Product Description: In a fictional New York City of the late 1930's, pilot Joe \""Sky Captain\"" Sullivan teams up with former girlfriend and journalist Polly Parker to investigate a sudden attack on the city by giant robots, and their possible ties to the sudden disappearance of the world's top scientists.f the world's top scientists. Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure Rating: PG Release Date: 10-APR-2007 Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com: While setting a milestone in the progress of digital filmmaking, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow resurrects a nostalgic fantasy world derived from a wide variety of vintage inspirations. It's a dazzling dream for anyone who appreciates the look and feel of golden-age sci-fi pulp magazines, drawing its unique, all-digital design from such diverse sources as Howard Hawks adventures, Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Buck Rogers, Blackhawk comics, The Third Man, cliffhanger serials, and the action-packed Indiana Jones franchise. Writer-director Kerry Conran's feature debut is also guaranteed to inspire digital dreamers everywhere, suggesting a paradigm shift in the way CGI-dominated movies are made. It's a giddy adventure for the young and young-at-heart, in which ace pilot "Sky Captain" Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) and intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) must save the world from a mad scientist whose vision of the future has tragic implications for all humankind. Angelina Jolie drops in for a glorified cameo, but it's the ultra-fortunate neophyte Conran who's the star here. His clever riff on The Wizard of Oz is a marvel to behold, and the method of its creation is nothing less than revolutionary. --Jeff Shannon
WAAAAY UNDER RATED ^ I really feel this movie didn't get the credit it deserves by both critics and people that watched it, I don't understand what was it they didn't like about it or what was it they expected from it, yes I agree the script was not the greatest but the special effects more than makes up for it and the acting was very good as well but to me what takes the cake is the feel of the movie 1940's noir kind of thing I wish they would make more movies like this. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.!!!
A singular, visionary tribute to old school movie fun ^ Ehhhhh...i'll go ahead and throw this one five stars. I think a lot of the naysayers on this movie worked too hard at watching it. One thing it has going for it is that it is honest in what it is trying to present. No hidden agendas, messages, misdirection, bait-and-switch jobs on the audience, or whatever. What you see in the first five minutes is what you get-or better-for the rest of the movie.
One thing that is a major factor in my decision to buy movies for my collection is its capacity for repeated viewing. DUH. Why buy a movie to watch it only once? Yet, I think many people don't consider something this simple. If you know where a movie is going, what is going to happen, even why, then there is some other reason for watching it over and over: casting, production, script, scenery, dialogue, humor, etc., things you enjoy seeing again because you know they will be there.
This movie has plenty of that. I personally love all the art deco imagery, the classic film-noir atmosphere at the beginning, the allusions to other period box-office legends, easter eggs like the Wizard of Oz cameo, that beautiful P-40 Warhawk tearing up the skies, and the stormy, sarcastic, he said-she said relationship of the principal characters. It is just a fun movie, presented in a unique, whimsical wrap of throwback cinematography paying homage to the old serial adventures and WWII-era movie making. So there is a Brit flying a P-40 in a continental American context. so what. adds character. Gwyneth Paltrow looks like she finally stepped back into an era where she truly belongs. She simply looks like a 30's-40's movie star.
Another appeal of this movie is something that is too rarely seen these days: production by a group of novice, unexperienced visionaries. this becomes most evident from watching the special features - AFTER you see the film itself. These people pursued this vision untainted and without preconditions of having worked in the movie industry before. The honesty of this spectacle is all the more vivid and astonishing, and truly adds to the enjoyment of this truly one-of-a-kind film epic. Go ahead and add this true original to your collection. If Conran doesn't make anything else, he deserves to be remembered fondly for this effort.
Watch it with the sound off. ^ A terrible screenplay. The story was juvenile, literally as if it was written by a 12 year old... a 12 year old in 1940, that is. There is NO character development at all. None. Zero. Zip. Goose eggs. The acting was juvenile. A shame, really, because I like Jude Law. Oh well. BUT! The visuals were interesting. An old sci-fi, film noir, movie serial vibe that was taken to the max. So much so that it can become distracting, but the idea was original, and so I give it two stars. Interesting eye-candy, but everything else was so terrible that it is almost shocking.
Forties Film Noir and Sci-Fi Adventure ^ The film is a gumbo mix of adventures that resemble a 1940's War Film, Star Trek, Indiana Jones and Wizard of Oz. There is much action and adventure for a light plot, but the stars, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie give the weak plot a boost and the cinematography is beyond reproach.
Kerry Conran is the director and writer - this is his first film. The retro touches of old brands like Double Bubble Gum and Coca Cola gave it a nostalgic touch. The hero is Joe Sullivan "Sky Captain" (Jude Law) who is a pilot. His former flame, Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltro) comes back into his life. She makes a deal with him for a story in her newspaper.
The mystery and plot surround a group of missing scientists and recent robot attacks on New York City. There is an intricate scheme that may cause the end of the world. It involves a spacecraft that will send two of each earth species into space - a Noah's Arc Star Liner of sorts.
The beauty of the film makes the simple plot watchable. Gorgeous visuals and special effects give a simple nostalgic effect. You often think the stars resemble the likes of Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacal, Veronica Lake depending on the scenes. There are smart lines that remind you of the era of Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon and their tin can space ships. The movie is done mostly in burnished browns with light color showing through. Facial close-ups must have camera filters and lighting is perfect. It is clearly mostly computer generated, but well done art and creativity throughout.
For a adventure filled action film, with retro touches, and top stars, this is a good pick.
Sci-fi fantasy in art deco style ^ Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow are paired as a pilot and a journalist in conquest to save the world from the mad scientist. This scientist has created robots who are overtaking New York. There is a mysterious assassin trying to kill off all the remaining scientists who can prevent the apocalipse.
Part adventure, part romance, part nostalgic movie set in art deco style, this film has feel and touch of the old era. Although at one point there is a clip of the movie "Wizard of Oz" which must have been filmed more that 30 years ago. That confused me a little bit. If it was supposed to be a metaphor for Paltrow's character in this movie, I have not quite got the message.
This movie is cute and unpretentious but easy to let go of once you've seen it.
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