Contagion

"Contagion" (2011, Steven Soderbergh, Warner Bros. Pictures, Participant Media, Imagenation Abu Dhabi, Double Feature Films) is a film about a deadly virus spreading worldwide.

I thought that during these current times of COVID-19 I'd revisit the excellent, terrifying and sadly extremely relevant "Contagion".

Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns home from an international business trip and accidentally sets in motion a pandemic which spreads like wildfire. We follow different characters who are in the main unaware of their connections to one another as they seek to contain, report, fight or escape the lethal virus.

The film does an excellent job of highlighting how easily the virus spreads, how quickly the panic spreads and how woefully under-prepared the world is in the face of such a situation. Unfortunately, looking at our current events, we are globally even less prepared than displayed in this film. But in the main, it is truly haunting how on the nose the film's events are.

The cast is fantastic. With excellent performances across the board from Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Chin Han, Marion Cotillard, Elliott Gould, Gwyneth Paltrow... frankly everyone.

Well paced and engaging, the film is gripping at the best of times, but its currently relatable content rings disturbingly true at present.

[Image: Warner Bros. Pictures]

Hani

Cabin Fever (2016)

"Cabin Fever" (2016, Travis Z, Armory Films, Contend, Pelican Point Media, IFC Midnight) is the remake of Eli Roth's movie of the same name and premise from 2002. Roth produced this remake, but it still doesn't really explain why it was made...

A group of fairly unlikeable young people go up to stay at a secluded cabin in the woods to party. The kids are soon exposed to, and eaten quickly alive by, a flesh eating virus which pretty much ruins their plans.

Z used a slightly modified version of Roth's original script and so the film is almost a direct remake of the original, but without some of Roth's gory humour. Essentially, the film is neither as gruesome nor as good as the original because it takes itself too seriously. The characters are completely disposable because they're just pretty horrible people and the locals are equally so. Deputy Winston, this time a female portrayed by Louise Linton, was a fairly inspiring deviation from the original and took that specific element in a new direction, but essentially the film as a whole is serviceable but fairly forgettable. I just can't fully fathom why they decided to make this remake in the first place!

[Armory Films, et al]

Hani

Split

"Split" (2014, Andy Stewart, Shining Example Films) is a short horror film from the talented Scottish director and writer, Andy Stewart.

Last year I blogged about another of Andy's body horror short films, the wonderfully raw and sickening "Dysmorphia" you can find that here: http://horrorev.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/dysmorphia.html

An unnamed man (Austin Hayden) awakes alone in bed. It soon becomes apparant that he and his girlfriend (Shian Denovan) have split up. As the plot unfolds we become more aware that he is to blame for the breakup and that he is slowly being cosumed by his guilt.

He begins to become ill as his guilt manifests itself physcially. From pustules to losing body bits, the effects are vomit-inducingly detailed and realistic, steering clear of gore-fest cheapness.

As his condition worsens we're treated to flashbacks to his relationship. The use of lighting in the different time zones is really effective. And the scoring is excellently timed and very haunting.

With a larger budget this time less is left to our imagination, and we enjoy some gruesome physical effects teamed with the same powerful use of sound that Andy's technique demonstrated in "Dsymorphia".

More artistic and eerie than the more shocking storytelling style used in "Dysmorphia", "Split" creates a different, sadder atmosphere and again, keeps the audience enthralled for the full 18 minute run-time despite the some truly queezy moments!

Fantastic! You have to check out this film!

 

 

[Image: Shining Example Films]

Hani