Daire Walsh
Captain Phillips
Having also shone as Walt Disney opposite Emma Thompson’s P.L. Travers in John Lee Hancock’s Saving Mr Banks, 2013 has been a memorable year for Hollywood A-lister Tom Hanks. However, when it comes to the awards season, the California native’s outstanding performance as the titular character in Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips provides him with the best chance of adding a third Academy Award to his already prestigious list of honours.
Having utilised Matt Damon as his leading man in his three previous features, the pairing of Greengrass & Hanks – for the true story of how the Maersk Alabama cargo ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009 – was a mouth-watering prospect, and the acclaimed English filmmaker didn’t disappoint, as he delivered a film that kept audiences on the edge of their seats throughout (whether or not they had knowledge of the incident being depicted).
Yet, although all the attention was focused on the director and principle actor, in many ways the real revelation of the film is newcomers Barkhad Abdi, who more than holds his own alongside an in-form Hanks as the conflicted pirate leader, Abduwali Muse.
Good Vibrations
Although it is technically a 2012 film having originally appeared on last year’s festival circuit, the March time release of the wonderful Good Vibrations ensures that the story of Belfast punk icon Terri Hooley makes the cut on this list.
Despite only having the little-seen Rupert Grint-starrer Cherrybomb on their CV up to this point, the filmmaking duo of Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn delivered an uplifting and inspiring account of how one man strived to unite a city at the height of the Troubles through his Good Vibrations record label.
Although the label often struggled to prosper after the initial buzz created by the timeless Teenage Kicks by The Undertones, the impact of Hooley (played in the film by Game Of Thrones star Richard Dormer) on the punk scene in Northern Ireland’s capital city is not to be underestimated, and his desire to offer a platform for the country’s brightest young artists, along with his refreshingly relaxed attitude towards money, makes him a hero worth celebrating.
Prisoners
During the past couple of decades, the kidnap drama has been given much exposure on the big-screen, but thanks to the assured touch of Canadian helmer Denis Villeneuve, the genre was offered fresh impetus in the form of the twisty Prisoners, which was a big hit at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
On paper, Prisoners doesn’t necessarily stand out from the crowd, but thanks to several compelling performances, it is elevated to a much higher level of quality. As haunted father and relentless Detective respectively, Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal are at the top of their game, while there are also some terrific supporting roles for Paul Dano, Melissa Leo, Terrence Howard, Viola Davis and Mario Bello.
Though it becomes overly twisty in its final movement, Prisoners is never less than compelling, and is often a very tough watch. It also beautifully shot by the ubiquitous Roger Deakins, who has been nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar on a total of ten occasions without winning the coveted award, but can nevertheless expect be in the reckoning for an 11th nod in the New Year.