It’s not surprising that, given the constant tension over the Coronavirus, someone in Hollywood would make a tense, star-packed thriller about a disease that starts in China and spreads all over the world. What is surprising is that Steven Soderbergh made that movie nine years ago — and, even more surprising — almost no one paid attention.
But now, of course in 2020, “Contagion” looks pretty damn prescient, right down to the idea that a bat was somehow involved in the virus that might doom humanity. That’s why this nine-year-old movie is finding a new life via streaming — and why Billy and Will are covering it on this episode of Out of Theaters. We discuss Soderbergh’s sleek, smooth direction; the frankly amazing cast (Damon! Paltrow! Fishburne! Winslet! Law! Cranston! Cotillard!) and the way an epic movie about disease and death manages to be so downright entertaining.
Plus, in what might be the least timely segment ever recorded for a podcast, Billy and Will share their predictions for the Academy Awards that were handed out (checks notes) over a week ago. We might be a little late in getting this podcast to you, this listening audience, but at least you can chuckle at our predictions for “1917” to take the big prize.
