Armed Man is a riveting episode of Twin Peaks from Tim Hunter.

Twin Peaks: Season 1: Pilot - Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 7

Season 2: Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13 - Episode 14 - Episode 15 - (Episode 16) - (Episode 17) - (Episode 18) - (Episode 19) - (Episode 20) - (Episode 21) - (Episode 22) - (Episode 23) - (Episode 24) - (Episode 25) - (Episode 26) - (Episode 27) - (Episode 28) - (Episode 29)

Season 3: (Coming Soon)

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - (The Missing Pieces)

© thevoid99 2015

Captain Phillips

Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips and Stephan Tatly, Captain Phillips is the true story about a merchant freighter captain whose ship is taken hostage by Somali pirates as he tries to deal with the pirates and keep his crew safe. Directed by Paul Greengrass and screenplay by Billy Ray, the film is a look into how a man tries to maintain a peaceful situation while being captured by pirates as he is trying to keep his crew safe as Tom Hanks plays the titular role. Also starring Catherine Keener, Barkhad Abdi, David Warshofsky, Chris Mulkey, Yul Vazquez, and Corey Thompson. Captain Phillips is a gripping yet mesmerizing film from Paul Greengrass.

The film is based on a real-life incident in 2009 where Captain Richard Phillips is leading a freighter cargo ship on the coast of Somalia where he and his crew have to deal with a small band of pirates led by Muse (Barkhad Abdi). Muse and his small band of brothers do whatever to get on board where they succeed and take over the ship while Phillips tries to protect his crew and make sure no one is killed. It’s a film that plays into this real-life situation where Phillips is aware that they’re in dangerous territory as he informs his crew of the situation they have to face where it becomes very real. Even as he has to do a lot of negotiating and such to ensure his crew’s safety and give these pirates what they want without hurting anyone.

Billy Ray’s screenplay may have a traditional structure of sorts but it strays from convention where it plays into moments of real-time. The first act shows Phillips’ life at home with his wife Andrea (Catherine Keener) as well as the dreary world of these Somali pirates as they’re in need to make money in order to survive as Muse is someone who has experience in piracy. Phillips is aware of what he’s facing as he and his crew would encounter pirates in the first act where Muse’s first attempt with another boat doesn’t go well until he gets an idea to make his second attempt where he and his small crew succeed. Much of the film’s second act is about Phillips trying to ensure Muse that he’s not going cause trouble as his crew hide out where they’re not trying to make any attempts to do anything heroic or else someone gets killed.

Adding to the chaos in script is that there’s an element in the battle of wits between Muse and Phillips where there’s a bit of mutual respect for each other as Phillips knows that Muse is no fool and Muse is aware of Phillips determination to stay alive once the U.S. Navy gets involved. With Phillips captured on his own in a lifeboat with the pirates, it becomes this even bigger game where the pirates have to deal and negotiate with the Navy though it’s a showdown that doesn’t get any easier where Ray creates a bigger complexity in the script as well as reveal that there’s no such thing as heroes or villains in this story.

Paul Greengrass’ direction is very engaging for the way he presents the film as if a real-life situation is happening. Going for that cinema verite approach with hand-held cameras and close-ups, Greengrass maintains a lot of simplicity and intimacy for most of the film where it showcases life on a freighter cargo ship. Even as he creates some images to show a world where men do their job and keep themselves safe as they’re aware of the situations they might have to deal with. Once the pirates come into the story, Greengrass adds that air of suspense into the story where he keeps the camera in tact to both the little engine boats the pirates are in as well as the big ship to see how it would maneuver itself into getting away from the pirates.

The suspense definitely intensifies in its second and third act where the moments of violence are low-key but also chilling to see what a crew member will do to see if he just hides or do something knowing how tense the situation is. By the time the film moves into the lifeboat, there is this air of claustrophobia and tension that occurs while it is inter-cut with these images of the Navy trying to figure out how to create a situation and make sure they save Phillips life as even Phillips himself tries to fight his way. Even as he encounters moments where he could’ve died but the Muse character knows that if he’s killed, they all die. That sense of intensity in the suspense and the sense of something could go wrong occurs throughout the film as it leads to this very harrowing climax. Overall, Greengrass crafts a very engrossing yet captivating thriller about a ship captain’s willingness to survive against pirates.

Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd does fantastic work with the film‘s cinematography where it has this air of grain to play into something that feels real as well as using some low-key lights and such for the scenes in the lifeboat as well as the scenes inside the Naval ships. Editor Christopher Rouse does brilliant work with the editing with its use of rhythmic and methodical cuts to play into the suspense as well as the conversations between Muse and Phillips in their game of wits. Production designer Paul Kirby does superb work with the minimal set pieces from the look of the boat the pirates are in before they attempt to capture something to the interiors of the freighter and the lifeboat.

Costume designer Mark Bridges does nice work with the costumes as it’s mostly casual for the crew while the pirates ragged clothing showcase the world they come from and how desperate they are. Visual effects supervisors Richard Kidd, Charlie Noble, and Adam Rowland do terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the backdrops for some of the exteriors settings. Sound editor Oliver Tarney does amazing work with the sound to play into the tense atmosphere that occurs in the ship as well as the sounds of sirens and ocean waves to play into the film‘s suspense. The film’s music by Henry Jackman is wonderful for its ominous yet enchanting orchestral score to play into the film’s suspense and drama that happens throughout the film.

The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous for the ensemble that is created as it features some noteworthy small performances from Catherine Keener as Phillips’ wife Andrea, Yul Vasquez as a naval commander trying to negotiate Captain Phillips’ safety, Max Martini as U.S. Navy SEAL commander, Chris Mulkey as the senior crew member John Cronan, Corey Johnson as the helmsman Ken Quinn, David Warshofsky as chief engineer Mike Perry, and Michael Chernus as Phillips’ first officer Shane Murphy. Mahat M. Ali, Faysal Ahmed, and Barkhad Abdirahman are great as the three hijackers who try to maintain control while pondering about what to do with Captain Phillips. Barkhad Abdi is brilliant as the pirates leader Muse who tries to maintain some control of the situation though he is also not a fool as Abdi just has this very unique presence that makes him terrifying but also compelling as he makes the character sort of cool for the fact that he’s very determined.

Finally, there’s Tom Hanks in the titular role as it’s a performance that proves into why Hanks is one of American cinema’s great actors. Hanks has this everyman quality that allows his character to be engaging while he maintains a sense of cool in the way he handles his situation. It’s definitely a performance that shows Hanks just being calm and cool while showing that he also has an edge to him which proves that he is still one of the best actors working today.

Captain Phillips is a tremendous film from Paul Greengrass that features an incredible performance from Tom Hanks. Told in a very direct and gripping style with a cast that is solid including a major discovery in Barkhad Abdi. While it doesn’t feature anything new that Greengrass has done, it does however maintain that only he could make a film like this that is filled with suspense as well as a real-life story without sugar-coating it. In the end, Captain Phillips is a spectacular film from Paul Greengrass.

Paul Greengrass Films: (Resurrected) - (Open Fire) - (The One That Got Away) - (The Fix) - (The Theory of Flight) - Bloody Sunday - (The Bourne Supremacy) - United 93 - (The Bourne Ultimatum) - (Green Zone)

© thevoid99 2013

American Girl (2002 film)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/14/05 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Jordan Brady and written by Scott Sandoe, American Girl is the story of a young high school dropout who becomes pregnant as she and her family visit their incarcerated father for an annual picnic in prison. The film explores one girl's desire to find her place only to have intense suicidal thoughts while trying to remember the goodness her father had. Starring Jena Malone Brad Renfro, Chris Mulkey, Clifton Collins Jr., Michelle Forbes, Alicia Witt, Erik von Detten, and Kevin Gage. American Girl, despite its premise and Malone's performance, falls flat as another mediocre independent feature.

Rena Grubb (Jena Malone) is a high school dropout seeking some escape from her trailer park existence as she lives her mother Madge (Michelle Forbes) and her half-sister Barbie (Alicia Witt). Despite having a secret affair with popular high school boy Kenton (Erik von Detten), Rena yearns for a normal, happier ife as her older brother Jay (Brad Renfro) returns home from visiting his uncle. Rena's father John (Chris Mulkey) is serving two-life terms for murder as Rena hopes to go to the family picnic despite Madge's feelings about John who still writes letters to Rena. When Rena learns she is pregnant with Kenton's child and the family finds out, Madge decides to keep it a secret as they decide to go to the picnic.

John is excited to see his family as he decides to have his pal Buddy (Clifton Collins Jr.) on board to meet the family. While Buddy is one of the few prisoners that the guards can trust through bribes, he befriends Buddy who feels insecure around his dad. When Rena tells her father about her pregnancy, things don't go well as she thought it would be as John asks Madge what is going on with the family. While Rena meets another visitor in Hildegarde (O-Lan Jones) as she hopes to get some comfort from her father, the picnic doesn't go well as she thought it would be. Madge converses with a guard named Richard (Kevin Gage) while later learning that John has been having an affair as Buddy and Jay learn who the mistress is. With all of the turmoil going on within the family, Rena becomes more fragile over everything she's going through.

While Jordan Brady does manage to capture sympathy and great dramatic moments, the film often falls into the realm of dreary, melodrama with no direction right at the end. The film's script, which claims is based on true events, is filled with some of the dramatic cliches of TV prison dramas and the limited budget of an independent feature, depending on its premise. Plus, often comes out with some clumsy dialogue except for some of the narration for Malone. While the film does look good in its technical side, it doesn't help its meandering direction to the point that there's only a few memorable characters to enjoy or to sympathize with. Plus, due to its small budget, it’s no wonder the film has a terrible soundtrack filled with nothing but mediocre, middle-of-the-road modern rock music.

While the film has a nice cast with small performances from Kevin Gage, O-Lan Jones, and Micole Mercucio as a neighbor, the film also has a typical, lame performance from pretty-boy actor Erik von Detten who is merely the poor boy's Devon Sawa. Chris Mulkey doesn't bring anything to his role as Rena's father since he is often too over-the-top in his performance while the script just forces him to play a very awful man with nothing to offer. Alicia Witt is often good in whatever film she does but is merely nothing more than a typical, lazy slut as Witt does nothing except humiliate herself. Brad Renfro is good in his role as the sexually-confused older brother as is Michelle Forbes as Malone's stern, hopeful mother. The best supporting performance easily goes to Clifton Collins Jr., who brings in a great charm and sleaze to his performance as a prisoner who knows how to stir things up while flirting with Brad Renfro.

The film's true heart and soul is Jena Malone. While it's not a far cry from the self-destructive, dysfunctional roles she's been playing in films like Donnie Darko or Saved!. Malone does use her ability to give her character every amount of sympathy, no matter how flawed her character is, she needed. Bringing a combination of naivete, desperation, and optimism, Malone shows her ability as a very serious, complex actress.

Despite a good cast and a decent premise, American Girl is a very mediocre film from Jordan Brady. Due to its attempt to be very dramatic and edgy at the same time, it often drowns itself into despair despite Jena Malone's engaging performance. It's a film that doesn't really offer much to people other than fans of Malone though it's not a film that will mark as one of her more memorable works. In the end, American Girl is an OK but over-wrought drama from Jordan Brady.

(C) thevoid99 2011