Zombieland (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing Zombieland
and in case you can't figure it out from the title, it's about zombies. Unlike most other movies of this genre, this one is funny.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: This movie is flat out funny. I laughed through the whole thing. Unfortunately, it is not for everybody, because it is kind of gory. These are zombies after all.
What did you think?
Scott: I also laughed throughout the movie. It reminded me of the humor in Shaun of the Dead, but unlike that movie, it kept to its humor until the end.
Mike: I loved Shaun of the Dead also, and I think this movie wouldn't exist if it wasn't for that one.
Scott: Yes, that movie paved the way for this. And they learned from the couple of problems that movie had and came up with this. At the same time, they are very different movies. And you are right, it was gory. It wasn't horror/scary movie gory, just lots of blood gory.
This movie stars Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus. He survived the initial flood of zombies because he was a loner. Apparently, not having friends is good practice for when the zombies come calling and everyone else is dead.
Mike: One of my favorite things is Columbus' rules for staying alive against the zombies. His examples of the rules in action are pretty humorous.
Scott: He tells you about them through the movie. The examples of the rules are funny. You wouldn't expect this wimpy looking guy to survive, but with the help of his rules, he has.
I think the rules were what I liked the most. It didn't allow you to take the movie seriously. They didn't want you to take it seriously either.
Mike: Well, I have to admit the fact that it was about ZOMBIES, is what made me not take it too seriously...
Scott: I am a zombie loving fool. I love the movies and I even love zombie books! It's hard to cover new ground in a zombie movie, but they managed to do just that.
Mike: I liked that they had zombies who could sprint like in 28 Days Later. All those years of slow dead people and somebody finally figured out that it's more exciting if they have a chance of actually catching the people.
I liked Eisenberg, who we just saw recently in Adventureland.
Scott: I was hoping to forget that movie.
Mike: Adventureland was good stuff. If you don't believe me, go back and read our review!
Scott: I didn't like that one.
Mike: Just listen to Me, then.
Scott: It's funny that Eisenberg was in Adventureland and Zombieland. What 'land' will he be in next?
Columbus meets up with Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) as Columbus is trying to get back to his hometown to see if his parents are still alive.
Mike: Eisenberg was funny in this, but the really funny guy is Woody.
I think I prefer funny Woody to serious Woody. It goes all the way back to Cheers.
Scott: Woody is having an end of the world year this year. He's also staring in 2012.
Mike: That sounds right.
Scott: He has some great quotes in this movie. For some reason one of them reminds me of one of my favorite quotes of all time from Roddy Piper in They Live, "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass ... and I'm all out of bubblegum". I love that quote. I just had to share it.
Mike: They Live is one of John Carpenter’s best. Who knew Rowdy Roddy was so good?
Scott: Harrelson’s character Tallahassee loves two things in this world, and one of them is killing zombies.
Mike: Tallahassee also has some very creative ways of dispatching zombies. I don't want to spoil them, but you have to see them to appreciate them. There is a lot of slapstick here and I love it.
Scott: He's been around and knows the ways to do it. I guess once you've killed so many, you get creative. You have to keep it fresh.
Mike: And drive a big black truck with the number 3 on the side.
Scott: That was good. I imagine you can find a lot of cars to drive when there are so few people living.
Mike: The same goes for houses, too. Like why not stay in a Beverly Hills mansion, if everyone is dead?
Scott: Yes, when in L.A. live like the rich.
Mike: And look out for a great cameo. That’s all I'm going to say.
Scott: The cast is rounded out by Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). These two ladies were hustlers before the world became Zombieland and have since perfected the trade.
Mike: You may not know the name Emma Stone, but I just saw her in Ghosts of Girlfiends Past and loved her in Superbad.
Scott: I recognized her from somewhere, but didn't remember it was Superbad.
Mike: I liked Breslin as well, but will she ever be able to top Little Miss Sunshine? I don't think so.
Scott: I liked her in Signs too. As young as she is, she has been in several good movies.
Mike: Yes, she should have a long career.
If the zombies don't get her...
Scott: There is always that problem.
This was directed by Ruben Fleischer and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. They managed to keep it fresh and not fall into the common zombie rut.
Mike: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have not written anything I have seen, but this script is a hoot. This is like the zombie version of The Hangover.
Okay, maybe not, but it was pretty darn funny.
Scott: It surprised me in the same way though. When you aren't sure what to expect and you come away happy, that's a good thing. Both movies have that in common.
Mike: So how do you rate this?
Scott: I really enjoyed this movie. I give it 4 eyeballs out of 5 overall and 4.5 hearts out of 5 for Zombie comedies.
And you?
Mike: I had never heard of this, but the trailer made me laugh. I was glad to see that it was as funny and creative as I had hoped. I give this 4 skulls out of 5 overall and 4 intestines out of 5 for horror/comedy.
Just remember to "Put" up or shut up as the TV commercial says.
The real tagline is a little different.
