Contagion

Hand sanitisers out... Taps on... don't touch anybody...
Those are the thoughts that will be pulsing through your head when you come out of Contagion, a star studded, blood pumping and uncomfortably realistic thriller from director Steven Soderberg.

A deadly disease is spreading around the planet and there are six people in the game that we follow. A wife, a husband with a daughter, a journalist, a doctor, a specialist in epidemics and an epidemiologist belonging to the World Health Organisation. It all sounds a bit complicated but everything fits simutanously with the urgent feeling Contagion effectively evokes as this indirect contact transmission virus kills an increasing amount of the population over the matter of several weeks. Consequently, what follows is panic and a break down in society as people become desperate for a cure.

It's fast moving and affecting with a brilliant ensemble cast - excluding Jude Law here - who give all they can in their limited and rationed screen time. It's under-your-skin frightening too as the film progresses and certain characters you become attached to start dropping like flies. Complimenting the quick cuts from scene to scene is the well crafted sustained tension throughout the entire length of the film aided by a fantastically compelling yet subtle non-orchestration soundtrack; a refreshing change and technique that has been put to great use in other recent film outings like "Hanna" (music by The Chemical Brothers).

The idea of the different storylines involving different characters awards the viewer with a wide ranged perspective of the world situation as a result of the spread of this virus. The individuals are well rounded and all have their own roles to play. Whether they interact or not would not matter becuase each character's story is as compelling as the other.

 Despite a truly unconvincing, probably terrible, perfomance by Jude Law as a controversy seeking journalist, the rest of the film is very enjoyable. Far from being the one of the best films of the year, and if you're not into medical thrillers it will never appeal however, Contagion is gripping, hauntingly realistic and effectively fast paced.

Super 8

Something rare is lurking around the corner...
In this film's case it's the aliens from another world. However, it comes down to the fact that finally a quality adventure film (that is non Potter!) has touched down after decades of waiting.
In this year's spew of summer films, along came Super 8, the latest Spielberg and J.J Abrams contribution to Hollywood cinema. Super 8 consists of everything necessary from a summer blockbuster and does it exceptionally well, offering its audience a thrill ride of scares, action, budding teenage romance and classic teenage sci-fi. To clarify, it's no E.T but Super 8 is in that particular genre as the teenage protagonists take centre stage and deliver us outstanding performances filled with sadness, humour and intense emotional drama.
If you're one of those thrill seekers, see Super 8 for only one scene, if you must, to experience the most apocalyptical train crash ever to grace the silver screen. There's a strange perverse longing for the superbly spectacular and mind blowing explosions to continue exploding as the scene is filmed in such a way to create a level of threat that keeps an audience member on the edge of the seat.
However, what makes Super 8 so likeable is its story. Yes, it has aliens and action but there's a very homey feel to it, partly as a result of its pleasantly retro vibe incorporated by Spielberg's talent and notable technicle cliches, but the main factor is the way it plays out. Centred around a handful of kids making a home made film during the 70s that are suddenly affected with a mystery as their neighbourhood becomes the focus of the mysteriously strange and frightening occurences. Super 8 manages to blend elements of classic horror and teenage drama seamlessly helping to sid the perfect pacing of the film which suits the story effortlessly.
So is it well worth a watch? You can bet it is.
Bursting with action, drama and mystery, the film is also packed with fresh talent, humour and the odd curse word thrown in. Super 8 is a old school Spielberg esque film at the top of his game digging into your heart with alien laser beams.

With a title like "Captain America", you go into the film like alot of other cinema goers who are not familiar with the comic, quite cynical...is this another overly patriotic outing from our friends across the Atlantic?  But I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, the score does one too many times offer us that feeling of US "greatness" but the film that I saw wasn't overly annoying in the slightest. There is even points when the film itself is making fun of Captain America, especially when he becomes America's propaganda cover-girl.
At the beginning of the film we find our weeny, skinny protagonist Steven Rodgers who whenever he tries to enlist in the army is refused entry becuase of one thing, his size. Chris Evans portrays Rodgers (C.America) in this film and I think his best performance was actually as this skinny wannabe soldier. He was so charming and convicing as someone who wants to go to all ends to defend his country that you just root for him becuase he is so pitiable. I have to say, the effect that made Chris Evans look the way he did in the first quarter of this film was so convincing so all kudos go to the special effects team becuase not once did I see a blurry line or anything around his neck so I was just blown away watching this film.
Despite a slightly slow beginning which is devoted to really setting up the plot, the film does really pick up when Rodgers becomes Captain America, I admired all the action scenes and just marvelled at the fact that here we have a film that just seems to get better and better as it ran, which is something many blockbusters fail to do nowadays, often having a stellar beginning....that just kind of peters out towards the middle and sometimes end.
The thing I admired most about the film was the feeling of it. It took on very much the feeling of an old-fashioned blockbuster, you were'nt meant to take it seriously but you were there to marvel at what you were watching, enjoy it and just let it wash over you. Part of that feeling, I think had to do with the way the film was shot aswell, the colour palette, particularly in the army scenes were very old-school, slightly rustic and I enjoyed that part very much, it felt like 1940's propaganda filled America.
However, there were also things about the film that I really wasn't to keen on aswell. I really didn't like the point and character of Red Scull and the parallels with the Nazis. There is a point towards the end where it turns into something quite cartoony and silly, and I know this stems from a comic so it's not completely the film's fault but it just didn't fit with what the film had been giving me. In my opinion, have Captain America fight Nazis and make Red Scull and completely different villain, with NO Nazi parallels!
Captain America is hugely enjoyable, expect a film that really picks up its pace and just acumilates more and more excitement as it goes along. I loved the action scenes and the feeling of the film, maybe there were one or too many "the hero within you moments" but who cares? The film had a heart of its own and gave me everything I wanted to see from a good summer blockbuster.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2!

IT ALL ENDS. The books and the films may have ended but for millions of people like myself, Harry Potter will never end and it will stay with me forever. I feel so priviledged to have spent a part of my childhood and adolesence growing up against one of my favourite literary adventures ever and to have watch the series progress from light fantasy and conclude with films so meticulous in production design, that have a more complex plot and a darker more sophisticated feel.
Without a doubt, Part 2 of the final Harry Potter film is everything I could have hoped from the film. It's spectacular visually but does something that many Hollywood films fail to do nowadays, it blends spectacle and moving drama seamlessly.
Looking around on the internet I've come across people who feel the need to compare the series with other big names such as "Lord of the Rings: The return of the King", mentioning the scale of the battles in each film and each film's epicness. Why compare the two final films? Lord of the Rings was able to have big scaled battles becuase it was the fight for middle earth and the objective of the trilogy was to get something done and fight for a world. Deathly Hallows is rounding off and concluding a mystery that's been running through for eight films and there isn't much time for war, characters take the centre stage in the second act of this film and the battle takes place in the background and I'm happy with it.
Part 1 of Deathly Hallows was a very slow film in the middle, not much action but I liked it  because I knew that the bleakness of it was building tension for a climax that will deliver on all fronts: spectacle, drama and character detail. In terms of character, quite possibly one of the best scenes in the film, or even the series, is dedicated to Snape and Alan Rickman gives the performance of the film, pulling at everyone's heartstrings and certainly mine. Daniel Radcliffe who has grown as an actor with every film but still didn't deliver something truly special, gives it all in this final film. His performance is subtle but layered and there are moments where all emotion and the weight of this film falls on his shoulders and he totally pulls of off which would be a challenge for any actor to achieve.
Neville is given the perfect role in this film where he proves to the audience that he belongs in Gryffindor house, Ron and Hermione share a long awaited moment in a cute way but there is a part of me that wishes some of the most loved characters were given the send off they deserved instead of just seeing them dead against the ruins.

Overall, I highly, highly loved this film. Merged with Part 1, this would by far be the best in the series and it defintely is a well done final film and satisfying conclusion.

Thor 3D

Saw this film last night as a last minute decision really. It's been out for weeks and it was never a priority to be seen but it was seen anyway for various reasons.
Anyway, we have Thor! God of Thunder! I didn't really know much about Thor going into it really, never read the comics (never touched a comic really) so this new Marvel film was completely knew to me and you know what...

I enjoyed it.

And that is what is important. How can I judge this film for being anything more than it's meant to be except entertaining? I don't know what the comic fans think, but this film certainly looked cool.

The story plays out a little like this, we have two sons of the great King of Asgard (played wonderfully by Anthony Hopkins), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). When the Frost Giants (the enemies) mysteriously manage to enter Asgard and attempt to steal back their power, Thor is enraged and travels to Jotenheim to confront and battle the Frost Giant leader, damaging the fragile truce between them and his father. Angry, Thor's father takes away Thor's powers and banishes him to Earth. There he meets Jane (Natalie Portman), a scientist and her friends. How does he get back to Earth? ....watch and find out...
So the film's effects are really good. All the costumes are great and it's very humorous, to be expected as it's directed by Kenneth Brannagh. I read somewhere that they did a really good job of translating this to film becuase the dialogue from the comic could seem pretty laughable if executed poorly. But it was perfect from what I could see. All kudos go to Brannagh, after all, he is the shakespeare guy and he knows probably how to handle a bit of Thor dialogue.
Now, Chris Hemsworth was excellant. He was so bloody charming! He had all the women in the cinema weak in the knees, butterflies in the stomach whenever he smiled.  He was so charismatic and you could just sense his enjoyment as he played the role.
British actor Tom Hiddleston was very good as the quiet, mysterious, sneeky little brother. Sometimes however, I could sense a little over acting a little towards the end but that might just be me being picky.
A few complaints was that the movie feeled a bit too rushed for me. Despite having quite a straight forward plot, there was a lot of background and exposition to get through and the introducing of the characters that are important for the film. Another complaint would be Natalie Portman's character. We all know how much of a wonderful actress she is but her role seemed pretty uneccessary for this film except to provide a bit of fluff. I'd say the 3D was average, it wasn't really needed to be honest. But I'd give it credit for the fact that it wasn't tacky, in-your-face 3D.

Overall, worth seeing for a bit of fun and Hollywood entertainment. Don't bother splashing out the extra ten quid for 3D glasses if you bring your family along though.

***

Exam Week

Just why? Why? Why? Why?

The exams sure don't feel to to daunting (yet) but I know time is rolling fast and they will be. I'm revising hard and this weekend I hope to get myself organised and make my revision timetable for the half term week to come. But, good news, on Tuesday during exam week, I've managed to qualify for Middlesex Athletics competition where I'm representing Harrow for Long Jump.  I know I won't qualify any further but it's worth a try and it's quite an achievement that I've got this far anyway.

Anyway, the school does everything to get you in the mindset of exams. It's quite annoying to be honest and we've had three assemblies this week on stress and exam tactics and when it's repeated again and again it just feels all to much to the point where you head could explode and you've just had enough and it just doesn't help anymore.

Good luck to all exam students, GCSE and A-Level students... Just think, by the end of this term in a few weeks it's going to all be over and on that Friday in two weeks my friends are making our way to Indulge, a great new desert lounge which has just opened in Pinner.

There are so many things I want to do after the exams, just relax and relax and go to the cinema and pretty much relax and hope that my grades aren't bad enough for my parents to loose complete faith in me. Good luck, everyone.

Hanna

Saw this film two weeks ago, I know its really late but I've been busy lately with school...stuff...*grumbles*.
Okay, so this film is pretty much my fantasy personality on screen. Hanna is everything any teenage girl would dream of being. She's smart, fiesty and best of all, knows how to tackle and put down groups of testerone heavy men. She's played by the incredibly talented Saoirse Ronan whose name I only recently learned to pronouce; (ser-sha) Ronan!
The film starts out with Hanna and her father (Erik Bana) living a low profile in the middle of a snowy landscape in Germany. In the first few minutes we are given an insight into Hanna's way of life and the intense training that went into making her what she is now. She's designed to be less human than others for reasons you find out later...(oops). Then Cate Blanchett comes in playing the bad woman who is of course after her aided by a bunch of camp hitmen.
There isn't really much of a story but what makes it great is the character piece it is. Hanna just really wants to be a normal girl and to tell the truth, I think we all would if we were being persued day and night by people that want nothing good to do with you. Further into the film she comes across a British family on a holiday and eventually befriends the spunky teenage daughter. The family was a perfect way of illustrating exactly what Hanna desires, a normal family and to experience the pleasures of the world for once in her life.
It's very original in the way it was translated onto screen. The film is incredibly stylish and beautiful to look at, especially Ronan who has one of the most fascinating faces currently on the silver screen. She's beautiful, not in that conventional way, but she emotes so well and manages to keep it relatively understated which is remarkable.
Now, there is one action sequence that needs a mention involving Erik Bana in a sort of underpass thing which is just so incredibly cool. It was done all in one shot where he takes out about a dozen men! It's one of the coolest action scenes since that epic strobe light scene in Kick Ass.

The only complaints have to be the way this film is finished. The ending could've have been better but I only think this is because I felt it ended too soon and they could have found a better way to conclude the story then give a great film a slightly rushed ending.

Anyway, go and see it. It is well worth it.

****