Ravenous

We are brought into a promotion ceremony for Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce), who is being celebrated for his heroism while out in the battle field. In his honor, a meal fit for military royalty. HA!

The sight of all that rare meat was enough to make, Me sick! And just GROSS, was the way the other soldiers ravenously devoured the bloody slop, as if none had eaten in many months.

After a few less than encouraging words, from General Slauson (John Spencer). Boyd is given his new post assignment, he is being sent to California’s Fort Spencer.

Upon post arrival we meet the chatty Colonel Hart (Jeffrey Jones) as he describes and introduces us to his company, a mockery of military presence.

One night, a near death stranger shows up from out in the wilderness. The company decides to take him in and try to save him. The next day this victim, Mr. Colghoun (Robert Carlyle) tells a tale of horror, despair and guilt. He admits that he cowardly abandoned a defenseless woman to escape his own presumed fate.

Hart immediately demands they set out to retrieve this woman and bring her back to safety. George (Joseph Running Fox) tries to explain and warn Hart of a native myth - Windigo - which tells of a crazed man that feeds off other men and steals their strength and soul. But Hart dismisses the myth and pushes on with the search.

It’s not long before a bloodbath ensues.

Holy Thin Air! I was beside myself when Boyd’s scurvy ass jumped off the cliff edge leaving Colghoun atop in disbelief!

Oh my god! Can you imagine surviving a trauma, and no one around you believes your story? Then you find out your nightmare will now become your commander. Boyd is about to learn that, there are worse things in life, than to die honorably at war.

Ghost Ship

The tease of gore in the very beginning leaves you hungry for more throughout the rest of this movie.

The salvage crew aboard the tug boat Arctic Warrior embark on a mission to locate and harvest the treasures of a mystery ship last seen floating adrift in the Bering Strait. At first glance Capt. Murphy seems to be in control. But is he really?

You get a spooky feeling as soon as the crew step onto the main deck and begin to explore the ship. I was curious about the ticking noise, and releaved when they sought out the old rusted clock on the wall. And although I watched Monder reach toward it, I was still startled by it's chime and jumped as it rang through the ship. The thrills continue as they each begin to have their own ghostly encounter. It's funny how no one trusts the others enough to share their experience, except Greer, and then only to be ridiculed hence validating everyone's secrecy.

Caution and fear give way to greed and the dreams of wealth, as the ship's treasures are discovered and new goals are set. I sank when the tug boat blew up! hehe.

Now the fight for blame and life is on! Murphy's demon is Guilt, and Greer shares the same. Dodge and Monder are like brothers covering eachother's back, while Epps is busy trying to shine a light of hope to keep everyone together and focused on getting off that ship alive.

You HAVE to see the Awesome release of getting off that ship!! But the ending makes you wonder; Is it really over?

Contagion

OMG! This movie was so realistic and held so much pertinent information. Given the time line of this scenario, it makes me think there may be an alternative explanation for why it is so hard to find right now.

Contagion starts us out on Day 2 of the epidemic that will soon be known as, the MEV1 virus.

Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) is beginning to feel sick on a flight layover in Chicago, while returning home to Minneapolis, from a business trip in Hong Kong. Day 3: introduces us to the Center for Disease Control's Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburn). Allan Krumwiede (Jude Law), is a freelance journalist. Also Beth’s son Clark, and his stepfather Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon). Mitch has been called by the school to take Clark home because he is sick. Day 4: reveals the rapid progression of this virus as it claims the lives of both Beth and her son.

Day 5: indicates the spread of outbreak clusters in Hong Kong, London, Tokyo and the USA. Day 6: brings together Dr. Cheever and World Health Organization Service Officer Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet). Dr. Mears is sent to Minnesota to work with their Department of Health to track and attempt to contain, and isolate cluster victims. By Day 7 the CDC has at least determined the origin and suspected sequence of this unidentified virus. Dr. Cheever orders the halt of all outside research on any existing virus samples. Day 8: W.H.O. sends a specialist Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard) to Hong Kong to establish where and how this virus began.

Mitch is immune to the disease and now his priority is to keep his daughter Jory, safe and healthy until a vaccine can be found. This quest may prove to be unattainable as the situation continues to develop and spiral out of control.

Dr. Mears gets sick in Minnesota. Leonora is abducted in Kong Kong. Krumwiede also gets sick and begins to publicly raise accusations against the CDC. Dr. Cheever goes under investigation in Atlanta. At Day 21, there is a new mutation of the disease and it sends the medical community into a panicked rush to develop a distributable vaccine. Finally on Day 133 the CDC holds a drawing to determine who will receive the first inoculations. But, what about all the others who are not drawn? How much longer will they have to wait? What will happen if the vaccine supply runs out?

Surely nothing like this, could ever happen today in our society. Or could it?

Equilibrium

After a third world war in the 21^st Century, a distinct group of survivors realize that mankind as they knew it, could not endure a fourth world war. So they created a new arm of law enforcement, and called it The Grammaton Cleric.

They rebuilt a city, Libria. There, the elders could governed what was left of a civilization and devise a new lifestyle to ensure the future survival of mankind. All Libriums were to be daily educated about the disease of Human Emotion and conditioned with Prozium (the cure). This treatment might work in a perfect society, but humans are not perfect. Hence, the very need for law enforcement.

Eventually, the founder’s well intended rationale falters with the next generation. As with any succession, there runs a risk of corruption. Corruption is viewed as yet another symptom of the disease of Human Emotion. It also justified the existence of Libria and the practice of Prozium..

I believe I would rather die in a war, than survive one, only to have become a Prozium pawn living in Libria!

HereAfter

After a near death experience, Marie returns back to her life in search of understanding as to what it was she saw and felt.

George, is haunted by what he calls a curse, although others would call it a gift. He has tried to embrace and even exploit the marvels of his psyche. But now he spends his time more as a loner, but is in search of His Dream.

Marcus is devastated by his loss and is left to live a nightmare alone with no one to talk to or share his grief with.

This story shows how death effects the lives of three total strangers.

I was so impressed with the beginning event of this movie and how it depicts our natural human instinct, the way everyone reacts. Stop- feel and hear the rumble, Stare- what is IT and what’s going on? Oh My God- RUN and don’t stop! Look back-Is it still coming? Run, run faster, get away!

I can’t imagine having the ability to ease someone’s suffering, but choosing to deprive their relief because of the personal burden it would induce. And yet, he doesn’t really wish to deprive. He just doesn’t know how to explain that, some things are just better, not known.

And Marcus, such a sweet young boy to have seen so much strife in his short life. Oh My, but how my heart bled for him throughout his ordeal, and for his resilience.

I was fascinated by their brief chance meeting in the end.