The Books/Their Authors: Stieg Larsson's Millennium Series, Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander series, Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series.
The Dealio: There is a very basic template to all of these, with slight departures in each. This whole, dark thaang started with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Initially, I was too chicken to read this one. Peeps immediately began weighing in on what they felt was a strong anti-woman vibe. Then there were the movies to contend with: first the reality of the Swedish movies, then the promise of an American remake (of, at least, the first). Just couldn't stand it any more. I had to see what all the chatter was about.
And, I liked them. Mostly. And with reservations. I have seen the original movies and now plan to see TGWTDT. When I finished the Millennium Trilogy, I began casting about for something similar. When someone recommended Kurt Wallander, I started off on a new pathway, through a coupla Henning Mankell's novels, propelled, no doubt, by both the sheer number of them, and the fact that the Beeb had produced some movies based upon- and starring Kenneth Branaugh as Wallander. Liked those pretty well, too.
When an article ran in EW or Newsweek or some such, about Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole mysteries, I selected one, and steamed on, full speed ahead.
Being not the quickest study in the fantiverse, a pattern slowly began to emerge. And, even as I continue to intersperse my other reading/listening with selections from this bounty thriller exotica, I realised that I had fallen into a rut...a very dark, icy, broody, malicious rut. Mental palate cleanser, if you please! (Enter Just My Tyoe, on which, more in a later entry).
The Grading Sessions: All of these fall within 4.0 to 4.6 pengies territory. They are involving, they are full to the bursting with side plots and complexities that take years and years (and years) to unwind. There is also a thick and barbed strand of 'the lost girls' in each. The violence is uncommon and explicit. Women are placed in high position - either within law enforcement and/or the law, itself. In the case of Larsson's trilogy, as anyone who takes a news or entertainment mag, owns a TV or has been to a movie in the past ninety days knows, his Salander is both an outlaw and a computer genius. In every case, there is great attention to back story and details. And, at bottom, there is a miasma of distrust of those assigned- in one capacity or another- to protect and serve the interests of public safety. These are exciting and onvolving to read/listen to, but, at heart, they- like their heroes, are also deeply flawed and semi-tragic. Sometimes, ya just wanna put on sandals and run into the sunny beauty of a San Diego summer. So, you do.
Lessons Learned: Every hero of each of these series has got a drinking problem, marital problems, commitment problems and anger management problems. Each represents the side of truth and justice and finds both by bending- or hacking to bits- the law to their purposes. All are bitter and depressed- must be the winters, because, even when the story is set in summer, it is painted in dark and stormy and cold and threatening strokes. None of these heroes are good-looking (in fact, most of them, their creators go out of their way to emphasise, are downright homely). They are huge, muscle and/or fat bound creations, and yet...are absolutely irresistible to any/all women with whom they come in contact. Incredible. And then, there is the graphic, high-grade violence. Usually, this is focused on the females in the books, but our heroes also come in for their own extended kabuki with the staffs of many ERs.
So, what is my lesson? Well, it's very basic, actually: if you pen the story, you get to make even the least likely folk come out champion of all they survey and possessing all the perks/qualities you wish you, yourself, had. But do not.
Also this- do not listen to this stuff via audio book, in your car, alone, while driving home from a distant place. Especially when you are enjoying your very own dark and stormy night. That's a killer.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Ides Of March
The Flick: The Ides Of March
The Peeps: George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Jennifer Ehle, etc.
The Dealio: Candidate Morris (Clooney)- war hero, Democrat, sitting guv, family man, solid citizen who can reach the young, etc, etc- is locked into a primary battle in the state of Ohio and is pulling out all the stops in order to win the coveted berth at 1600 PA Ave. One of the very best tricks he has up his sleeves is whip-smart, young, incisive gunslinger and press-tamer Steven Myers (Gosling, with his patented dead-eyed stare and thin-lipped disapproval ratcheted way up to 11). Just when it seems the two candidates are deadlocked, the two campaign managers on opposite sides of this battle, both make a play for Steven. And the house of cards begins to disassemble. What happens next is hardly original, although Clooney- who also directed and co-wrote the piece- leaves the final denouement up for grabs (don't you just hate it when Probst says that every week?).
The Grading Session: 4 pengies out of 5. A little too long, a few too many cliches, but an engaging and involving movie, this film could stand a little off the sides and neaten up the back. So to speak. The frozen, gimlet-eyed demeanor of Gosling's Steven is becoming a bit too standard- I got bushels of it in Drive- and would welcome a change-up with a bit more of a look inside the man betrayed. Or betraying?
Lessons Learned: Kinda cliches in their own right: never trust a politician. Especially one who says, 'Don't vote for me, in fact.' This is the guy who would outfit his parents with cement overshoes for 10 electoral votes. Then call himself a lone orphan in order to scoop up the remaining EVs. Then, too, this: the press is not your friend. Don't ever make the mistake of confusing avidity for the story with interest in you and your well-being. A reporter is as interested in your well-being as you are in his/hers. Lastly this: if you think you will be left standing, unharmed, when you bring down everything around you, consider, long and hard, the destructive nature of the earthquake. And think again about what is about to be destroyed.
Notable quotables: To Steven:'We are not friends. We are on opposite sides of the same story. It benefits you to let me shape the news. It is in my best interest to be the first one to get my hands on the news.' (Later, the same character will ask Steven, 'Aren't we friends any more?' To which he responds, 'You are my best friend.')
'There is nothing, nothing, I value more than loyalty. I thought you knew that about me.' (Said, by one campaign manager, to justify betraying someone and throwing that person to the wolves).
The Peeps: George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Jennifer Ehle, etc.
The Dealio: Candidate Morris (Clooney)- war hero, Democrat, sitting guv, family man, solid citizen who can reach the young, etc, etc- is locked into a primary battle in the state of Ohio and is pulling out all the stops in order to win the coveted berth at 1600 PA Ave. One of the very best tricks he has up his sleeves is whip-smart, young, incisive gunslinger and press-tamer Steven Myers (Gosling, with his patented dead-eyed stare and thin-lipped disapproval ratcheted way up to 11). Just when it seems the two candidates are deadlocked, the two campaign managers on opposite sides of this battle, both make a play for Steven. And the house of cards begins to disassemble. What happens next is hardly original, although Clooney- who also directed and co-wrote the piece- leaves the final denouement up for grabs (don't you just hate it when Probst says that every week?).
The Grading Session: 4 pengies out of 5. A little too long, a few too many cliches, but an engaging and involving movie, this film could stand a little off the sides and neaten up the back. So to speak. The frozen, gimlet-eyed demeanor of Gosling's Steven is becoming a bit too standard- I got bushels of it in Drive- and would welcome a change-up with a bit more of a look inside the man betrayed. Or betraying?
Lessons Learned: Kinda cliches in their own right: never trust a politician. Especially one who says, 'Don't vote for me, in fact.' This is the guy who would outfit his parents with cement overshoes for 10 electoral votes. Then call himself a lone orphan in order to scoop up the remaining EVs. Then, too, this: the press is not your friend. Don't ever make the mistake of confusing avidity for the story with interest in you and your well-being. A reporter is as interested in your well-being as you are in his/hers. Lastly this: if you think you will be left standing, unharmed, when you bring down everything around you, consider, long and hard, the destructive nature of the earthquake. And think again about what is about to be destroyed.
Notable quotables: To Steven:'We are not friends. We are on opposite sides of the same story. It benefits you to let me shape the news. It is in my best interest to be the first one to get my hands on the news.' (Later, the same character will ask Steven, 'Aren't we friends any more?' To which he responds, 'You are my best friend.')
'There is nothing, nothing, I value more than loyalty. I thought you knew that about me.' (Said, by one campaign manager, to justify betraying someone and throwing that person to the wolves).
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Moneyball
The Flick: Moneyball
The Peeps: Well, Brad Pitt, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, Nick Searcy, Arliss Howard, etc.
The Dealio: The-mostly, I'm sure- true story of the GM of the Oakland A's, Billy Beane, and his quest to prove that great baseball can be found at a discount. After watching how the deal is made behind the scenes- with an unknown quantity of Peter Brand, Pitt's Beane decides to follow that self-same UQ by taking on the newbie, a recent Yale econ grad, as the person most likely to turn this team around. And, maybe, just maybe, turn baseball on its ear.
The Grading Session: 4.951 pengies out of 5. No demerits here for the soundtrack, but hellfire, this was a long movie. Coulda, shoulda, woulda benefited from a taddy bit of editing. Not every word is as sacrosanct as every other one. Y'know? But, all in all, I must say, this is a must-see. I loved the worn-in, baseball glove weariness of Pitt's face, the naturalness of his relationship with Hill's eager-to-succeed, yet tentative about his skills Brand, and the intrigue of what goes on behind closed doors. I am always appreciative of behind-the-scenes scenes. From the fencing training in The Duellists, to the on-the-spot workshop on customising a suit in The Tailor Of Panama, it is always a jolt of adrenalin to see behind the mystical curtain. C'mon. You know what I mean: what the ordinary person doesn't get to see. The VIP tour...plus. Isn't that what we all crave? I know I do.
Notable Quotables: 'These are baseball players. Just tell them up-front what is happening.' Also this: 'So, you and Google Boy sit there making decisions about this team, while I have 29 years experience, and that's...what? nothing?' Lastly this one: 'It's like the Island of Lost Toys. They are largely unknown guys who have something that the American public may not want to see. But they can win games. And they are in your price range.'
Lessons Learned: Wow. So many. First of all, for America's fave sport, there sure is a lot we never get to see. And, maybe that's for the best. I am not sure we are ready to look beyond the smoke and mirrors. And this: always bothered me that players of a sport got way more bank than those protecting our lives and our futures- like police, firemen, military. Baseball is a sport. A great sport, but it is a sport, when all is said and done. Why the huge pay-bump for these folk? Why do we think this is okay? The fact that fielding a team- a winning team- for a tenth of the standard operating cost is not only possible, but practical, in this economy. And this is something the leaders in the arena of sports need to fully and rapturously embrace. Hey! Attention baseball player shoppers! Start now.
The Peeps: Well, Brad Pitt, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, Nick Searcy, Arliss Howard, etc.
The Dealio: The-mostly, I'm sure- true story of the GM of the Oakland A's, Billy Beane, and his quest to prove that great baseball can be found at a discount. After watching how the deal is made behind the scenes- with an unknown quantity of Peter Brand, Pitt's Beane decides to follow that self-same UQ by taking on the newbie, a recent Yale econ grad, as the person most likely to turn this team around. And, maybe, just maybe, turn baseball on its ear.
The Grading Session: 4.951 pengies out of 5. No demerits here for the soundtrack, but hellfire, this was a long movie. Coulda, shoulda, woulda benefited from a taddy bit of editing. Not every word is as sacrosanct as every other one. Y'know? But, all in all, I must say, this is a must-see. I loved the worn-in, baseball glove weariness of Pitt's face, the naturalness of his relationship with Hill's eager-to-succeed, yet tentative about his skills Brand, and the intrigue of what goes on behind closed doors. I am always appreciative of behind-the-scenes scenes. From the fencing training in The Duellists, to the on-the-spot workshop on customising a suit in The Tailor Of Panama, it is always a jolt of adrenalin to see behind the mystical curtain. C'mon. You know what I mean: what the ordinary person doesn't get to see. The VIP tour...plus. Isn't that what we all crave? I know I do.
Notable Quotables: 'These are baseball players. Just tell them up-front what is happening.' Also this: 'So, you and Google Boy sit there making decisions about this team, while I have 29 years experience, and that's...what? nothing?' Lastly this one: 'It's like the Island of Lost Toys. They are largely unknown guys who have something that the American public may not want to see. But they can win games. And they are in your price range.'
Lessons Learned: Wow. So many. First of all, for America's fave sport, there sure is a lot we never get to see. And, maybe that's for the best. I am not sure we are ready to look beyond the smoke and mirrors. And this: always bothered me that players of a sport got way more bank than those protecting our lives and our futures- like police, firemen, military. Baseball is a sport. A great sport, but it is a sport, when all is said and done. Why the huge pay-bump for these folk? Why do we think this is okay? The fact that fielding a team- a winning team- for a tenth of the standard operating cost is not only possible, but practical, in this economy. And this is something the leaders in the arena of sports need to fully and rapturously embrace. Hey! Attention baseball player shoppers! Start now.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Our Idiot Brother
The Flick: Our Idiot Brother
The Peeps: Paul Rudd, Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan, Rashida Jones, Shirley Knight, Adam Scott, Hugh Dancy, etc.
The Dealio: Rudd plays Ned, the idiot brother of the title. His three sisters: smug, shrill, self-righteous and bigger idiots than Ned, feel a sense of amused botheration when(ever) Ned gets himself into a bind. When he sells dope to a cop who is 'having a really bad week and needs something to help lighten things up', Ned goes to jail, losing his job, his woman and- most heartbreakingly-his doggage. The rest of the movie is about how Ned manages to cut to the heart of every sitch as it crops up, while his sisters, operating from a position of possessing every advantage- manage to mess up their lives, their jobs and their relationships by the numbers. Pity poor Jones, stuck in an underdeveloped, thankless role, who persists in bringing her A game to a D level championship. Ditto Knight, who in movie after movie shows real star power and the ability to rise above the material. She rules as the voice of the no nonsense, but easy-love Mom, who, none the less, cuts to the chase every time and winds up winning the day. Will Ned succeed in finally getting the respect a nature boy who can not tell a lie (No, I mean it. He really. can. not.) rightly has earned? Whaddaya think?
The Grading Session: 4.01 pengies out of 5. There is a good heart at the core of this film. It just doesn't belong to any of the smug, shrewish women who sit in judgement of their brother. If persistent stereotypes annoy the living crap out of you- this is not the flick for you. Try Starman instead: a much better film and vintage Jeff Bridges to boot. Or, no. Wait: The Big Lebowski. Yeah. Either of those for the naif innocent persisting in a world gone horribly brutal thaang.
Notable Quotables: "Do you think these remelted candles are sellable?" "Did you know that he has to strip to interview her? That's how shy she is."
Lessons Learned: Dogs know with whom they belong. If you want unconditional love, it's either a newborn or a dog. Or a newborn dog. Also this: sometimes people so totally do not deserve the benefit of the doubt.
The Peeps: Paul Rudd, Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan, Rashida Jones, Shirley Knight, Adam Scott, Hugh Dancy, etc.
The Dealio: Rudd plays Ned, the idiot brother of the title. His three sisters: smug, shrill, self-righteous and bigger idiots than Ned, feel a sense of amused botheration when(ever) Ned gets himself into a bind. When he sells dope to a cop who is 'having a really bad week and needs something to help lighten things up', Ned goes to jail, losing his job, his woman and- most heartbreakingly-his doggage. The rest of the movie is about how Ned manages to cut to the heart of every sitch as it crops up, while his sisters, operating from a position of possessing every advantage- manage to mess up their lives, their jobs and their relationships by the numbers. Pity poor Jones, stuck in an underdeveloped, thankless role, who persists in bringing her A game to a D level championship. Ditto Knight, who in movie after movie shows real star power and the ability to rise above the material. She rules as the voice of the no nonsense, but easy-love Mom, who, none the less, cuts to the chase every time and winds up winning the day. Will Ned succeed in finally getting the respect a nature boy who can not tell a lie (No, I mean it. He really. can. not.) rightly has earned? Whaddaya think?
The Grading Session: 4.01 pengies out of 5. There is a good heart at the core of this film. It just doesn't belong to any of the smug, shrewish women who sit in judgement of their brother. If persistent stereotypes annoy the living crap out of you- this is not the flick for you. Try Starman instead: a much better film and vintage Jeff Bridges to boot. Or, no. Wait: The Big Lebowski. Yeah. Either of those for the naif innocent persisting in a world gone horribly brutal thaang.
Notable Quotables: "Do you think these remelted candles are sellable?" "Did you know that he has to strip to interview her? That's how shy she is."
Lessons Learned: Dogs know with whom they belong. If you want unconditional love, it's either a newborn or a dog. Or a newborn dog. Also this: sometimes people so totally do not deserve the benefit of the doubt.
Drive
The Flick: Drive
The Peeps: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Christina Hendricks, etc.
The Dealio: Ryan Gosling is the (unnamed) Driver. See? Getting all QT up in here already. By day , he is alternately a cipher of a stunt driver/auto mechanic. But he doth also moonlight as the wheel man on various adventures, most of which occur under cover of dark. His brass tacks line is 'I give you 5 minutes. During that time, I am 100% yours. One minute in either direction, and I am out of there. I don't carry a gun, I drive.' So, there you have the set-up.
Then he runs into a neighbor (Mulligan's Irene) and her impossibly adorable son- whose dad is in jail. And don't you know, just as things start perking along, Irene's ex is released from the lock-up to return home and pick up where he left off. Of course, he is chastened and trying hard to do the right thing, but you know this state of grace is flat out not gonna endure. In order to protect his fam, he is drawn back into the life, and winds up dragging Gosling's Driver right along with. Naturally, it is a fool-proof gig, and naturally, things go south with all due dispatch once the Driver signs on. There follows an incredible amount of high-grade violence, without the nuance and commitment to character development- nor the compulsory drawing of the viewer in, to take sides with our anointed heroes. Here's a tip for ya: if we just don't give a brass farthing for anyone involved, least of all the main character, this simply isn't going to pan out for us. If you had told me, at the start of the movie, that I would care about the outcome for Jules and Vincent in Pulp Fiction, I would have thought you were nuts. But, of course, I did. And I was not alone in experiencing this bond. Drive...not so much.
The Grading Session: 3.51 pengies out of 5. Please see above for the reasons behind the grade. BTW- Brooks was a real revelation as the duty bad hat. Check out the new career vector on him!
Notable Quotables: "Now...you get to clean up after me." 'Sorry. My hands are a little dirty.' "Mine, too." Both from Brooks. See? What'd I tell you?
Lessons Learned: Well, for starters- don't mess with Brooks; he proves that you really don't have to shout to be heard and feared. A simple, poisonous purr will get the job done just as well. Maybe better. Next: you never really get to back away from poor lifestyle choices when you think you have learned your lesson and are intent on putting the past behind you. Lastly: if something is a sure thing, it really, really isn't. And if the gig is fool-proof, ditto.
The Peeps: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Christina Hendricks, etc.
The Dealio: Ryan Gosling is the (unnamed) Driver. See? Getting all QT up in here already. By day , he is alternately a cipher of a stunt driver/auto mechanic. But he doth also moonlight as the wheel man on various adventures, most of which occur under cover of dark. His brass tacks line is 'I give you 5 minutes. During that time, I am 100% yours. One minute in either direction, and I am out of there. I don't carry a gun, I drive.' So, there you have the set-up.
Then he runs into a neighbor (Mulligan's Irene) and her impossibly adorable son- whose dad is in jail. And don't you know, just as things start perking along, Irene's ex is released from the lock-up to return home and pick up where he left off. Of course, he is chastened and trying hard to do the right thing, but you know this state of grace is flat out not gonna endure. In order to protect his fam, he is drawn back into the life, and winds up dragging Gosling's Driver right along with. Naturally, it is a fool-proof gig, and naturally, things go south with all due dispatch once the Driver signs on. There follows an incredible amount of high-grade violence, without the nuance and commitment to character development- nor the compulsory drawing of the viewer in, to take sides with our anointed heroes. Here's a tip for ya: if we just don't give a brass farthing for anyone involved, least of all the main character, this simply isn't going to pan out for us. If you had told me, at the start of the movie, that I would care about the outcome for Jules and Vincent in Pulp Fiction, I would have thought you were nuts. But, of course, I did. And I was not alone in experiencing this bond. Drive...not so much.
The Grading Session: 3.51 pengies out of 5. Please see above for the reasons behind the grade. BTW- Brooks was a real revelation as the duty bad hat. Check out the new career vector on him!
Notable Quotables: "Now...you get to clean up after me." 'Sorry. My hands are a little dirty.' "Mine, too." Both from Brooks. See? What'd I tell you?
Lessons Learned: Well, for starters- don't mess with Brooks; he proves that you really don't have to shout to be heard and feared. A simple, poisonous purr will get the job done just as well. Maybe better. Next: you never really get to back away from poor lifestyle choices when you think you have learned your lesson and are intent on putting the past behind you. Lastly: if something is a sure thing, it really, really isn't. And if the gig is fool-proof, ditto.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Exit Through The Gift Shop
The Flick: Exit Through The Gift Shop (Non-fiction)
The Peeps: Banksy, Thierry Guetta, Rhys Ifans (narrator) et al.
The Dealio: When Thierry Guetta, a shopkeeper and self-confessed photo-addict, becomes enthralled with the graffiti world in France, and then in the US and the UK, all sorts of mayhem results. Eventually, the self-proclaimed, but untested Guetta becomes something in the nature of an underground phenom himself. Suddenly, he is the director of a studio which mass-produces 'works of subversive art'. He has a sold-out show, which nets him tons of lettuce and notoriety. Where will he venture next?
The Grading Session: 3.79 pengies out of 5. Although fairly short, the film became repetitious. But you should definitely call it up, if you have a weekend with time on your hands and an excruciating need to be entertained and transported out of yourself. This is an intriguing and involving commentary on the world of underground art.
Notable Quotables: "So, the lesson for me was 'never try to help someone out with a quote.'"
Lessons Learned: Sometimes it is possible to simply stumble into success. Otherwise, it is probably worth your while to look into a thing before you leap. Or invest. What strikes you as innovative and unique, may just have been reproduced en masse in a storage loft. Does it make it any less art? No. But, with art, as with many other things, you should probably only invest in what you love.
The Peeps: Banksy, Thierry Guetta, Rhys Ifans (narrator) et al.
The Dealio: When Thierry Guetta, a shopkeeper and self-confessed photo-addict, becomes enthralled with the graffiti world in France, and then in the US and the UK, all sorts of mayhem results. Eventually, the self-proclaimed, but untested Guetta becomes something in the nature of an underground phenom himself. Suddenly, he is the director of a studio which mass-produces 'works of subversive art'. He has a sold-out show, which nets him tons of lettuce and notoriety. Where will he venture next?
The Grading Session: 3.79 pengies out of 5. Although fairly short, the film became repetitious. But you should definitely call it up, if you have a weekend with time on your hands and an excruciating need to be entertained and transported out of yourself. This is an intriguing and involving commentary on the world of underground art.
Notable Quotables: "So, the lesson for me was 'never try to help someone out with a quote.'"
Lessons Learned: Sometimes it is possible to simply stumble into success. Otherwise, it is probably worth your while to look into a thing before you leap. Or invest. What strikes you as innovative and unique, may just have been reproduced en masse in a storage loft. Does it make it any less art? No. But, with art, as with many other things, you should probably only invest in what you love.
Contagion
The Flick: Contagion
The Peeps: Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, John Hawkes, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet, etc.
The Dealio: In the beginning, Paltrow's Beth is cheating on her husband(Damon). She is travelling to Hong Kong on business and 'picks up' with an ex. She is already exhibiting symptoms of some sort of flu-like thaang- coughing, runny eyes and achiness- which she dismisses as jet lag. And then the bods start to pile up: people going about their daily lives- peeps who, on the surface, have nothing to do with each other- are dropping over, then dropping dead. And so it goes. Wot's the dealio?! In a race to discover what all these clusters have to do with each other, scientists- Cotillard, Fishburne and Winslet, as well as Law's journalist/blogger- begin to look into the background of those who were the first to bite the dust. And, what do we discover? Nothing simple, that's fer shur.
The Grading Session: 4.1 pengies out of 5. Too much left unresolved, too much creepiness, too ambitious, without living up to the potential of what seemed to me like a lesser Crichton tale.
Notable Quotables: 'But, we're not sick! We're healthy!' "So, we're sorry, but she didn't make it. Despite our best efforts." 'OK. So, when can I talk to her?'
Lessons Learned: Here's the biggie: WASH YOUR HANDS. Also this: it's OK to feel paranoid, if everyone around you is kicking the bucket. For further advice, please see lessons learned, #1.
The Peeps: Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, John Hawkes, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet, etc.
The Dealio: In the beginning, Paltrow's Beth is cheating on her husband(Damon). She is travelling to Hong Kong on business and 'picks up' with an ex. She is already exhibiting symptoms of some sort of flu-like thaang- coughing, runny eyes and achiness- which she dismisses as jet lag. And then the bods start to pile up: people going about their daily lives- peeps who, on the surface, have nothing to do with each other- are dropping over, then dropping dead. And so it goes. Wot's the dealio?! In a race to discover what all these clusters have to do with each other, scientists- Cotillard, Fishburne and Winslet, as well as Law's journalist/blogger- begin to look into the background of those who were the first to bite the dust. And, what do we discover? Nothing simple, that's fer shur.
The Grading Session: 4.1 pengies out of 5. Too much left unresolved, too much creepiness, too ambitious, without living up to the potential of what seemed to me like a lesser Crichton tale.
Notable Quotables: 'But, we're not sick! We're healthy!' "So, we're sorry, but she didn't make it. Despite our best efforts." 'OK. So, when can I talk to her?'
Lessons Learned: Here's the biggie: WASH YOUR HANDS. Also this: it's OK to feel paranoid, if everyone around you is kicking the bucket. For further advice, please see lessons learned, #1.
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