Brian's Review - Contagion (2011)

It's worth getting infected by this movie.

Released: 2011
Genre(s): Drama, Thriller

If today's trends dictated everything, 2011's "Contagion" would've been a balls-to-the-wall, adrenaline-saturated, explosion-and-gore-ridden zombie apocalypse action-horror. Those types of films are fun and all, but thank whatever god or deity you worship that this wasn't the case here. If it had been, we would've been robbed of one of the most thought-provoking, tense, and deeply-unsettling movies in recent history.

Boasting an all-star cast, "Contagion" brings the talent like a clown brings the uncomfortable. Acting prowess is on full display here, with a visceral sense of realism striking incredibly close to home at all times - families are pushed to their breaking points, doctors/scientists (science-doctors?) are rushed to discover a cure, the government becomes a scapegoat and is hard-pressed to save the world. "Contagion" presents a wild nightmare world that's not farfetched in the least.

This flick is incredibly effective at presenting a believable emergency scenario, eerily echoing the semi-recent SARS and H1N1 scares that caused mass hysteria and panic everywhere in the world. Except in New Jersey, where I assume everyone was too busy fist-pumping and being generally douchier than the average American to care about the outbreak of a potentially fatal virus. Let 'em burn.

The heaviest sense of dread occurs in the opening acts as we watch the illness spread like wildfire, decimating the population with all the efficiency of an invisible assassin. Unfortunately, "Contagion" is unable to hurdle some noticeable pacing issues, and this momentum peters out a bit around the middle to end segments. And despite a positively spine-tingling ending, the sense of discomfort I felt as the final credits rolled was nothing a few squirts of hand sanitizer couldn't fix. While it's littered with moments that will surely send a germaphobe into an obsessive-compulsive latex-glove-and-disinfectant shopping spree, most people aren't going to be terrified of this movie (although more than a few will be pretty grossed-out). Plus, why does it sound like they let the composer of the "Mass Effect" video game soundtrack do the music for this? It's not bad, but it frequently sounds out of place.

Minor gripes aside, "Contagion" is easily the most realistic, emotionally-intense pandemic flick I can remember off the top of my head. It refuses to waste any time on useless, mushy fluff, but instead creates a pseudo-prediction of a very possible future world crisis. Even if you don't buy into the disturbingly brutal and honest plight of its characters, at the very least "Contagion" will force you to finally wash your hands before you eat dinner. Your mom will thank it for that.

Rating (out of 5): 3.5

Brian's Review - The Caller (2011)

Time to invest in caller ID.

Released: 2011
Genre(s): Thriller, Mystery

While some people may recognize leading lady Rachelle Lefevre from the original, craptastic "Twilight" movie, it'd be a mistake to dismiss 2011's "The Caller on the assumption that it targets a similar demographic. No sparkling vampires can be found here - rather, grating teenage angst is replaced by a brooding, yet thoughtful and constant atmosphere of unrest, and adolescent pining is nowhere to be seen among the truly unsettling character interactions.

While the film's premise may seem a tad absurd, nestled somewhere between an episode of "The Twilight Zone" and a twisted version of "The Lake House," the hodgepodge of plot components surprisingly works here. It's actually even kind of an original and - dare I say? - cool idea. Lefevre's character gives the flick a very grounded feel, as she plays a woman steeped in depression after a nasty divorce, but the scenario manages to avoid congealing into a bucket of Lifetime-worthy slop. This can mostly be attributed to the movie's commendable ability to effectively blend elements from dramas, psychological thrillers, and supernatural horrors. The pacing of the story itself isn't awful either, with the wire-tight tension building consistently over the course of the film, until it reaches a neck-snapping breaking point during the last act.

Unfortunately, the momentum here is broken up too much by awkward and oftentimes bland dialogue. Besides a selection of truly spine-tingling conversations between the main character and the movie's crazy-go-nuts antagonist, verbal interaction is pretty forgettable throughout. Tack on a generous helping of head-explodingly-bad logic from the characters we're supposed to be rooting for (a long-lived tradition in horror/thrillers that apparently must be upheld), and I have to drive the score of "The Caller" way down. It's a shame, because overall it's a decent flick, and could've benefited from some better writing. Regardless, it's fresh enough to be worth at least a single viewing. If not, you can always call yourself in the past and prevent yourself from watching it. Or something.

Rating (out of 5): 3

Brian's Review - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

This movie will instantly level up your life.

Released: 2010
Genre(s): Action, Comedy, Fantasy

Graphic novel adaptations tend to be gritty, fierce, and giant showcases of Hollywood special effects-driven masculinity. And that's fine - we, as a society, totally dig seeing people getting all punchy, kicky, and shooty on each other onscreen. But normally the best parts of graphic novels are the character interactions - the tiny, quirky, incredibly-human exchanges people have with each other - and oftentimes these are completely neglected during the transition to film. So, when a movie like "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" is created in a world almost solely comprised of guts and glory, it's bound to turn a lot of heads. My head included.

Those familiar with the Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley were doubtful that this flick would be able to convey the same type of dreamy, carefree, semi-melancholy flavor fans know and love the original books for, but as someone who's read these literary treats, I have to say that the writers and director got the recipe pretty much perfect. Blending indie romantic comedy-style sensibilities with O'Malley's signature video game/martial arts movie-inspired mayhem, plus tossing in a dash of young adult angst for good measure, makes for one hell of a trip.

"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" crashes around the screen like a go-kart equipped with a Hemi, ricocheting back and forth between the young adult love story and balls-to-the-wall action so rapidly that the two merge into a surprisingly compatible combination. It's simultaneously witty, side-splittingly funny, engaging, uplifting, exciting, groan-inducingly corny, romantic, bizarre, and thought-provoking. All of its insane effects aside, there's something in this film that unquestioningly resonates with all of us who've been through it, are going through it, or are preparing to go through it: the message of "Wow, young adult life really is super-confusing and difficult. What do I do?" It's done slightly tongue-in-cheek, but is nevertheless genuine enough to not feel completely cheeseball. I always find myself a little bit more pensive (and a lot more amused) after watching Scott undergo his epic journey of love, fame, and pop-culture references.

For readers of the graphic novels who are still skeptical, trust me when I say that this flick is packed to the gills with fan service, whether it be direct quotes and situations from the books, or subtle nods to O'Malley's wickedly-clever social commentaries. It's not the type of movie that will appeal to everyone - if you hate indie comedies, martial arts romps, video games, or comic book culture, you're probably going to find something you hate in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." But for those who want a taste of something different - something with an unbelievable amount of heart and surprising amount of relatability - that boldly makes unconventional attempts to stay fresh and funny, this is definitely worth trying out.

Rating (out of 5): 4.5