" It's a bad day to be a rhesus monkey "

Contagion

A modern day thriller centered around the lives of various people as a deadly virus infects millions of people around the globe. As members of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control struggle to find a cure for the virus the death toll around the world increases astronomically. With the virus spreading at a seemingly unstoppable rate the pressure builds for the CDC to find a cure as fear, chaos and desperation transpires worldwide.

There are many individual stories being told in this film from the members of CDC trying to find the cure such as Deputy Director Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne), Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet) and scientist Dr. Ally Hoxtall (Jennifer Ehle). As well as father Mitch (Matt Damon) whose wife Beth (Gwenyth Paltrow) and stepson die in the first recorded case of the virus. Other prominent characters include Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard) a member of the World Health Organisation and well known blogger Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law). You would think that having such a strong cast would ensure this movie is as engaging and dramatic as advertised, sadly however it is not.

Soderbergh has included a vast array of characters to illustrate the global affect of the virus. By following these characters the detrimental impact of the virus can be seen from a variety of perspectives whether it's a character dealing with the lose of a loved one, developing symptoms themselves or struggling unsuccessfully to try and find the magic cure. The problem with having so many characters in a film played by so many well known actors, is that when they are given limited screen time as in Contagion you end up feeling cheated by their contribution. For the most part there are strong performances, however no character was given a large enough role to warrant any character development, as character development took second place to the overall story involving the spread of the virus.

The best performances come from Kate Winslet and Matt Damon, with Damon in particular displaying the most genuine form of emotion out of the cast, which is highlighted in the third act of the film. Jude Law is the only real let down as his Australian accent is ridiculous. I have no idea why he even needed an accent as he wasn't based in Australia, but as a result his character was extremely annoying and unlikeable.

Soderbergh is a really good director, I loved the Ocean's Eleven series and have enjoyed many of his other films such as Traffic and The Informant! however his directing is challenged here as Contagion proves a difficult film to make. I feel like he took on too much with this film, causing the film to lack drama and excitement. Given the scale of the virus' effect it was always going to be hard to conclude the film in a satisfying manner. I couldn't help but feel bored with the ending as everything seemed to conclude very quickly and neatly. This is a film that should have been thrilling and suspenseful throughout, however I was left almost bored throughout the film with the events unfolding in a seemingly predictable manner.

One of the most impressive aspects to this film is a promotion campaign designed for the film. A billboard which can be seen below was created using live bacteria to spell out the name Contagion, which is a really clever and original promotion idea.

Ultimately Contagion delivers exactly what you expect: a virus spreads uncontrollably across the globe, causing chaos and disruption to social order worldwide. Contagion remains an engaging, thought provoking and at times thrilling film, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed after watching it. The film unfortunately suffers from a lack of clear direction and doesn't deliver the suspense and drama that one would expect from this type of film.

" A little guilt goes a long way "

The Machinist

Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) is an industrial worker who lives a tragic and lonely life. He is an insomniac who hasn't been able to sleep for a year, is so thin he is putting his health at risk and on top of it all believes the few people in his life are involved in a plot to seek some form of revenge against him. As Reznik searches for answers he finds himself more and more isolated from his work colleagues and friends as he struggles to trust any of them. As Reznik's desperation escalates he begins to doubt himself and his own sanity.

 Director Brad Anderson and writer Scott Kosar have created a powerful and memorable psychological thriller. The location, lighting, characters and overall mood of the film creates a feeling of desperation and confusion as you try to understand what's going on. With the harrowing performance of Bale at the heart of the film.

The film keeps you guessing right to the end as you try to piece together the clues including the character of Ivan (John Sharian) that apparently only Reznik can see, the strange occurrences at Reznik's apartment or the significance of the time 1:30. Throughout the film you are trying to work out whether or not the unusual events are just in his head and understand what happened a year ago to cause his insomnia. For me the the conclusion was very clever and came as a surprise as I wasn't able to put together all of the hints and clues.

There are some strong performances from minor characters such as Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) a prostitute Reznik frequently visists and Marie (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon) a waitress whom he becomes friends with. As well as John Sharian whose portrayal of Ivan was extremely disturbing but very effective. Yet this film belongs to Christian Bale whose performance and physical transformation is both unbelievable and mesmerising. Bale lost about 28kg for the role, weighing only 54kg, which has to be up there as one of the most drastic weight changes any actor has undergone for a role. Bale is well known for going to extreme lengths for his films but never before has his appearance changed so dramatically. Bale is unrecognisable as the ghostly figure of Reznik proving the dedication he has for his art.

This is a disturbing and haunting film that explores the damaging effects of guilt, paranoia and fatigue. Bale's performance is fascinating to watch and his portrayal is one that is hard to forget. The Machinist lingers with you long after you finish watching as you appreciate the true quality of the film, but ultimately after watching this film you simply feel like you need a good rest.

" Where did you find this guy? " " He's from France. "

Godzilla

French nuclear testing in the South Pacific results in a new species of lizard to be created known as Godzilla. The new species affected by the radiation is 50m tall and after terrorising fishing boats in the South Pacific Ocean migrates to the island of Manhattan. As the U.S. military attempts to stop the giant lizard they enlist the help of Dr. Niko Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) who has been researching the effect of radiation on certain animals. When the attempts by the military fail, Godzilla is able to undertake its real motives for coming to the island, which could result in an even bigger problem for the citizens of Manhattan.

Director Ronald Emmerich has established himself as the king of disaster movies. He has been responsible for many box office hits such as Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 as well as many films that were box office flops, none more so than 10, 000 BC. Whether his films gain box office success or failure his films generally receive poor critical response due to his style of film making. Similar to the filmmaking of Michael Bay, Emmerich doesn't shy away from big budget effects or a lack of explosions as he comes up with new ways to destroy well known cities. Godzilla is no different as Manhattan is the unfortunate backdrop for destruction and ruin. Coming into an Emmerich film like Godzilla you have to realise what you are about to watch: an explosive and fun action flick. Viewers expecting a sophisticated piece of cinema need to remember the film is about a giant lizard running rampant in Manhattan. 

Broderick is the unlikely hero who offers scientific knowledge rather than military experience. Perhaps the most unbelievable part of the film is that a scientist who researches radioactive worms is our best chance of stopping a giant lizard. Broderick delivers some quirky one liners but ultimately he is pretty poor. It's sad to say but I'm still waiting for him to appear in another good movie as Ferris Bueller seems to be his one hit wonder. Maria Pitillo plays Audrey Timmonds a struggling reporter who is Broderick's love interest in the film but unfortunately she is incredibly annoying as she plays the cliche damsel in distress.

The majority of the laughs come from Hank Azaria who plays dedicated cameraman Animal, who goes to any lengths to gain footage of Godzilla. But the real star of the film is Jean Reno aka Philippe Roache, a member of the French secret service who along with his team is monitoring the situation in an attempt to cover up the French involvement in creating the lizard. Reno is excellent as the mysterious French agent who along with Azaria proves he has excellent comic timing.

The early scenes of Godzilla are very engaging as there is still a sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding the beast. The best scenes in the film come early on when you can't see Godzilla and it's left to your own imagination to picture what he looks like. The actual arrival of Godzilla comes fairly early into the film and is done with convincing effects that still hold up today. The majority of the scenes in Manhattan are very engaging with the scale and threat of Godzilla handled with excellent effect. The only flaw is how a 50m high lizard continually manages to hide from everyone. The main problem with the film is the length as thee film is way too long. During the second act the monster has well and truly been established and the storyline becomes repetitive and unnecessary.

There is no denying this film has its faults, the issues which have been shared by many critics since its release result in the poor acting and lack of story. On both accounts I would have to agree as most of the performances are beyond cliche and the storyline (in particular the second act) is very repetitive. Yet there is something about Godzilla that works, you have to simply go along for the ride and accept this film as a fun, guilty pleasure.