Zombies are the big thing nowadays.  But what if the world went out with a whimper instead of a bang?  What if it went out with a cough?  It may not have the cool kids cachet of the stumbling dead, but Contagion‘s well thought out scientific underpinnings make it a compelling thriller for the brainy set, those who are aching for a different kind of action movie, or anyone who has a love affair with medical procedural shows.

As the film starts, you hear a cough.  Then another, and another.  Beth Emhoff, a businesswoman who is returning home to the States from a trip to Hong Kong, isn’t looking so good.  That’s pretty damn serious, considering she’s played by Gwyneth Paltrow, a woman that would look good after a 3-day cheesecake and whiskey bender.  Anyone who has seen the trailer for this film knows that Beth isn’t recovering from this business trip bug, and quickly other people come down with the illness.  Before long, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are racing against time to stop the pandemic before it’s too late.

The beginning of Contagion is much like the start of Stephen King’s novel The Stand in how it shows just how easy it is to pass along a virus.  We see Beth pick up a drink, then put it down.  The busboy picks up the empty glass, he grabs onto a bus rail on his way home…and suddenly millions of people are dead or dying.  But this film plays down the horror aspect, going instead for a fast-paced thriller focused on how to find a cure while the world is falling apart.  Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Syriana) uses his skill working with an ensemble cast to show many different points of view; from CDC doctors and WHO officials to janitors and families in far-out villages, there is hardly a social demographic that is missed.  Writer Scott Z. Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum) amps up the audience’s adrenaline by crafting scenes that show how government, big business and the blogosphere all strive to come out of this smelling like a rose, regardless of the toll it takes on humanity.  Meanwhile, humanity ain’t exactly holding hands singing Kumbaya, and scenes with crowds of frightened people pushed to their limits have a frightening ring of truth.

Yes, there are themes here, but they don’t beat you about the head to get you to submit, they slide into your conscious bit by bit as the action progresses.  They’re also grounded in common sense; think for yourself, take care of yourself and those you care about, take care of the world.  It’s easy to see why H2O Africa Foundation co-founder Matt Damon signed onto this project; it’s a wake-up call cunningly disguised as an action-packed thriller.  It’s also easy to see how this film attracted it’s all-star cast, as Soderbergh’s deft touch with subject matter that shoots off in many directions at once, and Burns’ ability to craft a thriller that takes time to let you care about the folks in the thick of it, was probably catnip to these stars.  Everyone rises to the occasion, giving performances that are believable in their humanity.  Bonus points for getting Dr. Sanjay Gupta to play himself in a cameo piece.

There are problems with any movie that tries to cover such a broad scope, and Congation isn’t immune.  Although Paltrow’s character isn’t on screen — alive, anyway — for long, the connection audiences build with her after her Psycho-esque early end gets shattered by a revelation that is wholly unnecessary.  And Lawrence Fishburne’s Dr. Ellis Cheever puts himself on the line for someone, and we find out after this storyline is almost entirely played out that someone is Cheever’s wife.  But for these flaws there are many more positives.  Jude Law’s blogger Alan Krumwiede, who is trying to do the right thing but can’t seem to help being a dick about it.  Matt Damon as Beth’s husband, who will stop at nothing to keep his daughter safe.  Marion Cotillard as WHO official Dr. Leonora Orantes, a woman that gets a first-hand look at how things are going outside of the big cities.  Not everyone lives, but not everyone dies either, and that gives viewers the hope they need to keep rooting for the world to survive.

With cold and flu season hitting us right about now, I’m sure there will be quite a few people who will be a bit more careful this season after seeing this film.  Meanwhile, I picked up a bug at the screening, and can’t seem to shake this sore throat.  I’m trying not to freak out about it, but after seeing what can happen if a bug gets nasty?  I think I’ll be staying in to rest this weekend.

Sometimes hitting the multiplex just isn’t in the cards. That’s when cable, the web and streaming step in to provide an instant movie fix. But how to separate the wheat from the chaff? I’m happy to help; every week I’ll pick a flick and see if it’s worth your time. This week? The Cohen brother’s remake of “True Grit”

The Story: 14-year-old Mattie Ross  heads to a small town in Arkansas to collect the body of her father, who had been killed by a no-account drunk Tom Chaney.  Chaney also took Mattie’s father’s horse and “two California gold pieces”.  She decides to hire not the “best” U.S. Marshall to track Chaney down, but the most violent; Rooster Cogburn.  Tagging along for reasons of his own is Texas Marshall LaBoef (“La-Beef”).  And so they ride out into the great Arkansas nothingness, looking to get Mattie’s revenge on.  Oh, you know it’s not that simple, right?

The Good:  It’s the Cohen brothers, what’s not to like?  Beautifully shot, wonderfully written, with a pacing to the story that spools out the tale at a clip that entertains but leaves no-one in the dust.  Relative unknown Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie, and if you wondered why a kid would get an Academy Award nod, you haven’t seen this performance.  Jeff Bridges abides as Rooster Cogburn (hey, he’s The Dude.  Respect it.)  He’s a dirty, borderline amoral, drunken bum with a badge.  And he’s one bad shut-yo-mouth.  Bridges can deliver layers of Cogburn in one glance, and his shootin’ prowess scene with Damon’s LaBoef is hilarious and touching, all thanks to Bridges’ amazing performance.  Matt Damon as LaBoef shows that he can completely inhabit a character that isn’t Jason Bourne.  This could have easily been played tongue-in-cheek, but instead it plays in deadly earnest.  And damn if it doesn’t work.  Plus, True Grit has one of the badass-iest minimalist-throwback movie posters I’ve seen in quite a long time.

The Bad:  Um..uh…well, I didn’t like how I had to do a double-take to recognize Josh Brolin, maybe?  He’s got a face you can recognize at 100 clips, but playing Tom Chaney his usually grizzled facade is a bit indistinct.  As if the character himself is as flat as the planes of his face.  And the no-slang-havin’ speech of the characters here sometimes had me giggling, which pulled me out of the film for a second or two.  But it’s completely appropriate for it’s setting, however backward our speech has become nowadays.

The Everything Else:  Gritty.  Earthy.  Real.  That pretty much sums up all of the Cohen oeuvre, but it goes double here.  Much as with No Country for Old Men and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Cohen brother’s Wild Wild West is a desolate, dusty place that holds no hope of sanctuary.  It’s been said that this version hews closer to Charles Portis’ novel than the John Wayne version shot in ‘69.  But these are different times, and we as moviegoers require no whitewash to pretty up the harsh realities of living in the American West of the late 1800s.  I wish I could talk about the music here – O Brother’s soundtrack is still among my top 5 — but I was too busy enjoying the performances to focus on much else.  When a film grabs my attention and holds it fast throughout, that ain’t a bad thing.

Here’s the breakdown:
Would I watch it again?: Absolutely.  Another viewing would let me focus on the nuances of the performances, as well a the brilliant writing.
Should you see it?: Absolutely, part deux.  Fans of the Cohen brothers…well, y’all have probably seen this already.  If you didn’t catch it at the multiplex late last year, or during Oscar season, grab this puppy on Netflix/Redbox/On Demand/however-all.  Critics picked it as one of the best movies of 2010 for good reason.  It’s a great piece of filmmaking.
Netflix average rating: 4 Stars
My rating: 4 Stars

I loved this movie, and you will too.  That’s not a command from me, it’s from the Bureau.  If you try to avoid buying the ticket at the multiplex, they’ll adjust you.  You will go see this film, you will enjoy it.

Matt Damon leads this sci-fi thriller as David Norris.  Norris is a young, energetic congressman whose just been handed a defeat in the election and is preparing his obligatory concession speech when he meets Elise Sallas, a rising star in fine dance who crashes a party in the same building.  Their connection is instant and the type that lingers which for David, manifests itself in a ‘muse’ type manner.  Rather than congratulate his election opponent, his run in with Elise causes him to release a passionate speech filled with honesty and heart.  It endears him to the public and makes him a front runner for the coming elections.  The problem is that their meeting was accidental, and despite the efforts of the mysterious Adjustment Bureau, keeps happening by chance.  David is eventually confronted by the Bureau that threatens him with the equivalent of a lobotomy if he does not cease all efforts around finding Elise.  Refusing to accept the path and plan he’s being told, David relentlessly pursues her all the while chased and tracked by the men in black who are determined to keep them apart.

What makes this film great is its explanation of the system that controls the Bureau agents.  They may be angelic or other-worldly, but they are still bound by rules and laws just like humans.  No interference with free will, but power to deduce our decision making within the mind.  They’re able to manipulate moments of our lives, but still require administrative approval and paperwork to get it done.  Clearly able to be seen by the common man, all the while being able to move seamlessly through the world while tethered to their bowler hats.  It’s very smartly written and no surprise when I learned it was based off a short story by Philip K Dick (Minority Report).  A visionary by his own rights, his previous effort like 2006’s ‘A Scanner Darkly’ just gives more credence to this film.  Emily Blunt (Gnomeo & Juliet) is divine in the role.  Airy, fresh and so easy on the eyes – her ability to portray the vulnerability that love can put someone in shows through splendidly.  Damon may be a pit pudgy and up in years to play a mid twenty-something character, but that visual is easily pushed aside in favor of an intense story that is fraught with tension from the moment the two meet because you know that fate is conspiring against them.

Even when you learn their fate if they were to stay on the AB’s plan, and then what happens if they don’t, you’ll question what is the best outcome for them, for your viewing pleasure, and even the best decision for the world.  If theirs is a love that could burn this world to ashes – who wouldn’t want to watch that fire?  Why doesn’t fate understand that after two people share a ‘moment’ it’s next to impossible to remove that desire from the human spirit?  What actor did they get to play the Chairman of the Bureau?  No spoilers here (at least not any crucial plot ones) to give you the answers, but believe me when I say that you will enjoy this movie.  This film is what Damon’s last effort ‘Hereafter’ should have been.   

5 Stars out of Five.

The Adjustment Bureau Beastly is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, some sexuality, and a violent image.  Running Time: 105 minutes

How can you turn down a Cowboy movie? Atomic Popcorn brings a whole new look at the wild west with Paramount’s latest True Grit.

True Grit stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, you best not be missing this movie!

Synopsis:

Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross’s (Hailee Steinfeld) father has been shot in cold blood by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), and she is determined to bring him to justice. Enlisting the help of a trigger-happy, drunken U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), she sets out with him — over his objections — to hunt down Chaney. Her father’s blood demands that she pursue the criminal into Indian territory and find him before a Texas Ranger named LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) catches him and brings him back to Texas for the murder of another man.

Trailer:

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Make sure you check out our other free screenings in the Baltimore Area.

Is the life we perceive to exist after death already happening to us in our living years?  You might find out in Clint Eastwood’s, Hereafter.

This film leaves lots of questions.  Like the actual here-after, which to some is a myth and others a faith, this film is filled with uncertainty.  We don’t know what happens when we die, and in this film – you won’t fully understand these characters and the story, even after the credits roll.  It’s fitting that a film based on the concept of the hereafter would offer a vision as non sequenced and clouded as Director Clint Eastwood’s latest effort; the problem is – it just doesn’t translate to a great film, and in this case – just great performances and an amazing special effects sequence.

Hereafter intertwines three sets of lives which are all connected through a series of untimely events.  George Lonegan (Matt Damon) is a semi-retired psychic who professes the ability to commune with the dead.  Mentally exhausted by the exposure and psychic process, he gives up on that life and opts to live out his days as a blue collar worker.  Marie Lelay (Cecile De France) is a successful TV journalist whose tropical vacation is cut short due to an untimely tsunami striking.  Torn and tussled during the fracas, she dies temporarily and experiences what she believes to be images of the afterlife.  Marcus & Jason (Frankie & George McLaren) are twins, who despite being saddled with a drug addicted mother, find solace in each other and their lives – until a horrible accident.  Searching for answers leads all of them to each other and just a little closer to an understanding of what waits for us on the other side.

Films like this have some strong built-in assumptions and for me, certain demands.  The studios pump ‘Eastwood…Damon…Spielberg’ and you want to believe that you’re in for something unique, something dramatic and visually amazing.  Sadly, with this film, that’s all there is; a unique concept, a great visual effect, and dramatic performances.  This is not a cohesive story or a complete story, it’s not a great movie and it’s not a bad movie – its ambiguous just the like the concept it purports.  It’s a strong thematic and dramatic host of performances.  It’s an amazing splashy special effect, and at its core is a very unique concept, but its execution will leave audiences puzzled.  The amazing imagery and dramatic performances are not enough to mask a film that doesn’t offer the audience a somewhat satisfying payoff.  It’s just not there, and that will drive the box office of this film into the ground, and relegate it to fodder for pre-Oscar buzz in a month’s time.  The performances may deserve it…the film does not.

Stealing the show is the tsunami scene.  I’ve read about them and seen news footage of the aftermath of one, but seeing one from inception to finale was a visual feast.  I’m sure that came courtesy of Spielberg and his effects group at ILM.  Director Clint Eastwood (Heartbreak Ridge) has never had what I would call a definable style in his visuals.  There are no signature shots in his repertoire (like Michael Bay’s character 360 wrap-a-round used in every one of his films), what Eastwood brings is gritty and solid characters and to that end, he delivers.   Matt Damon (School Ties) is solid as a leading man and there is certainly a charismatic draw to his character as witnessed by his ever so brief relationship in the film with actor Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village).   I had the pleasure of meeting Matt Damon many years ago during a press tour long before his Oscar glory and fame and it’s pleasing to see the seasoned actor he’s become.  Cecile De France (Around The World in 80 Days) delivers a credible performance with dignity and even allure.  It was refreshing to see a new leading lady on the screen.

Unfortunately, my pre-conceived notions of the film are drawing my dislike to it.  It was built up too strongly and it’s star and production power is overwhelming.  Yes, it has strong dramatic performances, but I want more…you’ll want more.  Maybe in the hereafter all of my wishes for this film will come true.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Hereafter is rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements including disturbing disaster and accident images, and for brief strong language.  Running Time: 129 minutes

Atomic Popcorn has yet another screening for all of you out there in Bmore land. Matt Damon and Clint Eastwood are back and bringing us yet another solid film. Hereafter is Warner Brother’s latest offering and one that is going to please a lot of people. Hereafter is In Theaters Friday, October 22, but we have a sneak peek screening for you all on October 19th!

Make sure to watch the trailer, it’s a great one!

Synopsis:

Oscar® winner Matt Damon (“Good Will Hunting,” “Invictus”) stars in “Hereafter,” directed by Academy Award® winner Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” ”Unforgiven”) from a screenplay by two time Oscar® nominee Peter Morgan (“Frost/Nixon,” “The Queen”).

“Hereafter” tells the story of three people who are haunted by mortality in different ways. Matt Damon stars as George, a blue-collar American who has a special connection to the afterlife. On the other side of the world, Marie (Cecile de France), a French journalist, has a near-death experience that shakes her reality. And when Marcus (Frankie/George McLaren), a London schoolboy, loses the person closest to him, he desperately needs answers. Each on a path in search of the truth, their lives will intersect, forever changed by what they believe might–or must–exist in the hereafter.

The film also stars award-winning French actress Cecile de France (“A Secret”) as Marie, and twins Frankie and George McLaren. The international cast also includes Jay Mohr (“Street Kings,” TV’s “Gary Unmarried”), Bryce Dallas Howard (“Eclipse,” “Spider-Man 3″), Marthe Keller, Thierry Neuvic and Derek Jacobi.

“Hereafter” is produced by Eastwood, multiple Oscar®-nominated producer Kathleen Kennedy (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Munich,” ”E.T.”) and two-time Oscar® nominee Robert Lorenz (“Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Mystic River”). Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Peter Morgan and Tim Moore served as executive producers.

Behind the scenes, Eastwood reunited with his longtime collaborators, including director of photography Tom Stern, production designer James J. Murakami, editors Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach, and costume designer Deborah Hopper.

“Hereafter” was filmed entirely on location in Paris, London, Hawaii and San Francisco.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Kennedy/Marshall Production, a Malpaso Production, ”Hereafter.”  Slated for limited release on October 15, 2010 and opening wide October 22, 2010, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. This film has been rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements including disturbing disaster and accident images, and for brief strong language.

Trailer:

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Secret Code:

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Make sure you check out our other free screenings in the Baltimore Area.

It would seem that brothers Joel & Ethan Coen can’t miss and this year they’re going to win more Oscars with their film True Grit. They have always made good movies, from Raising Arizona to Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink to The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Intolerable Cruelty. The Academy Award winning No Country For Old Men and now True Grit. The cast led by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, starring Oscar winner Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper and Josh Brolin. Take one look at this trailer and your plans for Christmas day 2010 will be in ink- see True Grit then open the rest of my presents.

What do you think? Have you read the book written by Charles Portis? What did you think of the original adaptation starring John Wayne?

Atomic Popcorn brings you yet another Top 10 list! This time we are bring you a list of some of the best on-screen duo’s there are! Below is a list of my top 10 on-screen duo’s of coarse you will have your own opinion. I promise to not use the word chemistry more than 4 times also!

If you all have any ideas for a top 10 list or want to see something specific send us an email at top10@atomicpopcorn.net and we will try and get it up here for you.

Without further ado, here is what I think are the top 10 on-screen duo’s of recent memory.

10. Ben Affleck & Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting- This unlikely duo of two kids from Boston making a movie based on something they wrote. Well the movie was a hit and the duo are still just that in Hollywood. Damon and Affleck both have a great career both behind and in front of them.

9. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys- who can see these guys without at least humming “Bad Boy Bad Boys, whatcha gonna do?” I know I can’t. A great on screen chemistry between these overly large men. The acting is on par with any action flick but these two bring to the table something special. I think they may be channeling a little something from another of our top 10 contenders for Top 10 Duo’s.

8. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction – These extremely violent yet stupid criminals made a movie and a career for a certain Director. While these two came onto the scene quietly, they left with a very large bang after this film. Such chemistry and great writing lead these guy’s onto our Top 10 list.

7. Sam and Frodo in LOTR Trilogy – This unlikely duo has melted ring’s around the world. All jokes aside about being gay lovers, this on-screen duo shares a lifetime of pain and love throughout these films. This duo was something that I don’t we had seen on screen in a while. A true chemistry between two guys in the midst of uncertain times.

6. Brad Pitt and George Clooney in the Ocean’s franchise – two of Hollywood’s leading men, leading the charge for some awesome bank robbing. What more can you want from two Joe Cool’s. Great acting, great suave, these two ooze cool.

5. Tyler and The Narrator in Fight Club – Didn’t we just mention Joe Cool above this, well he is back along side Edward Norton as number 5 on our list. These two really gave us a run for our money in Fight Club. Writing aside, the acting between these two made the movie what it is today.

4. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon franchise – oh my, two entirely different people trapped with one another made these two real men of the 80′s. The boys of Lethal Weapon brought to the screen an on-screen chemistry that not many have or will match. The laughs, the tears, the fights, true brothers ended up on screen with these two crazies!

3. Woody and Buzz from the Toy Story franchise – Yes I am well aware that they are artistically enhanced characters. Yes I am also aware I have a animated feature as my number 3. Without a doubt you have to include Tom Hanks and Tim Allen on this list. Starting as fierce rivals for Andy’s love, they have grown into a duo among the best. The interaction and delivery from this duo brings to life what we only know as animated history!

2. Robert Redford and Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting – Suave and complete. The acting and everything that follows and it includes these guys had it and brought it to the screen. These movies are classics for two reason and the two reason are the men above and below this blurb. These guys we looked at the men of men and rightfully so.

1. Steve Martin and John Candy in Planes, Trains and Automobiles – the funny men of the 80′s paired together to bring to the screen one of the best on screen duo’s ever. With Candy gone we can only assume what could of been but this was and is still a great movie. Due in large, or in whole, to these two completely crazy comedians.