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 31 ~ Train to Busan (2016, in Korean with English Subtitles)

Netflix Says...
"As a zombie outbreak sweeps the country, a dad and his daughter take a harrowing train journey in an attempt to reach the only city that's still safe."

I Say...
Actually, they were already on the train when the shit hit the fan, but yeah, it was a harrowing ride, all right!

Horror Type...
Zombie Apocalypse, Thriller, Action

Main Players...
Gong Yoo as Seok-woo (Hot Workaholic Dad)
Kim Su-an as Su-an (Kind of a Pain But Still Precious Daughter)
Jung Yu-mi as Seong-kyeong (Baller Pregnant Lady)
Ma Dong-seok as Sang-hwa (Hero)

I liked...

• how this film made me hold my breath repeatedly; it takes you to the edge and brings you back till you're utterly worn out
• that you really get a sense of who the leads are and what motivates them (apart from wanting to get the freak away from snapping zombie jaws); a lotta heart in this film, too
• how it breaks from some zombie rules (no shamblers here) and creates interesting new ones
• the use of wit as well as brawn to get out of tough spots
• how well the worst, and the best, of humanity is represented here
• that it's so engrossing you don't even feel the length of the movie till it's over and you realize nearly two hours have gone by

The Meh...
There is no meh in this award-winning film.

Would I recommend it...?

Absolutely, positively, 100-Gajillion-Percent. You have to watch this. HAVE TO. Yes, it's gory; yes, the zombies run; yes, it's violent af. But you have to watch this brilliantly terrifying movie.

Miscellany...

• The zombie apocalypse, like life, is not fair. Not even a little bit.
• As the credits started rolling I was bawling into some napkins. But rest easy--it's emotional, not schmaltzy.
• Though I'm a few days late, I've saved you the best movie for last. You're welcome. Go frigging watch it. Now.

Ratings...

My Grade: A+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=93%, Audience Score=88%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Train to Busan on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Train to Busan's IMDb Page

Train to Busan's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 31 (and, indeed, the blogfest!) of

Zombie Apocalypse: Survival Kit & Crew Bloghop!

The end is nigh! And Jackie @Bouquet of Books, Dani @Entertaining Interests, and I want to know how you're going to survive it!

To welcome back one of our fave TV shows, The Walking Dead (season premiere's this coming Sunday, October 12!), we're building our respective zombie apocalypse dream teams and survival kits. Below are the folks and items this Goth Mom (Lite) wants around her when the shit hits the existential fan:

Crew:

1 The Walking Dead character

Michonne, because GIRL POWAH!!!!! Also, I really admire her no-nonsense demeanor (and since I'm all-nonsense, I think we'd make great foils for one another, n'est-ce pas?).

1 book character
Molly Michon from several Chis Moore books because 1. I dig the symmetry of her last name and my first crew member's name and 2. she's an absolute nutter whose wackadoodle ideas always seem to turn out right, whether she's on her meds or not. Also, she's a BAMF with a broadsword (or is it a katana? I forget).

1 movie character

Shaun from Shaun of the Dead, for his already proven zombie-killing skillz.

1 TV character (other than TWD)

Piper Halliwell from Charmed, 'cause she could freeze hordes of the walkers so we could snuff 'em out en masse.

1 loved one

My Kid, Balthazar, so he could wiseass the zombies to death. (To their second, more final deaths. obviously.)

1 friend

My Dear Friend Karen, because she'd so totally organize our sleep/work/slay schedules.

1 freebie

Satellite radio DJ Madison, from Sirius XM's Alt Nation, 'cause slaying soundtrack.

Backpack:

1 comfort item

My copy of Georgette Heyer's "The Convenient Marriage" because it's hilarious and I find the hero wonderfully dreamy.

1 weapon

My rapier sharp wit.

No? OK, then; Max Brooks, author of "The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead," commends the machete for being the ultimate zombie-stopper, so that.

1 luxury item
Moisturizer. Though it's less a luxury than a necessity, as my skin's hella dry, and dry/cracked skin leaves one susceptible to all sorts of infection!

1 food item

Nutella. (Because YUM.)

1 medicine/first aid item

Rum. (What, ain'tcha never heard of medicinal alcohol?)

1 hygiene item

Since I'm suspending my disbelief anyway, a magically renewable supply of Always sanitary pads. ('Cause I can't imagine it being easy to pick these up when one's on the run for one's life.)

1 freebie

Matches. Fire good!

Background:

Outpost
Montuak, Long Island (Me likey the ocean!)

Outbreak
Los Angeles, CA (Probably.) (It totally makes sense.)

Cause of it

Reality TV

Cure (if applicable)

An intrinsic sense of self-worth which isn't dependent upon others' adulation. (Haha...that's a toughy.)

1 item you NEED to find

Sturdy, water-proof, comfortable walking shoes with good arch support that come in a wide width. Oh, and they should be red, 'cause that's my fave color.

1 item you WANT to find

The Lindt chocolate factory.

Method of travel

Fire-breathing dragon, so we can fly high above the hoary dead while roasting them into oblivion!

And if you've a brief moment of respite from dodging the dead, be sure to pop 'round the other bloghop participants' sites to see how they plan to survive!

Announcing the Zombie Apocalypse: Survival Kit & Crew Bloghop!

Bodacious babes Jackie (Bouquet of Books) and Dani (Entertaining Interests) kindly invited moi to co-host their upcoming Zombie Apocalypse: Survival Kit & Crew Bloghop and, being the hip GothMom(Lite) that I am, I graciously accepted the honor. (Modestly, too.)

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Dani and Jackie's excitement for The Walking Dead premiere on October 12 reanimated another blogfest idea for these groovy gals. I have to admit to being totally stoked myself (about the show and their invitation to co-host). (W00000T!) And I have a feeling, Dear Reader, that you may be stoked as well. Read on for deets...

Zombie Apocalypse: Survival Kit & Crew Bloghop

Post date: Friday, October 10, 2014 ('cause who wants to post on show day?) (Not I!)

Hosts: Jackie @Bouquet of Books, Dani @Entertaining Interests, and Mina @ Some Dark Romantic.

To help build your zombie apocalypse dream team and survival kit, you'll need to pick ONE person and/or ONE item for each of the topics listed in the below categories.

(Items you already have on your person: undergarments, shirt, bottoms, socks, tennis shoes & a backpack. If you want special shoes and/or boots, jackets, belt, etc., those are extra and will need to be listed for one of your items below.)

And since this bloghop is all about having fun, if you have kiddos and/or pets, we can assume they are safely tucked away in a safe haven while we’re out in the world fighting off zombies, so do not worry.

With the characters below, please include the book, movie, & TV show they stem from.

The Walking Dead character (crew member #1) is the only one that needs to be from a zombie themed entertainment outlet, but please feel free to choose characters from your other favorite books/movies/tv. They may or may not be zombie related. It's all up to you. Just let your imagination flow!

Crew:

1. 1 The Walking Dead character
2. 1 book character
3. 1 movie character
4. 1 TV character (other than TWD)
5. 1 loved one
6. 1 friend
7. 1 freebie

Backpack:

1. 1 comfort item
2. 1 weapon
3. 1 luxury item
4. 1 food item
5. 1 medicine/first aid item
6. 1 hygiene item
7. 1 freebie

Background:

1. Outpost
2. Outbreak
3. Cause of it
4. Cure (if applicable)
5. 1 item you NEED to find
6. 1 item you WANT to find
7. Method of travel

• Please display the above badge on your blog.
• Join us on Friday, October 10, to build your zombie apocalypse dream team and survival kit.
• Spread the word via twitter, facebook, your blog, etc.
• Sign up in the linky, below, so that we can visit you and your crew on October 10.
• Most of all HAVE FUN and BE AS CREATIVE as you want!