It’s hard to describe a movie like Movie 43, because there is no actual place to start. The comedy is a collection of shorts and skits directed by – take a deep breath now – Patrick Forsberg, Peter Farrelly, Elizabeth Banks, Steven Brill, Steve Carr, Tusty Cundieff, James Duffy, Griffin Dunne, James Gunn, Bob Odenkirk, and Brett Ratner. If you thought the directors list was big, just wait until you see the cast list.

This hilarious red band trailer features comedic acts that can only be described as vulgar, disgusting, provocative, offensive, and other repulsive adjectives you can think of. But it’s all for the sake of comedy, and this red band trailer reveals that Movie 43 has the potential to be a daring comedy. Check out the trailer and the actors involved below.

The film stars so many people, that it’s impossible to fit them in this opening text. Take a deeper breath than the one you took before, as this is the cast of Movie 43…

Titanic
3D presentation
Directed by James Cameron
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
Rated PG-13
Release Date (3D Version): April 4, 2012

I’ve now officially contributed twice to the highest grossing motion picture in history.

I had the opportunity to go out to the movies the other night, and I had a lot of choices, including a remake of 21 Jump Street I’d heard was quite funny, and a reunion sequel to American Pie, but my decision in the end was determined by a film whose experience I couldn’t replicate at home: James Cameron‘s 3D post-conversion of Titanic (1997).

The last time I saw Titanic was in the theaters fifteen years ago. It’s not that I hadn’t enjoyed it; I had always meant to see it again. I’d even picked up a DVD at one point (okay, so I contributed thrice), but I’d never unwrapped it. My recollection of it was that it was technically brilliant, but flawed in many ways. I just never felt that compelled to revisit it. Cameron’s year-long, $18 million 3D conversion gave me a good excuse to do just that.

Contagion
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Elliott Gould, Jennifer Ehle, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Chin Han, Griffin Kane, Sanjay Gupta
Release Date: September 9, 2011

Contagion is a movie that showed much promise with its previews and its advertised premise, but in reality it turns into 100 minutes of wasted production opportunities used instead to push stereotypical propaganda at the viewer. With its notable ensemble cast, and a plot device that is not new but has been proven to be popular over the years, the Steven Soderbergh film had huge potential that will do nothing but disappoint the thriller/horror fans expecting an epidemic epic.

I have been quite a big fan of medical thrillers over the years, particularly those that focus on diseases and outbreaks. From stories of crazy Ebola-like viruses to weaponized disease, I’ve been fascinated with the concept both in its reality, and in its use as a plot device in thrillers. I have no rationalization for this attraction: perhaps it was the wonderful conclusion H.G. Wells brought us to in War of the Worlds, or perhaps it is the disease-based plot devices of some of my favorite zombie flicks. Either way, when word came out Soderbergh was taking up the subject; I was thrilled at the prospect.

After quietly filing out of the theater after screening Contagion, one question popped into my head: What marketing genius over at Warner Bros. decided to open a movie in which millions of [fictional] people die on THIS weekend of all the other weekends one could have picked? Though one may never get an answer, if you do choose to see Contagion, it’s the scariest non-horror movie you’ll see all year, and is worth the price of admission just to see so many recognizable actors bite it.

Not even having an Academy Award can prevent you from a gruesome death as the cast boasts four Oscar Winners (Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow), not including Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, The Informant), along with 3 other nominees (Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, and Winter’s Bone‘s John Hawkes) all serving the ensemble but never overshadowing the main story. If it weren’t for the mega-wattage stars highlighting which characters you should be paying attention to, the movie almost has a documentary feel, with other than the most obvious concessions that yes, you really are just watching a movie.

As Steven Soderbergh‘s epic global pandemic drama Contagion prepares for its theatrical premiere this Friday, Warner Bros. has established a viral web site for a faux organization called Family Values @ Work to help promote the film. You can read news articles and watch videos about topics related to the film.

When you click on the link scroll to the bottom right and click the 1000 Voices link to view the videos.