Contagion Review

Contagion

Release Date: 20th October 2011 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Participant (in association with)

Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ (in

association with)

Double Feature Films

Digital Image Associates

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 106 minutes

Budget: $60,000,000

Box Office Gross: $136,515,867 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

On her return from a

business trip to Hong Kong,

Beth Emhoff suddenly dies

from what appears to be flu

or some ailment. Later that

same day, her young son

dies after contracting the

illness that killed her.

Her husband, however,

seems immune to the virus.

Soon, many others began

experiencing the same

symptoms of the infection, starting a pandemic across the globe. Many doctors and other medical professionals must identify what type of virus this is and try to find a vaccine that will end the outbreak, which will only take several months. As the contagion spreads to millions worldwide, society begins to crumble as people panic.

Cast

Marion Cotillard - Dr. Leonora

Orantes

Matt Damon - Mitch Emhoff

Laurence Fishburne - Dr. Ellis Cheever

Jude Law - Alan Krumwiede

Gwyneth Paltrow - Beth Emhoff

Kate Winslet - Dr. Erin Mears

Bryan Cranston - RADM Lyle Haggerty

Jennifer Ehle - Dr. Ally Hextall

Elliott Gould - Dr. Ian Sussman

Chin Han - Sun Feng

John Hawkes - Roger

Anna Jacoby-Heron - Jory Emhoff

Josie Ho - Li Fai's Sister

Sanaa Lathan - Aubrey Cheever

Demetri Martin - Dr. David Eisenberg

Griffin Kane - Clark Morrow

Armin Rohde - Damian Leopold

Enrico Colantoni - Dennis French

Larry Clarke - Dave

Monique Gabriela Curnen - Lorraine Vasquez

Stef Tovar - Dr. Arrington

Grace Rex - Carrie Anne

Kara Zediker - Elizabeth Nygaard

Dan Aho - Aaron Barnes

Brian J. O'Donnell - Andrew

Annabel Armour - Beth's Mother

Dan Flannery - Hextall's Father

Joshua Seiden - Anthony

Sanjay Gupta - Himself (Cameo)

Crew

Director/Director of Photography - Steven Soderbergh

Writer - Scott Z. Burns

Executive Producers - Jonathan King, Jeff Skoll and Ricky Strauss

Executive Producer/Unit Production

Manager - Michael Polaire

Producer/First Assistant Director -

Gregory Jacobs

Producers - Michael Shamberg

and Stacey Sher

Senior Technical Advisors - Larry Brilliant,

Laurie Garrett and Ian Lipkin

Technical Advisors - Billy Goldberg,

Natasha K. Griffith, Tracey McNamara,

Michael J. Ryan, Connie Schmaljohn,

Mark Smolinski, Ira Blumen,

Don Weiss and Nathan Wolfe

Production Designer - Howard Cummings

Supervising Art Director - David Lazan

Supervising Art Director: UK and Morocco -

Ricky Eyres

Set Decorator - Cindy Carr

Property Master - Brad Einhorn

Costume Designer - Louise Frogley

Makeup Department Head - Kate Biscoe

Location Manager: UK & Morocco -

David Broder

Production Supervisor - Julie M. Anderson

Production Manager: UK & Morocco -

David Brown

Stunt Coordinator: Chicago - Rick LeFevour

Stunt Coordinator: Hong Kong - R.A. Rondell

Special Effects Coordinator - John D. Milinac

Special Effects Coordinator: San Francisco -

Ron Bolanowski

Visual Effects Supervisor - Thomas J. Smith

Editor - Stephen Mirrione

Re-Recording Mixer/Supervising Sound

Editor - Larry Blake

Additional Sound Effects - John Pospisil

Production Sound Mixers - Dennis Towns

and Mark Weingarten

Foley Artists - Dawn Fintor and

Alicia Stevenson

Music - Cliff Martinez

Review

In a period of self-isolation back when COVID-19 made us stay in our homes and avoid contact with others. The movie that may have unintentionally predicted it was CONTAGION, which came out nine years before the pandemic. I saw the film on Netflix when it was popular on the streaming service. It's surprisingly accurate how an obscure movie aged well in times like this when its hauntingly prophetic themes became relevant in 2020. There's nothing to joke about in this procedural film, and it makes me think about all the things I endured during COVID-19, like social distancing, etc. Imbued with a smartly-written narrative and an ensemble cast, CONTAGION does what it delivers best: a gripping character and realism-based drama based on events and medical procedures.

Director and cinematographer Steven Soderbergh and writer Scott Z. Burns have created something pulled from the headlines. It isn't like those other disaster films that often involve natural disasters like tornadoes and earthquakes. No, this movie is frighteningly realistic and is unlike what people have seen in the cardboard theatrics of Wolfgang Petersen's Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman as the saviour of this world. The film contains scientific accuracy, which proves that the filmmakers did a lot of research involving the struggles of doctors trying to create vaccinations. The acting performances are one of a kind, especially Matt Damon, who plays a character determined to protect his daughter from the raging pandemic.

After watching this movie, CONTAGION feels like it's closer to home. It is a solid and intriguing film. It's fascinating to see CONTAGION on Netflix again after the pandemic, but still, I highly recommend it.

Star rating: (9/10) Excellent Movie

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In Memory of Wolfgang Petersen (1941-2022)

Wolfgang Petersen (1941-2022)

Wolfgang Petersen, the German director who was known for such films as "Das Boot", "Air Force One", and "The Perfect Storm", died of pancreatic cancer on August 14, 2022. He was 81 years old.

He was born in Emden, Germany, on March 14, 1941. Petersen began his career in Germany, directing short films and TV movies in the 1960s and the 1970s. In 1971, he made his first theatrical movie, "One or the Other". In 1977, he followed that with "The Consequence", for which he wrote the adapted screenplay. Petersen would answer the call of Hollywood when his claustrophobic submarine WWII epic "Das Boot" launched him into the world in 1981. Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Directing and Best Adapted Screenplay, of which two went to Petersen. The film was released in multiple versions, starting with the 149-minute original theatrical cut and ending with a 1997 director's cut in 208 minutes.

This success would propel Petersen into American filmmaking, beginning with the 1984 fantasy movie "The NeverEnding Story", which was a box office hit. He would later direct more films such as "Enemy Mine", "Shattered", which he also wrote, "In the Line of Fire", "Outbreak", "Air Force One", "The Perfect Storm", "Troy", and "Poseidon", which the latter proved to be the last movie he ever made for Hollywood.

Outside of his directing, Petersen also produced and exec produced several features he helmed, like "In the Line of Fire", "The Perfect Storm", and "Outbreak". He even co-produced such movies as "Red Corner", "Instinct", and "Bicentennial Man".

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In Memory of Anne Heche (1969-2022)

Anne Heche (1969-2022)

The actress Anne Heche is declared legally dead after a fatal car accident. She was 53 years old. Her films include "Wag the Dog" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer". She had been on life support since August 5th, when she was involved in a high-speed accident that destroyed a home and left her severely burned and in a coma.

Heche's long and successful career in film and television began in 1987 when she appeared in the soap opera "Another World". Her dual performance as Vicky Hudson and Marley Love won her a Daytime Emmy. Anne moved to the big screen by co-starring in an independent movie, "Walking and Talking", and a standout supporting role in the crime drama, "Donnie Brasco", which gained her particular attention. Anne went on to land more high-prolific roles in blockbusters like "Volcano", "I Know What You Did Last Summer", "Six Days, Seven Nights", "Return to Paradise", the 1998 remake of "Psycho" and "Wag the Dog".

She also starred in several TV series, including "Men in Trees", "Hung", "Aftermath", and "The Brave", and she also did a recurring voiceover in the animated series "The Legend of Korra". Anne was famously known to be dating Ellen DeGeneres back in 1997. It would last with their highly-publicised split in August 2000.

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In Memory of Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022)

Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022)

Dearest moviegoers, I have sad news. Australian singer/actress Olivia Newton-John passed away on August 8th, 2022. She was 73. She was best known for her songs and star-making role as Sandy in the 1978 popular film musical "Grease", which launched her stardom.

Newton-John was born in 1948 in Cambridge, UK, and at age five, she and her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she spent her childhood years. As a teen, she entered a talent contest on a TV show, "Sing, Sing, Sing", where she won and formed an all-girl group and started appearing on weekly pop music programs in Australia. In 1966, Newton-John released her first single in England and scored a few international hits. Still, she remained largely unknown to American audiences until 1973. It was the year her song "Let Me Be There" entered the adult contemporary and the country charts after becoming a Top 10 hit. A string of number-one pop hits soon ensued, such as "I Honestly Love You", "Have You Never Been Mellow", and "Please Mr. Please".

Outside of her prolific career as a musician, Olivia was also an actress. Particularly in "Grease", where she was groundbreaking in her co-starring role with John Travolta. Though she had little acting experience (and during filming, she turned 29), Newton-John was perfect as the sweet-natured Australian transfer student Sandy, who is head over heels for Travolta's alpha greaser Danny at a high school in Southern California in the 1950s. The two actors had remarkable onscreen chemistry as mismatched lovers who undergo makeovers in the final act to win each others' hearts. Instead of wearing her frilly dresses, she ditches them for heels, leather, spandex and a cigarette. Olivia had sang on three of the film's biggest hits, such as the duets "Summer Nights" and "You're the One That I Want" with Travolta and her swoony solo ballad, "Hopelessly Devoted to You". The movie was a top-grosser and became an enduring pop-cultural phenomenon, which inspired repeat viewings by legions of fans.

The success of the movie allowed Newton-John to change her squeaky-clean image. Beginning with her next album, "Totally Hot", the cover featured the singer in black leather, while its songs had a more contemporary and edgier pop sound. After "Grease", she starred in several more big-budget movies, such as "Xanadu", with Hollywood legend Gene Kelly in his final screen role. Though the film wasn't successful, its soundtrack sold well and spawned a No. 1 hit of "Magic". She reteamed with Travolta again for 1983's "Two of the Kind", which failed to recapture their spark from "Grease". In 1981, she released a single, "Physical", a dance number with suggestive lyrics, which took her sexier persona a step further. Although banned by several radio stations, it was her biggest hit, spending ten weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. During her lengthy career, Newton-John sold a million albums, more than ten and won four Grammy Awards.

Despite the successes of her career, she faced health issues and tragedy. Olivia had to postpone and cancel several tours because she was twice diagnosed with breast cancer, which made her an advocate for this illness. In 2005, her then-boyfriend, Patrick McDermott, disappeared at sea during a fishing trip off the California coast and was never found. A mystery unsolved that for years had haunted the singer.

We'll miss you, Olivia, wherever you are. You give us a voice worth listening to on the radio and a performance worth watching. Here are the highlights of her films "Grease" and "Xanadu", which contain her singing.

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Thor: Love and Thunder Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thor: Love and Thunder

Release Date: 7th July 2022 - Australia

Production Companies

Marvel Studios

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 119 minutes

Budget: $250,000,000

Box Office Gross: $760,928,081 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Thor is on a quest for inner peace when it is interrupted by Gorr, the God Butcher, a galactic killer who plans to make the gods extinct. He

joins forces with King

Valkyrie, Korg and his 

ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who,

to Thor's surprise, now wields

the Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor to fight this threat. Their quest to unravel the mystery of the God Butcher's vengeance and stop him before it is too late begins a harrowing cosmic adventure.

Cast

Chris Hemsworth - Thor

Christian Bale - Gorr the God

Butcher

Tessa Thompson - King

Valkyrie

Jaime Alexander - Sif

Taika Waititi - Korg

Russell Crowe - Zeus

Natalie Portman - Jane Foster/Mighty Thor

Chris Pratt - Peter Quill/Star-Lord

Pom Klementieff - Mantis

Bradley Cooper - Rocket Raccoon (Voice)

Dave Bautista - Drax the Destroyer

Karen Gillan - Nebula

Vin Diesel - Groot (Voice)

Sean Gunn - Kraglin/On-Set

Rocket

Carly Rees - Miek

Ben Falcone - Asgardian Stage

Manager

Stephen Curry - King Yakan

Bobby Holland Hanton - Habooska the Horrible

Daley Pearson - Darryl the Tour Guide

Kieron L. Dyer - Axl

India Rose Hemsworth - Gorr's Daughter

Simon Russell Beale - Dionysus

Manny Spero - Chemo Ward Patient

Jonny Brugh - Rapu

Andrew Crawford - Flower God

Chanique Greyling - Young Frigga

Brooke Satchwell - Indigarrian Woman Glenda

Elsa Pataky - Wolf Woman (Cameo)

Zia Kelly - Pirate Woman

Rosangelo Fasano - Alien Woman

Cameron Chapek - Baby Thor

Tristan Hemsworth - Kid Thor (Cameo)

Samson Alston - Teenage Thor

Eliza Matengu - Grace (Axl's Mother)

Victoria Ferrara - Falligarian Kid

Ava Rodridgo-Porter - Pink Alien Sister

Elsa Rodridgo-Porter - Pink Alien Sister

Kaan Guldur - Wolfboy

Indeia Booc - Blue Girl

Indiana Ierano - Red Girl

Cayla Sutherland - Cocoon Girl

Tui Vincent - Alien Child

Alan Dukes - US Delegate

Simona Paparelli - Bao, God of Dumplings

Nico Cortez - Aztec God

Priscilla Doueihy - Artemis God

Nicole Milinkovic - Elche Goddess

Chayla Korewha - Maori Princess

Imaan Hadchiti - Mayan God

Carmen Foon - Minerva

Clariza Vicente - Goddess of the Dead

Kuni Hashimoto - Jademurai God

Stephen Hunter - Fur God

Indiana Evans - Zeusette

Olivia Vasquez - Zeusette

Ava Caryofyllis - Young Jane

Chloé Gouneau - Jane's Mother

Dave Cory - Krowan Dwayne

Te Kainga O'Te Hinekahu Waititi - Asgardian Kid

Sasha Hemsworth - Asgardian Kid

Amala Millepied - Asgardian Kid

Matewa Kiritapu Waititi - Asgardian Kid

Aleph Millepied - Asgardian Kid

Rex Bale - Asgardian Kid

India Hemsworth - Love

Matt Damon - Actor Loki (Uncredited)

Sam Neill - Actor Odin (Uncredited)

Luke Hemsworth - Actor Thor (Uncredited)

Melissa McCarthy - Actor Hela (Uncredited)

Akosia Sabet - Bastet God (Uncredited)

Kat Dennings - Darcy Lewis (Cameo)

Stellan Skarsgard - Erik Selvig (Cameo)

Idris Elba - Heimdall (Cameo)

Brett Goldstein - Hercules (Cameo)

Crew

Story/Writer/Director - Taika Waititi

Thor/Groot Creators - Stan Lee and Larry Lieber

Thor Creator - Jack Kirby

Star-Lord/Mantis Creator - Steve Englehart

Star-Lord Creator - Steve Gan

Gamora, Thanos and Drax Creator - Jim Starlin

Rocket Raccoon Creators - Bill Mantlo and

Keith Giffen

Mantis Creator - Don Heck

Writer - Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Executive Producers - Victoria Alonso,

Brian Chapek, Louis D'Esposito,

Todd Hallowell and Chris Hemsworth

Producers - Kevin Feige and 

Brad Winderbaum

Co-Producer - David Grant

Casting Directors - Sarah Finn and

Danish Maniyar

Production Designer - Nigel Phelps

Creative Consultant - Jason Aaron

Head of Visual Development: Marvel

Studios - Ryan Meinerding

Visual Development Supervisor - Andy Park

Visual Development Concept Illustrators -

Anthony Francisco, Rodney Fuentebella,

Jerad Marantz, Jana Schirmer, John Staub,

Tully Summers, Justin Sweet and Jackson Sze

Supervising Art Director - Charlie Revai

Art Director: Additional Photography/

Visual Consultant - Ra Vincent

Construction Supervisor - Greg Hajdu

Set Decorator - Katie Sharrock

Property Master - Guillaume DeLouche

Creative Lead: Weta Workshop -

Richard Taylor

Head of Manufacture: Weta Workshop -

Rob Gillies

Costume Designer - Mayes C. Rubeo

Creature and Prosthetic Designer -

Adam Johansen

Director of Photography - Barry Baz Idoine

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Brad Shield

Director of Photography: Los Angeles

Units - Matthew J. Lloyd and Bill Pope

Supervising Location Manager - Colin McDougall

First Assistant Director - Lee Cleary

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Scott Lovelock

Second Assistant Director - Deborah Antoniou

Second Unit Director/Visual Effects

Supervisor - Jake Morrison

Second Unit Director (Uncredited)/

Stunt Coordinator - Kyle Gardiner

Stunt Coordinator - Jade Amantea

Fight Coordinators - Chan Griffin

and Adam Hart

Special Effects Supervisor - Dan Oliver

Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM -

Hayden Landis and Frazer Churchill

Visual Effects Supervisor: Method Studios -

Pete Dionne

Visual Effects Supervisor: Framestore -

Matthew Twyford

Visual Effects Supervisor: Base FX -

Dominic Drane

Visual Effects Supervisor: Mammal

Studios - Gregory D. Liegey

Additional Visual Effects Supervisors:

Method Studios - Seth Hill and Phil Brennan

Visual Effects Producer - Lisa Marra

Animation Supervisors: Method Studios -

Jye Skinn and Marc Chu

Animation Supervisor: Luma Pictures -

Raphael A. Pimentel

Virtual Production Supervisor - Heide Waldbaum

Creative Finishing Supervisor - Evan Jacobs

Editors - Peter S. Elliot, Tim Roche,

Matthew Schmidt and Jennifer Vecchiarello

Supervising Sound Editors - Daniel Laurie

and Qianbaihui Yang

Sound Designers - David C. Hughes,

Samson Neslund and Steve Orlando

Re-Recording Mixers - Onnalee Blank

and Brandon Proctor

Score/Themes - Michael Giacchino

Score - Nami Melumad

Music Supervisor - Dave Jordan

Score Recordists and Mixers - Peter Cobbin

and Kirsty Whalley

Review

I remember Thor: Ragnarok when I first saw it on the big screen, but I didn't enjoy it as I did in the first movie. While Taika Waititi brought a campy and lighthearted approach to the God of Thunder, I was not one of many who appreciated his style. The sci-fi stuff was there and was too similar to the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Though many critics claimed this film is the best Thor instalment, I do not. Maybe I've been a little harsh with this movie because it had a fresh new style and character growth.

It all comes down to the follow-up, which many Marvel fans expect will return the character to its dark roots after his bittersweet turn in Avengers: Endgame. The results are unsurprising. THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER lacked something that would hammer down the God of Thunder in his latest cosmic adventure. It is difficult to invest in the deep sides of the story, which is uneven, as well as the tone, probably because of the film's constant silliness and lighthearted nature. Even the side plots of characters like Gorr are underutilized because of it.

Many people are surprised that Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster, the love interest of Thor. They were displeased about the character returning since her reputation already took a nose dive in the second Thor movie because of the lacklustre romance with the titular hero. Here, her portrayal felt fully redeemed in this movie. For the additions to the main cast, we have Christian Bale, who plays the villainous Gorr. It was fun to see Bale portray a villain in a superhero film rather than a typical lead protagonist like Batman in The Dark Knight trilogy. I'm disappointed that his role hasn't earned much development despite his motives and tragic backstory. I liked the inclusion of the song placements, including a few killer tunes from Guns N' Roses, which made the film more energetic.

LOVE AND THUNDER isn't the exciting movie we've hoped for, and you'd be surprised it isn't as disappointing as it should be. Still, it is fun to watch for everyone, including Marvel fans, who want more excitement.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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