154. Contagion

I don't know about you but I have really been looking forward to the movie Contagion which was written by Scott Burns and directed by Steven Soderbergh (the Ocean's Franchise). Seeing the previews just made me more and more excited and anxious to see how awesome this movie was going to be. I love end of the world/disaster movies so this was right up my alley.

Plus, I figure that it was going to be interesting when Soderbergh went into it wondering how many Oscar winners and nominees he could kill off in one movie! For example, as the trailer gives away Gwyneth Paltrow's character dies within the first fifteen minutes of the movie. I am not going to tell you if these individuals die or not but other notable oscar nominees and winners who appear in this film include: Matt Damon, Kate Winslett, Laurence Fishburne, and Jude Law. Although I don't think that it was particularly important, my wife was quick to note that Jennifer Ehle from the British Pride and Prejudice mini-series (which is one of her favorites) also starred in this film.

Contagion will keep you on the edge of your seats and as far away from other movie goers as the theatre seats allow...yes, you will be that paranoid by the time it is finished! Anyway, this movie was totally awesome!

Final Verdict: Worth Owning!

46. Iron Man 2

               Our lovely Netflix shipped us a movie this week.  What movie? Iron Man 2 on spectacular blu-ray.  Iron Man 2 continues the story of Tony Stark. Stark being the party loving, narcissistic billionaire who, in the first Iron Man, decided to change his ways.  He built an alternative power source in his heart that helps him power a suit. The Iron Man suit.

                In building this suit Stark has brought peace to the planet. And for some reason the United States isn’t happy about that!  I never really get why the USA is unhappy with this but it proves the point that Iron Man is what the world needs. But what the world doesn’t know is that the paladium in the suit's power source is slowly killing Stark. So Stark's playboy ways start to get out of control because he only has so much time left.

         Joining the movie as the token bad guy that every super hero movie needs is Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko a Russian physicist whose dad was wronged by Stark's dad so he must destroy him. So he builds droids like the ones in the Star Wars prequel to attack him. The best part of the movie is the relationship and interaction between Stark and his assistant, true love (he realizes), Pepper Pots. I wish the story was more focused in on this since Downey and Paltrows chemistry is great. IM2 does a great job continuing the story and also working/setting up the Avengers storyline that is soon to come.   

Final Verdict: It's good. Someday I will own the Iron Man movies.