Ami Likes Movies

Zombieland (Ruben Fleischer, 2009).

A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, and a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America.

This movie just really annoyed me. The premise is decent, four strangers coming together to achieve a goal after the zombie apocalypse strikes. However, there are a lot of common themes in zombie movies that go unaddressed here, and I think it hurts the film. The way Columbus’ Zombie Rules are incorporated is over-the-top to the point of distraction, and frankly, the whole movie is just not as clever as it likes to think it is. It is trying so hard. Of course, I am also biased because I really really hate Jesse Eisenberg. He is horrible. Stop casting him in movies. Thanks.

This movie was originally developed to be a television series, and in all honesty, I think that would have been much better. The “Zombie Kill of the Week” in a tv show? Enjoyable, in context, makes sense. I would much rather watch a Zombieland horror comedy every week than the mess that AMC’s The Walking Dead has turned out to be.

Overall, I can’t say that this is a bad movie. Although the plot is somewhat mindless, Harrelson and Stone’s performances are solid, the gore is decent, and there was a fantastic cameo by one of Hollywood’s greatest (I doubt anyone has yet to see this movie, but I think the surprise adds a lot, so I won’t say who it is). It is very obvious that this movie was directly inspired by Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead, and I would highly recommend just watching that instead.

An American Werewolf in London (John Landis, 1981).

Two American tourists in Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.

I don’t know what exactly I was anticipating when I sat down to watch this one, but I do know that it exceeded my expectations. The story is solid, if predictable. The acting isn’t Oscar worthy, but it definitely doesn’t need to be. For 1981, the effects aren’t bad. There was a pleasantly surprising amount of gore, for a movie that, overall, wasn’t really very scary. However, my favorite aspect of the film has to be the soundtrack, which is composed entirely of songs about the moon (Blue Moon, Moondance, etc.). Nerdy, hilarious, and usually completely inappropriate for the scene.

This is a classic horror movie for a reason. Tons of gore, tons of laughs (occasionally unintentional ones), and overall a great viewing experience. Watch it with your friends, as long as you’re all comfortable watching a really awkward sex scene together (and why wouldn’t you be?).

Super (James Gunn, 2010).

“After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.”

This is probably one of the weirdest movies of 2010. The premise is fairly predictable, and it followed the real-life-superhero trend firmly set by Watchmen and Kick Ass without significant deviation. The inclusion of Ellen Page as a slightly sociopathic peppy sidekick is slightly amusing, but again, so predictable that it really came without merit at all. What is really jarring about this film is that, while it was filmed and advertized in a fairly upbeat way, it really is quite macabre. There is obviously a lot of graphic violence, but not always at the hands of the ones you would expect. Throw in the most bizarre rape scene I have ever witnessed in a movie, and you have one confused audience.

I’m not going to say that it was awful, because I think that it did a lot of interesting things in a somewhat original style. Although it tended to be a bit obvious, in an annoying sort of way. Still, I would probably take it over Kick Ass. The point is that real-life superheroes and vigilantes suck, okay? Do we get it yet? Can we stop making these movies? Thanks.

True Grit (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2010)

“A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father’s murderer,” (IMDB).

Although this is a remake of a classic John Wayne western, it absolutely reads like a typical Coen brothers film. I am usually not a huge fan of westerns, but everything about this film is completely compelling. The screenplay is phenomenal, every line is biting and witty, the cinematography is gorgeous, and every actor is perfectly cast. Jeff Bridges gives one of the best performances of the year, and Hailee Steinfeld is phenomenal in her first major motion picture role, and I expect to see a lot of great performances from her in the future. Overall, I found this movie completely compelling and it is one of my all-time favorites from the Coens, but I would imagine that most action fans would find this long and dull, so if that’s a concern for you, you should probably steer clear.