386 – Contagion

About this episode

The episode discusses Steven Soderbergh's film 'Contagion' and its relevance a decade after its release, alongside various themes and performances in the film.

With The Christophers finally arriving in theatres, we are returning to the ever-evolving filmography of director Steven Soderbergh. In the period of his one-for-you-one-for-me jostling between micro budgets and mainstream fare, 2011 offered his paranoid eco-thriller Contagion about a virus that overtakes the world. Though the film was an early fall box office success with major Oscar winners as Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Marion Cotillard, Warner Bros. only launched the film’s campaign at the end of the season. A decade later, the film would become a major mass rewatch for… totally normal, everyday reasons! This episode, we talk about Soderbergh’s period between Oscar and “retirement” and Paltrow joins our Ten Timers club. We also talk about Laurence Fishburne and Jennifer Ehle as best in show, our reticence to watch the film during COVID, and Soderbergh’s current underrated era. Topics also include Paltrow’s terrifying death scene, the 2011 Venice Film Festival, and the Saturn Awards.

People in this episode

Hosts: Joe, Chris

Topics covered

• Steven Soderbergh's filmography
• Contagion analysis
• Oscar winners
• COVID-19 impact on film viewing
• Film festival discussions
• Death scenes in film

Keywords

• Contagion
• Steven Soderbergh
• Matt Damon
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• COVID-19
• film analysis
• Oscar winners
• Venice Film Festival

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Contagion

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