Contagion

http://contagionmovie.warnerbros.com/index.html

As with last weeks The Three Musketeers I wasn't all that bothered about seeing Contagion but as it had a semi impressive cast and potential to not suck I figured I'd end up seeing it anyway. And see it I did. 

As the title suggests, Contagion is a movie about a virus and how quickly it, as well as fear of it, spreads through towns and cities all over the world. We follow several groups of people as they deal with the virus, a family in Minnisota who lose two members to the unknown and deadly disease, several doctors trying to find a cure, the Center for Disease Control who are having to deal with press as well as trying to learn about the virus and where it came from and a reporter who is trying to stop drug manufacturers from cashing in on the crisis, among others.

Contagion was actually a much better film than the trailer implies. It won't win any awards but the ensemble cast do a fine job of their respective roles and ultimately make the jumble of characters on offer into a bunch people that you care about. Not easy when you have so many big names all vying for a piece of the action.

And speaking of action, I also don't think the film was as horrific as I was expecting from the trailer. The film is only a 12A, which I don't think I realised when I saw the trailer initially, imagining a bit of a gorefest as suggested by some of the scenes shown. Instead it was a film that moved at a steady pace and kept me engaged in watching it and interested to know what was going to happen. 

It had me intrigued from the opening minute as to why the film started on 'day 2' of the outbreak. I won't spoil it but I thought the way they wrapped things up at the end was a clever way to do it and finished things off in a very neat way.

Probably not the best film out this week, but certainly not the worst by a long stretch. 7 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 23rd October 2011

UK Release Date - 21st October 2011

Cast Overview:

Marion Cotillard ~ Dr Leonora Orantes

Matt Damon ~ Mitch Emhoff

Laurence Fishburne ~ Dr Ellis Cheever

Jude Law ~ Alan Krumwiede

Gwyneth Paltrow ~ Beth Emhoff

Kate Winslet ~ Dr Erin Mears

Jennifer Ehle ~ Dr Ally Hextall

Elliott Gould ~ Dr Ian Sussman

Chin Han ~ Sun Feng

John Hawkes ~ Roger

Daria Strokous ~ Irina
Anna Jacoby-Heron ~ Jory Emhoff
Brian J O'Donnell ~ Andrew

Director ~ Steven Soderbergh

Writer ~ Scott Z Burns

The Adjustment Bureau

http://www.theadjustmentbureau.com/

If you've read my reasons for doing this blog, you'll know the last thing I want to do is steal from another review. The very last thing I EVER want to do is steal from an Empire review. So obviously I won't. What I will say is that they categorised this film so perfectly that I at least have to tell you what they said. So to paraphrase with the utmost respect, Empire's Helen O'Hara who said that The Adjustment Bureau is "Inception for romantics". She nailed it. And that is why I want to be one of them!

I knew very little about The Adjustment Bureau going in, I'd just seen the posters on the bus shelters around Brighton. I hadn't seen the trailer and I hadn't read anything about it (not even Empire's four star review). If, like me, you haven't done any research on the film please allow me to elaborate.

The Adjustment Bureau opens on the campaign trail of New York Congressman David Norris (Matt Damon). We see him flying high in the polls and then bottoming out when pictures surface of his bar fighting, prank pulling past. While practicing his 'down but not out' speech for the announcement of his lost election he meets Elise (Emily Blunt) who inspires him to tell the truth to the public as she thinks they'll reciprocate more to an honest man. He does this and although the election is lost, David's popularity soars. A few weeks pass and David meets Elise again, by chance, and she gives him her number. Moments later David is kidnapped by a bunch of trilby wearing men who tell him he must never see Elise again as doing so would be going against 'The Plan'. 

Does David fight for who he believes is the person he's meant to be with, or go along with the design in store for his future? You'll have to see the film to find out. What I will tell you is that this is a nail biting, tense thriller which also has a believable love story running alongside it. You wouldn't think those two genres would go together but they work surprisingly well when teamed up. Without the love story I'm not sure what you'd root for here. With it, and I know this sounds cheesy, the film has heart. It makes you so passionate about the outcome of the film that you'll never have been happier to see a love story spliced with a thriller.

*Spoiler Alert!* About two thirds of the way in I was thinking, "if these two don't end up together then this has been a really shit film!". I'm sure my score mixed with aforementioned comment will give away the ending, hence the spoiler alert!

I was half hoping after Matt Damon's performance in Hereafter that this film would be a dud, or at least that he would be. The half of me that was hoping he'd be good was not disappointed. His performance here was just as good (though not as emotional as Hereafter - but then the movie is totally different) and I find, for the second time this year, that I am swiftly becoming a Matt Damon fan. Something I've never been and never thought I'd be. Emily Blunt was her usual marvellous self showing her vulnerable and quirky sides and making the audience fall in love with her, as she does so frequently with ease. The supporting cast from Terrence Stamp to Anthony Mackie are also faultless and allow the audience to have some feeling towards the bureau rather than have them be a faceless organisation. 

A film that will have you on the edge of your seat while also falling a little bit in love. 8 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 5th March 2011

UK Release Date - 4th March 2011

Cast Overview:

Matt Damon ~ David Norris

Emily Blunt ~ Elise Sallas

Anthony Mackie ~ Harry Mitchell

John Slattery ~ Richardson

Terence Stamp ~ Thompson

Director ~ George Nolfi

Writer(s) ~ George Nolfi (Screenplay) and Philip K Dick (Short Story)

Hereafter

http://hereafter.warnerbros.com/

As I said on the Black Swan review (below), there are some films I know I will probably end up seeing even if the trailer doesn't particularly grab me. This is mainly because I'm an Unlimited Cineworld card holder and I go to the cinema a lot! It's also because I love movies and I particularly love watching movies at the cinema. You can keep your pirate DVD's coz I'd rather see a film the way it was meant to be seen, on the big screen.

Ok, ramble over. The reason I mention this is that Hereafter was a movie for which I saw the trailer but the trailer didn't really make me want to see the film. If you also felt that way I urge you *now* to ignore the trailer and go watch the film. It's directed by Clint Eastwood, who's only other directorial film I've seen is Million Dollar Baby. While I liked that movie it didn't inspire me to watch everything else Mr Eastwood had directed (or starred in). Hereafter is something entirely different.

The film is separated into 3 stories. The first story we encounter sees a French Journalist, Marie (Cecile De France), swept away by a Tsunami whilst on holiday (it's never confirmed but I assume this is meant to be the Indonesian Tsunami of Christmas 2004). Marie drowns but is resuscitated and retains memories of her brief encounter with what lies beyond. The second story is about twin brothers, Jason and Marcus, who live in London with their junkie/drunk single mother. Whilst running an errand one day, one of the boys - Jason - is killed in a car accident. His brother Marcus is left alone to deal with his mum, foster care and coming to terms with his brothers death. The third story centers on American factory worker George (Matt Damon). He's a psychic who's turned his back on his 'gift' believing it to be more of a curse. All 3 stories share the theme of death and it's effects on the living.

This might not sound like the cheeriest of films. I won't lie to you. It isn't. But it is thought provoking, well writen, insightfully directed and beautifully acted. One of the problems I had with the trailer (that put me off seeing the film) was the fact that it showed the star of the film to be Matt Damon. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Matt Damon. But I also don't own any of his movies. If you feel similarly let me re-assure you that although he is the biggest name amongst the actors, this is very much an ensemble cast and they are all faultless. Matt Damon included. I am happy to state now that when this DVD is released it will be my first purchase of a Matt Damon movie. My only criticism, cast wise, would be the underuse of Bryce Dallas Howard as I wish there'd been more of her character. This is only a minor criticism however as I don't think they could've made her role bigger without making major changes to the story. 

I was so surprised by this film on so many levels. How attached I got to the characters, how well the characters were established and not made into caricatures, how the stories all blended and each character had equal screen time to tell their story and finally, *SPOILER ALERT* how the moment when they finally all meet is believable and cleverly conceived when it could've so easily seemed contrived. 

I could go on all night (and nearly have!) about how good I thought this was and I really hope that my passion for the film will mean at least 1 other person goes to see it. Excellent 9 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 1st February 2011

UK Release Date - 28th January 2011

Cast Overview:

Matt Damon / George Lonegan

Cecile De France / Marie LeLay

Frankie and George McLaren / Marcus and Jason

Lyndsey Marshal / Jackie - Marcus and Jason's Mother

Thierry Neuvic / Didier - Marie's Lover

Bryce Dallas Howard / Melanie

Jay Mohr / Billy Lonegan - George's brother

Director ~ Clint Eastwood

Writer ~ Peter Morgan