Tag: zombies

Scary Movie Month – Day 28 – Pet Sematary

October 28, 2011 / Jared Cash

Stephen King is a master of the macabre, but his stories don’t always translate well to the screen, usually because great scenes are either ruined or left out entirely. In the case of Pet Sematary (iTunes), the film is fantastic. The effects hold up very well by today’s standards, and the final 45 minutes of the movie are creepy as all hell.

There aren’t a lot of scary moments at the start of the movie, aside from a few jumps, but the end of the movie more than makes up for it. The idea of a 2-year-old demon child attacking his parents and family friend is creepy on its own, but the visceral nature in which he goes after them with a scalpel is gut-wrenching. Of course, as a parent, this movie hits harder than others, especially as I think about what the finale means for the daughter, who is away with her grandparents.

Also, I absolutely love to hate the 80s tradition of writing terrible songs to play during the end credits of horror films that use the title of the movie to try and be somehow relevant. This movie is no exception. I don’t care if it isÂ by The Ramones, it’s still ridiculous and cheesy. Does that mean that I wouldn’t buy an entire collection of these songs and rock out to them all? Of course not. I’m still bound by my desire for all things schlock.

So far, this is probably my favorite of the 80s horror films that I’ve watched this month. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good scary movie to watch this All Hallow’s Eve (or Samhain, if you prefer).

On the importance of cardio during a zombie apocalypse

October 26, 2011 / Jared Cash

So I was telling a buddy of mine, Justin, about an iPhone app called Zombie Tools, which seemed like a fun and useful tool should you live long enough to use it in the impending Zombocalypse. Justin is the show-runner for the web series, Dead-Wait, so he is a bit of an expert on zombies.

After checking out the app, he responded, “All it needs now is a built-in cardio routineâ€¦”

Which got me thinkingâ€¦

The best cardio routine comes from running for your life. Naturally, then, it would seem logical that every true zombie preparedness plan include one “test zombie” to escape from. The only (and rather significant) problem is that one test zombie inevitably becomes two test zombies, then four escaped test zombies, then eight zombies rampaging through a zombie research center, then sixteen zombies spilling out into the streets, thirty-two zombies taking over a school, sixty-four zombies surrounding a mall, 128 zombies spreading throughout the city, and ultimately 256 zombies in your base, eating your d00dz.

Obviously, it doesn’t stop there, but at this point, you’re either dead or one of them, so it doesn’t matter.

What are your thoughts on how best to prepare for a zombie apocalypse?

Scary Movie Month – Day 21 – Dead Snow

October 21, 2011 / Jared Cash

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

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 20 – 28 Days Later

October 20, 2011 / Jared Cash

While 28 Days Later may not be a zombie movie the likes of Dawn of the Dead or [REC] (iTunes), it’s still a fantastic commentary on humanity and what would happen to society if social mores went out the window. On top of that, it’s bloody terrifying. Jim’s transition from recovering hospital patient to unwitting survivor to rage-filled protector is phenomenal and has more than a few thrills for the viewer.

Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors. I liked Trainspotting (iTunes), loved Slumdog Millionaire (iTunes) and Sunshine (iTunes), and even enjoyed The Beach (iTunes). So you can understand why this movie is in my top 5 list for “zombie” movies and top 10 for scary movies. But it’s not just the pedigree that makes it fantastic. The story draws excellent parallels between the RAGE-virus victims and an uninfected human filled with rage and taking the fight to his or her enemies. This is where the movie really shines.

I also love the music from this film. The “theme” during the climactic showdown at the end of the movie is a simply beautiful piece and I love to listen to it, even when I’m just chilling at home or work. And, unlike most horror stories, this one has a (somewhat) happy ending. Plus, it’s aÂ significantlyÂ better movie than 28 Weeks Later (iTunes).

Scary Movie Month – Day 19 – Dawn of the Dead

October 19, 2011 / Jared Cash

The original, 1978 release ofÂ 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 18 – Night of the Living Dead

October 18, 2011 / Jared Cash

The mother of all zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead (iTunes) is an excellent film and, due to the way it is lit and filmed in black-and-white, it’s rather frightening. While zombies from later films will be much scarier and more realistic, Romero does an excellent job of bringing this favorite villain of cinemaphiles everywhere to the big screen in one of the most iconic films of all time.

The ending is typical of most early horror films, in that it ends in tragedy, just when it seems as though the protagonists will survive. Of course, there is some excellent humor in the ending of the film, as well. I also quite loved the way that the zombies were referred to as ghouls. In fact, it’s a name I wish they continued to use.

If you love zombie movies, and you still haven’t seen this one, you should watch it and allÂ the Romero films. You won’t regret it.

Scary Movie Month – Day 17 – [REC]

October 17, 2011 / Jared Cash

I never saw Quarantine (iTunes). It didn’t look interesting to me, though mostly because I’m done with the hand-held camera style of filmmaking. And yet, when I was busy looking for scary movies to watch this month, [REC] (iTunes) popped up a couple times. It was all in Spanish and required viewing with subtitles, but was well worth it. Of course, it was also quite predictable, but that didn’t stop it from being an enjoyable zombie movie.

Often-times, when watching a foreign horror film, I expect low-budget sets and less-than-stellar makeup/effects. However, that was not the case with this movie. Zombies make for an excellent low-budget or foreign horror film, though. One of the scariest scenes in the entire movie required very little in the way of budget, and that was the scene where the police officer, fireman, and cameraman come across the little girl in one of the apartments.

As I said, I’m over the hand-held camera style of filmmaking, but this one was actually worth the time and effort to watch.

Scary Movie Month – Day 3 – Slither

October 3, 2011 / Jared Cash

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.