Tech Blog

[#1]

It's a good time to be a fan of flesh eating corpses, as the zombie movie has gotten a bit of a renaissance over the last 5 years or so. 

There are 2 recent offerings in the zombie mythos that are currently in theatres. One of them is a smart, fun horror comedy that brings a lot of fresh originality into the zombie canon. The other is Zombieland. 

Zombieland. Directed by Ruben Fleischer

This has been getting a lot of comparisons to Shaun Of The Dead. Well, I've seen Shaun Of The Dead, Shaun Of The Dead is a good friend of mine, and you sir, are no Shaun Of The Dead. 

First of all, I have a hard time taking any zombie movie seriously that doesn't actually have zombies in it. Folks, zombies are supposed to be dead. That's the whole point. Just because you had a rough patch with the H1N1 doesn't make you a zombie.  

That being said, I can put aside my disdain for the worst movie zombies in recent memory, because ultimately zombie movies aren't about zombies at all. They're about the characters the zombies are going after, and those characters reaction to the horror that's unfolding. Unfortunately, I didn't care about any of the characters in Zombieland at all. Not the poor man's Michael Cera, not the annoying sisters, and not….well, maybe I cared about Woody Harrelson a bit, but only because Woody Harrelson is awesome

I may be a little harsh here. The film isn't horrible by any stretch, and it is moderately entertaining. Jesse Eisenberg's "Rules for surviving Zombieland" were a nice touch, and the movie also features the best celebrity cameo of the year (Sorry Mike Tyson!). There are definitely some chuckles to be had here, but it's ultimately a forgettable experience. 

Rating: C+ 

Zombies Of Mass Destruction. Directed by Kevin Zamedi

Kevin Zamedi might have come up with the most original film concept of the year: Zombie movie as allegory for the culture wars in post 9-11 America. 

As with any great zombie movie, the plot is simple. a zombie outbreak happens in the island community of Port Gamble, Washington in 2003. That's the easy part. What isn't easy is what happens next. I mentioned before how great zombie movies are really about the character's reaction to the absurdity and horror that they're experiencing. This film takes those reactions to a very believable conclusion in those paranoid days right before the Iraq war:  Rampant xenophobia and homophobia.   

I don't want you to think that you're getting a Noam Chomsky lecture here. At it's heart, this is an old fashioned zombie movie, with tonnes of blood, gore, and brains. Everything you could want in a great horror comedy is all here: The cheesy acting, the low budget special effects, and the "I really shouldn't be laughing at this" comedy. 

Plus you get a lovely message regarding acceptance of those who are different from you, which is always nice.   

Rating: B+

[#2]

I can't believe you didn't like Zombieland! I figured it would be a lark with good lines. A cult classic. I think the Shaun of the Dead - Zombieland double bill would be awesome.

[#3]

I know, I'm in the minority re: Zombieland. For the most part people seem to be loving it, and that's awesome. I just don't think it's anywhere near the level of Shaun, but that's just me!

[#4]

Oh man, but Zombieland was so much fun!  Bill Murray and all!  Surprisingly, I really liked it.  And not only that, but I watched Dawn of the Dead this weekend (again) and Grindhouse: Planet Terror and it made me look at both in a whole new light! 

Double Tap anyone?????

[#5]

@krypto ... don't forget cardio!

[#6]

Cardio...   And limber up!!!