Zephyrus of the Anemoi

.the ramblings of a radman.

Tag: gore

Scary Movie Month – Day 21 – Dead Snow

October 21, 2011 /

We should have gone to the beach like I told you.
— Roy 

I have two words for you: Nazi zombies. Or zombie Nazis. It doesn’t matter which order you put them in, they are still an awesome combination. Dead Snow (iTunes) is probably the best zombie film I’ve seen from the last 30 years. I don’t care what people say about “slow zombies” vs “fast zombies”. Zombies can be undead or infected or possessed by voodoo. They can be fast, slow, dimwitted, or smart. They don’t necessarily have to be single-minded, though it certainly increases the fear. What I’m saying is, I love zombie movies no matter how the zombies are portrayed, because it’s the simple, unrelenting nature of the beast that inspires fear.

This movie does so many things right, it’s difficult to believe that there is a compelling reason to watch any other zombie movie. The protagonists find so many awesome ways to kill zombies that this movie is now the gold standard for new zombie movies to aspire to. There is plenty of awesome gore, but it never gets repetitive. Also, brains on the floor. I don’t need to say anything more about that. If you’ve already seen the movie, then you just had a brief moment of hilarity as you remembered the scene to which I am referring. But even beyond that, there are so many more amazing moments: “entrail-feasting grenade surprise”, “chaingun snowmobile”, “two-versus-the-horde showdown of epic violence”, and more.

There are even some awesome tributes to Sam Raimi with several series of quick cuts and big, clear sound effects (the first being when one of the characters tears a strip of cloth, wraps it around a stick, dips it in gas, lights it, and pulls it up to his face to see inside a cave). This is a direct reference to both Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, when Ash uses his inventiveness to replace his missing hand with a chainsaw and gauntlet, though he has used the same trademark in other films, as well. Hell, there’s even a self-inflicted chainsaw amputation scene.

Honestly, if the director had shot the entire film in English, this movie would probably be at the top of the list of great movies for nearly every horror fan. And even though it’s all in Norwegian and you have to read subtitles to understand the conversations, it’s still fantastic. Please see this movie and share it with your friends.

Best of all, it’s on Netflix Instant, in HD.

Scary Movie Month – Day 19 – Dawn of the Dead

October 19, 2011 /

The original, 1978 release of Dawn of the Dead is the best zombie horror movie I’ve ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, I love Shaun of the Dead (iTunes), Zombieland (iTunes), 28 Days Later, and even the 2004 remake. Part of what makes this movie so fantastic is its originality and sense of humor. The number of times Romero tries to find humor in an apocalypse borders on the ludicrous. From our heroes running through the mall making a game of looting stores while zombies try to catch them to the motorcycle gang throwing pies in the faces of the zombies rather than killing them, there are plenty of opportunities to laugh.

Romero also does an awesome job of showing how the experience of surviving a zombie apocalypse can easily lead to insanity, as two characters in the movie come unhinged during the course of the film. It’s also a gore-fest, despite being an older movie. While some of the effects are nowhere near as realistic as what we see today, there are still some cringe-worthy moments when zombies claim their victims.

However, perhaps the best part of this movie is how effectively it teaches you to survive a zombocalypse. A mall may not be at the top of my list of places to hole up in, but it’s certainly in my top 5. And now that you know how it all goes wrong, you can make better decisions than the characters to survive even longer.

Scary Movie Month – Day 8 – Scream

October 8, 2011 /

“My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me.”

Scream was one of my first exposures to the slasher genre. My parents didn’t let us watch true scary movies growing up, so aside from a brief 30-minute experience with Halloween II (iTunes) (where Michael Myers drowns the nurse in a boiling hot tub), Scream was it. Coincidentally, it also coincides with my first non-public make-out session. Don’t tell my wife.

The best parts of this movie are all the little details they’ve added for horror movie fans: the Freddy Krueger look-a-like janitor, the oft-repeated conversations and “Rules” about scary movies, and especially the trivia game in the opening scene. I also loved the way it told you the “Rules” for surviving a scary movie and then violated every single one of them. The best thing about Scream, of course, was the way it redefined the genre, adding a sense of humor that was often missing from horror movies at the time.

Also, I didn’t have time to watch The Faculty today, so I’m gonna have to move it to another day. Maybe the same day I watch Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as it’s essentially the same movie.

Scary Movie Month – Day 3 – Slither

October 3, 2011 /

Nathan Fillion is one of my all-time favorite actors. He’s funny, talented, ruggedly handsome, and has excellent depth. So when I found out that he was in Slither, I jumped at the chance to see it. It was only later that I realized it was written by James Gunn (the mastermind behind PG Porn and Super), which made me appreciate it much more.

Slither is a cross between alien invasion and zombie movies. With a great deal of comedy thrown in for good measure. Perhaps the greatest moment in the entire movie is when Nathan Fillion’s character has to fight off the deer he watched get infected earlier in the movie. The look on his face as he recognizes the deer and the hilarious way the scene is shot as he fights it off are both fantastic. There are several good one-liners in the movie, as well. It doesn’t quite reach the level of Army of Darkness, but it’s still worth watching for the humor aspect.

Be warned, however, that if you don’t do well with gross movies, you will struggle with this one. There are some horribly graphic moments scattered throughout the movie. If you can sit through “gore porn” like Saw, however, you shouldn’t have any trouble with this. Just don’t eat right before you watch it, as Gunn seems intent on making food seem absolutely unappetizing for the rest of your life after seeing this movie.

Don’t forget, that if you’re wanting to follow along with Scary Movie Month, then be sure to check the calendar often as I update what I’m watching and when.

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