Contracted (Watch While it's in Theaters)

Definitely worth at least a rental!
I had the opportunity to watch the film just prior to its release. And I absolutely enjoyed it.

Unlike other genre films, "Contracted" goes to the time BEFORE things go to hell. It starts with a house party where our main character, Samantha, pines for her girlfriend, Nikki but hooks up with a guy who slips her a drug in her drink. When she wakes up, things start to quickly fall apart for Sam, both emotionally and physically. Because Sam has contracted something from her encounter with BJ.

But not a normal STD. Something far, far worse.

As I said, this film, which nicely plays the lacuna between zombie and infection genre films, gives us a part of the genre we hardly ever see: what precedes the apocalypse? How did it get started? Without overwhelming us, the film shows us patient zero. And with that view we watch as the inevitable comes to pass.

Jarra Townsend as Sam is a wonderful actress. You're pulled into the story, and her life,...

A GREAT indie film, give it a chance!
One of the most creative angles on a tired genre that you'll ever see. The character development takes you along on a journey of self-discovery and denial, and really shows the apathy of today's society from a different perspective. You'll find yourself hating the lead character, while feeling pity and wishing her nothing but the best. A really pleasant surprise for fans who like Croenenberg-style body horror.

A Different Zombie Tale
Not a big fan of zombie flicks, yet I'm fascinated with the various means by which filmmakers tackle the "end of the world". Very reminiscent of the 1970s when disaster movies were the plot du jour for just about everyone with a screenplay and rented cameras.

Now, because most zombie films are pretty standard boilerplate, there's no need to provide a synopsis since we all know the variety and variants that run the gamut from comedy to terrifying horror. However 'Contracted' took a fresh approach to the wasteland of the walking deceased. No pun intended.

Tells the tale of Samantha, an average middle class woman going through a typical break-up. Hurt, angry and resentful - she finds herself at a party.

Copious amounts of alcohol and drugs, coupled with the bitterness at her recent failed relationship, leads to an unwanted one night stand. And soon thereafter she notices that she's not feeling well. Really not well. She appears to be suffering some kind...

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