In the spirit of the approaching Christmas season, I can't help but to write about my own personal (holiday related anyway) favorite Catch Me If You Can, Steven Spielberg's first of two underrated gems of the 21st century (second one being Munich).

The movie tells the story of real life figure Frank Abagnale Jr., played humorously and with dramatic conviction by Leonardo Dicaprio. After the separation of his parents. father Frank Sr., played excellently by Christopher Walken (one of his rare dramatic roles) and mother Paula (Nathalie Baye), Frank Jr. runs away from home, living a life of imposture, as a airline pilot, medical physician, and lawyer, and forges the occupations checks. Along the way he dates and seduces beautiful women.
On Frank's tale is F.B.I. Agent Carl Hanratty, played by the always charismatic and reliable Tom Hanks. Throughout the film Carl chases Frank through the web of deceit.

Every element of the film makes for one of the more entertaining films that have come out in the last 10 years. With its fast (but always meticulous) pace, fine acting, great story, great period detail (1960s), and great musical score by the legendary John Willliams, Catch Me If You Can serves as an example of a legendary blockbuster director's comfortable, light, and witty side, rarely seen from Spielberg (similar films of his like Always or The Terminal ).

I'll be watching it late Christmas Eve Night.

Trailer


Intro: John William's awesome score

I enjoy this movie.

Knock Knock.

Who's there?

Go fuck yourself.

This is a rare case where as much as the book is very likely the superior way to go in terms of enjoying the full story for what it is, the film does a very good job on its own, as well. I've always been a big fan of con men stories, and so the moment I heard that Spielberg was going to make this film, I went out and got the book to read. If you like the film, I HIGHLY recommend the book, there's so much more detail of the exploits of Abagnale. Not the least of which the one foreign prison that you see Hanratty pick him up from at the start, in reality what Frank deal with in that place (I think it was that particular prison) was utterly horrible, the conditions in which he "lived", from the size of his cell to often having to sit in his own feces and various bodily fluids. The film doesn't even begin to convey that (not that I'm surprised at how it's portrayed).

And of course this is the film that began my love affair with the insanely adorable Amy Adams.

Plus the Hanks character of Carl Hanratty was just an amalgamation of a few different law enforcement figures that were chasing Frank over the years, in reality he didn't have as much of that one-on-one cat & mouse game that the film portrays, though that happens frequently when adapting any preexisting story for a film, multiple characters get rolled into one to serve the same general purpose.

i like this one

I hadn't seen this move when Frank Abagnale Jr came to speak at Penn State. I usually go to these talks so I went to get tickets and it was sold out. It was amazing that they had sold out so quickly. I was confused. So I Netflixed this movie and saw what all the fuss was about. What a great story. It's like living a movie in real life.

I really enjoyed the movie. I thought all the characters and the story were great. I didn't care for Tom Hanks' accent. It was probably because it was Hanks, but it just seemed overdone and sloppy. Other than that he did a great job. Good flick.

this movie is the epitome of meh for me.

I love this one.

I hail Christopher Walken

Thats a lot of words to basically say "the book is better, but"





I can only assume this sentence was included for my benefit.
thank you.

Well hey, I am getting paid to annoy people here by the character, so...




Actually, no. This was one of the very few and rare times that my choice of what to say in a post was not almost entirely influenced by your would-be reaction.

But usually, yea sure.

One of my favorite "tv" movies. You know movies I watch every time I see them on tv. Good choice.

good stuff.

Great movie! The dialogue is great and also has Amy Adams

Any similar movies/books (con-men) that people would like to recommend.

So......

maybe this "motm" thing has run its course

We've got to get this thread to page two. I'm going to post pictures of theplatypus until this happens.