Sunday, September 25, 2011

Contagion

CONTAGION
DON'T TALK TO ANYONE. DON'T TOUCH ANYONE.
-NO ONE IS IMMUNE TO FEAR!

Now, I have written a preview for this movie and as promised, here is the proper review for it. Being honest, I was literally restless to see this movie since the very day it released, i.e 9th September 2011. Just saw it last night (24th September, many thanks to my dear friends who got the only print for me) :D

Contagion is a 2011 American thriller movie directed by the great, Steven Soderbergh. He is the very intelligent, very famous director of some really great movies such as Out Of Sight, Traffic, Erin Brockovich, The Ocean Series (Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen), The Good German and many more. After watching this movie, I must agree he is absolutely brilliant, simply amazing. A director that actually makes movies with sense, pure raw facts and makes it just...real!

The movie has an amazing, stellar, A-list cast, Oscar winners and nominated that were just amazing in the movie. Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Jennifer Ehle.

Contagion is a movie about the outbreak of a new, deadly disease that kills within days and is caught by the most common of things and kills within days, basically depending on the person's immune system and the incubation period. Also highlighting how it affects the world and the society falling apart.

The greatest thing about this movie is that its so so close to reality. We see these things happen around us all the time with no realization of such at all. Like how diseases are spread!? A normal hand shake, hug, simply talking, using someone's phone, or the home land line. For instance, I am using the computer right now and when I get up, my sister will use, using the same keyboard and mouse! We go to a cafe, order a drink, say if one has a cough and uses that glass, one has finished the drink and the glass is washed but it still may have that particular germs and someone will use that glass in the cafe. Best example is in the picture below that how Beth Emhoff is 'wishing luck' in the man's dice. That is transmission.

Contagion starts with Elizabeth Emhoff coming back to her home in Minneapolis from a business trip in Hong Kong, she is feeling sick but feels its just jet-lag. Two days later, her son is also sick and Beth collapses and begins to have seizures. Her husband, Mitch rushes her to the hospital where her seizures continue and she dies suddenly. No reason is stated yet. (*Not a spoiler, her death is shown in the trailer of the movie.)


When Mitch is told about her death, he just doesn't get it, he doesn't understand what happened to her and with absolute no cause of death. He goes back home where he gets another shock that what has happened and he is emotionally destroyed. Along with Beth, many other people around the world are shown dying in the exact same manner as Beth.

Now with many deaths around the globe and no cause known, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC becomes active in determining the cause. They first get hold of the virus from Beth's deceased body and begin to study it but with it, they get no where! no conclusions and not much known about the bodies in it.

The head of the CDC, Dr. Ellis Cheever is the head for the case and every nation, every country's head and official contacts him to find out what exactly is happening, with no answers he sends Dr. Erin Mears to Minneapolis to track down the main cause for Beth's death and her colleagues and everyone in contact.

Later in the movie is shown a very stressed Cheever who also pushes boundaries to get the vaccine for the disease and also get his wife saved from everything.


Dr. Erin Mears, and Epidemic Intelligence Service officer is called in by the CDC and sent to Minneapolis immediately to track down on field the main cause and also prevent in every way to spend, that also includes talking with the government officials, who are worried of what to tell the local people as still they don't know what they are fighting and no facts to present.

As she reaches her destination, there is no rest. She gets to work right ahead and after meeting the government officials, she sets off to Beth's office where she talks to her colleagues, her husband to know if she had complains of sickness or if she met on trip someone who was sick or anything, anything at all! She starts the prevention activities within 24 hours but still has many problems to face and a great great endangering obstacle. She is really really nice and wants to help in every darn possible way she can to stop the disease from spreading and get the origin of it.

The world Health Organization sends Dr. Leonore Orantes to London to find the cases of death there and from there is sent to Hong Kong where the sickness originated and how it started to spread, while she is there she finds out Beth is was the first one who had the disease. When she was to go back to Geneva to W.H.O, she is kidnapped by epidemiologist to use her as leverage to get the first vaccines for his village.

I won't tell how each of the plots end, you have to watch it for yourself and trust me, its totally worth it!!

Contagion premiered at the 68th Venice Film Festival and released publicly on 9th September 2011. On the very first week, the movie grossed $25 Million, debuting on #1, ending The Help's three week stay at number 1, by the next week, it grossed $55.5 Million worldwide. With a budget of $60 Million, its a great gross number data and is a SUPER HIT at the box-office.

The movie met wet great critical acclaim where everyone praised the director's effort and the story that was so close to reality, also applauded is the great A-list cast for each of their roles. Rotten Tomatoes, a critics movie site gave the movie an approval of a staggering 84% (Rotten Tomatoes are very harsh and usually give less marks to movies), also gave positive reviews.

The greatest thing about the movies is that it is scientifically accurate. Scientists also gave the movie a positive review complimenting the director's efforts that he made proper research and made a movie on a subject that is most likely to happen, GOD FORBID.


To me, Contagion was a great horror movie, because it really does scare you deep down you actually feel the chills. I mean, I am really scared to use anyone's glass or anything. My review for the film is 'TWO BIG THUMBS UP'. Its a very well made movie, one of the best of 2011. The director has pointed an idea, giving us a hint to be careful, hygienic. Literally. I think everyone should watch this movie and learn something from it. It speaks of deadly diseases, how society falls apart under the most dire of circumstances. The acting was outstanding. Matt, Laurence, Kate, Gwyneth, Marion were just amazing!
The movie got excellent reviews by professionals, even I have praised it, so just watch it.

-A Must Watch! Highly Recommended!

My Ratings: 9/10

Friday, September 23, 2011

Moulin Rouge!

MOULIN ROUGE!
No Laws. No Limits. One Rule. Never Fall In Love


Moulin Rouge! is a romantic jukebox, musical film directed and produced by Baz Luhrmann. Released in 2001, a major major success worldwide, a noticed musical picture. Starring the ever
beautiful and the very lovely (particularly in this movie) Nicole Kidman in her Oscar nominated role of Satine, also starring is Ewan McGregor as Christian. Rest of the cast includes Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh and Kylie Minogue in a special role as the Green Fairy.

Initially, the role of Satine was given to Kate Winslet and the deal was made, but she had to opt out due to shooting conflicts for her movie Iris, also released in 2001. If Kate had done the role of Satine, first of all she would have looked ammmmmazing in the get-up, the red hair, outlandishly wonderful and grand dresses and of course, the red lipstick! But Nicole looked awesome as heck as well, loved her in the movie, she stole it. Anyways, if Kate had done the role, she would have sung all her songs herself -for she being a singer as well (won Grammy award for her single 'What if' as best spoken for children's album)
. Nevertheless its Nicole's moment and her movie so it goes to Nicole that she looked absolutely ravishing and just simply beautiful.

The movie tells the story of a young and youthful English writer who moves to Montmarte district of Paris in 1899 to become a writer in the Bohemian culture, there he meets performers who perform in the famous Moulin Rouge there and they were to finish the story for a new play called 'Spectacular Spectacular' , where Christian helps them too. The performers arrange a meeting for him to meet the star of the Moulin Rouge, Satine, the star courtesan.

Christian very much enjoys the meeting but Satine has big plans for herself. She wants to be a big, famous performer and a star and so does Harold Zilder, owner of the Moulin
Rouge. Unaware of it, Zilder is promising Satine to Duke of Monroth who is very very wealthy and firmly in love with Satine. He also promises to fund the Moulin Rouge. Satine is very excited to meet the man who is to make her a star.

The meeting for Satine and Chiristan is set and Satine is very very excited to meet the Duke. When first sent to the room by the performers, she mistakes Christian for the Duke and starts to please him, talk to him and seduce him somehow. Very eager to show her skills to the Duke and convincing him she has it 'all'. The two share a song and the mystery is short lived, Christian tells her of his identity of a writer but by that time, he has fallen in love with her, how could he not while Satine is such a charming beauty, a perfect diamond.

The two are interrupted by the Duke but Satine tells him that they were practicing lines for the new act 'Spectacular Spectacular' and by the help of Christian, Zilder and the rest of the troupe, they pitch the show to the Duke with a very spontaneous and improvised plot of how an evil maharaja attempts to woo and marry an Indian courtesan who loves a poor Sitar player.

The Duke agrees to fund the act on one condition that only he is allowed to see and meet Satine and after the act, he would take her with him (plots to himself initially). Christian and Satine continue to see each other secretly and later Satine forbids to see him. He visits her next only to convince her that she loves him too. The two continue to see each other while rehearsing for Satine's lines from which the Duke becomes greatly jealous and threatens Zilder that make it stop or he'd stop financing the show.

Zilder talks to Satine about it and arranges a dinner for her and the Duke but makes an excuse for Satine later to the Duke (*SPOILER, won't tell why he made an excuse, see for yourself).

Satine talks to Christian that how their relationship is endangering the show and they should end it, Christian writes a love song to her and puts it in the production to prove it to her.
A jealous performer of the Moulin Rouge points to the Duke that the act is originally about himself, Christian and Satine as the maharja, Sitar player and courtesan respectively. The Duke is in rage and orders to change the ending of the play as maharaja marries the courtesan. Satine is sad and agrees to spend a night with the Duke and convince him to keep the original ending as the courtesan and the Sitar player get married. She however sees Christian from a window and withdraws from her plan.The Duke tries to take her forcibly but she is saved by 2 of the performers and reunites her with Christian and recommends that they run away together.

The Duke tells Zilder that he will get Christian killed if Satine is not his. Zilder again warns Satine of the situation. Satine tells him that they can't see each other anymore as she will now be staying with the Duke and he must leave. Christian tries following her but is denied entry in the M
oulin Rouge and he falls in sudden depression.

On the night of the show, Christian sneaks in behind the stage to talk to Satine but the two are presented in the spotlight, on the stage. Zilder tells that he is the disguised Sitar player but what happens next?

Will the Duke get Satine or will Christian fight for his love on the stage for the final time?

Being a musical, the film of course had a great great soundtrack lined up that included medley from Bollywood, and ranging from Queen to Elton John to Madonna. The film also had original songs, most notable were 'What May Come' and 'Lady Marmalade' sung by Christina Aguilera, Mya, Lil' Kim and P!nk (not featured in film) but was released after the movie and was a smash hit!

The movie itself was so well made, well acted, well-everything that it was hard not to like it if not love it. On its release, the movie grossed a great number and held re-releases in U.S and Australia. Also the movie was well received by the critics, calling it a musical masterpiece, and acting for Nicole Kidaman, Ewan McGregor and Jim Broadbent greatly appreciated.

The movie was a success for the awards season where it was heavi
ly nominated, winning the Best Musical or Comedy and Best Actress for Kidman, BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor to Broadbent. Also winning the Oscars for Best Costumes and Best Art Direction. Nicole Kidman was nominated for Best Actress, the movie itself nominated for Best Picture. In short 8 Oscar nominations! -Spectacular!!

Well, the movie is a must watch! Its light, it nice, romantic, great faces to watch or just watch it for Nicole. Its just great!

My ratings: 8.5/10.



Saturday, September 17, 2011

Yeh Kya Howa - Promo



Yeh Kya howa is an upcoming urdu sitcom that revolves around the lives of four teenagers who seem to always get themselves into either one mess or the other.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

BODYGUARD






Well this is said to be the year of SALMAN KHAN starring as LOVELY SINGH along wid KAREENA KAPOOR as DIVYA RANA. This is no one out of the world movie its a normal love story,with lots of action,and very stunning action SALMAN is a superman who just punches a guy and he flies like a G 6..lol..Movie can be said a bit hilarious,some punches are good others just fine.Salman khan and Kareena kapoor are good actors and did pretty well as far as the acting is concerned. Story was just ok nothing out of the box,action was over and direction just fine.

The story basically is of a bodyguard namely SALMAN KHAN who is very sincere to his professional,he is assigned a task of securing KAREENA KAPOOR who is daughter of a big bussiness tycoon ,also it is the same person where SALMAN'S father used to serve as bodyguard and SALMAN had outmost respect for the person and was ready to do anything for him.KAREENA just for the sake of fun started calling up salman to tease him and acted as an unknown girl who has fallen in love with him and slowly and gradually herself ell in love with him,towards the end there is just a slight twist in the story and the story ended up in a happy ending.

On the whole it was just an alright film,we have seen SALMAN  doing much beter and i look forward to see him doing some good roles in the future..

I would rate it 6-10 :)




Saturday, September 3, 2011

"Yeh Kya Howa" - Teaser



"Yeh Kya Howa" is an upcoming Webisodic sitcom serial produced by The ICoN Productions in collaboration with limitlessmoviereviews. It's a comedy based on the the events that occur with the common everyday teen.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Never Backdown 2



Four college freshmen happen to have the same goal – to participate (and ultimately win) the upcoming local “beatdown” mixed martial arts tournament. They all have their own reasons, but they all come together to train under a superb martial arts champion Case Walker (Michael Jai White).

A great fighter, and a very demanding and strict coach Walker at first doesn’t want to take on any students (he happens to have problems of his own: parents dead due to Katrina hurricane, he’s just out of the prison for killing a man with bare hands in a bar fight), however determined kids stay on their track, and Walker starts to prepare them for the “showdown”.



As the story develops, one of Walker’s students slips off the common path, and turns out to be a psycho, not caring about anyone (including his former friends, and Walker as well), and would stop at nothing to win the fighting tournament. He also manages to frame Walker for the murder, and all the problems find their solutions “in the steel cage”.

Michael Jai White is not only the star of the film, he’s also a director – this seems to be his debut. And, I must say, this is a very solid debut for sure. White stars as Case Walker, and once again, proves that with him being the lead, the movie gets only better. For example, the first “Undisputed” film starred Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes, in “Undisputed 2″, it was Michael Jai White and Scott Adkins. Everyone came to conclusion that 2nd part was better.

Same happened here – “Never Back Down 2″ is clearly better than the original. It’s pretty much everything: the fights are better, the characters are more vivid and believable, plus Michael Jai White handles the role of the mentor really good. And for all you MMA fans – there’s Todd Duffee playing one of Walker’s students, and a cameo with Big John McCarthy towards the end of the film. I should also mention Scottie Epstein, who plays Justin (the psycho) – throughout the whole film he transformed himself from a total “Kurt Cobain” wimp into a bald, raging fighter, hungry for blood. Very believable.

The film is never boring, entertaining, and what is mostly important in movies like this – it has great fights. For martial arts fans, this is a must see.

Rating 7/10



Serj Tankian: Lie, Lie, Lie!!



Now this song is a MASTERPIECE!
the lyrics are morbid, the video is creepy, the song is wonderful! Its all perfect.

Céline Dion - A New Day Has Come



Now she is like...the Queen of music!!
Celine always takes me by surprise, and this song in particular is just Awesome.
so inspiring & beautiful lyrics, beautifully sung!
-ah, Love!

Akcent - Make Me Shiver


Oh now this is a HOT HOT song! way-to go Akcent! :p
very catchy!