keep your death-inducing virus to yourself please.

so if you don't know me very well or at all you may or may not be concerned to find out that i have a fascination with things that will fuck you up. deadly bacteria that eats your flesh? interesting. parasitic viruses that liquefy your insides? fascinating. debilitating mental abnormalities that possess you to believe you are the second coming of jesus christ? awesome. this is why abnormal psychology was my favorite psych class. and why i really looked forward to reading the hot zone. if this freaks you out too much to be my friend anymore, so be it. i'm sure you like something messed up too. get over it.

now i should mention that part of the reason i like things that mess you up is because i find it interesting to see how society reacts to such things. this is also why i like dystopian movies and books. i like seeing who freaks out first, who rushes to help, who turns into a raging sociopath and how many people just lie down and take it. judge me if you want to.

anyway after reading the hot zone and the andromeda strain last month to prepare myself for this awesome movie (that i have been WAITING for) i was pretty psyched to see it opening weekend. and thankfully i was not disappointed!

along with about 6-9 (depending on your degree of film snobbery) big name stars, contagion had almost everything i like in a movie. it was smart, scientific, thought provoking and thrilling. it had some touching moments and even had a few appropriate jokes/funny comments. now sometimes big ensemble casts scare me away from a movie. it has the chance to just be a competition between the actors as to who is the biggest star and who can take up the most screen time. contagion didn't have that problem. each actor more or less had their own storyline to deal with. there were a few crossovers but nothing competitive. but with almost 5 separate story lines can't it get confusing? sure. but not here. everyone is working towards a similar goal. to not get sick. to not get other people sick (with the possible exception of jude law's character depending on how you look at it). however it does make for a lengthy summary. i'll do my best to keep it short by just highlighting the main plots around each group of characters. (spoilers abound but nothing too big)

gweneth paltrow is the first person we see come down with the virus. we don't know how she contracts it or where from but it rapidly destroys her. flu like symptoms then a murderous seizure. boom. dead. 2-3 days after exposure. no mercy. then her young son gets it. dead. matt damon is gwen's husband and step father to the boy, who also has his own daughter. doctors become worried that he has been exposed and puts him in quarantine for 10 days. he's immune. he then takes his daughter and locks them in their house to try and wait out the impending shit storm.

lawrence fishburne and kate winslet are doctors for the CDC and the epidemic intelligence service (i WANT that job) who try and find where the virus came from, how it spreads and how to prevent further spreading.

jude law turns out to be a semi-annoying little shit who writes a conspiracy theory blog. he advocates the use of some homeopathic cure-all and people subsequently go all homicidal for it. jude represents the douche bag who will do what he can to get ahead even in times of devastating crisis.

marion cotillard is a WHO epidemiologist who travels to china to try and find out where the virus came from and who the first person to come down with it was. some not-so-kosher shit goes down in her travels.

i was pleased that the movie wasn't too dumbed down. there was enough scientific discussion and facts to give it credibility but it was delivered in such a way that people with no medical background could understand most of it. the societal implications and outcomes seem to be just about right. people would, in general, lose their fucking minds. there were plenty of disturbing scenes in barren grocery stores and of rioting, looting and pillaging. all of which WOULD HAPPEN if something this catastrophic came to fruition. and eventually i'm sure it will. i'm not an overly paranoid person but upon leaving the theater i wanted to stock up on antibiotics, gas masks and various means of self-defense.

i can't say much else without giving away the whole movie but really the only thing i wasn't completely satisfied with was the lack of elaboration of the symptoms. for example there was a part where they cut open someones skull and when the doctor saw what this virus did to her brain he told the other doctor in the room to back up and get out. and here i am in my seat subduing the urge to claw my way through the rows in front of me in order to try and get a better look at whatever it was that they didn't show. i refrained from screaming "SHOW ME!! I WANT TO SEE IT!" but thought that would be mildly irritating to those around me if not outright terrifying to them.

all in all this was a realistic and therefore disturbing movie. one i highly suggest you go see if only so you can see what a possible future might look like should any virus this disastrous get loose among the human population.

contagion :: a

bitches love the cheddar

way to go affleck brothers!

the only thing i didn't really care for was the length. no, no, that's not right. i didn't like how it seemed to have 2 endings. the first time i thought it was going to end i was like "wtf. don't end it there!" but then it started up again and i was happy! but then it dragged just a little and i got a little disappointed. but the real ending was well worth it.

the cast/acting was superb. the plot was incredible and the setting was perfect. there were a few twists which i loved and the character development and societal issues were fantastic. an original mystery is hard to come by these days, and gone baby gone is one of those rarities.

gone baby gone :: a

a healthy dose of reality

because of sicko, i'm moving to europe, or at the very least out of the u.s. watching this made me want to cry. cry out of anger, resentment, and frustration. it also made me want to cry because of the beauty and generosity of the human spirit.

i know people look at moore with a sceptical eye. this is only the second moore film i've seen, but both have driven me to unhealthy (no pun intended) levels of outrage and disgust...


WARNING: RANT AHEAD

i think it is hideous that companies will pretty much only help people in need as long as they get the advertising space and time. i HATE extreme home makeover for this reason. it is one big advertisement for sears. i think that the concept of the show is horrible too. let's see here... instead of using the thousands of dollars to build a few sensible homes for a few different families that are struggling, they build one unnecessarily huge house with more luxuries than most b-list actors have.

and for who? "my husband is in iraq and i'm too helpless to go out and get a job to support my 7 children, please build me a house!" or "i take in 10 foster children at a time even though there is no where for them to sleep and i don't have enough money to feed them, build me a house!" maybe some of these people deserve houses but not the majority. my point is that the people with the money only help out when it is beneficial to them.

i'm ashamed that i live in a society where people are so selfish and unhelpful and unforgiving and ignorant of others. and just for the record, i'm not claiming to be a saint here. i am a product of this society and therefore understand why some people are the way they are.

ok onto the movie. i think it is great that soldiers and POW's in gitmo are so well cared for, seriously i am. but i think it is absolute horrific that there are u.s. citizens who's children die because the closest hospital doesn't take their insurance. if we are paying out the ass for medical care then we should be able to go wherever we want or need to.

the movie does have some uplifting points to it. its absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking that there are people, that we have literally demonized (cubans), who will reach out to us and our people and help us live better lives and give them treatment and medication without questions, insults, or payment. this part of the film really drills in the message of how important we are to each other and that it is imperative that we set aside our differences and help each other. it really goes against human nature to ignore those in need and live selfish, isolated lives.

this will be added to my list of highly inspirational movies and if anyone wants to see it, let me know. i went out and bought it the next day.

sorry for the preachiness, but i needed to say it.

grade: A
-t

"You're mean boys who are just being mean!"

Topic: Movie Review

Subject: Alpha Dog

Based on the true events, Alpha Dog tells the story of a group of 20 something year old wiggas from Southern California in the late 90's. As ransom for overdue drug money, Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch [pre-Into the Wild]) impulsively kidnaps Zach Mazursky (Anton Yelchin), the 15 year old younger brother of Jake (Ben Foster). Undecided about what to do next, Johnny places Zach in the custody of his wing-man Frankie (Justin Timberlake). Certain Jake will pay his debt, Zach willing follows Frankie around for 3 days, while developing an unintentional brotherly friendship.

Allow me to share my immediate reaction: HOLY CRAP, what a heartbreaking story! Zach is such a hopeful teenager, a little naive, but looking to escape his overbearing parents for a moment. Only to land in dastardly situations, either with his meth addict older brother or kidnapped by a juvenile druglord. While held hostage Zach finds the kind of companionship he is looking for at home and begins to come into his own. Fighting for himself, for only a brief moment, and encountering teenage girls for the first time. Towards the end of his abduction he reflexes on what he has done wrong and wishes to change his future for the best. He is a great kid, with a hopeful future, he was only desperate for a momentary change to find some perspective.

Ben Foster gets his own HOLY CRAP for his portrayal of Zach's meth addicted/ neo-Nazi older brother, Jake. Seriously, Jake is one crazy mother f***er! I understand Foster went through a lot of research for this role, I'm not sure if it was for an Oscar nomination he was looking for, or if he is just this intense, but either way it paid off! Foster shows all the sides of Jake; anger, desperation, high on meth, psychotic, and his love for Zach. His only downfall is his fight scenes, coming off more of an action hero as oppose to a 20-something human being.

Snaps for Mr. Timberlake! While Frankie is not the most difficult character, JT performs very well for someone whose acting resume includes the New Mickey Mouse Club, Model Behavior and Edison. He excelled in his first "real" role, as I shall call it. While Frankie starts out as an ass, his character evolves as his relationship with Zach grows over his captivity. By the story's end you can feel their emotional attachment and you want him to do the right thing, which he feebly attempts, but ultimately resumes his way of life pre-Zach.

Other highlights: the witness count which grows up to 40! Slightly, hilarious. The opening credits of baby and family videos of the cast. Sharon Stone's final scene as Zach's mother years later. Her delivery of, "They say there's a reason for everything. If God's got a purpose for me, he better get the fuck down here and tell me what it is, 'cause I don't see it!" brings you to tears for her, and really makes you question the proverb. Otherwise, I think Olivia Wilde was given too much attention for such a minor role.

A

-M

blindingly bright (2 of 3 super quick reviews)

likes/positives: heavy philosophical and psychological overtones. questionable morals. cillian murphy - mmmm. chris evans - plays a great asshole. cliff curtis - excellent! mark strong - plays a great deliusional fuck-up (understatement). actually making characters realistic and human and putting them in situation that they would actually experience (regardless of the fact that they are in space). not sugar coating anything bad that happens. when it's bad in space... it's really bad (and by bad i really mean neck deep in the messiest, foulest shit ever) and of course... the suspence. i'm a sucker for it. waaaaaay better take on philosophical space mystery than 2001: aso.

dislikes/negatives: slasher-esque-ish (almost) ending. not as much character development as i would have liked, although there is enough.

overall grade: a

i'm bo[u]rn[e] again!!!

i love these fucking movies.

the bourne identity had me hook line and sinker, as did the second, so it's only logical that the third follow suit. i love movies that make me think, get me excited, and get me hot and bothered (thanks mr. damon!), all at the same time! i think the cinematography of all three of these movies is exceptional. i feel it has the rare ability to get a common feeling across in a unique way. i can't really describe it, i just feel it when i'm watching it.

mr. damon delivered a nearly perfect performance and has solidified his standing in my book of favorite actors, ever. i enjoy his sexy brooding much more than i probably should. i also like how in person (and by in person i mean in interviews i've seen him give) he seems like such a genuinely down to earth, happy and nice man, yet he can deliver performances like that of jason bourne and his character in the departed. and in the talented mr. ripley. (see it!!!!!) i really admire him for his ability to literally become a completely different person. just like jonny depp. (shameless plug, i know)

julia stiles was good. i'm glad she came back. i liked how she mirrored marie's dilemma (choosing to help bourne, putting herself in danger, cutting her hair in the bathroom) but how she chose a different path; the right one for her. maybe [in the next movie] she'll come back and screw bourne (we all know she wants him), but who knows!?

david strathairn, as the merciless fascist asshole, joan allen, as the bitch who does the right thing, and albert finny, as the creepy omniscient voice were all terrific. i enjoyed each of their contributions equally.

i liked the ending a lot. everyone got what he/she deserved. noah got his ass carted off to jail. landy became a hero. hirsch didn't get his star in langley. nicky got a cool haircut and a potential boyfriend and bourne got to live. the only thing i'd really like to know is the history between jason and nicky. were they lovers? enemies? or just coworkers? i smell a 4th movie.

there better be a 4th movie.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

the bourne ultimatum - a

-t

Wrap this (Underaged) Mother Up!

Topic: Movies

Subject: Juno

The moment my interest in Juno sparked was when Ellen Page delivers this zinger of a line to Jennifer Garner in the trailer, "Nah ... I mean, I'm already pregnant, so what other kinds of shenanigans could I get into?"

Ellen Page deserves all the acclaim she is receiving for portraying our unlikely heroine, Juno MacGuff. Rather than playing Juno as another disaffected teenager isolated from adults, she acts mature and equal, while speaking in her own teenage tongue. Declaring lines such as, "I've taken like three pregnancy tests, and I'm forshizz up the spout." Jargon of this breed could have gone terribly wrong, rather Page remains charming and genuine, while keeping the audience wondering what she will spit out next.

Olivia Thirlby also deserves praise, holding her as Leah, Juno's best friend. Thirlby expounds hilarious one-liners, such as "Foo get Thailand!"

It was a nice change to see Allison Janney, Juno's step mother, Bren, playing a real woman, as oppose to the mother stereotypes we've seen lately. We look for some hostility between Bren and Juno at first, but as the film goes on we see that there is a mother-daughter relationship there, built on love and respect.

Jennifer Garner looked great, post-Violet Garner-Affleck. Her character, Vanessa, the uptight adoptive mother we find annoying at first, we begin rooting for as the film continues.

Michael Cera is precious as Paulie Bleeker. However, he is more or less the same character Cera played in Superbad, just a different situation. But hey, that's how Jake Gyllenhaal started out and look at him now. Cera's past casting decisions were well made (Arrested Development, Suberbad) and I look forward to seeing more in the future.

Juno is a heart warming film and the conclusion of events is a happy one. I kept struggling to predict the ending, when it came I was pleasantly surprised for all the characters involved because you end up caring for them.

 

Grade: A

-M