Side Effects (2013)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum

Overall Rating: 90.0

As Steven Soderbergh begins his retirement, he leaves his fans and the movie world with one final mainstream film with an indie vibe with "Side Effects", and he leaves on a very good note.

Soderbergh has always been known as an actor's director, giving challenging dramatic roles that showcase dialogue and emotion over Hollywood fluff, and "Side Effects" shows us the Soderbergh that won him an Academy Award back in 2000 for "Traffic".  It's sad to think that this will be the final feature film that Soderbergh makes, but it's also just as hard to believe he's truly done for good.

"Side Effects" shows the dark side of prescription drugs and focuses on the "prescribe rather than treat" mentality of a growing depressed population.  Feeling blue?  Pop a Zoloft.  Need to concentrate?  Try Adderall or a beta-blocker.  It's a billion dollar industry that requires the doctors that we trust to work for the pharmaceutical companies to get rich off of our pain.

After her husband returns home from a 4-year jail stint for insider trading, Emily Taylor (Mara) finds herself growing more and more depressed as they try to put the pieces back together.  She knows she must put on a strong face for him, but inside can't help but feel trapped in a dark cloud.  After an intentional car accident, Emily finds herself under the care of Dr. Jonathan Banks (Law) who tries different anti-depressants to block out the sadness.  When she tries a new drug, Ablixa, she suddenly feels on top of the world.  The couple's sex drive is back, she's not sad anymore, and everything seems to be going well except for the fact that she sleepwalks.

After a tragic accident, the film shifts quite suddenly halfway through.  While the first half of the film is a dramatic take on finding happiness, the second half quickly becomes quite the suspenseful thriller with twists and turns along the way.  Despite a run time of 106 minutes, the film keeps you engaged throughout, making it seem like a much longer epic.

One of the primary ways we're kept engaged is through the brilliant performances of Rooney Mara and Jude Law.  Mara (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) stays with her bread-and-butter performance range of the dark, yet fragile woman who can change an entire scene with a simple stare.  She commands the emotion of this broken down housewife with perfection.  She constantly makes you feel empathy towards her struggle, yet fight to try to understand what she's going through.

Law on the other hand, plays multiple iterations of his same Dr. Banks.  Without giving too much away, Law manages to take on the role of the caring doctor, paranoid conspiracy theorist, and conniving genius all in an hour and a half long movie, and play each part superbly.

Teaming up once again with screenwriter Scott Z. Burns (Contagion), Soderbergh and Burns continue to tell deep, complex stories without having to explain too much.  While the world of pharmaceuticals and prescription drugs to a non-user can seem complicated on the surface, Burns' words and Soderbergh's direction gently dip the audiences toes into the steaming waters below.

"Side Effects" is a dark, cautious tale wrapped up in a suspenseful thriller.  It's a shame to see Soderbergh step away from the lens, but with as many quality films he's put out over the past 15+ years, he's earned some quiet time.

Individual Ratings
Enjoyment Factor: 9
Dialogue: 8
Acting: 10
Direction: 9
Audio/Visual: 7

Gattaca (1997)

Directed by: Andrew Niccol

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law

Overall Rating: 96.1

"Gattaca" manages to create a world so vivid and unbelievably realistic, that you forget that the film came out in 1997.  Director Andrew Niccol has made a name for himself by making smart, inventive futuristic sci-fi movies (director of "S1m0ne" and "In Time", writer of "The Truman Show"), and he was given space to stretch his creative legs after his debut work of "Gattaca" simply wowed audiences.

"Gattaca" tells the tale of a future where genetic modification and DNA examination of a young child's DNA can lay out their future for them.  Even after just being born, parents can see any early defects that might occur later in life, or modify their child's genetics to ensure they are placed in a higher class of society.  The theme of "class" is something that plays throughout not just "Gattaca", but all of Niccol's work.

Vincent (Hawke) had the misfortune to be born without the use of technology, causing him to have a lifelong heart condition that could have otherwise been prevented.  Vincent's ultimate goal was to be an astronaut, but given his less-than-perfect DNA, knows it's a dream that will never occur without breaking a few rules.

Cue the genetically perfect Jerome (Law).  Jerome was a physical specimen, but was depressed and after unsuccessfully attempting suicide, found himself permanently residing in a wheelchair.  After a chance meeting, Jerome and Vincent concoct a plan to give both men purpose in their life by transforming Vincent into Jerome.  Vincent would appear to be genetically "valid" enough to be accepted into the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation, while Jerome's perfect genetics would be put to good use.

The film does a great job of depicting just how far someone is willing to go to achieve their dreams.  By no fault of his own, Vincent was dealt a bad hand at birth, but refused to believe he was invalid and incapable of achieving greatness.  One of the most memorable moments comes towards the climax of the movie, where during a swimming competition in the ocean, Vincent tells his competitor who is scared of not being able to make it back to shore alive, "You want to know how I did it? This is how I did it. I never saved anything for the swim back."  It's this heart over physicality mentality that makes Vincent seem and feel invincible, and keeps his coworkers at Gattaca all the none wiser that "Jerome" is actually an invalid.

Visually, Niccol creates this futuristic world that is both inventive, but grounded in reality.  The cars all make stereotypical futuristic sounds, but resemble their modern counterparts.  Throughout his lifespan of directing, Niccol tends to favor the color green (even more so in 2011's "In Time"), and "Gattaca" helps lay that foundation with a hint of green shading in the majority of key scenes.

"Gattaca" manages to take the sci-fi genre, and add a deep layer of emotion and drama within.  As most great sci-fi storytellers tend to do, Niccol uses the futuristic elements of his film as foundations, but leave his characters to tell the story.  The story isn't about the future or sci-fi wonder, it's about the fight of a young man wanting to achieve his dreams.  For this reason, Gattaca stands out as an essential must-watch.

Individual Ratings
Enjoyment Factor: 10
Dialogue: 10
Acting: 8
Direction: 10
Audio/Visual: 9

Contagion (2011)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne

Overall Rating: 87.4

"Contagion" shows Steven Soderbergh at his best.  Very few directors can take a wide ensemble of A-list actors and have them each play their small roles to create a film that plays bigger than said actors.  Soderbergh has always been more interested in telling stories than showcasing celebrity. 

The story of "Contagion" follows the spread of an unknown and deadly virus, and the health officials racing to try and contain and vaccinate it.  After his wife returns from Hong Kong and dies suddenly, Mitch Emhoff (Damon) looks for answers while trying to protect his daughter.  The spread of the illness forces members of the CDC (Fishburne, Winslet) and WHO (Marion Cotillard) to race for a cure, while a blogger (Jude Law) tries to capitalize off the breakout in every way possible as the voice of the people.

Of all the actors, Damon shines as the overly protective father who has already lost his wife and stepson to the illness, and now must protect his teenage daughter.  While the world is crumbling down around him, Emhoff's primary concern is sheltering his daughter from not only the illness, but from the chaos that society has become.

Soderbergh is known for taking risks with his films, and with "Contagion" he harkens back to the days of "Traffic" with the style and quick editing.  The pulsating soundtrack during the quick montages bring the audience to the edge of their seat. 

With an incredible ensemble cast and intense plot, "Contagion" shows what can happen when actors come together for a great director: a great film.  Just be sure not to watch while under the weather, or you may have nightmares.

Individual Ratings
Enjoyment Factor: 7
Dialogue: 8
Acting: 10
Direction: 9
Audio/Visual: 7