Contagion (2011)

Sheer terror and utter chaos inside the mind of the average citizen. That's the central message of Contagion, which is one of the best films of 2011.

Day 2: Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns home from a business trip to Hong Kong with what seems like a nasty cold. When she collapses two days later, her husband Mitch (Matt Damon) rushes her to the hospital, where she dies almost instantly. This case quickly gets the attention of the federal government after similar cases are discovered around the globe. Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) and Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet), both of the CDC, take different approaches to solving this mystery. Cheever at CDC headquarters and Mears in the field gathering data. As news of more and more deaths start to appear, blogger Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) starts drudging up stories about the disease that are either half-truths or completely false. But his writings help further a worldwide panic that's set in. People start to look at homeopathic cures or any type of medication that could potentially cure them. No matter what the public does, it's no match for a disease that can't be traced.

I loved almost every aspect of this movie. As the disease spreads, the audience sees it from every angle. Publicly, privately, bureaucratically and online. You watch as the panic spreads day to day and month to month. Jude Law played smug-sonuvabitch to a T and Laurence Fishburne was great as a smart man who was clearly in over his head. Even those with smaller roles, including John Hawkes and Demetri Martin, did great in their parts. But the best storyline involved Matt Damon. As he and his daughter try and survive, you see how even small-town America is falling into anarchy. I could've done without Marion Cotillard's storyline, but it was so minor that I'll remember the movie around it. If you love thrillers, do yourself a favor and watch Contagion. This will definitely make my 2011 Top Ten list. Grade: A

Inside Job (2010)

Now, I don't claim to know a lot about business, but this documentary plainly stated the financial inequities that led to the economic collapse in 2008 so even I could understand.

After several questionable and eyebrow-raising loans within the regulatory and subprime lending industries, the world suffered a catastrophic collapse which sent millions of Americans into the unemployment office. For almost a decade, the political movement toward deregulation and the complex derivatives market made way for a systematic risk taken by many in the financial sector. However, when they kept borrowing and borrowing, the bubble eventually burst and led to one of the biggest Wall Street sell-offs in history. Several analysts, politicians, journalists and academics interviewed for this film had various takes on the situation that all pointed in the same direction. The problem being once the culprit was found, very little was done to make sure it never happens again. Even those interviewed who had a hand in those troubling decisions couldn't explain how to avoid similar calamity.

I worked in a newsroom at this time and couldn't wrap my head around a lot of the subject matter. Mostly, I was just thankful to have a job. But now I have a better knowledge of the situation that still lingers three years later. Many valid points were made during the shoot, and even some discrepancies showed up during the interviews. I loved hearing the director ask the questions at times because he pulled no punches. One problem to me, and it could have only been the copy I watched, was that Matt Damon's narration sounded like it was recorded in a tunnel. Regardless, this film deserved the Oscar and is a very informative documentary. Grade: A

Green Zone (2010)

This movie did not fully capitalize on its great premise. This is the first real warzone movie about the Iraq war and it dealt with WMDs. It had all the elements to be a great movie but it just fell a bit short.

Army Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is the head of one of the units assigned to execute search and seizures of locations that have been identified as warehouses or factories for weapons of mass destruction. However, this is the 3rd place that's come up empty. Increasingly frustrated that his men may be killed on a wild goose chase, Miller tries to get some answers. First, from his commanding officers. Nothing. Then, from Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear). He is an intelligence officer from Washington who is the go-between for all of the intel, whether it's from sources or from either country's government. He gives Miller the run-around, too. When CIA agent Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) gets to him, Miller starts listening. Brown believes Miller's claim of bad intel and wants to help him. But things start getting too deep and now Miller needs to make sure that he gets the information he needs while also making it out alive.

This film just really failed to grasp its plot. I loved the idea of the movie when I first heard about it and I was disappointed when it did not live up to expectations. It had some redeeming qualities though. The action was good and Damon was great in his role, as usual. However, the action led to nothing and so did the rest of the movie. Meandering back and forth didn't help much either. I cannot recommend this movie but I've definitely seen worse this year. Grade: C+

True Grit (2010)

This movie was terrific. It was classic Coen Brothers. Every character was very well developed and, yup you guessed it, authentically gritty. But really, can Jeff Bridges do no wrong?

Fourteen year old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is on a mission to avenge the death of her father by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Since she's a child, she sets out to find help and comes across Rooster Cogburn (Bridges). Cogburn is a fat, drunk, one-eyed Marshall who has a seedy reputation but always tends to get his man...dead or alive. After finally agreeing to Mattie's terms, Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon) also joins the manhunt for Chaney. The ranger and Rooster are at odds from the start and Ross is stuck in the middle trying to be the adult of the situation. As they get closer to Chaney, the path gets more treacherous and they take a sneakier approach. But Chaney's now teamed up with a gang of criminals. How are three people going to be able to outsmart that band of misfits? Can they?

Like I said, Jeff Bridges can practically do no wrong. He was terrific in this and I bet is up for another Oscar nod. Damon and Brolin were there usual great selves but I was most impressed by 13 year old Steinfeld. The way she kept her own against all of those seasoned veterans was amazing. She is a sure bet for a nomination. I highly recommend this. Grade: A

Invictus (2009)

Clint Eastwood can direct a movie and there is no debate about that. While this was a good movie, it was definitely one of Eastwood's weaker efforts. Not for lack of trying though.

The film begins in South Africa circa 1994. Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was released from prison after 27 years for opposing the country's segregationist rules of Apartheid and, between 1990-1994, Mandela develops a following and is elected president of South Africa. The country is still racially divided though. The evidence of this is country's rugby team the Springboks, led by Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), and for now, they suck. But Mandela has hope that they will pull together and unite the country when they host the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Oddsmakers had the Springboks as a good chance to make it out of the first round, but that was it. Since it's a true story, nothing should be ruined for the viewer. For one tournament, the country can forget their troubles.

The "not for lack of trying" that I was talking about was the acting. Great performances from both of the leads which, not surprisingly, led to Oscar nods for Damon and Freeman. The problem with this was that I didn't feel the story was portrayed as inspirational as it clearly was intended. I say watch this, but don't expect the same work you saw from Eastwood in Mystic River, Unforgiven, or even Changeling. It just won't add up.

The Informant! (2009)

I thought this was a great movie. This could very well have been thrown into the Best Picture category since there are 10 this year. Matt Damon was at his comic best in this early 90s quasi-caper.

Based on a true story, Mark Whitacre (Damon) is a high level biochemist turned executive at ADM, an agricultural business titan. As the bosses keep telling him to do things, he realizes he may be in over his head. As those things turn illegal, he thinks the company has gone too far. Mark turns to the FBI where agents Shepard and Herndon (Scott Bakula and Joel McHale) start taking his story of price fixing very seriously. The more the FBI sniffs around, the more conscious of them ADM is and they begin to straighten up. But that's not good enough for Mark and he thinks they should pay for all the things he's been forced to do in the past. Can they pay? Will they pay? As the story progresses, the tables begin to turn against Mark. Even after that, the story hasn't even begun to snowball out of control.

Damon was hilarious as Whitacre. He is clearly a very smart family man who knows how to work in a business and be a team player, before eventually turning on them. He is also very stupid. He thinks he's a super spy and just digs his hole deeper and deeper. Steven Soderbergh kept a very low tone to the movie and it kept the feel of it together. This is a very funny movie and you all should watch.