Spook Out! Day 31 ~ Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Amazon Says...

"Through comic mayhem from the White House to the heartland, four slayers face off against new kinds of evolved zombies and new human survivors."

I Say...
And how!!!!!

Horror Type...
Zombies, Horror Comedy, Post-Apocalyptic

Main Players...
Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee (Gnarly Elvis Lover)

Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus (Puppy Dog Rule-Maker)

Emma Stone as Wichita (Bad-Note-Leaver)

Abigail Breslin as Little Rock (Restless Teen)

I liked...

***SO FRIGGING MUCH***

• the shoot-em-up opening credits, that really set the tone for the rest of the movie
• the laughs, the gags, the bits, the throwaways, the visual jokes--man, this mfr was even funnier than the first Z-land flick, but also,
• the zombie scares, which are played straight and, in some scenes, legit scary
• the new zombie classifications
• how relationships, both romantic and familial, are explored and developed
• the doppelgängers! (so to speak)
• the specTACular zombie battle in the third act, DANG!

The Meh...
The only "meh" for me is that I don't know if we're getting another movie in this franchise. PLEASE OH PLEASE LET THERE BE ANOTHER ONE!!!!!

Would I recommend it...?

HECK to the YEAH! Lah-lah-lah-LOVE THIS MOOOVEEEEEEE! For me, it's the perfect combination of action, romance, comedy, and horror, with exactly the right amount of violence and gore to give it some Halloween bite (pun intended!). Not sure if sensitives will mind the aforementioned violence and gore--IMO, it's not gratuitous (for the kind of movie this is) and while it has scary moments, they're not terrifying, just...pleasantly chilling. (That's a thing, right? Pleasantly chilling?) (Well, it is for me...)

Miscellany...

• I've gotta shout out Zoey Deutch (Madison), Rosario Dawson (Nevada), and Luke Wilson (Albuquerque) for their work here--bravi, y'all!
• Watch the end credits all the way through. Trust me on this.

Ratings...

My Grade: A

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=68%, Audience Score=88%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Zombieland: Double Tap on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 31

(and indeed, the blogfest!)

of

Thanks to all who joined me

on this year's journey,

and please do come back next year...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 26 ~ Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes Says...
"Artistic, sophisticated and centuries old, two vampire lovers...ponder their ultimate place in modern society."

I Say...
I mean, #same.

Horror Type...
Vampires, Horror Comedy, Dark Fantasy

Main Players...

Tilda Swinton as Eve (Not That Eve)

Tom Hiddleston as Adam (Not That Adam)

Mia Wasikowska as Ava (Enfant Terrible)

I liked...

• some of the deeply profound thoughts expressed by the vamps, like suicidal Adam's poignant, "I needed a reflection, to see if it would echo back before..." Here, "reflection" is not the kind one seeks from a mirror, and the "before" implies his anticipated demise. Gave me chills, bc don't we all, on some level, seek to have something of ourselves reflected back from the world, to know we've made our mark, to know we'll be remembered?
• Eve and Adam's relationship. They're so easy with one another, as folks who've known one another intimately for so long should be. They visibly cherish one another's company (the way they smoldered at one another when first reunited after a lengthy separation, W00F) and really appreciate the simple things they can do together, like play chess and dance in their living room. So lovely. 💜
• Adam's relationship with his blood "dealer"--some fun moments in their interactions
• how each vamp we meet has an innate, distinct skill
• Adam's/Hiddleston's dreamy voice (though his hair's a fright)
• the groovy soundtrack, which featured one of my faves:

The Meh...

• For a horror comedy, it was light on both horror and comedy.
• Plot? We don't need no stinking plot, bc...
• ...this film busies itself packing in allusion after allusion instead. That can be fun, but here I found it masturbatory and shallow (shallow, bc none of it advances the story, nor does it reveal character, as far as I could tell). I mean, I just don't reckon sophisticated vampires who've been married to one another for centuries need to name drop so much with one another. All the references come off, to me, like the droopy winks your soused uncle aims at you over the Thanksgiving turkey after he's told That Joke (yes, again).
• All the unanswered questions (why were Eve and Adam living apart, anyway? What's with the glove wearing? Why do all the vamps have such bad hair???)

Would I recommend it...?

It's a gorgeous mood piece with great music but as a horror movie, it's an anemic navel-gazer with no bite. (Puns fully intended.) Only at the very end, when Eve and Adam are desperate, do they frighten even a little bit. Those of sensitive dispositions are perfectly safe with this film. For a vampire love story with some actual scares, I'd recommend Let the Right One In or Let Me In. For a vampy love story with laughs, for my money you can't beat Love at First Bite.

Miscellany...

This is another Jim Jarmusch movie, the second one I've ever seen. The first, The Dead Don't Die, I reviewed earlier this month and I honestly can't understand how so many folks panned it but fawn all over Only Lovers Left Alive. Whatever, wank-boys'n'girls--up is down, day is night, vanilla is chocolate. You're all nuts. N.V.T.S. nuts.

Ratings...

My Grade: B as an art piece & vampire love story/C as a horror comedy

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=85%, Audience Score=75%

Details, Schmeetails...

You can watch Only Lovers Left Alive on Amazon (among other places offering Starz)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 26 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 25 ~ Nina Forever (2015)

IMDb Says...

"Suicidal Rob starts dating a colleague at the supermarket. But whenever they have sex, his dead girlfriend, Nina, pops up."

I Say...
And how!

Horror Type...
Supernatural Horror, Horror Comedy

Main Players...
Cian Barry as Rob (Grieving Boyfriend)

Abigail Hardingham as Holly (Definitely Not Vanilla)

Fiona O'Shaughnessy as Nina (Definitely Not an "Ex")

I liked...

• how this movie doesn't content itself with simply pushing the envelope, but shreds that mfr to bits
• the dark, dark humor
• how Nina, the titular revenant, is rendered here: she's corporeal but rotting, she can speak intelligently (and oh, so sarcastically) but has difficulty moving under her own steam, she leaves everything (and everyone) that comes into contact with her coated by blood and ooze, and her movements are often accompanied by squishy sounds (which 🤢 but also 😂)
• how Rob stays in touch with Nina's parents (though perhaps more than was healthy for any of them)
• how Holly completes her course and becomes a BAMF paramedic (much is made of how young she is by Nina and, later, Nina's parents, so I really appreciate that Holly is shown to be capable and brave in a professional capacity), and
• that this BAMF paramedic scene has therapeutic value for Holly, as well as for the person she helps in it

The Meh...

• The plot's a bit thin--the main action (when sex isn't happening), is Holly and Rob trying to figure out how to keep Nina from reappearing...and that's it. Perhaps that's enough but I wanted a little something more.
• Throughout all of the sexy-times, Holly's breasts are shown quite often, whereas not once are we shown Rob's wang--not when they're having sex (Holly's body's in the way), not when they're interrupted having sex (the sheet covers him), not when he enters a room while he's naked (the camera grazes over the tip of his pubic hair for a second but quickly rises up to his torso), and not when Holly's freaking bathing him, ffs! Meanwhile, the directors--male-gazey mfrs--waste no opportunity to show us Holly's tits (when she's undressing for sex, when she's having sex, when she's getting up after sex, when she's dressing after sex, ad nauseam). Look, I get it--nudity often accompanies sex, and bodies are beautiful to gaze upon, sure. SO FREAKING SHOW US ROB'S DICK, THEN!!!!! *Ahem*
• I'd like some clarity on that ending.

Would I recommend it...?

Um...Well...I liked the movie, got a lot of chuckles from it, and enjoyed the thinking material it provides regarding grief and how we manage the baggage we accrue from previous relationships. But it's not for everyone. You need a strong stomach to handle the fact that some of the sexy-sex is borderline necrophilia, kinda. Sorta. It's hard to classify. It's more gory than scary, although the ending horrifies in its own way. Trigger warning for: the aforementioned sorta-kinda-necrophilia, a suicide attempt (aftermath shown), and gore-galore.

Miscellany...

Nina Forever came to my attention years ago because of Fiona O'Shaughnessy, whom I'd seen in Brit series Striking Out and My Mother and Other Strangers. I loved her unique voice, which is a bit beefier, or guttural here (I guess that's the kind of thing one might expect of a reanimated corpse). It's been a while since I've seen these but, if memory serves, her roles on these shows were on the smaller side--but they're still great programs (and My Mother... is currently free for Prime members).

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=94%, Audience Score=54%

Details, Schmeetails...

Watch Nina Forever on Amazon (and/or Shudder)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 25 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 18 ~ Happy Death Day (2017)

Amazon Says...
"A woman relives the day of her murder over and over in this slasher twist on 'Groundhog Day'."

I Say...

^Nailed it!

Horror Type...
Slasher, Horror Comedy

Main Players...

Jessica Rothe as Theresa "Tree" Gelbman (BirthDeathday Girl)

Israel Broussard as Carter Davis (Stand-Up Guy)

Ruby Modine as Lori Spengler (Baker Roommate)

I liked...

• Jessica Rothe's work in this--she carried the whole thing like a BOSS and seemed to have a really great time doing it. Go on with your bad self, girl!
• how the humor played out, without cheesing things up
• how Tree starts off as unlikable but we grow to care about as she grows (even if she has to die a few times to do it)
• the puzzling aspect of trying to identify the killer(s???)
• that, unlike in Groundhog Day, each re-lived day (specifically, being murdered each day) took a physical toll on Tree, which lent some urgency to the need to solve the time-loop problem
• how grief was explored, without being heavy-handed

The Meh...
The Who was interesting but the Why was kinda flimsy--it meant earlier bits didn't make too much sense, but then, it's not that heady a movie, if you know what I mean.

Would I recommend it...?

Yeah, man, this comedy-mystery-horror-romp is loads of fun! You can sink right into it for your Halloween kicks and still get to sleep easily. (Probably.) Mild jump scares only, and the death-scenes aren't really gory (or even shown in great detail, from what I recall). It may be a bit too light on the scares for hardcore horror fans, tho.

Miscellany...

The director, Christopher Landon, is one of (the late) Michael Landon's sons. (Yes, Pa-Ingalls-Michael-Landon!). AND bitch sorority sister, played by Rachel Matthews, is one of Michael Landon's grandchildren!

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=71%, Audience Score=66%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Happy Death Day on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 18 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 10 ~ Fido (2006)

Amazon Says...
"When Timmy's mom brings home a zombie servant, he discovers a new best friend and is determined to keep him, even if his zombie ate the next-door neighbor."

I Say...
I mean, stuff happens, amiright?

Horror Type...
Zombies, Horror Comedy, Alternative History

Main Players...
K'Sun Ray as Timmy Robinson (Bully Fodder)

Billy Connolly as Fido (Boy's Best Zombie-Friend)

Carrie-Anne Moss as Helen Robinson (Quintessential 50s Mom)

I liked...

• how wonderfully stylized this revisionist version of the '50s looks, from the gorgeous ladies' fashions, to the vividly technicolored decor of the main family's house. It puts me in mind of the carefully cultivated, suburban fantasyland Tim Burton created for Edward Scissorhands, only perhaps a little sharper. The artistic backdrop and framing of certain scenes, too, were reminiscent of older creature-features (for example, when someone "turns" in front of a huge moon--just gorgeous)
• Carrie-Anne Moss' portrayal of a perfectly coiffured, gracious homemaker who's also fully prepared to put down zombies when needed. Helen Robinson: have accelerant – will travel
• Sir Billy Connolly's masterful work as the titular zombie, Fido. It's a testament to his comedic genius how much he's able to convey with only looks and groans
• an idea they played with, of zombies' abilities to control their violently ravenous impulses after significant and prolonged positive interaction with the living (a theme Warm Bodies would expand upon a few years later)
• that the jokes and gags just spank along, one after another, throughout the movie. Some highlights include:
• "Outdoor Education," in which elementary school-aged kids enjoy rifle practice while chanting, "In the brain and not the chest, headshots are the very best."
• Helen to Fido--"...why aren't you eating me???"/Fido to Helen--::makes moon eyes::
• Timmy's Dad to Timmy--"I know you're not supposed to have a handgun (beat) till you're twelve..."

The Meh...

One of Timmy's neighbors, Mr. Theopolis, "owns" a female zombie who's totally not his girlfriend--except she kind of is, and though it's not a major plotline, it's still pretty squicky when Theopolis tells her to stop her habitual chomping by saying, "Not the teeth, Tammy." 🤢

Would I recommend it...?

One hundred percent! This well-paced laugh riot has earned a place on my top fave movies list. Folks wanting hardcore horror should look elsewhere, as there's a little zombie violence and a wee bit of gore but probably not enough to satisfy them.

Miscellany...

I've just realized this is the third zombie movie I've reviewed for this year's Spook Out! (and the second zom-com!). Not sure if there're any more--I try not to dig too deeply into the stuff I review before watching, so it's possible...

Ratings...

My Grade: A-

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=73%, Audience Score=72%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Fido on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 10 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 8 ~ The Dead Don't Die (2019)

IMDb Says...

"The peaceful town of Centerville finds itself battling a zombie horde as the dead start rising from their graves."

I Say...
"Battling" may be too strong a word...

Horror Type...
Zombies, Zombie Apocalypse, Horror Comedy

Main Players...

Bill Murray as Chief Cliff Robertson (Way Past Retirement)

Adam Driver as Officer Ronnie Peterson (Stoic Copper)

Tom Waits as Hermit Bob (Finger-Licken Narrator)

I liked...

• the humor ~ this, my new deadpan delight! So dry, you need a saline drip and a gallon of water to genteely sip as you watch
• the matter-of-fact way folks accept this is a zombie outbreak--none of the pesky incomprehension or disbelief you encounter in so many other horror movies
• how the convention of horror-as-social commentary plays out here--with the cause of the outbreak being polar fracking
• all the weird little hints and details that presage disaster
• that the thing that motivates the movements of the first two revenants we see is coffee #relatable
• how something about the lighting, especially the outside night-time shots, coupled with the deliberate pacing creeps me out (add to these the oncoming shamblers and I'm really spooked!)
• the fabulous ensemble cast--so many great cameos!

The Meh...(thar be spoilers here, arr...)

• one of the best characters gets deus-ex-machina'd away as things are getting really bad
• whatever became of the kids from the facility??? (As a mom, "kids in peril" WIGS ME OUT and I can't stand not knowing whether they're OK.)
• was the only point of introducing the "infernal hipsters, with their irony" to set up that sublime quote???

Would I recommend it...?

If you've been following my blog, you'll know that horror comedies are my catnip, so heck yes I would! The stuff I list in The Meh frustrates me BUT I looooooove the humor, so freaking much, that I can't wait to watch it again. This is pleasurably scary, for me, though it'd probably not impress hardcore horror fans unless they also appreciate absurdist chuckles. I think the faint of heart could watch this comfortably--and it's worth it, for the lols.

Miscellany...

The Dead Don't Die invites controversy. This is director Jim Jarmusch's first zombie movie (and my first experience of his work), which apparently doesn't make a difference to him as to how he's going to tell a story--to paraphrase one podcaster, if it'd been made any other way, it wouldn't be a Jim Jarmusch movie (which, in part, seemed to echo my complaint about characters introduced for no apparent reason, or plotlines that don't go anywhere). One reviewer, who digs the flick, still referred to it as "a self-righteous allegory for climate change", though another benignly calls it "folksy and friendly entertainment, while yet another says this is just Jarmusch doodling half-heartedly. Some think he's satirizing satirical zombie movies bc he hates them. Well, he doesn't--though he does hate zombies. Whatever, man; he's just a guy having fun making a goofy zombie movie, while slipping in a warning about the planet's future, is that so wrong???

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=54%, Audience Score=38%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Dead Don't Die on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 8 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 30 ~ He Never Died (2015)

Netflix Says...
"A reclusive immortal who needs human flesh but tries to stay clean finds himself cast back into society by a gang of thugs and his estranged daughter."

I Say...
Kids, man. They can really disrupt your reclusive immortality, know what I'm sayin'? Actually, the above summary gets one thing wrong--she's not his estranged daughter bc he never knew of her existence till this movie.

Horror Type...
Horror Comedy, Dark Comedy

Main Players...
Henry Rollins as Jack (Reclusive Immortal)

Kate Greenhouse as Cara (Loyal Waitress)

Jordan Todosey as Andrea Huntsman (Life-disrupting Daughter)

I liked...

• the dry, deadpan style of Rollins' delivery
• how the normalcy of the waitress and daughter contrast so starkly with Jack's...well, everything
• that Jack enjoys a good game of Bingo now and again
• that, at least in the movie, Jack shows mercy

The Meh...

• it's a little too dry
• it's also a little too long
• the pacing was sluggish in the first act and maybe the first part of the second act

Would I recommend it...?

It's an OK watch but not really a horror movie, IMO. (To be fair, I'm not sure why I thought it was one.) Pretty violent and gory, though.

Miscellany...

That Mr. Rollins is a fine lookin' fella. Le rawr RAWR!

Ratings...

My Grade: C+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=87%, Audience Score=64%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched He Never Died on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

He Never Died's IMDb Page

He Never Died's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 30 of

Spook Out! Day 28 ~ Ramekin (2018)

Amazon Says...
"Emily...[is] a college girl in New York City coming to live in the spacious Upper West Side apartment of her recently-deceased grandmother. There she encounters a little white porcelain cup--a ramekin--that slowly begins to control her life and demand the unthinkable."

I Say...
^That's exactly right and BOY what a ride!

Horror Type...
Horror Comedy, Surreal, Supernatural

Main Players...
Jamie Saunders as Emily (Tidy College Girl)
Renee Adrienne Vito as Jane (The BFF with the Stupid Face)
Adriano La Rocca as Mark (The Cute But Clueless Neighbor)

I liked...
I've been bullet-pointing for this section in my previous reviews but for Ramekin I'm going stream-of consciousness bc that's the only way I can think to tackle it right now.

I love how precise all of Emily's motions are, down to her diction and phrasing. Her face is wonderfully expressive and that big-ass smile she whips out is both beautiful and terrifying. I dig that she gets a few moments of grace to see that something's terribly wrong and she's not quite herself and wants to get out of whatever hell she's in. But she can't bc Ramekin.

I adore surreal humor, and this horror-comedy is just that. I mean, it's a ridiculous situation--being controlled by a ramekin? A ramekin??? Yet, the writing and Saunders' amazing work really sell it for me. Some of the dialogue made me cringe, other bits made me literally laugh out loud. And then there were these moments when a lick of terror seriously shot through me as I sat there helpless (much like Emily, but without any cupcakes, more's the pity).

The "poetry" in this is risible, when it's not utterly chilling. (Mark, how could you not understand?????)

The soundtrack's groovy!

Also, any New Yorker can appreciate that the only way a college student could lay claim to a lovely furnished apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side is if it were haunted or possessed by...something. (HAH!)

The Meh...
There's a bit in the beginning when Emily's trying to leave Ramekin in the dish rack that goes on a little long and could lose a viewer's interest--but stick with it!

The ending's even more bizarre and I couldn't quite grok it till I read writer/director/ filmmaker Cody Clarke's (or someone bearing his handle) explanation in this Reddit thread.

Would I recommend it...?

Yes! It's kooky and it's creepy, hilariously freaky, it's altogether unique-y--and for Amazon Primers, free! I heart this film so much I'm including a teaser for it:

Miscellany...

Please watch this ultra indie movie (made on a $500 budget!). Let's support indie artists so Hollywood gets the message that we don't want remakes, we want original creative voices!!!

Ratings...

My Grade: A-
Article #2: Ramekin Review!
Regrettably, there's no Rotten Tomatoes page for Ramekin.

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Ramekin on Amazon

Ramekin's IMDb Page

A Wikipedia Page for Ramekin does not currently exist.

This concludes day 28 of

Spook Out! Day 18 ~ I Had a Bloody Good Time at House Harker (2016)

Amazon Says...
"It's been generations since the Harkers' great-great grandfather killed Count Dracula. Now the Harker brothers and their best friend Ned are a town joke - until a real vampire turns up."

I Say...
The bros may've benefitted from the vampire's arrival but the townsfolk sure didn't.

Horror Type...
Horror comedy, Vampires

Main Players...
Jacob Givens as Gerry (Artiste)
Noel Carroll as Charlie (Artiste's Bro)
Derek Haugen as Ned (Artiste's BFF)

I liked...

• Gerry's enthusiasm for his artistic project--and the bits at the start, showing how he envisions certain scenes, are nicely done
• Ned snarking at/about his rival for his dream gal's affection
• the good-natured rival's determined, and genuine, friendliness toward Ned
• that Ned's last name, Morris, is the last name of the second man responsible for putting an end to Dracula in the Bram Stoker tale (the other man, of course, being Jonathan Harker) (And don't come crying to me about spoilers, the book's been out for over 120 years, for fang's sake.)
• the hidden, steely depths of old man Walter
• when the jokes stuck the landing (surprised a few chuckles out of me, they did!)
• the vampire, who was actually kinda scary (that freaking voice, yo)
• the scene after the end credits
• the cheesy goodness of the two Right Said Fred tunes they somehow obtained for the movie, particularly this one:

The Meh...

• as this reviewer writes, the Amazon ratings led me to believe this film was of a higher caliber but it's B movie level at best
• with all due respect to the efforts and passion of the makers of I Had a Bloody Good Time at House Harker, it's an amateurish production
• the plot's pretty dang weak and the pacing could be better
• for all the actual LOL moments, there's a lot more goofiness which fails to elicit even a groan bc who can be bothered?
• the male gaze is pretty evident in parts (ugh)

Would I recommend it...?

Ehhhhhh...Well. If you're already an Amazon Prime member and you want to set your brain to autopilot while tossing back a few beers with friends in the mood for nonsense, sure. But if mostly sophomoric humor and lots of gushes of blood aren't your cuppa, go watch What We Do in the Shadows instead (either the film or the TV series--both are excellent vampire comedies).

Miscellany...

This Indie was supported by a Kickstarter campaign!

Ratings...

My Grade: C+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=Not Available, Audience Score=77%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched I Had a Bloody Good Time at House Harker on Amazon

I Had a Bloody Good Time at House Harker's IMDb Page

I couldn't find a Wikipedia page for I Had a Bloody Good Time at House Harker

This concludes day 18 of

Spook Out! Day 11 ~ Little Monsters (2019)

Hulu Says...
"A film dedicated to all the kindergarten teachers who motivate children to learn, instill them with confidence and stop them from being devoured by zombies."

I Say...
Man-child is surprised by zombie uprising while on a field trip with a group of five-year-olds and the baddest, ukulele-playing Kindergarten teacher Down Under.

Horror Type...
Comedic Horror, Zombies

Main Players...
Lupita Nyong'o as Miss Caroline (BAMF Teacher)
Alexander England as Dave (Man-child)
Josh Gad as Teddy McGiggle (Lewd, Crude, and Socially Unacceptable Kids' Show Host)

I liked...

• Dave's character development--to me, it seemed natural and genuine, and I like the Dave who emerges in the third act
• Miss Caroline's integrity and determination to protect her charges from the zombie horde (which I'm pretty sure was not in her job-description) while doing everything she could to make the kids feel safe
• how Miss Caroline shed the sweetness-and-light persona (which is a true facet of her character) to wield a rake and a shovel, respectively, with deadly force when necessary
• that, somehow, in addition to being a zombie movie, this is a feel-good romantic comedy...a Zom-Rom-Com!

The Meh...

• about the first 20 minutes are a pretty straightforward exposition of Dave's hot-mess-life which, while interesting enough to watch, fails to give any hints as to how a zombie apocalypse is brewing
• one of the ways Miss Caroline teaches the kids is through music. It becomes apparent that the zombie horde, amazingly, is still capable of responding to her singing--but this realization doesn't go anywhere meaningful. I thought it such an interesting idea for this kind of film that I was disappointed they didn't develop it further
• I've got a feeling that "One-two-three, eyes on me!" will be my ear-worm for at least a week

Would I recommend it...?

Yes, it's a good time with a pretty satisfying resolution. It's light enough for folks who don't dig hardcore horror to enjoy (though there are some quick flashes of gory violence, as can be expected). Hardcore horror fans of a mind to be charmed may get a kick out of it as well.

Miscellany...

Can Lupita Nyong'o be my teacher? Please? I'll wash up before dinner without being told and eat ALL my veggies, I promise!!! (Seriously, she's fabulous in this.)

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=84%, Audience Score=100% 

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Little Monsters on Hulu 

Little Monsters' IMDb Page

Little Monsters' Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 11 of

Spook Out! Day 8 ~ Grabbers (2012)

Hulu Says...
"In this comic sci-fi thriller, the inhabitants of a small island discover they must get drunk in order to survive an invasion of bloodsucking aliens."

I Say...
^That executive summary is spot on, and if none of that appeals to you on any level, then I just don't think we can be friends.

Horror Type...
Comedic Horror, Monster Movie, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Indie

Main Players...
Richard Coyle as Garda Ciarán O'Shea (Lush)
Ruth Bradley as Garda Lisa Nolan (Teetotaller)
Russell Tovey as Dr Smith (Wiseass Marine Ecologist)

I liked...

• the island-off-the-Irish-coast setting--it's gorgeous, folks, and I've already gushed about how much I heart the sea
• straightforward, well-paced, creature-feature plot
• the bristley, bouncy chemistry between O'Shea and Nolan
• the monster(s)--good mix of CGI and practical effects, IMO, and the full-grown mac daddy of the creatures is genuinely freaky
• the quirky locals & how they band together when the chips (and tentacles) are down

The Meh...

• it's standard movie length (1 hour, 34 minutes) but I think it could've simmered just a little longer to give the romance between the two leads some room to breathe
• I'm really ticked at myself for not having any popcorn around when I watched this, it's the sort of flick that demands it (and a bigger screen than my laptop). But that's not the movie's fault 

Would I recommend it...?
Heck yeah, I'd recommend this Irish romp! If you liked Shaun of the Dead and/or Slither, I think there's a good chance you'll dig Grabbers. But be sure you've got popcorn! (And I reckon some Guinness wouldn't go amiss. You know. Just in case.)

Miscellany...

• Richard Coyle's a fine-looking fella whom I luuuuurved in the hilarious Britcom Coupling. (Oh, Geoffrey...)
• Russell Tovey co-starred in the original (British) version of Being Human (both Being Human and Coupling are eminently binge-worthy)

Ratings...

My Grade: A
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=72%, Audience Score=51%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Grabbers on Hulu (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Grabbers' IMDb Page

Grabbers' Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

And just 'cause I heart it so danged much, here's just a wee bit of a teaser...

This concludes day 8 of

Spook Out! Day 2 ~ Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Amazon Says...
"The next great psycho horror slasher has given a documentary crew exclusive access to his life as he plans his reign of terror over the sleepy town of Glen Echo."

I Say...
Dopey twits don't think through implausible opportunity to film the exploits of a serial-killer-in-the-making. (To my great delight.)

Horror Type...
Comedic horror, black comedy, mockumentary.

Main Players...
Nathan Baesel as Leslie Vernon / Leslie Mancuso (He's the serial killer? Really?)
Angela Goethals as Taylor Gentry (Curiously Naive Journalist)
Kate Lang Johnson as Kelly (Leslie's Dream "Survivor Girl")

I liked...

• the earnestness with which the documentary film crew approaches this study of a wannabe murderer
• the boyish enthusiasm of said wannabe and how he eagerly explains Serial Killer Practicum 101 to the crew
• the deliciously dry gruesomeness of this Christopher-Guest-style mockumentary
• that Scott Wilson, the actor who played the wise and kindly Hershel Greene on The Walking Dead, here portrays a retired serial killer who serves as affable mentor to Leslie Vernon (Hah!)
• that everybody's favorite striped-shirt-wearing nightmare, Robert Englund, plays the wise and kindly psychiatrist who treated young Leslie and has a bad feeling about all this...
• how in the third act things smoothly shift from mockumentary to straight-up horror movie

The Meh...
I honestly can't think of one thing about Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon that chaffed my chaps, although I can't help being critical of a film crew who considers the moral implications of standing by while some guy slices and dices others only after he's already started doing it. Comedic-horror flicks are my catnip, so I really just heart this one. (SPOILER ALERT: More so, probs, than the expendable-guy-in-the-movie who literally got his heart handed to him after it was pulled from his chest.)

Would I recommend it...?

Heck yes, I would! I'm already looking forward to watching it again!

Miscellany...

Freaking Hershel Greene! A retired serial killer! (Double Hah!!)

Ratings...

My Grade: A
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=76%, Audience Score=75%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon's IMDb Page

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 2 of...