Contagion (2011) PG13 - 3½ Stars

Scary look at our world's bacteria and germ problems and how what we do can effect the entire world. Through something as simple of a bat eating a banana, the world's immune system becomes compromised, with millions of people dying. Contagion gives a reasonable account on what the world is faced with in the fear of a pandemic viral outbreak. Rumors spread fast throughout the Internet, people panic and rules are broken all to save personal life yet we still don't take proper precautions to keep ourselves safe.

With an all star cast, the movie could have been so much better if the focus was more on the horrible deaths and lives upended globally. At the beginning it's very scary watching how fast a virus can infect the world and the lives it takes. For me, it would have been much scarier and more realistic if the focus showed more of the taking of lives, showing how tragically a virus can spread and it's horrible consequences. With our recent epidemic of Swine flu, effecting the entire world, the movie is probably loosely based on that fear brought to the surface showing how easily this can happen. Luckily we live in a modern world with modern technology to work on solutions faster, but the threats of bacterial contamination producing deadly viruses are real and should be in our faces more often.

Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard), Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne), Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle), and Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet), are up against the wall when an unknown lethal airborne virus is discovered and people around the world are dying within 24-48 hours of contact. Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow), is a business woman traveling to Hong Kong in the wrong place at the wrong time. She comes in contact with a virus newly formed after her company recklessly bull dozes banana trees down in a community of bats. As she returns home, her husband Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon), hopelessly watches her agonizing death that quickly spreads to their small son. Though Mitch appears to be immune to the disease, the world is at a standstill awaiting a solution from administrators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. With the government not telling all, people have turned to the Internet and battle with false information and reporters like Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law), trying to make a name for themselves.

Participant Media, Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ, Warner Brother Pictures
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Scott Z. Burns
Producers: Steve Soderberg, Ricky Strauss, Stacey Sher

I viewed 1/12

The Hangover Part II (2011) R - 3½ Stars

The original Hangover movie has got to be one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. The freshness of not knowing what to expect makes it a classic. Trying to duplicate that it in The Hangover II is a tough challenge. However, I rented the movie not expecting much and was pleasantly surprised. Though it's not as good as the first, same plot with different scenery, it's worth the rent and tickled my funny bone. This time a little monkey, in his Rolling Stones vest, joins our 4 friends as they awaken in Bangkok not knowing what happened to put them there. Not the greatest but definitely funnier than most other comedies out there like Bridesmaids.

Stu (Ed Helms), is getting married again, this time in Thailand. The bride to be Lauren (Jamie Chung), is awaiting the arrival of her fiance along with the disapproval of her father Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong). Phil is feeling very intimidated, going to a strange land alone, and invites his buddies Alan (Zach Galifanakis), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Phil (Bradley Cooper), to join him. Vowing to make this marriage a success, Stu is cautious to join in when Phil suggest the gang share a beer on the beach one last time before the big day. Phil assures him nothing can go wrong and suggests Lauren's younger brother Teddy (Mason Lee), join them as this young prodigy needs to loosen up under the control of his over bearing father. What could go wrong with one harmless beer, bottled and capped and no chance of contamination of any drugs getting in. Stu's main concern is the wedding going off without a hitch. Guess they should have left Alan at home.

Director: Todd Phillips
Writers: Scot Armstrong, Craig Mazin, Todd Phillips
Producers: Todd Phillips, Dana Goldberg, Daniel Goldberg

I viewed 1/12

Final Destination 5 (2011) R - 3 Stars

Even though you know what to expect from the Final Destination series, it's always fun to see what they come up with next. I actually like this version (#5) more than some of the others I've seen as it tied together another episode at the end. Fairly gross in it's special effects, it's really not for younger children. This time, co-workers are on their way together to a corporate retreat when their bus must stop on a suspension bridge while construction takes place. One of the boys, envisions the bridge collapsing and gets a few of them out of the bus only to find out his vision was correct.

Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto), is aboard with some of his other co-workers, Peter  (Miles Fisher), Molly (Emma Bell), Isaac (P.J. Byrne), Candice (Ellen Wroe), Olivia (Jacqueline MacInnes-Wood), Nathan (Arlen Escarpeta), and their team leader Dennis (David Koechner), along with the rest of the crew, headed for a corporate retreat. As the bus makes an unexpected stop over water on a suspension bridge, Sam begins to envision the worst case scenario about the bridge collapsing, plummeting the bus to a gruesome encounter with the ocean below. As things begin to happen exactly as Sam has imagined, he grabs his ex-girlfriend Molly's hand as he explains to the rest they must get out of the bus. A few follow his lead as they watch the bridge finally crumble, sending the rest of the crew to the ocean floor. Agent Block (Courtney B. Vance), investigates the coincidental vision of Sam and tries to make sense of how he knew in advance. Sam, and the others, soon learn there's no way to cheat death.

New Line Cinema, Practical Pictures, Parallel Zide
Director: Steven Quale
Writer: Eric Heisserer
Producers: Warren Zide, Craig Perry

I viewed 1/12

Not Easily Broken (2009) PG13 - 3½ Stars

I'm marking this movie in my religious category because it does carry the message of keeping yourself connected to God. I'm also putting it in the family category because I feel the movie sends a good moral message about competition, anger, friendship, getting along in your relationships and staying focused on what's important, without shoving religion down your throat. My favorite quote from the movie is "Sometimes the world has to turn you upside down so you can learn how to live right side up." This new married couple is having to do just that after an terrible accident that stressed their marriage vows.

I think Morris Chestnut is a great looking co-star as well as a very convincing actor. Taraji P. Henson plays the good bitching housewife, caught up in the rat race of life, too involved to see what's happening around her. Jenifer Lewis plays an irritating, scorn, mother in law who holds her own failed marriage as a sign that all men are evil and never good enough for women.

This is not an action packed movie but the message is strongly delivered with great direction and heart. Dave Johnson, (Morris Chestnut), has just married the love of his life Clarice Clark (Taraji P. Henson), and the two couldn't be more happy. As they were married, Bishop Wilkes (Albert Hall), places "a threefold cord is not easily broken," around the couples shoulders. He tells them that two of the cords represent their love and the third cord is keeping God close in their hearts. As they will learn, the world will throw obstacles at them but as long as they remain true to themselves and God, no one can ever tear them apart.

After a terrible accident, Clarice is forced into home rehabilitation and her divorced mother Mary (Jenifer Lewis), moves in to take care of her. As Clarice struggles with walking again, their marriage is about to be put to the test. If the couple is to succeed with their marriage, they must find their way back to their "not easily broken, threefold cord."

TriStar Pictures, Duke Media

Director: Bill Duke
Writer: Brian Bird
Producers: Aaron Norris, T.D. Jakes, Bill Duke

I viewed 11/11

The Spy Next Door (2010) PG - 3½ Stars

Cute family movie with plenty of action, drama and laughs. Nice to see Jackie Chan using his talents in a fun way. He plays a Chinese International spy working with the CIA while trying to fit into a normal suburban neighborhood. He lives next door to a single mom raising three children, a cat, a turtle and a pig. As the mother and he get closer, the kids do everything possible to sabotage their relationship as they fear getting close to another father figure.

Even though the villain's are Maxwell Smart silly, their characters and stunts are fun and entertaining. The children are believable as Chan teaches them the art of love and respect. He goes from being super boring to super cool, winning their trust and love. But mom's not to thrilled with his antics that have put her children in harms way. Now it's up to the children to pull the group back together. Fun for the entire family.

Bob Ho (Jackie Chan), is a somewhat retired International spy. He's secretly on loan to the CIA, working with Agent Glaze (George Lopez) and Bob's best friend, Agent Colton James (Billy Ray Cyrus). Trying to lead a normal life, he lives next door to the girl he is seeing, single mom Gillian (Amber Valletta), and her family of three, stepdaughter Farren (Madeline Carroll), son Ian (Will Shadley), and Nora (Alina Foley). The kids don't think Bob would make a very good mate for their mother or a father to them as he dresses boring and doesn't seem to have a lot going on. When Gillian's father becomes ill, she must leave unexpectedly, flying to Denver and Bob steps up to the plate to watch the children. This gives them a perfect chance to get to know one another better. With Halloween quickly approaching, Bob must prepare the children and the home for the upcoming event. He'll have to wing it to prove his love and support for Gillian. Completely out of his league, Bob resorts to his super spy gadgets to help keep the kids in order.

Poldark (Magnús Scheving) and Creel (Katherine Boecher), Russian spies are developing a chemical to destroy the world's oil. They've just perfected their technique and found that their information has been mistakenly downloaded by young son, Ian. Now Russian spies surround the family and will stop at nothing to get back their secrect code.

Relativity Media, Robert Simonds Company, Reel FX
Director: Brian Levant
Writers: Gregory Poirier, Jonathan Bernstein, Jim Greer
Producers: Ryan Kavanaugh, Robert Simonds

I viewed 11/11

Children Underground (2001) NR - 3 Stars

Based on the true life story of thousands of run away and abandoned children on the Romanian streets of Bucharest. This documentary follows five young children and their dangerous fight for survival. Mihai Tudose - Age 12 and her younger brother Ana - Age 10, Cristina (II) - Age 16, Marian - Age 8 and Macarena - Age 14. These young girls have had to disguise themselves as boys in order to be tough and survive living on the streets.

The Reign of Romanian dictator Nicolei Ceaucescu had outlawed the use of birth control as he wanted his nation's population to grow. He encouraged his people to have more children and with nearly 20,000 homeless and abandoned children surviving on the streets of Bucharest, his plan went extremely wrong. These children must beg, fight, steal and improvise to get a daily meal. Most have turned to sniffing paint as a recreational way to bare the pain.

My biggest complaint of this documentary comes with the reading of sub titles. The are placed against bright areas on the screen making them hard to read. For me, I found myself spending too much time trying to read dialog than identifying with the children's grim future. However, you don't need subtitles to recognize these children are street tough and already know what it takes to survive in a world that doesn't want them.

Award: 2000 - Sundance Film Festival - Special Jury Prize

Director: Edet Belzberg

Producer: Edet Belzberg

I viewed 11/11

Shuttle (2008) R - 3 Stars

For a B movie, I actually found myself involved in the journey of two single girls, kidnapped by a shuttle driver, fighting for their lives. I think the female characters were decent and I felt myself feeling identifying with them as I have felt vulnerable when traveling taking a shuttle late night by myself. The girls have no idea they have just stepped into a human trafficking ring. Now, they struggle to stay alive as thy are selected to become slaves in another part of the world.

Jules (Cameron Goodman), and Mel (Peyton List), have just returned from a girls getaway on a late flight and where most people have already gone home. The wait for an airport shuttle in the rain and find drivers competing with the prices for their patronage. Matt (Dave Power), and Seth (James Snyder), are also at the airport trying to put the moves on the young girls. They all decide to join the same shuttle to get to know each other. The driver (Tony Curran), seems very friendly and helpful and another man, Andy (Cullen Douglas), is a passenger already aboard the bus. As the small groups heads off into the wet night, they have no idea whats in store for them just around the next corner.

Zero Gravity Management
Director: Edward Anderson
Writer: Edward Anderson
Producers: Allan Jones, Mark Williams, Todd Lemley

I viewed 5/11