Contagion is the latest from Steven Soderbergh and it is a terrifying look into what would possibly happen to our world if a pandemic virus broke out that could kill its victims in a matter of days.

There are no crazy African monkeys or accidentally released vials of some secret government project here.  Just good ole fashioned evolution staying one step ahead of the human race.  Contagion is a realistic and, probably, terrifyingly accurate recreation of what the citizens and governments of this world would have to go through if something like this would happen; and some scientists say it’s only a matter of time before we do see something like this.  The film gets you thinking about what you would do in a situation like this and makes you wonder if you would be one of the unlucky 4% that died and gets buried in a mass grave in some abandoned lot.  The film is scary when you get thinking about it and it is told wonderfully and affectively by Soderbergh and his Oscar adorned cast.

The film’s performances help you to feel for the characters we briefly get to know before many are no more, but it’s the film’s structure and assembly that make the film special.  Starting with Day 2, we progress day to day at first before we begin to jump a bit deeper and deeper into the timeline.  We watch as the virus spreads, following those that began the pandemic and Soderbergh brilliantly assembles the opening scenes of the film.  Hovering a bit longer on everything that these carriers touch, we see how easily disease and viruses can spread around the world.  We get to see the CDC and World Health Organization try to put together the pieces and the process is just as engaging as watching the world slowly crumble.  From basic services stopping, rioting, looting, theft and crime all unfold in realistic and unsettling ways here and Soderbergh and his team make it all feel real.  The film never goes over the top and while you might expect a film like this to do so, it is all the better for it.  The more grounded the film is the more terror it can create in your mind.  The picture doesn’t hold back either, from dead children, peeling back the scalp of an Oscar winner’s head, or recreating the terror that might unfold from a lawless society, the film pulls few punches.

The film’s scope is focused, yet grand, as we travel all around the world to try and discover the origin and affects the virus is having on people.  The focus eventually shifts to mostly the proceedings in America, but the film gives you just enough of a taste of what is going on else where for you to imagine the extent to which the world is being affected.  A little more insight to the global effects could have been nice, but the film’s so detailed in what it does show I would hate to sacrifice that.  The film looks and sounds like wonderful as well with some of the best editing of the year.  In fact, a scene surrounding a possible vaccination is one of my favorite moments of the year.  Cliff Martinez, who just knocked my socks off with his score for Drive, delivers great work here, and is quickly finding himself in the running for the best composer of the year.  Things also end on a near perfect note with us finally getting to glimpse Day One; they nailed it and it is scary how simple things like this can start.

The film’s believability is sealed by the excellent cast.  Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard, Lawrence Fishburne, Bryan Cranston, Elliot Gould, Jennifer Ehle, John Hawkes, and Chin Han round out the fantastic ensemble and they all make the most of their precious screen time.  Winslet gets some of the best material to work with and the way the film handles her arc is about as tragic and cold as it can get.  Her work in her one scene with Damon is about as good as you can get.  Law gets the flashiest part and easily captures the sleazball nature of his character.  Ehle gets to shine as well amongst these stars and she goes toe to toe with everyone around her.  Damon is everyman mode, which he can nail, and it is nice to see some vulnerability in him as he convincingly reacts to the world around him.  The cast as a whole is great, making the world come to life to terrifying effect.

In the end, Contagion is a thrilling and scary look into our world’s vulnerability.  The odds of something like this happening to our world are stronger than we would like to think and Soderbergh paints a chilling portrait of what that reality could look like.  Contagion only gets better the more you think about it and I can’t wait to dive into it again to catch all the little subtleties of the picture.  Contagion is another must see film this September and you should add it to your list of film’s to head out to the theater and see.  Just be prepared to not want to touch anything afterwards.

Contagion is an A-

Two seconds prior to the movie starting a man to the far right of where I was sitting starting hacking, as if on cue.  This was followed by a sporadic slew of coughing throughout the film, followed by a general ill feeling moving through my body, throat to stomach.    These are the things you are going to notice while watching Contagion, but other than this effect on my life (and how I now notice when I unnecessarily touch my face) the movie was lost on me.

Epidemics are no joke.  In middle school one person got mono on our basketball team and the coach went crazy with telling us not to share water bottles so we wouldn’t drop like flies.  Because of this, to this day I still don’t share drinks with people.  Sure this may be an overreaction on my part, but it shows the small scale of what this movie is all about.  People start getting sick, it spreads, people get crazy paranoid, and human nature ensues.

To not beat around the bush, I am going to put this as simply as I can.  Contagion needs zombies.  Now hear me out.  Back during the 1950s science fiction became a popular means at which to create allegories for the fears of the American people, AKA McCarthyism.  Sure, make a film that has no layers to what it is really trying to say and it may be interesting, but if I really want that I will watch the History Channel.  Bring on the aliens!  Which brings me back to the zombies.  Similarly to the aliens in Invasion of the Body Snatchers to McCarthyism and Communism, zombies represent the fear of an epidemic in many ways, and throughout the decades of being made they have found a structure that works to make the films entertaining.

Here’s what I mean:

1. Often in zombie films, instead of doing a large-scale overview of the events going on, we get to follow a small band of people sticking together in order to survive.  We get to connect to these people, watch them struggle, suffer and die, and we fear for them.  In Contagion we are forced to follow a lot of characters as they try to figure out how this unknown disease started, what it is, etc, making the character development thin and sympathy for them based strongly on your opinions of the actors going in.  In other words, Kate Winslet knows how to pull in an audience with her acting, and was thankfully able to do that in her scenes, but that is about it (even though the cast is full of people I love).
2. Silent, creeping death can be scary, but even Final Destination adds a physical presence to give the audience something tangible to be scared of.  Yes, coughing is gross, as is sweating and seeping vomit from the mouth, but what are you going to be afraid of?  That?  Or a ravenous once-human creature that is chasing you down to eat your flesh?  Yeah, I am going with the latter.
3. Let’s face it, when you get down to it, figuring out what happened is much more boring than dealing with it.  In many senses Contagion tries to deal with both aspects of this, but the structure and pacing makes it play out like reading a timeline of events.  The specific events listed may be exciting things, but you’re still just reading a list.

Long story short, Contagion has an exciting premise that is bogged down by remaining truthful to the subject matter, and other than some amazing, inflatable, neon-orange body suits and some looting scenes (ok, a lot of looting and burglary scenes), there really isn’t that much exciting to see.  In other words, for something like this I will stick to documentaries, the history channel, or the news when something like this happens (because this is a strong likelihood).  But when I want to be entertained, give me zombies.

Final Grade:  C-

PS – If you think you might be closer to me in opinion then I recommend watching Carriers instead.  It is a faster paced movie dealing with the after effects of a situation like this, following a group of 4 trying to find a safe place.  Plus, I am pretty sure it is on Netflix instant queue right now, so added bonus.  And their masks are way cooler…

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With the success of a film like Inception last year that perfectly blends action and a thinking man’s story, it isn’t hard to fathom that many more films will attempt to beat this same path.  At least a girl can dream.  Though it is by no means as high concept, The Adjustment Bureau is yet another step in this direction that will further inspire more films like this to come.  Or at least inspire people to bring back the fedora.  It could go either way…

Keeping that in mind, The Adjustment Bureau is definitely a film in which the less you know going in the better.  So here’s to keeping it vague: The story follows David Norris, a young politician running for senator.  Along the way he meets Elise Sellas and the sparks fly instantly.  However, even an instant and deep connection such as this can be tested by forces much greater.  Vague enough?  Good.

With that explanation you would probably think that you were walking into a romantic dramedy or something, but for those of you that have already seen the preview then you know that a lot has been left out of that explanation, especially considering how it is being marketed as an action film with a hint of sci-fi / magic, and a lot of running and chasing and Jason Bourne.  Or the title could have tipped you off, seeing as “The Adjustment Bureau” doesn’t really inspire images of hearts swelling.  However, within the overriding unmentionable story of the paths that everyone’s lives take, the love story between the two is what matters the most, and is pretty much the only thing I can safely talk about without risking ruining anything.  Good thing I can rave about it!

Matt Damon plays David Norris, and though he definitely channels Bourne as the trailer suggests every once in a while, what will win audiences over here is his charm.  I sure know that I would vote for him anyway.  Sometimes vulnerable, always endearing, it is impossible not to root for his character when things start to work against him.  However, what brings out the best in his performance as a romantic leading man is when he is thrown in with Emily Blunt.  To speak highly of both the script and acting, the chemistry between these two is some of the best I have seen on screen, bringing about a relationship that feels completely natural and realistic in every moment.  As Damon charms Blunt radiates magnetism, and it is thanks to the sarcasm and playfulness in her performance that loosens Damon’s character up and also keeps the film from becoming overly serious in the face of the story they are working within.

To briefly touch on the films title, what I can say is that the premise of the film is an interesting one that allows for some entertaining “action” sequences (this is where the chasing comes in) which remain humorous in the way they are carried out, thanks in large part to the reactions of John Slattery as one of the Bureau agents.  However, I will say that if there is one thing for me to complain about in this film, it would be that the pacing does not quite end on a satisfying note.  As the story progresses, obstacles form and pressure grows, leading to the story culminating a little awkwardly, and though the openness of this fits perfectly with the story, it is not always the best feeling to be waiting for a “To be continued…” when the credits roll.

The world created in The Adjustment Bureau is definitely an interesting one that plays with one of life’s unanswerable questions brought on by two opposing forces.  And when all is said and done there will still be plenty of questions remaining and discussions to be had because though they lead you to the water, it’s up to you to decide what you will do with it.

Final Grade: B+

Just a week after I wrote about probably the Coen brothers film with the most mystery and depth in A Serious Man, I watched the extremely straightforward Coen brothers version of True Grit.  Despite their deviation from their usual eccentricity, I loved the film.  The Coen brothers like Tarantino have a knack for propelling a film with a screenplay’s dialogue, rather than the film’s action.  The humorous and compelling discussion makes this film.  With fantastic performances from the main three actors, I was completely swept up in the journey.  This short, straightforward film seems to have found a wide appeal, and the huge box office revenue is the evidence.  By the way… was anyone else disappointed that ‘LaBoeuf’ was not spelled ‘LaBeef?’  Just me?

After thinking about the film not fitting in with the rest of the Coen brothers films, I decided there must be a deeper layer of meaning and mystery within the film.  I considered statements that True Grit makes about justice.  At the beginning of the film, Mattie explains that Chaney was not pursued after murdering her father.  Not only was there an absence of justice, but court hearings and public hangings are shown to be a source of entertainment.  Mattie has an obvious lack of respect for the judicial system as she opts not for the best marshal, but the one with the most grit.  As his court testimony exemplifies, Cogburn is a man who doesn’t fit into the system that he serves.  Later in the film LaBoeuf even ‘spills the banks of English’ to compare malum in se and malum prohibitem, or what is inherently wrong versus what is illegal.  This critique of justice had me satisfied until I realized that this is probably all subtext directly derived from the book.  With almost any other writer/director, I would have been content with the great film, but having seen the many nuanced Coen brothers films I was looking for a deeper meaning somewhere.  They left their auteur signature on the film, but for some reason I insisted on looking for subtext which seemed to be absent.  I decided to look into this while reading as little as possible, so I watched the original John Wayne True Grit.

For a film which was titled True Grit, the original film was surprisingly absent of grit.  In the recent adaptation the Coen brothers apparently were more faithful to the book when they created a darker and more violent film.  The setting is a great example of this disparity.  The 1969 version the setting was Colorado in the summertime (with a backdrop of the beautiful Rocky Mountains), and in the 2010 version the setting was Oklahoma in the winter.  The less chipper remake depicted a cruel and lonely world in which it was too cold to bury dead men.  Showing preference to the original source material the Coen brothers also returned Mattie to the role of the narrator and main character.  Allowing Mattie to drive the plot and letting the circumstances surround her creates a more effective film.  But I cannot fault the 1969 version of the film for making the choices they did.  If I had to choose between a legendary John Wayne and an awful performance from Kim Darby, I also would have made Cogburn the focal point of the film.  When watching the 2010 version of True Grit I found it interesting when I started to figure out that it wasn’t just Cogburn who had grit, it was also Mattie.  The original film made this suggestion more overtly as Cogburn verbally notices similarities between himself and Mattie.  This is an example of the ability of the Coen brothers to cut out what was unnecessary, allowing them to create a film that was 18 minutes shorter and much more engaging.

Although this comparison exemplifies some things that the Coen brothers did well, it doesn’t help me find a deeper meaning in the film.  As far as I can ascertain, the Coen brothers only added a couple scenes that were not in the book.  The first being when Mattie and Cogburn came across the man who was lynched, and secondly when they meet the man in the bear fur.  What do these scenes add to the film as a whole?  Not much.  These interactions could be seen as signifiers that in her pursuit of vengeance, Mattie is no longer in control and is in an uncertain and strange new world.  This message does fall in line with the climax of the film which depicts that there are consequences of vengeance (be it physical or mental).  But this is vague and not the kind of eye opening subtext I was looking for.  This is a straightforward film without the layers of meaning and mystery which are present throughout the rest of their filmography.  I find it strange that the Coen brothers seemingly resisted any urges to add themes or messages to the film.  With a PG-13 rating and a less ‘bizarre’ product the Coen brothers may have been striving to satisfy a larger audience.  This doesn’t mean that the Coen brothers did not make this film their own.  The remake featured a type of dark humor, a variety of strange characters, and a linguistic flare which are unique to the Coen brothers.  These aspects are all absent in the original and vastly improve the film.

I’m not accusing the Coen brothers of selling out.  This is a fantastic film which I was completely able to enjoy, even if it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.  If they keep making films of this nature it would not be a waste of their talent.  The film’s witty dialogue will make this a great movie to re-watch as you finally figure out everything that Jeff Bridges says.  Last summer I thought I saw a straightforward film in Inception which I could recommend to anyone.  It turns out I was wrong, it was too confusing for some.  I may be making the same mistake twice, but as long as they know it is not an action film, I feel that I could recommend True Grit to anyone.

Not to age my dad or anything, but westerns are a very generational thing.  Heck, the last time I really watched a western by choice was when I became obsessed with one scene in McLintock! after accidentally opening the gifted VHS copy meant for my dad on Christmas as a child.  And in all honesty, if it wasn’t for last year’s ridiculously addictive video game Red Dead Redemption, the trailer for True Grit probably wouldn’t have peaked my interest as it did.  Well, it may not have all the violence, horse racing and addictive Oregon Trail hunting, but True Grit still manages to reach a larger audience than just those who were alive for the John Wayne original.

The looser laws of the Wild West create the perfect setting for a classic story of good old revenge, which is exactly what we have here.  The difference is this story’s point of view doesn’t come from a hardened, stiff-jawed gunslinger.  As a 14-year-old Mattie Ross may not be able to stay standing after firing a pistol, but she is just as strong willed as the men she comes across, with the determination necessary to hunt down the man who guiltlessly gunned down her father. With that said she is still smart enough to know better than to go galloping off into unsettled territory without the help of someone a little more skilled and better equipped for the task at hand.  With a handful of choices, Mattie settles on the rough around the edges US marshal Rooster Cogburn, a man who is just as likely to pull a gun on a man as he is to be drunk while doing so.

Though it begins with a murder, True Grit starts at the saunter that it will comfortably sink into throughout the better part of the film.  This easy pace may leave many action fans itching for the moments when bullets will fly, and though they do occur they remain of lesser importance.  Instead the Coen Bros. script takes front and center, allowing the dialog to naturally flow between the characters as they make their way across miles and miles of trail.  Not everything said is important to the story, but the banter and surprising amount of humor exchanged between every character breathes a certain amount of life into this world that cannot be matched by the high-octane action films.

An amazing script like this calls for actors that are more than capable of further fleshing out the already well-written characters, and the casting does not disappoint.  As Cogburn, Jeff Bridges embodies the harsh realities of law enforcement in a world of lawlessness.  His reputation is as rough as his gravelly voice, yet somehow Bridges is able to create a man with a gooey center in the way that he puts up with and protects the teenage girl who forcefully placed herself at his side.  In addition to this aspect of the law, Matt Damon balances out Bridges shoot first, ask questions later enforcement with his portrayal of LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger who has been on the trail of the murderer for a while now.  Because of his presentational demeanor and idealized beliefs about what he does for a living, these two older gentlemen clash more often than not in competitions of words, tests, etc, creating a childish rivalry that matches the age of the youngest member of their group.  As the heart of the story, Hailee Steinfeld is given a lot to do in the company of these experienced actors, and though this is her first major role you would never guess based on her performance in comparison to those she shares the screen with.

Though the smaller amount of action never feels that noticeable thanks to the performances and well written characters and dialog, the ending contains a really abrupt, blink-and-its gone moment that does not quite match the amount of time dedicated to getting there.  This is not to say anticlimactically so considering the pace of the rest of the film, I had just hoped for something more.  Then again, it’s the journey that matters anyway.

Final Grade: B+

The latest from the Coen Bros., True Grit, is their least odd and most straightforward film to date but there is still plenty of weirdness, laughs, and amazing performances that we expect from these guys in this great film.

The film is not a remake of the 1969 John Wayne film of the same name but is instead a re-adaptation of the Charles Portis source novel from 1968.  The Coen’s wanted to do this to put the point of view back through Mattie’s eyes and re-instill some of the humor in the novel.  The result is fantastic as the film is surprisingly (though not really, it is a Coen Bros. movie after all) hilarious; especially considering the tone of the TV spots I have seen.  The film also delivers on the tone it is selling though and features heart pumping moments and plenty of drama.

The story follows the fore mentioned Mattie as she recruits a local U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn, to hunt down and capture the man who killed her father in cold blood.  Cogburn is reluctant to take the job, especially if Mattie is to tag along like she requests, but Cogburn decides to try and ditch Mattie and team up with a Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf, who is also after the murderer.  Though Mattie is not one to have the wool pulled over her eyes and she quickly catches wind of Cogburn’s game and catches up with the lawful duo as they set off after her father’s killer.

The film is a technical marvel featuring fantastic direction, cinematography, score, sound, everything and this should be expected from the Coen’s and their usual crew.  The film moves right along up the trail never wasting a beat and entertaining the whole way.  The Coen’s do just a fantastic job of balancing out the perfect balance of humor, action, suspense, and drama and it is remarkable that they can keep this up film after film.  There are some beautiful shots and moments dabbled throughout the film and the only negative note I have on the thing is that I wish the final showdown was a bit more grand and exciting.  That said, the scene that follows said showdown is kind of fantastic and while some might complain the ending is a tad too abrupt, but I enjoyed it just fine.

The cast is phenomenal here with most of the work being carried by the three main leads.  Jeff Bridges is surly, brilliant, and hilarious as Rooster Cogburn.  The character is just a blast to watch, and I imagine was even more fun to play, and it is his best turn since The Big Lebowski; wonder if those films are connected?  Bridges chews the scenery and bounces off his co-stars with such natural ease that we can’t help but believe in these characters and their bonds.  Hailee Steinfeld makes her feature debut as Mattie and is incredible.  She goes toe to toe with Bridges and Matt Damon here and outshines them from time to time as well.  She has so much fire and grit of her own that is unbelievable what she is able to do at the ripe old age of 13.  I think we are going to see a lot of Steinfeld for years to come if this debut is any measure of her abilities.  Lastly, Damon plays LaBoeuf with such smug cockiness and silly demeanor that you can’t help but like him and wish for him to return to the screen as soon as possible.  All three leads get their moments to shine and deliver three of the best performances of the year.  Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper both do fine work as well in there limited parts, Pepper especially is someone I wish we would have got more time with.

In the end, True Grit is one of the best films of the year and one that will only get better with repeat viewings.  The Coen’s have crafted another great western in this recent resurgence over the last few years and one hopes we get more from the genre.  The cast is fantastic from top to bottom and there is something for just about everyone to love in the picture.  Don’t miss this one as it is one I think many film fans will be calling back on for years to come.  Another great entry into the filmography of the Coen Bros.

True Grit is an A

Following the disappointment of the film adaptation of The Lovely Bones last year I was looking for a new film about life after death to invest my hopes in.  Following first seeing the trailer for Hereafter it quickly became that film for me, and I expected that it would do what Bones was unable to as long as it didn’t go all Ghost Whisperer on us.  Unfortunately I once again found myself with a lackluster film unable to fill the void in my checklist.

Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon team up once more in this film that tries to connect three different stories together through each separate characters connection to tragedy and the afterlife, including a French reporter who has a near death experience when she is swept away in a tsunami, two English twins whose lives are forever changed following an accident, and a psychic who has trouble coping with his understanding of the hereafter and its effect on his hopes for living a normal life in the real world.

Though there is an underlying theme of coping with tragedy and one’s connection and understanding of death, not a whole lot is used film wise to connect these stories together as cohesively as possible.  Instead of smoothly weaving the threads of the stories together with the others to find a deeper connecting under the surface level, the film breaks each story into larger chunks, making the film more episodically broken in editing than broken in a way that makes a smooth fit.

With the editing done as such the pacing of the film takes a turn for the slower side as it seems to be more of a triple feature than one film.  The casting does work to rectify this as much as possible as each section has strength in its acting (and/or adorable kids to make up for what they lack).  Cécile De France plays the reporter who catches a glimpse of the other side when she was on the verge of death, and continues to be haunted by what she has seen long after the tide has gone back out.  Her storyline starts out with quite a jolt with the tsunami and the devastation we briefly see as it rolls down the streets, and it is interesting to follow her on her path to understanding what Damon’s character experiences all the time, which is why it is possible that the film would work better without the third storyline of the brothers, even if it is just as devastating as the others, if not more so.

Even though Damon’s story as a psychic who can speak to dead people is full of clichés, including the stance that his abilities are a curse and not a gift (he must have read a lot of Spider-man comics growing up), it is definitely the highlight of the movie.  In the film he says something to the extent of “a life about death is not a life,” and though a film all about death is still a film, it sure makes for a gloomy one that becomes hard to watch.  Luckily enough even with the sadness in Damon’s character he is still able to work in his charm and humor in his character’s attempt to make a deeper connection with another human being once more.  These scenes with Bryce Dallas Howard serve as a breath of fresh air because we are actually allowed to smile at their chemistry before diving headfirst back into the overriding sadness of the film.

Even though each character provides their own touching story it is hard to enjoy the film as a whole when the stories seem forced together.  There is a fluidity lacking as we transition between each storyline, and even though they are connected thematically it still feels hard to swallow, with an ending that fits even less than the chunks edited together throughout.

Final Grade: C-

Clint Eastwood’s latest bests his last couple efforts but for every thing I like about Hereafter there is almost always something that really grates me the wrong way.

The film follows three thread lines of different people that have had a recent connection with death and/or the “hereafter.”  One is a French reporter who has a near death experience in a tsunami, a pair of twins in England that run into family tragedy, and an ex-psychic in San Francisco who is trying to reconnect with the real world.  The reporter is trying to understand what she experienced, the twins are trying to connect, and the psychic is attempting to leave the world of the “hereafter” behind. All these threads serve as fairly interesting character studies but they never blend together all that well.  The characters are obviously disjointed and unconnected to one another and you are left to watch them move parallel through life.

And that is where some of the problems begin to creep in, the lack of connection between these characters.  Sure we have seen many stories like this before, Traffic, Babel, Syriana, but what this film lacks that those have is any sort of interconnectivity between the characters.  It quickly feels like we are watching three separate films connected by a similar theme and it just feels awkward as we jump in-between these stories.  The pacing of the film will also certainly cause distress to many as well and while it didn’t bother me all that much there was plenty of room to trim the fat here.  The film sticks with one story for long stretches at a time and just when you settle in we are whisked away to another story and it never flows well.  Each of the stories stands well alone on their own but the script needed some polish to make them work together.

Though I will say, I really like the way the film approaches the subject of the afterlife without being religious in any way shape or form.  The film dissects the idea of what the afterlife means to people and how it can change them as they look for answers within and beyond their physical lives.  The film doesn’t try to explain death or scare you with it, the “hereafter” is used as a catalyst for these character studies and it works quite well for Matt Damon (psychic) and Cécile De France’s (reporter) plot lines.  Damon’s romantic plot line plays out perfectly and he and Bryce Dallas Howard have some wonderful chemistry together.  The film’s opening scene is also kind of incredible and while the effects are a tad weak in a few places it is more than made up for in the thrilling intensity of the scene; which took my breath away.  Eastwood’s visual eye is also on display here with a couple of really clever shots and his minimalist lighting scheme works well for this material.

But like I said in my opening, for everything I liked there was something pulling me out of the picture.  I am sick and tired of Eastwood’s films always being in some disheveled home and we get more of that here; the French plot line allows for a break from the bleak at least here.  Eastwood’s score also does not work for the picture and on multiple occasions I found myself cringing at it.  I touched on the pacing and lack of connectivity that causes some issues but the script really could have been spiced up as well.  The dialogue comes across as quite simple and bland at times and the worst of it is unfortunately stuck with the film’s worst actors.  Frankie and George McLaren are horrendous in this film.  Playing the twins the two child actors are just impossible to watch and are unbelievable from basically start to finish.  Their plotline was the weakest and most familiar and they did it no favors by making it almost unwatchable every time they open their mouths or try to emote anything.  I don’t mean to beat them down but they really are horrible and spoil a movie that could have been something more if this plot line was in better hands.  The film’s final couple scenes don’t feel properly earned either but to go into that would be far to spoilery.

The actors beyond the twins are thankfully fairly sharp with Cécile De France leading the way.  As a fiery reporter putting her talents towards figuring out her experience, De France, is quick and captivating as she has to challenge a lot of skepticism.  Damon is solid here as well, bringing some much needed levity to the film, but his best work here is with Bryce Dallas Howard.  The two bounce off each other with ease while capturing the awkwardness of their situation and their last scene together is one of the highlights of the film.

In the end, Hereafter is quite the mixed bag.  Eastwood excels in some areas while completely missing the mark in others, the script has some good ideas but is full of weak dialogue and poor transitions, and the acting ranges from pretty great to atrocious.  I will say that I liked more than I didn’t and the opening scene is almost worth the price of admission alone.  If you are a fan of musings on the after-life and/or its effect on the living then I think there is plenty to enjoy here but the technical short comings of the film keep it from being anything really special.

Hereafter is a C+/B-

This week’s Suggestion Box contains trailers for the movies Hereafter and Priest, my brief writeup for some of the premiered shows this fall, and then videos for Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and Portal 2 in games.

Movies:

Hereafter Trailer - The newest film paring Clint Eastwood as director and Matt Damon has Damon cast as a genuine psychic who has trouble living with his ability connected to the afterlife, interweaving stories of those who come into contact with him, bringing questions of their own about what lies ahead due to personal experiences.  Not to put too much into the trailer, but the brief clips alone of the acting shows a glimmer of the performances ahead, which will hopefully live up to what comes in the film.

Priest Trailer – Some people wear their heart on their sleeve, others wear their religion on their face.  Now I know what you are thinking, do we really need another vampire movie?  Heck, half the people in this trailer have played vampires themselves.  Well, at least two (Cam Gigandet for Twilight and Stephan Moyer for True Blood).  The point is I think there is room for one more.  And maybe this will make up for Paul Bettany being in Legion, cuz these two things kind of have their similarities at times…

TV:

Recent Fall Premieres Worth Checking Out -

1 – If you were a fan of Bring It On pre all of the sequels then Hellcats might be something to consider because it starts out with pretty much everything you need to remember the good old days of that film series.  Alyson Michalka replaces Eliza Dushku as a girl with an attitude, smarts, a certain opinion about cheerleaders, and a certain skill set and backstory that allows her to make the choice of joining the squad for the scholarship provided when she is about to get kicked out of school for not being able to pay somewhat believable as a replacement for an injured member of the school’s squad (phew run-on…).  To balance her out Ashley Tisdale takes the upbeat and optimistic captain’s role from Kirsten Dunst, and in all honesty I was quite surprised at how great she did in her performance (silly prejudgment on her Disney/High School Musical past).  The comparisons don’t stop there, but there is the classic tryout scene with those that are fun to mock and then a somewhat awkward (for me personally) routine from Michalka who has to show that she can bring something new to the table to shake the squad up and give them a fighting chance at this years competition.  Though we haven’t gotten any cheer-offs or overly quotable lines, the comedy of the movie still peaks its head out from time to time, while the drama mixed in has the CW written all over it.  The show will never threaten stealing focus away from the film for me, but it will be interesting to see the path they choose to take with the show (though if it goes too close to One Tree Hill I am just gonna have to tune out early).

2 – Other than knowing the name prior to now whenever I would hear Nikita I would go on a tangent in my mind towards Lolita because of the slight audible similarities (no actual similarities that I know of so far, phew).  Now after watching the series premiere of Nikita I would say I am fixing to know a little bit more.  Maggie Q plays the title character, a woman who was taken from prison and forced to work as an assassin for the government, before eventually escaping.  Now she is being hunted, but she sure is not going to make it easy.  The premiere sets up the general premise of the show in which she is working towards taking down the organization that made her who she is today, adding in a bunch of action along the way to allow Maggie Q to let her BA flag fly (none of that Operation: Endgame nonsense).  However, if the ending proves anything it is that there is far more than a simple revenge story underneath all the layers being built up.  Hopefully we will also get to see more from her past, including a better understanding of what made her jump ship and what happened while she was working as an assassin.

3 – The Vampire Diaries.  That’s right, I’m just gonna let that one soak in.  Okay, last year when this first premiered I wasn’t really won over since I already had tons of vampires in my life, so it wasn’t really anything special yet.  However, I stuck by this one and eventually it worked its way to being my guilty pleasure every Thursday night.  The 2nd season premiered this week and it is starting strong right out of the gates, making changes to familiar characters that the audience has become too comfortable with, reminding the audience that in a show where there are killers around all the time, bad things can and will happen.  Also, Nina Dobrev is getting to show some serious depth in her acting now that she is playing two majorly different characters.

Gaming:

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood Dev. Diary 2 – (360/Ps3/PC) – If you were intimidated by the length of the last ACB video I posted a while back, then you are in luck because this Dev. Diary basically talks about all of the same stuff we saw in that one, but edited together instead of just having a solid block of gameplay.  YAY!  Basically they talk about how taking down the bad guy towers in the different sections of Rome (which will have a recreated Colosseum!) will start to look on the up and up with healthier people, shops, stables, and tons of merriment.  They also talk about some changes to the combat system, including the assassination techniques involving horses, as well as ordering your recruits to get their hands dirty.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Preview – (360/PS3) – I know I have been posting a ton of videos for this game, but each and everytime I see something new about it I just get even more excited.  A lot of what is mentioned in this video has been seen before, but in the first couple of minutes we get to see a few more platforming areas that take place within the opening section of the game, and the environments and sections to play through look truly impressive.  I know that a lot of games are coming out this fall (with loads of money going to Halo: Reach and Call of Duty: Black Ops from most), but if you are like me and more into the action/adventure platforming games then this might be the one to put your money towards.  Especially because its source material will hopefully serve as the inspiration for a really great story.

Portal 2 (Full Length) Co-op Trailer - (360/PS3/PC/Mac) – Okay, maybe I should have saved that comment about providing way too many videos for Enslaved for this video of Portal 2, but I can’t help it if they keep releasing awesome stuff.  Sure the puzzles are fun and all, but just look at how adorable they are!  You can hardly fault me for my level of excitement…

Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass have teamed up on an adaptation of Imperial Life in the Emerald City and the result is a decent political action hybrid that runs into some pretty big third act issues that really hurt the picture.

The story follows Chief Miller a WMD team leader for the Army and is coming up empty repeatedly on sites that are supposed to be legit and he begins to wonder why the hell he is over here in Iraq if there are no WMD’s.  After getting a tip from a local citizen, Freddy, who sees some top officials ducking into a secret meeting, Miller, is pulled into a chain of events that might uncover one of the government’s biggest secrets about the war.  Miller then starts to get pulled from both sides by a pair of clashing department heads for the White House and the CIA and he has to sort out whose intel he will believe to actually making a difference here in Iraq.

Now be warned, this is not an action movie, don’t believe what the trailer is selling.  With that said, the film does move along without any dry spells and there are a number of set pieces built more around tension rather than action that will hold your attention.  The characters though are paper thin with little to no depth to them and everyone is clearly playing a part.  Some characters even seem completely useless, i.e. the reporter, but I won’t complain too much because their scenes didn’t drag the picture down they just didn’t do much when you look back at the picture.  The film is solid, nothing amazing but quality stuff, until the third act hits and things begin to just get a bit ridiculous.  The film turns into a cat and mouse game and logic gets thrown out the window and I will just leave it at that.  The preachy stuff also starts to eek out at this point and the last two scenes are a bit too much if you ask me.

The actors in the film while given pretty thin roles at least do a fine job in the picture even if nobody delivers their best work.  Damon is serviceable as a military man and we believe that he cares as much as Miller does, I just don’t know how believable the character is when starts to go off the reservation.  This isn’t Damon’s fault though, I think his work sells the character and saves the believability of some of the bits and successfully creates an original character to add to his repertoire.  Greg Kinnear plays sleazy White House rep Poundstone to a T though we have seen him in this part before.  Brendan Gleeson plays one of the most reserved characters in his career but it would have been nice to have his character be a bit more illusive, but again this isn’t really his fault.  Amy Ryan is completely wasted on as the journalist trying to get to Poundstone’s source on WMD’s and does nothing but help move the plot along when necessary.  Jason Isaacs stars as the pseudo bad guy in the movie, a Special Forces member, and again he is serviceable but has nothing to really do other than be bad for no good reason.

In the end, Green Zone starts as a serviceable enough political thriller but runs into some issues in its third act that make it a tad forgettable.  The movie is still very watchable but don’t expect anything special or new brought to the table.  This isn’t the next Bourne movie like they are selling it and you can get a much better Middle East thriller out of recent entries like The Hurt Locker or Body of Lies.  There isn’t a lot to be learned here as most of the facts they throw at us are common knowledge about the War and the political message is tired and been beaten to death.  So if you are looking for a mildly entertaining thriller, that doesn’t have a ton of thrills and throws logic into the wind in the end game then go ahead and check out Green Zone as it is fairly safe and sterile experience.

Green Zone is a C-