Contagion: Movie Review

Contagion: Movie Review

Contagion
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Jennifer Ehle
Director: Steven Soderbergh
If you've ever been worried about a viral outbreak and the costs of a pandemic, this is not the film you want to see.
In the latest ensemble drama, Paltrow stars as Beth Emhoff, who's just back from a trip to Hong Kong - and is feeling somewhat rough. However, having returned to her Minneapolis home to hubby Mitch (Damon), she promptly collapses, has seizures and dies.
At the same time, others begin to display similar symptoms and pretty soon, the Department of Homeland Security meets with Dr Cheevers (Fishburne) of the Centre for Disease Control amid fears it's a biological attack aimed to cripple America over Thanksgiving weekend.
So Cheevers dispatches an epidemiologist Dr. Erin Mears (Winslet) to Minneapolis to begin an investigation into what's going on - but it could all be too late amid fears the MEV1 pandemic's about to sweep the world. And with society breaking down amid quarantines and supplies shortages, there's everything at stake.
Contagion is a masterful film - it's intelligent, based on some good science and solid research and to be frank, utterly terrifying in places.
But unlike other Hollywood blockbusters of a similar ilk, this doesn't go for overblown action and hysteria - this latest from Soderbergh is more of a creeping dread and richly unsettling given how much reality it's based in.
There's been some serious scientific research into how diseases are tackled, the actuality of society breaking down and the methods of how scientists would react amid the unleashing of a new global virus.
The disparate threads of the story come together very well - and throw in a solid ensemble cast and you've got a recipe for unnerving cinema, replete with the possibilities of how it'd unfold. Tensions, disputes and a microcosm of detail are Soderbergh's specialities here and because of the depth of information, it's a gripping watch.
Don't get me wrong - this isn't a dull watch at all; it's simply a highly intelligent and smartly presented, masterfully crafted and brilliantly acted piece of What If? disaster movie that is so horrifying because of the depth of its research and the plausibility of its scenario. With reigned in directing and restrained acting, it's brutally successful at being so terrifying.

Just don't be surprised if after viewing it, you start to worry about that person coughing next to you on the bus or the constant sniffer in the office....

Insidious: Blu Ray ReviewInsidious: Blu Ray Review

Insidious: Blu Ray Review

Insidious
Rating: M
Released by Warner Home Video

With a box blaring from the makers of Paranormal Activity and SAW, you should be able to guess what audience Insidious is aiming for.

Shortly after moving into a new home, Josh and Renai (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) find their lives turned upside down when their son Dalton falls into a coma. Things get worse when Renai starts seeing horrific visions and ghostly disturbances around the house - so the pair decide to move home.
Only what's haunting them appears to follow them to their new place&.

Spooky, creepy and a little unsettling, Insidious starts off very well - but the second half of the film can't sustain the tension and unease which has been created at the beginning. And that's where it's a real shame as all involved do a great job - and it's genuinely frightening in places with some shocking moments which will have you grabbing the seat in fear.

Sadly, the premise and the reveal of what's going on just can't be taken too seriously and so Insidious falls squarely into great idea, but disappointing territory.

Extras: Trailer, On set and doco

Rating: 6/10 

Taxi Driver: Blu Ray Review

Taxi Driver: Blu Ray Review

Taxi Driver
Rating: R18
Released by Sony Home Entertainment

Having seen the remastered version of this DeNiro classic at the NZ Film Festival this year, I was eagerly waiting its arrival on Blu Ray.

The print had been cleaned up and this release is a superior picture quality as well - part of a series of releases done by Sony to showcase some of the best of their product.

De Niro is excellent as Travis Bickle, a NYC taxi driver whose flight into madness and paranoia is fuelled by his desire to just do something big. Cybill Sherpherd is luminous as his early love interest and Jodie Foster is astonishing in a debut role. If it doesn't quite hang together in some ways, it's because 21st century eyes look back on a 70s film but I can finally understand why so many adore this.

Beautifully restored on Blu Ray, De Niro has rarely been better and Scorsese's sleazy NYC is still a searing watch.

Extras: A whole horde of them - interviews, commentary from Scorsese - befitting an iconic release.

Rating: 8/10 

Last Paradise: DVD Review

Last Paradise: DVD Review
Last Paradise
Rating: G
Released by Madman Home Ent
This doco from film maker Clive Neeson pretty much sums up why NZ's become the extreme sports mecca of the world.
Pulling together archive footage and traditional talking heads interviews, it takes a look back at why and how Aotearoa became the go to place for those seeking a thrill and looking for something - other than the scenery - to leave the heart pumping.
From home video footage of tyre rolling, boarding, kids on trolleys being pulled by horses to AJ Hackett bungying off the Eiffel Tower, there's plenty to see here in this charming nostalgic look at what's shaped a major part of our tourism world.
However, it's not just that; there's a curiosity factor of seeing the first surfers in action and you end up marveling at those who set the pace.
A clever celebration of Kiwi ingenuity and a sparkling look at what shaped an industry, Last Paradise, while at times being a little more than a sports show promo (complete with slow mo footage), is a fascinating glimpse into why this is the best country in the world.
Extras: Bonus scenes and a trailer - nothing major

Rating: 7/10 

Thor: Blu Ray Review

Thor: Blu Ray Review

Thor Blu Ray
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

So the Marvel universe continues its cinematic attempts to take over - this time with some help from a buffed up dude from Home and Away and a guy more likely to be known for Shakespeare.
Chris Hemsworth plays Thor, a Norse god, who on the eve of his coronation as king is banished to Earth from Asgard by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) after he instigates an attack on the Frost Giants, a race with whom the Asgardians have been living in peace for years.

Dumped in New Mexico, Thor's found by Natalie Portman's scientist Jane Foster. Convinced he needs to return to Asgard, Thor attempts to regain his mythic hammer (the source of his power) from a SHIELD facility. But when he finds his powers have deserted him, Thor resigns himself to a life on earth.

However, back in Asgard, political machinations are afoot and Thor's brother Loki (a brilliantly reptilian Tom Hiddleston) moves on the throne, prompting Thor's friends to try and bring him back....

Spectacularly epic, utterly engrossing and surprisingly funny, Thor is perhaps one of the best blockbusters in a while. Mixing Shakespearean motifs such as family betrayal, mistrust and revenge, it's clear to see why Kenneth Branagh was attracted to this.

Hemsworth impresses as the petulantly arrogant god and Hopkins is suitably majestic as the regal Odin; each injecting their characters with the humanity and hubris needed of gods. Equally impressive is Hiddleston who brings the requisite element of mistrust to Loki that you're never quite sure whose side he's actually on - or what his motives truly are.

If there's to be a small quibble, it's that Portman and her team of scientists are a little underdeveloped - and the wonderful Kat Dennings is sidelined as simply comic relief.
Thor's a great intro to the character ahead of the release of next year's Avengers.

Extras: Commentary by Branagh, deleted scenes, featurettes - a fair bunch

Rating: 8/10

The Orator: Movie Review

The Orator: Movie Review

The Orator
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Fa'afiaula Sagote, Tausili Pushparaj, Salamasina Mataia, Ioata Tanielu
Director: Tusi Tamasese
The Orator (O Le Tulafale to give its Samoan title) arrives with a certain amount of prestige behind it.
The tale from first time director Tusi Tamasese has been submitted for consideration as Best Foreign Language Film for the 84th Academy Awards®, to be held in Hollywood on the 28th of February 2012.
It's the story of Vaaiga, (Pushparaj) who's been banished from her ancestral village - she's now living with little person Saili (a stunning turn from debut actor Sagote) who's angered neighbours near their home by refusing to move the graves of his parents.
In fact, he insists on tending them every day and chopping down taro plants which are being grown by the neighbouring villagers - much to the ire of those trying to make a living.
Vaaiga's brother Poto (Tanielu) is also causing problems for this small family; he's sick and wants her to return home.
However, Poto's wish has disastrous consequences for all of them.
Quite frankly, if you fail to be moved by The Orator, you don't have a pulse.
Lusciously shot and beautifully subtle and nuanced, this entirely Samoan film is one for the heart as well as the eyes.
First time actor Fa'afiaula Sagote and first time director Tusi Tamasese make a stunning double act - there's the pain of dishonour and the weight of expectation etched across Saili's weary face throughout and you can't help but feel for him as he faces what he faces. Tamasese brings a level headedness to this cultural debut which captivates you from the opening moments to the heart-stopping climax.
This isn't all about highly compelling slow-burning drama; there's a rich vein of subtly dry humour running throughout - mainly thanks to a Samoan rugby team - which gives the weightiness of the script a much needed touch of lightness.

Ultimately though The Orator is simply strong measured storytelling and impressive acting; it's engrossing, heartfelt and in its final scenes, profoundly moving.

Real Steel: Movie Review

Real Steel: Movie Review

Real Steel

Rating: 6/10

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, A sad faced robot

Director: Shawn Levy

In the not too distant future on earth, robots have taken the place of humans in the boxing ring.

It's in this world we meet Charlie Kenton (Jackman), a former boxer whose glory days are past him and who now spends time using his skills to guide fighting robots in the ring.
Only ridden with debt, Charlie's got a few problems - he's got creditors threatening him, his former girlfriend Bailey (Lost's Evangeline Lilly) is about to lose the family gym because of the debt
Charlie's racked up and to make matters worse, Charlie gets his young son Max dumped on him after his ex-wife dies.

But when Max discovers an old robot and decides his discarded bot will be a fighting champion, Charlie indulges his son and gives him a chance to experience life as a fighter.

However, when Max's robot starts to win, Charlie soon discovers he's got a chance to change his life.

This feel good family flick feels at times like a simple smash em up robot smackdown; a sort of Robot Wars for the new CGI digital age. But at its core, it's an old fashioned tale about the underdog, the broken family and second chances.

Which means some of it feels a little old hat and unoriginal - despite the futuristic setting and blaring heavy metal soundtrack each time the robots fight in the ring, there's something very old fashioned to the story telling.

While it avoids the cliché of the mop haired kid, there's a very real feeling to the relationship between Max and Charlie; Hugh Jackman brings his requisite charm to the role and while there's some cheesy lines in the film (Max tells Charlie at one point: You just throw away anything you don't need), there's a heartfelt warmth underneath.

The robot fight scenes are quite cool to be honest - and will indulge the father/son bonding nature of this flick; and I have to admit to being very impressed by the animatronic robots (but that's the nerd in me coming out).

At the end of the day, Real Steel is a brash and at times noisy affair with a gooey heart deep within and it's certainly going to have limited family appeal.