Another true story upon this list, but this time the great man is alive and able to retell the tale. The richness of Tom Hanks' mesmerising screen-turn as Captain Philips in the eponymous film is yet to be bettered in one's opinion; it is of uncompromising brilliance. Our desperate hero engages in a situation so frightful and gut-wrenching that it seems miraculous that he did survive, but this wasn't ever about luck; instead ingenuity and intelligence. As ruthless Somali Pirates hijack his Maersk Alabama cargo ship as they sailed through the Indian Ocean, Richard Phillips was forced to obey the commanding terrorists in order to protect the extensive crew on board. After the pirates had gathered the money they desired, Phillips supplies them with a lifeboat in order to flee safely, but they do not trust that the crime will go undetected and so they take the Captain with them. By studying behaviour and levels of authority throughout the pirate group, Phillips was able to decipher who he could engage with the most; perhaps reason with and make an exchange deal. His vast experience in drills and threatening situation at sea come beautifully into play, and as a result, he manages to succeed. The true story is something so astonishing that it needs to be read or heard first-hand, but Hanks' performance in this adaptation really is a marvel.
Film and UFC obsessive with a passion for scribbling words about them. Avid NFL fan and big Chelsea supporter too.
Film Studies degree graduate from the University of Brighton.
