The 19th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages!
Not my best show, by far.... but a show none the less. This weeks topics include more talk about my week and making the most out of your time, a question about history and my favorite zombie transformations. It's one that'll have you thinking. ENJOY!
Songs played:
1) Just Breathe by Vintage Blue
2) Mysterious Mystery by Persian Claws
3) I'm All, So You're All by Automatic Static
4) The Tale Of Gloomy Gus And Miss Blue by I Am The Icarus
5) Fake Smiles by Northside Garage
6) When I Know You Care by Minor Delilah
**** SIDE NOTE: I am still accepting submissions for my upcoming "writing" episode. I will be reading submissions on the air and putting music underneath to match. I'm looking for poetry or short stories of about 5 pages or less. Any topic. Shoot me an email at: JoelAwfulShow@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/joelunitardshow Thanks!
The 18th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages!
Another week has gone by and here's another show for you! This week I talk about the importance of telling people how you feel, more animal fun facts and a zombie question from Cody. ENJOY!
Songs played:
1) Ghosting by Secret Rivals
2) Only With You by Kimi Lyn Smith
3) The Great Unknown by Sincerely, Iris
4) Gold by Sue Newberry and the Law
5) Ten To One by The Naxalites
6) Don't Move To Minnesota by Elsa Rae
**** SIDE NOTE: I am still accepting submissions for my upcoming "writing" episode. I will be reading submissions on the air and putting music underneath to match. I'm looking for poetry or short stories of about 5 pages or less. Any topic. Shoot me an email at: JoelAwfulShow@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/joelunitardshow Thanks!
Ving Rhames has become the 'go-to guy' for zombie movies lately. Sadly, his choice in movies has been getting worse and worse. I'm all for him starring in zombie kill fests, but this one was pretty horrible. Also, Taryn Manning.... nuff' said. Ick. Anyway, I'm going to handle this review a little different than my other ones. The reason? As I was watching this, I was taking notes. I don't ever do that with movies, as it distracts me from the plot. This one, is an exception. Probably because it was a SyFy original. Onward to the 'review':
1) The takes place 6 months after a zombie outbreak. 6 months later, everything is STILL on fire. Buildings are burning. Wouldn't that only last for the initial outbreak, as all hell was breaking loose? Terrible.
2) I already mentioned this, but Ving Rhames in another zombie flick that makes 3 now.
3) If you've seen enough zombie films, you know that they rarely use the term 'zombie'. Like in 'The Walking Dead' TV series, they call them 'walkers'. That has a nice ring to it and describes them perfectly. In this movie, they call the walking dead 'zombies' constantly. It sounds weird, all of them calling them zombies.... it really sounds strange. If you've never seen it done, check this out just for that. It's distracting.
4) One of the things about this movie that was worth the time to watch it was the explanation of why some zombies are fast and some are slow. The newer the zombie, the faster it is, the older it is.... the slower it is. It makes perfect sense and makes both zombies a reality in this movie. This isn't the first time this explanation has been used, but I think it's the first time I've seen it explained in an actual zombie movie.
5) In a stranger moment, one of the actors threw an ice skate into a zombies head! HA! Terrible.
6) All in all, I was okay with this movie.... until.... the ZOMBIE TIGER....?!?! What the hell was that about? I don't know what kind of crap they were smoking when they wrote that part. I don't know who thought that was a good idea. It is just the dumbest thing I think I've ever seen in a movie like this. Well, maybe not the dumbest, but pretty close. It makes the zombie vs. shark sequence in 'Zombi' look cool! (see the image below for verification of the scene.)I gave this a final rating of 2 out of 5 stars. It isn't the worst zombie movie I've ever seen, but it's still pretty terrible. For a SyFy movie, it's better than most of the ones they crank out. If you're home sick on a rainy day and it's one.... maybe take the time to watch it. Just close your eyes whenever Taryn Manning is on the screen. She has some serious anti-charisma. That is all!
Something better to watch with Ving Rhames vs. zombies?: 'Dawn of the Dead' (2004), 'Day of the Dead' (2008) and 'The Tournament' (2009) (not a zombie movie, but a damn cool flick that you should really watch!)
I have to admit, when I saw this pop up as a film I might enjoy I ran out and watched the trailer, I was intrigued. When I finally got a chance to watch the actual film last night.... I was impressed. This film is barely over 1 hour and is better than most full length zombie films. As a matter fact, this is probably my favorite zombie film I've seen recently. I feel that it's the kind of zombie film I would write and produce, if I was able to. I mean, the end of the film, is almost identical to something I wrote back in 2000 and it was nice to see how it played out on the "big" screen. This film is German and I haven't seen to many German zombie films. However, if this is any indication of what they're capable of, I can't wait to see more. They cast a very unlikely lead in this film. He's balding, older and a bit on the heavier side. He's akward and unassuming and at first, you kind of feel sorry for him and want to help him. Soon you realize that he can handle himself and by the end, you're totally sold on his character. I just can't say enough good things about this film. Sadly, it only had a limited release and hasn't gotten much press. It deserves so much more for it's actors, director, producers, writers and cinematographer.... they are all geniuses. (no, I'm not being sarcastic)
The plot (according to www.netflix.com reads): "Hoping to reunite with his girlfriend, Gabi, ordinary guy Michael (Michael Fuith) goes to her Berlin apartment, but instead of Gabi, he finds young plumber Harper (Theo Trebs) hard at work. Michael's day gets considerably worse when zombies suddenly begin to terrorize the city. Trapped in the apartment, Michael and Harper strike up an uneasy partnership while they attempt to help other fearful survivors in the building and find the missing Gabi." Seems simple enough, yes? The reality is that it is a very simple storyline and overall flim. That really doesn't change the fact that it's an amazing zombie film. They stuck with the modern 'fast' zombies and most of the rules of zombie films are in tact. They do tweak things in one way that actually allows the ending that happens in the film. It's a nice twist and not unbelievable.
Obviously, you already know that I loved this film. It's right up there with the French 'La Horde' aka 'The Horde' and the Spanish '[REC]'. I always thought that George A. Romero had cornered the market on this horror subgenre, but that just doesn't seem to be the case anymore. There have just been so many amazing zombie/plague films coming out from other countries that they cannot be ignored anymore. I only hope that the rest of the world can adjust it's gaze a bit from the USA and branch out to films with subtitles or people with foreign accents. There is a whole world out there of amazing cinema that is just waiting to be discovered. I remember when I was initially building up my film knowledge, it took a bit of a leap of faith to go out and rent my first foreign films. I still did it and it opened up a huge door for me. There are so many amazing films out there in every genre, that it's well worth an filmgoer's time to start branching out.
All that being said, I'm happy to give 'Rammbock: Berlin Undead' 4 out of 5 stars and I'm hoping that someday I can find it to add to my DVD collection. I'm a little nervous that it may not be as easy to track down as other films. If you see one out there, let me know! In the meantime, I'm probably going to watch it again tonight and enjoy the little nuances that I missed the first go around. There is just so much going on with this film. I mean, any film that only takes about 5 miuntes to get into the action and then really doesn't let up for the remaining 60 mins, must be doing something right.... right? Sure, you sometimes need a lot exposition to get a story going and to build up a strong storyline, but other times it's the best thing to just kick things into high gear right off the bat. This film is maybe not a new take on an old theme, but it's so amazing and amazingly well done that everything old feels new again. God bless the Germans.
If you enjoy this, check out: '[REC]', 'La Horde' aka 'The Horde' and 'Dead Snow'
What in the heck was I thinking in watching this? Any movie which stars Robert Davi in the lead can't be good. Any movie that has Robert Z'Dar as your lead villan can't be good. Well, this movie isn't any good. It might have had some redeeming qualities if I had watched it with friends, but I didn't. I think what surprises me the most is that both William Lustig, the director, and Larry Cohen, the writer, both worked on all three movies and thought it was a good idea to MAKE all three movies! They've also been considering re-booting the series.... seriously? The first one was bad enough, you'd think that would be enough to cause a lack of funding for the other two movies. Nope. (You can see an early role as a drug addicted thief played by Jackie Earle Haley.... you can also see him killed with a highly illogical gun choice for a cop.) Anyway....
Here's the plot according to http://www.imdb.com: "A female cop is gunned down and wrongly accused of using excessive force in a hostage rescue attempt. Maniac cop returns from the dead once more to seek revenge, destroying everthing and anyone that stands in his way." Or something like that.
I can't even begin to say how hard it was to finish this movie. It was painful to sit through the flaming car chase at the end. You'd think a flaming car chase with a zombie cop and Robert Davi as a grizzled cop would be cool? Not even close. There just isn't anything worthwhile about this movie. Granted, there might be a few laughs to be found if you're drunk enough.... I wasn't. I assume this will be the end of this series. I can only hope that no one gives them money to re-boot it. I just can't see how in the hell this series could be re-done in any way that would make it a good movie. I just can't.
1 out of 5 stars. I'm assuming the 1 star is for Jackie Earle Haley's performance and the hand grabbing the badge through the coffin bit, but that's it. I do not recommend that you watch this. It is available OnDemand from Netflix right now. That doesn't make it okay to watch it, it just makes it more easily available. I never would have thought that a zombie movie would bum me out this much, ah well.
Zombies, zombies, zombies.... I love zombies. It's so nice to find a new twist on an old theme, especially one involving the undead. I've been lucky enough to have several zombie movies that have found their way to my TiVo or DVD player in the past few weeks that are new and different. It has re-ignited my love affair with the flesh eating corpses. (not that it ever went away really.) I remember seeing the trailer for 'Doghouse' quite a while ago and thinking that I wanted to add it to my Netlfix queue, but it wasn't available at the time. This little gem came out in 2009 and hit Netflix just recently. Most of you will probably recognize the star, Stephen Graham. He was Jason Statham's partner in 'Snatch'.... the one looking for the caravan. He's spot on in this movie and is equal parts funnyman and the hesitant hero. His friends are all likeable characters and you can find at least one that you'll relate too. They're a nice cross section of the male gender. The special effects are well done and each zombie is unique and a character all by themself. It seems in the zombie films of the past, zombies were all kind of interchangeable and a lot of them just blended together. Nowdays, zombies are as much of a main character as the main characters. They're all done as though they'll be the main focus of the movie. You can quickly identify each one. Granted, they may not have a specific name.... but like the 'Baseball Girl' in 'Land of the Dead', you remember who they are.
The plot here involves six guys who all leave their significant others to go to a little town called Moodley for the weekend. They take a little bus and leave one guy behind, who just couldn't get away. When they arrive in the quaint little town, the guys are let down that it looks like a little mountain town from the old days. Afraid that they will die of boredom, they begin to rethink coming. One of the blokes notices a woman walking down the street, when he approaches her.... she turns on him and he discovers she's a zombie. But she's not the only one, every woman in town has been affected by a government made virus that only turns females into the walking dead. There is not a single man in sight. The boys make a run for the bus, but their female bus driver has turned now and they make a 180 turn back towards the town. While seeking shelter, they have to dodge hordes of zombies. Soon they get seperated and it's almost every man for himself. Things get cranked up at this point and build to the finale.See what I mean about a new twist on an old theme? It's not quite re-inventing the wheel, but if it ain't broke.... don't fix it, right? Regardless, it's still nice to see something different. The zombies are, as always, disgusting looking. Each one has an obvious look to them that leads you to draw a conclusion about who they were before they turned. Like the butcher that one guy runs into. Even if she hadn't still been in the butcher shop chopping up a victim, you'd still be able to tell who she was. That's kind of a nice little touch that they've added here. There are a few fun little 'inventions' that they create to fight the undead. Like a remote control car with model plane fuel or the old fuel in a water gun trick. Some of these things are more effective than others, thus lending itself to some funny moments. All in all, a solid story with solid characters and solid zombies.
I couldn't say this was nearly as good as 'Shaun of the Dead', but it has a similar feel to it. Maybe it's because it was made across the pond? It's not nearly as clever or as strong as that movie was the whole way through. I wouldn't be surprise, however, if it was a strong influence on the writers of 'Doghouse' and I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. I narrowed it down to a 3 out of 5 star attempt. One that probably won't make it into my DVD collection, but one that I might watch again in the future. It's available to rent from Netflix, but not OnDemand sadly. It's worth the rental and worth your time to watch it. I don't know how readily available it is from any other source, but I'm sure you can find it if you dig around. So before you head out for a boy's weekend out, think about 'Doghouse' and make sure you're prepared to defend yourself if they female gender takes a turn for the worse.
If you like this, you'll dig: 'Shaun of the Dead', 'Dead Alive aka Braindead' and 'Cemetary Man'
As I've said in earlier posts, it's really hard to find anything new in the zombie genre. It seems like everything has been done and re-done. However, I was pointed in the direction of 'AAAH! ZOMBIES!!' and what I saw was something new. It proved that there may still be some life in the undead. Before I get into why it was fresh and new, I have to confess that I HATE talking zombies. By "talking", I mean ones that speak in complete sentences. Zombies are basically a shark. One track mind to kill and eat, nothing else. They grunt, goan and moan but they do not talk. 'AAAH! ZOMBIES!!' had talking zombies, but they presented them in a way that I didn't hate! It was a unique twist on how zombies might communicate with each other. It shows how zombies might think and what it might be like to turn into the walking dead. Haven't you ever wondered what it's like on the flip side of the undead coin? I know I have.
So what's the plot and the big secret to success? The plot is that of some friends who are just hanging out, when the military messes up and toxic chemicals are released. Eventually, people start turning into zombies. The four friends become zombies too. The thing is, they don't realize they're zombies right away. And as far as the audience is concerned, we see them as still human in black and white, but as zombies in color. So one minute they're having an intelligent conversation and trying to figure out what's going on and then we flip to color and they're just standing there (as zombies) moaning and groaning at each other. After the four realize what they've become, they start fighting for the rights of the living challenged. They also take on the military to try and get to a 'safe zone' where they might be able to start a new life with a colony of zombies all living together. Do they make it? Do they eat people? Do they get shot in the head? You'll have to watch it to find out. 'AAAH! ZOMBIES!!', rated 'R'.
With the set up of the undead being able to still communicate and understand each other, but sound unintelligent to everyone else, that's what sets up a lot of the comedy in this movie. Because they shift back and forth between the zombie world and the real world and seeing them hiding out, talking to the military, etc. it's very entertaining. One of the other things that's humorous, is one of the main characters realizing that he now has a taste for human flesh. For example, a living person gets their head blown off and while everyone else is talking about it and in shock, he starts eating their brains. He asks, "Is anyone going to finish that?" At which point, everyone else gets kind of grossed out. This movie is very clever and pretty well written. It's not without its flaws, but I very rarely ever see a movie that's 'perfect'. Have you? This movie is low budget and it's pretty obvious, but that doesn't take away from its charm. It just shows how much heart this movie has. Somebody was really proud of this concept and gave it the best they could to make it the best movie they could.
Between the good, the bad and the flaws, I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. I think it has 're-watchability' and that's saying something. It may even deserve a higher rating. I mean, any movie that can have talking zombies and still have me enjoying it, has accomplished something. The actors are good, the direction is good and even the special effects and look of the movie are good. It's on Netflix OnDemand right now, so I would take advantage of that fact.... if you can. You could even watch it tonight, if you wanted too! So all that being said, are you still one of those jaded horror fans who's said that they've seen it all in the zombie genre? Perhaps you haven't and perhaps you should watch this movie and prove to yourself that an old dog can learn new tricks.... even a dead one.
Movies similar to this? 'Shaun of the Dead, 'Doghouse' and 'Stacy'
it's hard to find an original twist on an old theme anymore.... and the old zombie/virus/outbreak movie is one of the hardest to find something fresh.... but 'Pontypool' succeeds at the task.... it doesn't carry it far enough to make this movie hold up until the end, but it caught my attention from the get-go and held it for quite a while.... Stephen McHattie does a wonderful job as the lead character of Mazzy, the radio shock jock who's reporting the violent outbreaks occuring in the town.... he had the perfect voice of a radio personality and he's always interesting to watch as an actor, i can't seem to take my eyes off of him while he's working.... the script was fairly well thought out and paced.... i think my biggest problems with this movie was the explanation of the outbreak and the way it all ended.... i'm all for an attempt at something new, but this concept was pretty far fetched and unusual.... the way the virus works is that it's tramsmitted through speech.... ie: the person hears certain things and that sets the virus in action and makes the person violent and they begin attacking others.... therefore, Mazzy, who's reporting the story is also the one causing it.... that presents a difficult scenario for the people at the radio station, report the news or let it happen and avoid spreading it further.... here's the full synopsis from http://imdb.com/ :
"The film is set in a radio station in Pontypool, a small village in Ontario, Canada, where one day the morning team starts taking reports of extreme, bloody incidents of violence occurring in town. As the story unfolds, the radio staff soon realizes the violence that is ripping society apart is due to a virus being spread through the English language. That in turn poses a problem for a yappy radio jock and his staff holed up in the broadcast booth housed in the basement of the town's abandoned church as a slaughter rages beyond its walls." the "slaughter" they're referring too is only seen, roughly, once.... there is an extended scene where some of the infected attack the station and get inside.... that's it, nothing else really happens with the "zombies".... i think that was something else that kind of bummed me out.... when i watch a movie like this, i usually expect more "zombie" action.... so if you're going to go the "zombie" route, either include lots of outbreak victims or none.... don't tease.... i went with a 3 out of 5 star rating for this one.... it's not great, but it's not terrible.... it has its good points, but it also has its bad points.... it's not OnDemand right now, so you'll have to rent it or track it down somewhere.... there are many other movies of this type out there that are better, but this is a decent little time waster.... i just wish it had a stronger ending and would have maintained a healthier pace.... and that's all i have to say about that.... now you know, the rest of the story.
if you want a great outbreak movie, check out: '28 Weeks Later', 'The Signal' and 'The Last Man on Earth' (1964)
i've been a cheerleader of French horror films for quite some time now and for good reason.... they've proven that we're not necessarily on the top of the food chain here in America.... i never thought that i would look elsewhere for high quality scares, but i can't ignore what the French have produced and in many circles it could even be called art.... therefore, anytime i hear of a new film being made in France my mouth starts to water.... somehow 'Mutants' slipped under my radar though.... and i stumbled upon it totally by accident.... it kinds of ticks me off that i took so long to find this.... it's the perfect set up for a flim for me.... mutant/zombie type creatures running around in a semi-post-apocylapic world and people fighting to survive.... it's the perfect combination for me.... my bread and butter of horror films.... that's why it bothered me to have missed out on this one for so long.... i can't say that i recognized anyone in this film.... from the director all the way down.... everyone was unfamiliar.... i think that kind of lends itself to a better moviegoing experience.... so the question is: was this worth all buildup and waiting....? well, let's find out.
as mentioned just sentences ago, this film is set in a semi-post-apocalyptic world where a zombie/mutant/virus has broken out and much of the population has turned into monsters.... the few who've survived are scavengers and are fighting for their lives.... 'Mutants' focuses on a couple, one who is pregnant and a survivor of a bite from a creature and is trying to get her blood out to provide a cure.... the father of her child is with her, but has been bitten and is slowly starting to turn into one of the creatures.... they take refuge in an abandoned hospital and try and hold out for help from the army.... most of the film is a waiting game, but soon strangers show up and upset the balance.... and as the man is losing his fight, the woman must decide whether to put him out of his misery or hope for help and a cure....? honestly, i had to watch this twice.... i was so exhausted the first go around, that i had to stop it because i didn't want to fall asleep.... in hindsight, i'm glad i made that decision.... the second time around i was able to fully focus on the storyline and enjoy it.... this is not the best French horror film i've seen this year, but it's still quite a bit better than most of the other horror movies i've watched, American or otherwise.... it is shot beautifullyand the creature effects are superb.... the sets and locations are amazing and it has a strong beginning, middle and end.... if anything i could say that's bad about this....? it's that it does slow down a bit too much in the 2nd act.... if you're not 100% committed to the viewing experience than you may lose interest.... but if you can hold on, you will be satisfied by the end.... this is a one off film in my opinion.... it would lessen it to make a sequel.... i can't say that i'll own this one, unless i find a really good deal on it someday.... however, i am glad that it finally found it's way into my DVD player so i could enjoy a short trip from reality.... i gave it a 3 out of 5 star reception and wonder if it might get better with repeated viewings....? it is only available to rent at this time.... i think that it's worth it.... just be well rested before you settle in for this dark little gem.
if you like this, also see: 'La Horde aka The Horde', '28 Days Later' and '[REC]'
so not too long ago, i wrote a glowing review of the Spanish horror film '[REC]'.... i was so excited about the film that i wanted to see the sequel as soon as possible.... last night i had the chance to check it out and i have to say that i was pleasently surprised.... as a rule, you all know that sequels tend to be overshadowed by the original films.... and the second one in the series is usually the weakest.... suffering from the 'sophmore jinx'.... granted, '[REC]2' is not as good as '[REC]', but it's pretty damn close and a great example of building on the original film and pushing it to another level.... taking an already familiar storyline and picking up right where it left off to help the viewer get a bigger sense of what happened after the first film ended.... where this film succeeded was in the clever way it carried on the use of first person filmmaking and to tie it all together with the first film.... it felt a tad bit contrived, but overall it was well done and left me still wanting another film.... (there are two more in the works, FYI).... a stamp of quality on a film is when i want to add it to the Joel DVD library and i want to add both of these films.... i think they'll hold up to repeated viewing.... it is a welcome inclusion into the zombie/virus/mutant/rabies/possesed lexicon.... more in line with the recent trend of the killers running full speed rather than shambling around.... that increases the tension and 'edge of your seatiness' in these films.... not too mention the x-factor that you don't exactly what's wrong with these people until the end of the first flim and it's not clarified until midway into this film.... i'm not sure that i bought into the explaination, but it's original and kept things feeling fresh....
okay, i've strayed a bit from where i was going in the beginning.... so let's stop and go over the storyline.... *SPOILERS!*.... this film picks up right where the first one left off.... we're still not sure what's happened with Angela from the first film, but there's a SWAT team about to enter the building to find out what's happened.... they're all outfitted with cameras to document the entire situation.... after they breach the building's entrance, they find the large pool of blood at the bottom of the stairs and begin to investigate where all the tennants have gone.... the leader of the squad makes them head to the penthouse where he feels the cause of the outbreak occured.... the SWAT team soon realizes that the head of their team is a priest who believes the virus is actually a form of possession.... they begin to gather evidence and look for the thing/person who started it so they can destroy her.... the situation goes from bad to worse as the team slowly begins to get picked off one by one.... as their camera no longer works, we pick up on three teens who've snuck into the building and are being chased by the virus stricken killers.... it just so happens they're videotaping everything.... that's about where i'll stop.... i think the rest is something that just needs to be seen.... this film is above average for this oversturated genre.... it is a well put together film with plenty of tension, scares, excellent special effects and beaufitul cinematography.... you'd think with first person perspective filmmaking that they'd rely on S-VHS cameras or something.... but with these two films, it's high quality 32 mm that is being used.... so you get the hand held feeling, but the big budget picture quality.... a nice combination.... the few actors from the first film that are still alive as either virus victims or actually alive, re-appear in this film.... no re-casting here.... they use the same building and it's one of the additional characters in the film.... it's such an amazing building that it lives and breathes on its own.... i do kind of have to wonder about the ending of this, i'm curious to see if they can pick up where this left off and continue on with a plausable conclusion.... i'm fairly sure that the sequels (at least one of them) is a prequel.... either way, i'm betting they'll be worthwhile....
now, the first film i gave a solid 5 out of 5 stars.... this film gets a good 4 out of 4 stars.... it has its flaws, but i can easily look past them because of the strength of the original film and the quality of this one.... i'm still not 100% sold on the possession/virus outbreak scenario.... it just all seems like they're trying too hard to be original in this sub-genre of the zombie film.... but perhaps in this oversaturated genre you have to do whatever you can to keep things fresh.... and they made such a strong impression with everything in these films that you can look past any shortcomings.... or at least i can.... i am very impressed and enjoyed this and the original film quite a bit.... now, if the rest of the world could get the memo about what makes a good film, we might just have something worthwhile....
if you enjoy this film, i hope you've already seen: '[REC]'
the DVD cover above states that this film "The movie that inspired 'Quarantine'".... that's not exactly right.... 'Quarantine' was a direct re-make of '[REC]'.... so much so that it's practically shot for shot.... it even has a very similar building, fire station, etc.... now, i saw 'Quarantine' first.... and i like Jennifer Carpenter, being a fan of 'Dexter' and all.... i actually enjoyed it.... i gave it 4 out of 5 stars and you can find my review on this blog (you can also find the DVD in my library).... it's not a popular opinion that i have, nor the most popular DVD library.... i find that i'm in the minority most of the time with 'Quarantine'.... perhaps if i'd see this film first, i might have felt differently.... but the re-make didn't taint my opinion at all.... it was kind of a 'Let the Right One On'/'Let Me In' scenario.... both were very good, both we're worthwhile films.... however, one still ended up being superior to the other.... and that's what happened here.
if you've read my blog long enough, you'll notice that i use certain phrases and words on a regular basis.... you may see that if i see something and call it a 'movie', that means that it was not something that i feel is art or worthy of high praise (generally).... but if i use the word 'film', it's like the ultimate compliment.... that means that i loved it.... that being said, what i'd like to go over again is my phrase "pitch perfect filmmaking".... my definition is a film that is as close to perfect as you can come.... everything about it is solid.... cinematography, script, direction, acting, etc.... that it's art.... that it will stand the test of time.... like someone with 'perfect pitch', the film hits all of the notes correctly for the entire length of the film.... i feel that '[REC]' is an example of pitch perfect filmmaking.... and that's not always the easiest thing to accomplish in the horror genre, it just doesn't lend itself to being art.... now, i would argue that it has a whole lot more art to it than people give it credit for.... however, i once again am in the minority....
for nearly the past decade, the French have been continully putting out high quality horror films.... however, i'd not seen anything from Spain that reached out of my home entertainment center and grabbed me by the ears and said, "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!".... i was seriously wondering if they would.... everything i'd seen up to that point just hadn't come close to impressing me.... '[REC]' changed all of that.... in a really big way.... this film made me jump at some of the scares and the last 15 minutes were terrifying.... leaps and bounds beyond the re-make in those accomplishments.... some of you may stray away from this because of the hand held shaky cam style filmmaking.... but in this situation it just adds to the terror.... because you're experiencing it first hand, as if you're Pablo the cameraman.... also, the actors in this film put themselves into the action with 100% commitment.... even though the overall scenario has been seen before and the reason behind the killings are a bit silly, it doesn't matter.... they sell it.... i wish i hadn't avoided this film for so long, but i didn't want to come into it with 'Quarantine' still fresh in my mind.... i'd heard so many good things about this that i wanted my brain to be open to viewing it as if i'd known nothing about it.... in hindsight, i'm glad i waited. '[REC]' takes place in a single evening when a reporter is doing a 'fluff' piece on the local firemen.... she's staying the night at their firehouse and showing what their lives are like.... the daily grind, the in's and out's, and the occasional call to an emergency.... things start out quiet enough, but soon a call comes in that a woman needs help in an apartment complex.... so they load up and head down to the location, with the reporter and her cameraman in tow.... at the apartment, they find the tennants all in the lobby trying to figure out what's going on.... they direct the firemen and police to the woman's apartment and of course, the reporter and cameraman follow.... they find the woman dazed and motionless in her apartment.... as they try and question her to find out what's wrong, she suddenly attacks one of the firemen.... everyone flees the woman's apartment and head downstairs to re-group and tend to his wounds.... when they try to get outside to get him further medical attention, they find that they've been sealed in by the emergency teams outside.... soon they're informed that there is a possible biohazardous situation in the building and no one can leave until they figure out exactly what's going on.... being in an enclosed space and having murderous tennants on the loose, things go from bad to worse as things begin to fall apart.... meanwhile, the camera never stops rolling.
if you've seen 'Quarantine', my plot summary in the previous paragraph is probably a bit of deja vu.... but the two films are actually quite different in tone and feel.... i feel like the pace and tension are a lot higher in '[REC]'.... it never seems to have a dull moment... things just come at you one right after the other until you're exhausted and unsure if you want to go on.... but curiousity and solid filmmaking carry you the rest of the way.... and the payoff is well worth the trip.... i don't want to give away the ending, however i will say that it's not quite the same as the re-make.... i think it's more effective.... the only problem i had with it was that they kind of inject a twist on the storyline that is confusing.... i felt like once they entered the penthouse apartment for protection, that we were suddenly watching a different film.... not a bad film, but one that isn't quite the same as the previous one.... perhaps the sequel will delve deeper into the ending of this one and explain things to me.... maybe i just missed it....? it really doesn't matter, i crapped my pants regardless.... and i still gave it a well deserved 5 out of 5 stars.... i truly loved this film.... it as amazing.... it has spawned 3 sequels, 1 that's already been released and 2 more that are in production.... i don't honestly know if you can milk this long enough to make a franchise out of it.... i also don't know if you'd want to make a franchise out of it.... part of the horror of this is NOT knowing what happens and NOT knowning exactly what the cause is of the outbreak.... this is a bleak film and bleak films generally don't result in sequels.... not the smart ones.... the good news is that '[REC]2' has gotten pretty positive reviews, so i have hope still....
so all in all, i highly recommend this film.... it's, as i said at the beginning, pitch perfect filmmaking.... everything about this movie is spot on.... you couldn't ask for a stronger start to my love affair with Spanish horror.... i just hope that you give this a chance and that you don't mind subtitles.... dubbing would ruin this.... just watch 'Quarantine' instead, if you don't want it subtitled.... this is only available to rent on Netflix right now.... unless you have another method, that's the way to get it....
'[REC]2' is already lined up for my viewing this weekend.... i'll be sure to let you know what i think.... if i survive.
if you like this, check out: 'Quarantine', '28 Days Later' and '28 Weeks Later'
as dedicated readers of my blog, you know of my love for zombies.... you may also have gathered that i stay away from a lot of zombie movies because they're really low budget and look like crap.... this one made it on my radar, but was ignored because it looked pretty terrible.... the only thing that kept me interested was the fact that Robert Englund was in it.... that still wasn't enough to get me to watch it.... even it being OnDemand didn't light my fire.... however, when a friend recommended that i watch this.... i couldn't say, "No." any longer.... so i loaded up the queue, grabbed some snacks, and fired up the Netflix.... an hour and a half later, i was satisfied and spent.... what a fun little ride.... i felt bad with myself for passing judgement before having seen it and making a decision for myself.... needless to say, that won't happen again.... i may wait for a bit to watch something until my bias is gone.... but that doesn't mean i won't ever watch something.... anyway.... this movie is a complete farce.... it's all tongue in cheek and that's what makes it damn fun.... i mean, you have a porn star in the lead, what'd you expect....?
this movie opens with a hilariously bad action sequence and that leads to one of the infected to escape and make it to a strip club.... once he's there, he begins to infect people inside.... one of them is a stripper who, once she's a zombie, begins to dance and drives all the men wild.... realizing the marketing potential, Robert Englund's sleazy manager begins to exploit the zombie stripper.... the only problem is that they have to sacrifice someone to her to keep her happy.... then others begin to turn and soon things are out of control.... but how does it end....? let's just say it gets messy.... i tend to judge the quality or re-watchability of a movie by if i'll want it in my DVD library or not.... and what zombie DVD collection is complete without 'Zombie Strippers'....? i say that it isn't complete if this title is missing.... you've got strippers and blood, guts, and gore.... it's got comedy and action.... it has a whole lot going for it.... regardless of that, i still only gave it 3 out of 5 stars.... it was a fun movie, but not a great movie.... it's still a low budget, exploitation, zombie movie.... however, it's a darn enjoyable one.... it's available to rent or watch OnDemand, so everyone can be happy.... you've got no reason not to watch it....! just check out the trailer and you'll see what i'm talking about.... and take it from a zombie aficionado, this one is a winner.... and something i will be watching again, possibly even tonight.
if you like this and want other zombie comedies, check out: 'Shaun of the Dead', 'Tokyo zonbi aka Tokyo Zombie', and 'The Last of the Living' (2008)
it's no secret that i'm not a video game player.... i used to be when i was a youth.... then i was on and off again in college.... and eventually i got a Wii for free in a contest, bought a couple of games but never really used it that much.... but i've seen a lot of the video game movies that have come out.... and i must say that the 'Resident Evil' movies have been some of my favorite.... granted, i know little to nothing about the games, but that doesn't seem to matter with these.... they're stand alone movies.... i would even say that the 'Resident Evil' movies are good movies outside of the video game realm.... they may not be deep thinking films, but they're fun to watch and have a continual storyline that just keeps getting more and more in depth.... although, i'm not sure if it makes a lot of sense at times.... i mean, the Umbrella Corporation are sure going through a lot of trouble to get Alice back.... and meanwhile, the world has basically ended.... regardless, i've watched the whole series multiple times and they never get old.... i like the storyline and the actors involved.... no matter how over the top it gets, i still look forward to each new movie that comes out.... you know what, it doesn't hurt that Milla Jovovich is the star.... she's a fairly credible action heroine and kicks some ass on the big screen.... i have yet to see her in a movie that i didn't like.... and she's especially cool in these movies.... Alice is a great character....
in this 4th installment, we find Alice and her squadron of clones attacking the Umbrella Corporation in Tokyo.... after barely escaping with her life, she makes her way to Alaska where an outpost is supposed to be located.... once she realizes that the outpost doesn't seem to exist, she ends up re-united with Claire Redfield.... she takes her plane with Claire and heads to find a new location and refuge.... she ends up in an abandoned prison with several other survivors and finds out that the outpost has re-located to just outside of where she is.... the rest of the movie is spent showing Alice and the other survivors trying to get to safety.... there are some great scenes of zombie horde action.... there is a horrific giant, known as The Executioner, who has a frightening fight with Alice and Claire.... there's lots of great action sequences.... the special effects are pretty solid.... and despite the fact that this was originally in 3-D, it holds up well in 2-D and doesn't seem to cheesy.... even if you can see where the shots are in the movie.... now, being a fan of the franchise, i may be a little biased but i gave this 4 out of 5 stars.... as i've done for the other 3 movies as well.... again, it's not high art.... it's a zombie, horror, action movie with a plot.... so if you haven't seen any of them yet, please start with the original and watch them all in order from there.... if you don't expect too much, i think you'll be pleasently surprised....
before you watch this, watch: 'Resident Evil', 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse', and 'Resident Evil: Extinction'
in this day and age, zombie movie are a dime a dozen.... every director's first movie seems to be in the zombie genre.... there's an oversaturated market right now.... there's new zombie movies come out almost every week.... and very few make a lasting impression.... recently 'The Walking Dead' took the genre and made it into a series.... and it was the first time zombies were on TV on a weekly basis.... now there's another series starting soon and the movies keep coming.... i watch a lot of the movies that come out with the hopes that something fresh or original or at least fun will come out.... i love 'The Walking Dead' and have seen a few good zombie films in the past year or so.... but a couple of weeks ago i finally had the chance to see the French take on the undead....! and let me say that i was NOT dissappointed.... this movie was such a good time to watch.... it is what i would call a 'satisfying' movie.... something where at the end of it, you feel like you didn't waste your time.... and i certainly felt like it was time well spent.
the basic story is that some cops go rogue to avenge the death of a fellow officer.... they infiltrate a run down old apartment complex where the bad guys are hanging out.... things seem to be going fine, but then things suddenly go straight to hell and the cops get caught by the bad guys and are held hostage.... meanwhile, the rest of the world has been taken over by the living dead.... once they realize what's going on, they lockdown the building and make a shaky truce so that they might get out alive.... the rest of the film revolves around them making their way through the building in an attempt to escape.... if you don't mind subtitles, lots of gunfire and some pretty nifty gore, then this film is for you.... i am continually impressed with the quality of the horror films that the French have been producing.... they are a big time contender in the horror genre and this movie proves yet again that they're on the top of their game.... the action is well done.... the zombies are scary.... the characters are well drawn out and you get attached to each and every one of them.... i can't recommend this film enough.... it's a wonderful addition to the zombie lexicon and one that will eventually be a part of the Joel DVD library.... zombie films are my bread and butter of the horror genre.... and this one stands out above all the other garbage that keeps getting pumped out.... i gave it 4 out of 5 stars.... a great film.
if you like this, watch: 'Diary of the Dead', 'Zombieland' or 'Dawn of the Dead' (2004)
once again, a simple browse through Netflix and you come across a little slice of gold.... i'd heard of this once a while ago.... but forgot about it.... and when i saw it pop up, i did a little research and heard a lot of good things.... so i added it to the queue and watched it the same night.... wow.... what a keen little flick.... it proves that there are still good zombie movies being made under the radar.... this is kind of along the lines of 'Shaun of the Dead'.... ie: kind of funny, but this one is not over the top hilarious.... it's more satire.... i mean, you can probably gauge that from the title.... and the tagline on the poster.... it is a bit of a commentary of the state of affairs in 2003, when the movie is set.... the characters are unique and fun to watch.... the situations are silly and gory.... i mean the special effects are pretty damn well done.... a LOT of blood and guts.... almost anime-ish.... the zombies are traditional and creepy.... they shamble, not run.... the one big difference is that with the actual premise of the movie, the dead don't come back from the grave.... they're living people who've been turned.... or killed by a zombie and come back.... that's a huge change from a lot of the movies like this you'd normally see.... but once again, another simliarity to 'Shaun of the Dead'....
the small town of Port Gamble is over run by hordes of zombies after terrorists release a biological weapon that creates zombies.... (hence 'Zombies of Mass Destruction').... the movie centers around a group of different people who's lives all intersect over the course of the evening of the outbreak.... you've got gun toting Republicans, two gay men who came to town for one of them to come out, an Iranian family who get the finger pointed at them for the mess, two candidates running for mayor, an overzealous preacher and the rest of the town.... this is a really well done movie.... i recommended it to zombie fans of either the regular kind or the funny kind.... this covers both.... it's well written.... the zombie action is high quality.... the characters are ones you can get behind and you care about what happens to them.... it has it's share of twists and turns and is well worth the time to invest in watching it.... so if you've run out of good zombie movies to watch these days.... this one is one you should watch.... it'll make you feel good and get out that zombie cravings you've been having.... it's OnDemand right now.... so no wait for Netflix to bring it to your mailbox.... i gave it 3 out of 5 stars with the consideration of giving it 4.... watch it and check it out.... i think you'll dig it....
if you like this, check out: 'Dead Alive aka Brain Damage', 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hide and Creep'
what is it about New Zealand and great filmaking....? not only the countryside, but the movies themselves.... they're are just so many good ones.... and now i can add this one to the list.... this also tied in with my other movie i reviewed here 'Isolation'.... in my "Farmland Massacre' double feature.... first off, this movie has Peter Jackson written all over it.... and i'm suprised he didn't produce it or something.... i mean, it feels like some of his original works long before the 'Lord of the Rings' movies.... not to mention, WETA Workshop did the special effects.... and they're Peter Jackson's go to guys.... i can't say that i saw any CGI here.... it seems that everything was done the old school way.... which i prefer.... i think the other way is cheating in horror films.... just because it's so noticable.... however, this just feels homemade with a bigger budget.... which is another great thing about New Zealand.... they fund filmakers.... the government.... why can't we support the arts more here....?!?! it's messed up.... anyway.... this is a comedy that got a lot of press and deserves all of the good press it received.... it's a great movie.... alone or in a group....
similar to 'Isolation', this movie directly links to the idea that genetics are to blame for the massacre that follows.... as the head of the sheep farm it's trying to create the perfect sheep.... but the side effects of the research creates something horrific.... killer sheep that attack humans and kill them.... and if they don't kill them, then they turn them into Were-Sheep.... giant half human half sheep monsters.... you have our hero who has a fear of sheep due to a traumatic childhood experience.... a heroine who is an animal rights activist and their fight for their lives from the killer sheep.... it's a totally unique story.... or maybe more of a unique twist on an old theme.... one that by itself is funny in theory.... but is even funnier carried out.... to see such docile creatures turn violent is crazy.... it just has to be seen to be believed.... i not only found myself laughing out loud, but i cringed at the gore at times and even felt the tension as our heros are being chased and running for their lives.... i easily gave this 4 out of 5 stars.... and it deserves every one of them.... it's totally different than 'Isolation', but it's still a fantastic way to spend an evening.... and i recommend watching them together.... they don't make 100% sense together, but where else are you going to find two movies about farmland killing sprees....? i can't think of any other ones off the top of my head....
if you like this, try: 'Isolation', 'Bad Taste' and 'Dead Alive aka Brain Damage'
for the longest time this was just called '....Of the Dead'.... eventually George A. Romero chose a full title.... and thus we had 'Suvival of the Dead'.... now as you all know, George A. Romero is my hero.... he created the modern zombie and my favorite sub-genre of the horror world.... i love zombies more than any other monster out there.... so just knowing that George was taking on yet another zombie epic made me happy.... what's kind of interesting though, is that the first 4 films: 'Night of the Living Dead' (1968), 'Dawn of the Dead' (1978), 'Day of the Dead' (1985), and 'Land of the Dead'.... were all part of a series of films.... a quadrilogy of sorts.... he didn't necessarily start out to make them be a series, but it kind of organically happened and he made an epic series of films.... since then he almost rebooted his own series.... 'Diary of the Dead' was a new take on the original genre.... we're still dealing with the shambling dead, but it's at the beginning of the outbreak.... so it's a do-over.... it's like the first 4 movies never happened.... then with 'Survival of the Dead' he ties it in with 'Diary of the Dead' in such a way that it's almost a sequel.... which could mean more in the series.... despite the fact that critics say that George has said all he can say with the zombie genre.... he seems to still have stories to tell.... and as long as i'm alive and he's alive, i'll keep seeing an zombie movies he puts out.... despite how good or bad they may be.... so far, i've been satisfied with all of his work to date.... and this movie was no exception.... do i honestly think this will reach out to all of the masses and leave an impression, no. i'll be honest.... this is for die hard fans.... i don't know that the casual horror film buff would count this as a modern masterpiece or anything.... the story is original and the characters are kind of a mixture of characters from all his other movies.... and he's started to rely some more on humor in his films to help carry them and make them seem more fresh.... some of it works, some doesn't....
the story revolves around two seperate groups of people.... some rogue army members who are living by their own laws and just trying to stay alive.... it also involves two groups at war on a small island debating on whether it's better to keep the zombies and try to train them to eat something else or to kill them all and live safetly on the island away from the threat of the outbreak.... the first group overtakes the second group and banishes them off of the island into the real world where the outbreak is all to real.... where the two sets of main characters collide is when the army folks hear that the group that's been banished has plans to go back to the island and take it back over and make it safe for families to live on.... thus begins a shaky partnership.... of course all is going well until they get to the island and things get sketchy and what was going to be a peaceful ending to a horrific situation.... ends up far from peaceful.... i can honestly say this isn't George's strongest work to date.... but it was an enjoyable ride and a unique take on a genre that has been over saturated with the same things over and over.... he was able to create something new and different.... but compared to some of the other things that George has done outside of zombie films, this is still his bread a butter.... and i hope that he continues to play with genre.... i think he has some more interesting tales to spin.... now my ratings on this movie are a little biased due to my love of the genre and of George A. Romero.... it's because of this that i gave it 4 out of 5 stars.... do i think that it 100% deserves that high of a rating, i'm not sure.... all i know is that i enjoyed my time spent watching it and know that it will be added to my DVD collection when i get the money together to do so.... as no zombie collection is complete without all of Romero's work.... and this is the only one i'm missing.... go watch it if you have the time.... but go into it just expecting to have fun.... don't expect high art and i think you'll get a kick out of it....
if you like this, check out: 'Diary of the Dead', 'Land of the Dead' and 'Day of the Dead' (1985)
Lucio Fulci made the movie 'Zombi aka Zombi 2'.... one of the best known foreign zombie movies ever made.... it's one that i own and it holds a soft spot in my heart.... not too mention, it was was a love note to George A. Romero.... it was Fulci's direct response to 'Dawn of the Dead' (1978) and was the unofficial sequel according to Fulci.... all that being said.... it made perfect sense that 'City of the Living Dead aka The Gates of Hell' would be another classic.... it even has really good write ups according to zombie lovers.... so when i saw it was available OnDemand, i had to see it.... now, i had seen parts of this once before when i was a youth.... and it freaked me out.... and i vividly remembered the scene in question where a woman vomits all of her insides.... everything.... well, last night i watched it.... but before i give you my thoughts.... let's get to the interesting plot....
a psychic and a newspaper reporter get wrapped up in an end of the world scenario.... what happened to set off this chain of events is the fact that a priest hangs himself in a graveyard and ends up opening the gates of hell.... to where the dead will begin rising from the dead.... the two leads go off on a hunt to stop this from happening by destroying the priests corpse and thus closing the gates again.... and saving the world.... some zombies appear, some people get killed, a lot of worms and maggots abound.... and then you'll have to watch this movie to find out the rest.... sorry, kids. right about now, you're saying "Joel, you must have LOVED this movie!".... well, you couldn't be farther from the freaking truth.... Fulci will always have a sweet spot in my heart, but this is so far on the other end of the spectrum from 'Zombi' that it was almost unrecognizable.... he literally used the exact same music from 'Dawn of the Dead' (1978).... the pacing was god awfully slow.... the characters weren't all that interesting.... the zombies were few and far between.... as a matter of fact.... in the end of the film you'll find the most number of zombies, but they last all of about 5 minutes and die with a mere stab wound.... yup, no shots to the head.... the zombies also seem to have some kind of magic powers, because they can appear, disappear and re-appear anywhere.... they shamble, but why bother when you can teleport yourself....?!?! the zombies are covered with goo and worms and gunk no matter how long they'd been in the ground.... there's a weird mix of satanism, ghosts and zombies that just doesn't work.... and the priest that hung himself plays a major role as the primary killer of people in the movie.... mostly by a mere stare.... this was a 1 out of 5 star movie at best.... i lost faith early on in the movie.... but when the ending occured, i nearly threw my shoe at the television.... it made no sense and was lame....
stay away.
instead of wasting your time with this, watch: 'Zombi aka Zombi 2', 'Dawn of the Dead' (1978) and/or just about any other zombie movie
let me just start by saying this isn't your traditional shambling zombie movie.... or even your "BRAINS!" zombie movie.... these zombies are undead, walking, talking near humans.... as a matter of fact, you could barely tell they were undead unless you knew it.... it's an interesting premise to do this in a documentary style and to get some questions answered that you've maybe always wondered about.... it bothered me at first that they were normal talking people.... but they kind of explained it all by how there are 3 different kinds of zombies.... and each one functions at a different level.... the base level zombies are more of what we're all familiar with.... the next level can do basic things and work jobs, but aren't really high functioning.... and the highest level are basically human.... either way, over time i got used to it and just enjoyed the movie for what it was.... a mockumentary about zombies just trying to fit in and their annual gathering 'Live Dead'....
the plot involves several featured zombies and their different lives.... and it all leads up to the big gathering at the end.... it's hard to describe a plot to a documentary.... right....?all in all a worthwhile film.... 3 out of 5 stars.... for another take on an old theme, this my be for you.... just be prepared for something new.... i don't think i could enjoy a full length movie where the zombies are this human like.... i think the zombies in 'Return of the Living Dead' are about as verbal as i want them to get.... anyway.... check it out.... it's unique.
if you like this: call the director and ask them to make a sequel, because there isn't anything else quite like this.
take 'Shaun of the Dead' and mix in Jujitsu and you've got something like 'Tokyo Zombie'.... a Japanese zombie comedy.... the first thing i should mention is that for Netflix OnDemand users, this is dubbed.... so if that annoys you, don't watch and just rent instead.... but i watched it regardless.... and the dubbing was pretty good for once.... the guy playing the Fujio's voice was hilarious.... it fit perfectly.... not too mention, how many Japanese guys do you see with an afro....?!?! there's a lot of your typical Japanese themes in this.... and they all work really well in this movie.... it does borrow a bit from George A. Romero's 'Land of the Dead', but it's all in good fun, right....? i laughed at this and loved every minute of it....
Fujio and Mitsuo are two best friends who work in a fire extenguisher warehouse spending most of their days practicing the art of Jujitsu.... until the zombies begin to attack and they have to use their skills to fight of the oncoming hordes.... this movie takes place over a 5 year stretch and covers a lot of ground.... so the rest of the plot will just have to wait until you see it to find out the rest....the ending was silly and a true Japanese over the top ending.... the characters are very likable and you can't help but root for this underdogs.... the zombies start out a little questionable, but get better later in the movie.... although they do take some liberties with how much ass kicking the zombies can do.... but it's all just one big horror fantasy, so who cares....? it's not as funny as 'Shaun of the Dead', but it's just as fun to watch.... i gave it 3 out of 5 stars.... but a high 3 stars.... it sets out to tell a story in a certain way and it gives you everything that the opening promises.... so if you like zombies and Japanese comedies, this one may just tickle your funny bone.... or at least spank it and fondle it.... (see the movie.)
other movies like this: 'Shaun of the Dead', 'Dance of the Dead' (2008) and 'Stacey'