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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Contagion

Starring: Gwenyth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jennifer Ehle, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, and Jude Law

Synopsis: Perhaps the last great threat in the world is bio-terrorism. In a lot of ways, the world is a lot smaller place. The connections that we’ve made to people half a world away allow us to connect, but also open the paths to the spread of infection half a world away. Director Steven Soderbergh has directed a number of interesting films, but arguably his best work was in 2000’s “Traffic,” which took a detailed look at the war on drugs. It looked at a number of facets of the drug war in a number of different places. It showcased the hopelessness, and some of the reasons and ways why it would never end. In the same way, Soderbergh takes a look at what would happen if a disease of unknown origin spread around the world because of how connected we’ve become. “Contagion” might be some people’s worst nightmare, but it’s also a fascinating exploration of this subject, returning Soderbergh to a style of storytelling he does well. There is a lot to like about this film. Soderbergh has a good feel for the material and works well to keep the story moving. It is a somewhat detached, clinical look at this topic. In that way, it reminded me of the way he put together “Traffic.” There are no performances that are as powerful as that film, but the veteran cast does a decent job in their roles and help present the story. The thing that makes “Contagion” powerful is seeing the disintegration of modern society. It’s not hard to see the logic and accuracy in the presentation of this story. While it’s frightening to consider, there is a very realistic feel to the action in “Contagion.” The goal of the film isn’t simply to be a medical thriller, but to consider what would happen if such an event occurred. We see the breakdown of society, the spread of the virus, the response of the government, and the flow of information in the age of blogging and 24-hour news cycles. It is a thoughtful, well-crafted exploration of the topic that is engrossing and entertaining. Though “Contagion” isn’t the most compelling movie I’ve seen this year, it does a good job of maximizing the talent in the cast to tell this story. It is a fascinating exploration of a topic that feels very timely.

Rating: PG-13 for disturbing content and some language.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Warrior

Starring: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Morrison, and Nick Nolte

Synopsis: There are few things as predictable as the standard sports movie model. In a lot of ways this movie lives up to that, but it also has some heart and a unique sports competition — being set in the world of mixed martial arts. Edgerton does a nice job in the lead role, with his teacher character providing the most emotional resonance. Nolte also does a nice job as the alcoholic father seeking redemption. Surprisingly, the weak link in the story turns out to be Hardy's character. Hardy is a decent actor, who stole scenes in last year's "Inception," but his character is too flat and angry in this to make it work. It gets old after a while, and not enough is done by Gavin O'Connor to draw out the emotional elements of his character's story. This is a movie that is entertaining and well made but just doesn't have quite the dramatic pop of the best sports movies. It's good, but it's not great or particularly memorable.

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense mixed martial arts fighting, some language and thematic material.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, Sept. 16 — "Drive," "Straw Dogs," "I Don't Know How She Does It"

Friday, Sept. 23 — "Abduction," "Machine Gun Preacher," "Moneyball," "Killer Elite," "A Dolphin's Tale"

Friday, Sept. 30 — "50/50," "Courageous," "Dream House," "What's Your Number"