Contagion

2011, 12, Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Jude Law

Steven Soderbergh must have the best casting agent in Hollywood; a few Ocean's films and the upcoming Haywire provides proof of the credible casts his films contain. Unsurprisingly, Contagion is no different. Not only this, but the skilled helmer is so content with his efforts that he has no trouble killing one off before the film’s barely begun. Gwyneth Paltrow is the unfortunate would-be heroine who, after returning home from a business trip to husband Matt Damon with suspicious flu-like symptoms, dies (in a scene so shrouded in domesticity that you will be left feeling numb). And so it is, a global pandemic is under way as the unseen contagious and very deadly virus infects anybody within reach, and we bear witness to certain strands of action: Damon attempting to deal with the sudden loss of loved ones; Laurence Fishburne and Kate Winslet as scientists attempting to contain the inescapable virus; Jude Law, a goofy blogger (yep, you read that right) attempting to stir up a conspiracy. It's full-on stuff from the outset.

In terms of dread, Soderbergh nails it, whether this be through the use of captionsto locate and inform us as to how many inhabitants are at risk, crucially using population figures, or the camera shots that linger on door handles and drinking glasses for just the right amount of time in order to highlight the presence of something you cannot see. Yes, a true sense of danger is present in such a way that most horror films aim for, and usually fail. Which is where the A-list cast aid what could have been a generic B-movie outing. All of the aforementioned, not to mention Marion Cotillard, John Hawkes and Jennifer Ehle - add to the worry that any of the characters these actors portray could die at any moment. In other words, all bets are bloody off. It has to be said however that the plot strands flit just a bit too frequently, and in some cases investment proves tough - whilst in others, more exploration is required leaving a particular character’s climax invariably rushed (thoughts go out to you, Marion).

All in all though, Contagion is better than it had any right to be. Cliff Martinez's thrilling, pulsating score tracks the palpable fear that the virus is inevitably going to engulf you, ensuring that once the film has ended, a simple action like, say, coughing will be a much more different experience than normal...

 3.5/5

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Tyrannosaur

2011, 18, Directed by Paddy Considine
Starring: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan, Stuart Bottomley

If the title mistakes you into believing that this film features plenty of spectacle involving paleontology, you will be forgiven – but only once you’ve endured this breathtaking and completely tragic character exploration into what people do when they are helplessly and hopelessly involved in awful situations. Here, Paddy Considine debuts his skills behind the camera with an extension of his short, Dog Altogether, which sees Peter Mullan’s Joseph – an angry, belligerent and extremely violent figure – collide with Olivia Colman’s softly-spoken, charity shop worker Hannah. Both appear direct opposites, but both are victims of circumstance; Joseph exerts his unnecessary rage onto his beloved dog, whereas Hannah contains understandable rage for reasons that should only be discovered on-screen. For a film that tackles domestic issues to an extreme nature, it is wholly commendable to Considine that he manages to ensure Tyrannosaur is not completely disparate of smiles, albeit weak ones that are directly followed by a not-so-metaphorical punch to the gut. 

Through his actors, he has crafted something that deserves to be witnessed the world over. Mullan, further proving his worth, is Joseph. For all of his violence and c-word spouting, the viewer – like Hannah – sees something special in the guy. Underneath the aggressive exterior, he means well, whether this means looking out for the friendly kid neighbour on the estate who is terrorised by the pitbull of his mother’s boyfriend, or the daily visits to a dying friend - Joseph has a heart. Colman, best known for her comedic chops in Peep Show and Green Wing, is best summed up by one word: sublime. She displays a performance that rivals that of Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk about Kevin. Behind every action, emotion and word she utters, you feel precisely what it is Hannah conveys, despite the fact that the majority of us will thankfully never have the displeasure of experiencing the events she does. The ending may displease on a small scale for its admittedly rushed nature, but when a rarity like Tyrannosaur comes along, it hardly matters. Considine has found his true calling. Get excited.

5/5

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Crazy, Stupid, Love

2011, 15, Directed by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone

Crazy, Stupid, Love displays that rare instance where comedy and drama are merged in a large scale to pure success. The film follows Steve Carell’s Cal, a middle-aged married average Joe, whose world is rocked by wife Julianne Moore’s announcement that she wants a divorce. Over to the brilliantly-named womanizer Jacob then (Ryan Gosling, on charismatic form) to take Cal under his wing and restore him as a bachelor to be reckoned with. Cue sharp chat-up lines, delivered whilst wearing the sharpest suits – Carell really evolves as the film endures, Cal becoming a truly dependable protagonist.

The first 5 minutes of Crazy, Stupid, Love sets the tone for what is to come in a fitting manner, the realistic dramatic main course offered with a side-ordering of comedy. The way in which the comedic moments are almost underpinned by drama is the secret to this film’s success. However, unlike an Alexander Payne film, convention manifests as the film endures, but it is to the credit of the filmmakers – and the scarily top-notch supporting cast (Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, etc.) – that this doesn’t hinder events. In fact, a left-field out-of-place plot twist provides the cherry on top purely for the way in which it defies convention with its occurrence, yet would leave the film lacking that extra punch if absent.

Okay, so the ultimate product may be verging on unbelievable, which drags a film that heavily relied on upholding realism downwards - but surely it becomes irrelevant if by the end credits you have a smile fixed onto your face, or dare I say it, tears rolling down your cheeks? The most unforeseen charming film to shout about for a long while, Crazy, Stupid, Love is what it says on the tin: it’s a crazy concept with stupid moments… but you’ll love it.

4/5

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The Skin I Live In

2011, 15, Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Starring: Antonio Bandera, Elena Anaya, Marisa Parides, Jan Cornet

This Spanish psychological drama reteams auteur Pedro Almodóvar with Antonio Banderas after a 21 year gap, in what could arguably be one of the actor’s finest performances. Based on Thierry Jonquet’s Tarantula, here Banderas plays Robert Ledgard, a surgeon who has successfully applied a synthetic skin transplant to Vera (Elena Anaya), a young woman he is holding captive. What escalates is a foraging into the depths of psychosis, presented by Almodóvar in a captivating manner; stark visuals, which upholds the voyeuristic sense of passion between, not only Ledgard and his captive, but his obsession with surgery. The self-contained way in which Banderas portrays him is astounding, leaving the viewer unable to second guess the context behind an action or the true meaning of a minute emotion. Largely due to Almodóvar’s distance from intervening too much with proceedings does The Skin I Live In truly raise its game; you never expect to learn much about present mysteries, yet you receive resolutions in a slow-burning manner which make the film a beautiful exploration into expectations and how filmmakers can often confound these.

It could have been easy to place an emphasis on shock and gore – especially in a film centred on a passionate surgeon – but the lack of these factors somehow enhances the shock of the piece. This is one of those rarities that you may not enjoy whilst watching, but you’ll respect the detached way in which it stands alone as an original piece of work. There is no doubt that this one will crawl under your skin and remain there for a long while afterwards. Captivating.

4/5

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Sherlock Holmes

2009, 12, Directed by Guy Ritchie

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Rachel MacAdams, Mark Strong

It may be difficult to fathom how Guy Ritchie went from directing gritty hits Lock, Stock… and Snatch to shooting an ex-washed up Canadian actor darting about a London back-drop playing pipe-smoking and wise-cracking literary figure, Sherlock Holmes. The more attention you pay to this attempt to fathom, the more you begin to question the outcome. Which speaks volumes about the first in an inevitably long-line of screen incarnations of Holmes – of course, played by Robert Downey, Jr., who of course proves he is the only one who could have contemporarily filled this role in such a way as he does. The sheer energy he exemplifies through the barnstorming action sequences that he and pal Doctor Watson (a grounded Jude Law) are propelled into in almost every other scene is second to none, showing that he can not only multi-task successfully, but remain extremely suave and level-headed also – as if he didn’t do that enough in Jon Favreau’s Iron Man films.

As far as the plot goes, Holmes and Watson are pitted against Mark Strong’s Lord Blackwood, an evil practitioner of dark magic. As far as villains go, he emerges as a pretty tame one, compared to say, The Joker from Christopher Nolan’s Batman series. In fact, comparing the two franchises, it is clear the route Ritchie is headed for; whilst Gotham upholds a mystique of darkness, Holmes' Baker Street abode is sat in a murky London where you somehow just know everything will work out for the better. However, for all the tongue that lies firmly in cheek, there is an underlying seriousness to proceedings, which is expressed through some left-field twists. It is unfortun ate thatthe film’s ultimate undoing is the reversal of these twists, leading the film to become tiresome and, when all is said and done just a bit too cheeky: it seems as if all the characters are savvy to everything, and simply withholding the relevant information from the watchful audience - all for the sake of extending the film’s running time.

As for Rachel MacAdams’ Irene, the word that springs to mind is – quite simply – unexplored. But with heavy reliance on the often hilarious interactions between buddies Holmes and Watson  (Holmes points a sword in Watson’s face, to be told ‘get that out of my face’. Holmes' swift response? ‘It’s not in your face, it’s in my hand’), as well as welcome stylistic action, Sherlock Holmes is not the disaster many people may have expected. And with a teaser tantalisingly placed near the film’s climax, the sequel – Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – has just hit cinemas amidst plent of excitement.

3/5

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Insidious

15, 2011, Directed by James Wan
Starring: Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Barbara Hershey, Ty Simpkins

From the director of mammoth horror franchise Saw and producer of on-its-way mammoth horror franchise Paranormal Activity, you would be forgiven for watching Insidious from behind your hands with a large amount of trepidation. The plot follows stereotypical hokum horror pokum, merging slamming doors with things that go bump in the night, but throws the haunted house idea to the side by focusing on… a haunted son. When Dalton slips into a comatose state, it becomes clear that some angry spirits are hanging around in the dead of night. For the first 45 minutes, Insidious provides not only mandatory jolts, but genuine scares; spooky set-pieces with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it imagery that will have viewers reaching for the rewind and pause buttons. Additionally, at times the scares are so well-constructed you have an overwhelming sense you could be watching the horror film of the decade. It’s a crying shame then that what the film descends into is something that the original Saw and Paranormal Activity both scored miles above. Predictable, if contrived plot twists harmed by clichéd performances from the unfortunate cast (who do all they can - especially Barbara Hershey in Black Swan mode for her second spooky supporting role of the year). Some fear-inducing creations aside, it is the unseen potential of the project, not to mention the gimmicky contrived climax, that heightens the disappointment. However, rest assured – you will never look at Darth Maul in the same way again.

2/5



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Midnight In Paris

2011, 12, Directed by Woody Allen
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel MacAdams, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hiddleston

Not since Vicky Cristina Barcelona has Woody Allen truly shown that he still can match his heyday offerings. A few passable inputs later (Whatever Works, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger), and Allen is less focused on the cynical side of life than the charming and influential. Merging elements from what have become sincere classics, Allen’s trademark cynicism is expressed through nostalgia. Owen Wilson fills his shoes here as Gil, a struggling writer who is lugged around Paris with his fiancée and her overbearing parents. Taking a walk one night, the clock strikes twelve – and he encounters what life would have been like if he were to rub shoulders with his literary heroes. Such a daft concept is dealt with deftly and it is largely down to the player’s Allen has assembled that Midnight in Paris works. Tom Hiddleston charms as F. Scott Fitzgerald, with Scott Pilgrim alumni Alison Pill playing his estranged wife, Darla. It’s Wilson’s awestruck wonder expressed whenever he is introduced to yet another literary icon that separate this from pure fantasy (a highlight is when Gil, attempting to make the most of this unusual circumstance, asks Ernest Hemingway to have a read of his troubled novel). To name who else appears would be to remove the numerous cherries on top, but let it be said, Wilson is a knockout. 

Time-travel occurs in Midnight in Paris, but without mention of space and time; science-fiction technicalities have nothing to do with the point Woody Allen is trying to make (or the fun he is trying to have). The clock strikes twelve and a vintage car passes to signal the time change - it's as simple as that. As the film draws to a close, like Gil, you come to understand that whatever beauty is featured in the art surrounding us today will not manifest itself until this time is past. So for now, sit back and enjoy the ride whose charm will remain upheld long after the credits have rolled.  In an alternate universe, Midnight in Paris is actually a film about an aspiring director who converses with his idols come nightfall; Woody Allen will no doubt be among them. And yes, he is playing himself.

4/5

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