something special

Rating: 10/10 (15 July 2013)

Apocalypse Now. The title alone is a perfect fit for this beautiful and horrifically honest portrayal of the lost effort in Vietnam. The haunting voice of Sheen, the supporting cast of Ford, Fishburne, Hopper, Duvall, Brando, and many others form the dream team of talent in front of the camera. Every scene felt like it belonged. Every speech, monologue and one liner never came off forced or felt like it had to be there.. it all needed to be there.
From each beautiful shot to the other, the cinematography of morning, noon, evening, and night glisten on film, adding realism in that from the moment it starts..we're attached and invested in the characters. Everything seems so organic, flowing naturally with the conversations and stories the characters passed along to each other. The experience Willard and his team go through is so unique. Deeper, more personal and ultimately more painful than any other war film in my opinion. This is an impossible story that could have easily translated as illogical or stupid on film ,was in the end masterfully crafted into a methodically paced, believable journey into darkness and truth. Coppola keeps our eyes glued to the screen, like a a great page turner that cant be put down.
All of Apocalypse Now's philosophical lessons, be it personal or simple bullshitting around the characters do, give this movie a depth beyond a good vs evil re-run. What I loved most of all in the end are the characters. Unforgettable moments, amazing dialog, every scene exactly where it needed to be that showed audiences things they never realized happened in the war. This is and will always be my favorite movie of all time.