Watched this movie with 3 of my pals, and let me just say that is what I call a good time!!!

Determined to lose his virginity, 18-year-old Ian (Josh Zuckerman) grabs two pals (Clark Duke and Amanda Crew) and drives from Chicago to Knoxville, Tenn., to meet Danielle (Katrina Bowden), the girl of his dreams … or at least that’s what she seems like on Facebook. Sweetening the deal is the fact that she’s offered to go “all the way,” as long as he can make it all the way to see her, of course. Seth Green and James Marsden co-star.

This is one of the overly-sexed up raunchy teen comedies like Harold & Kumar, and Superbad. And I think it’s safe to say to put this one in that same category as those two greats as well.

The one thing I didn’t like about the film was that it didn’t have the heart like those other two did. The characterization of our main character isn’t that well put out, and you sort of just walk into this character as a horny, geeky, 18 year-old. Also, his pal Lenny bones chicks left and right and it takes about the 100th one to know that’s not how you act, especially with chicks most of the time.

I can see why so many people thought it was so bad, but really I wasn’t expecting anything else other than a raunchy, sexed up, teen road trip comedy. I watched the trailer right before and I knew what I was getting myself into, so I accepted it for what it was, and I actually enjoyed a lot more cause of my acceptance.

There are a lot of things that happen in this movie that are hilarious, although some are better than others but really who cares. The gags were funny and a lot of the things that these characters said were perverted, but really funny and I will probably catch myself in the near-future using one their catchy lines.

The first three acts are very very cliched and predictable. And basically the film can be very predictable but it is really funny when the moments actually happen. As me and my buddies were watching this we were always guessing what came next and I’m not going to lie 90% of the time we were right, but we still had a lot of fun laughing and predicting.

Probably the best thing about this film is that it actually does feature a good cast. This new kid, Josh Zuckerman plays the geeky and nerdy Micheal Cera that we all know and love, but he doesn’t over-do the awkwardness and actually seems a bit believable. The best are the little side characters such. James Marsden plays this very uncharacteristic jock who is such an ass, but is so funny at the same time, and after watching this I can almost forget that he was ever in Enchanted. Seth Green probably has the greatest cameo of all in this movie as the free-spirited Amish man, who is so cool and funny that I wanted more of him, but really just didn’t get enough. And another problem I had with this film was that it didn’t feature enough cameos to keep the story fresh and exciting, cause I always wanted to see someone new but never got that.

Really this film is meant for a bunch of dudes to watch. There are boobs flying everywhere, and really if any dude that hasn’t enough a good firm laugh in a long time for about a week, this will probably cure you have that problem.

Consensus: Though a bit predictable and less heart-felt as other films of this nature, Sex Drive is a hilarious, and fun take on the raunchy teen-comedy genre, and actually does feature some great stuff but some are just better than others.

8/10=Matinee!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

As long as I can remember, the Macy’s Parade has been a big part of my holiday morning.  The floats, the marching bands, and the balloons — Snoopy is still my favorite — were the sights and sounds that woke me up and provided the soundtrack for our family’s holiday preparations.

Now that I live in Manhattan’s Upper West Side — one block from the parade route and just around the corner from the Museum of Natural History where they inflate the balloons — the Macy’s Parade has gone from television spectacle to neighborhood block party.

From mid-day Wednesday until Thursday afternoon, throngs of people — including a celebrity or two — invade my block to witness the festivities.

My favorite Turkey Day celebrity encounter to date?

On my second year in New York, Rory and I took an early walk in Central Park on Thanksgiving — but not quite early enough, as it turned out.  We got ‘caught’ on the park side of Central Park West in the gathering crowd, and I couldn’t cross the street without police escort.

As I stood there waiting, Rory in my arms so he wouldn’t get trampled, a boy’s hand reached over to pet him on the head.

“Your dog is cute,” his quiet voice said.

As I turned to say thank you, I realized the hand and voice belonged to Michael Cera of “Arrested Development,” “Superbad,” and “Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist.”

He and I chatted for a few moments about typical dog topics (breed, age, name) until his mom told him it was time to meet the producer from NBC.  He never introduced himself, and I never acknowledged who he was.

We were just two people hanging out, talking puppy dogs, at the Turkey Day block party in the ‘hood.

$2500 grand prize for the winner. Nice bonus for your day after Thanksgiving shopping spree. If you are interested in registering please contact Chris Parisi at 703-929-5374.

"You're under arrest. No, really you are. Stop laughing!"

(Columbia) Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth Rogen, Bill Hader, Martha MacIsaac, Emma Stone, Aviva, Joe Lo Truglio, Kevin Corrigan, Marcella Lentz-Pope, Roger Iwata, Carla Gallo. Directed by Greg Mottola.

One of the hottest names in comedy in  is Judd Apatow, who is a producer on Superbad. Better still, the writer and one of the stars is another hot name, Seth Rogen (who starred in Apatow’s Knocked Up).

It is the waning days of their senior year and best friends Seth (Hill) and Evan (Cera) have passed through their high school years unremarkably, not cool enough to hang with the “A” crowd and as a result, score with the girls, but not quite dorky enough to be all-out geeks. There is a little tension in the air between them, however; Evan has been accepted to Dartmouth whereas Seth, who is not quite as smart as his friend, could only get into a state college.

They are going through their last weeks being put upon by jocks and wishing they could go to one last party, when they are invited to one by Jules (Stone), one of the cooler girls in school. The problem is that Seth has bragged that they have a fake ID and can get liquor for the party, so Jules is expecting them to. Making things worse, Becca (MacIasaac), a girl Evan has had a crush on, like, forever, is expecting him at the party too.

They might be okay though; their truly dorky friend Fogell (Mintz-Plasse) has gotten himself a fake ID which labels him a 25-year-old organ donor from Hawaii named McLovin (no first name). Seth is pulling his naturally curly hair out by the roots, but Fogell – er, McLovin – is confident. He goes into a liquor store, gets the items on the list provided by Seth and Evan, brings the bottles to the front counter – and gets cold-cocked by a robber.

The case is being investigated by two cops you won’t ever want to see pull you over – Slater (Hader) and Michaels (Rogen). They convince Fogell that they’ll drop him off wherever he wants to go and that they believe he’s a 25-year-old organ donor from Hawaii named McLovin. This forces Seth and Evan to improvise, leading them to the party from Hell. In the meantime, Fogell goes on a ridealong that makes “Cops” look like the “Donna Reed Show”.

This isn’t for the sensitive or the easily offended. The humor can be crude and sophomoric, and four letter words are used with great abandon. That said, this is easily one of the funniest movies of recent years. Some of the gags and jokes were laugh-out-loud, fall-out-of-your-seat, pee-your-pants funny.

The young actors do some really good work here. Mintz-Plasse, who looks like what Stewie from “The Family Guy” might look like when he grows up, is memorable as Fogell, getting not only the smarts right but also the awkwardness and false bravado letter perfect. It’s hard to believe he was only 17 years old at the time of filming. Hill has a great deal of potential, but he was unfocused at times and I wound up kind of getting sick of his character after awhile. MacIsaac is cute, sexy and does one of the better drunk seduction scenes you will ever witness.

Superbad was something of a surprise hit – although in all honesty Columbia’s publicity department pushed it hard. If you can get past the swearing and bodily fluids, you’re probably going to dig it big time. If not, well, there are reruns of I Love Lucy on TV Land that will suit you better.

WHY RENT THIS: Laugh-out-loud funny. Genuinely “gets” teenagers. Walks thin line between sentimentality and maudlin without falling off the rope.

WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: Extremely crude and sophomoric. Final third drags in places.

FAMILY MATTERS: Are you kidding? This is crude, lewd, rude and proud to be that way. Lots of filthy language, plenty of sexual situations and the unrated cut on the DVD is even farther afield than the theatrical release. Not for the kids in any way shape or form even though some of the more mature boys will want to see it.

TRIVIAL PURSUITS: The lead roles were named for co-writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

NOTABLE DVD EXTRAS: There are plenty in the extended unrated 2-disc DVD edition. There is a practical joke played on Jonah Hill as well as a faux documentary on actor Michael Cera, a staged interview in which Hill loses it during an interview with a snooty British interview, improvs done in the police cruiser with “special guest stars” including Justin Long, Chris Kattan, Jane Lynch and Kristen Wiig, as well as the traditional Apatow feature “Line-o-rama” in which lines of dialogue from the film are read by different actors.

FINAL RATING: 8/10

TOMORROW: Angels and Demons

with special DJ set by Joel Madden. Contact Chris Parisi for Ticket and Table Reservations

El director y comediante Judd Apatow anunció, en una reciente entrevista, que está ya trabajando en una secuela de Pineapple Express próximamente. Del mismo modo, mencionó que también tiene planes para las ocntinuaciones de Superbad y Anchorman, además de un spin-off de Funny People, aunque de estos últimos no sería tan inmediato. Es hasta cierto punto preocupante que de pronto se case con sus proyectos exitosos, pues eso significa por necesidad que no veremos nada original de este director en un buen rato.

Genius!

Lady Gaga vs Cartman Vs Christopher WalkenPoker

You will be able to get your tickets through me. Purchasing Information Coming soon!

This weekend is going to be insane. UFC 106 featuring Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin at Mandalay Bay. Start the weekend off with the official Tap Out Pre Fight at Lavo

Saturday Night after the fight Tito Ortiz will be the host at Tao.

Both Events will be INSANE – Contact me for Guest List or Table Reservations!

Quando abbiamo cominciato a scrivere di cinema, ormai nel lontano 2003 (!), pubblicai un inutile (bellissimo) sondaggio. A parità di condizioni, in un piovoso pomeriggio domenicale, potendo scegliere un solo e un solo film, su cosa vi buttereste: simpatica e frivola Comedy o testoteronico e maschio Action? All’epoca – e sotto sotto ancora oggi – la mia personale scelta cadeva inevitabilmente sull’Action. La motivazione, tolto il gusto personale, è semplice: all’epoca la commedia, pur se realizzata con impegno e dedizione, non aveva a mio avviso nulla da dire di nuovo. Si era rimasti impantanati in un modello che potremmo definire “Se scappi ti rincorro, previa autorizzazione, per poi litigare con te in modo buffo per poi infine sposarti ecc…” L’Action al contrario, anche nella sua forma più bassa, aveva una vitalità e una possibilità di innovazione del linguaggio ben più eccitante. Poi le cose sono (in parte) cambiate. Se mai come oggi il cinema de muscoli ci sembra in ottima salute, in questi anni la commedia è cambiata. E se dovessimo fare un nome per identificare un responsabile, diremmo Judd Apatow. Grazie a lui, e a una lunghissima serie di nomi tra attori e sceneggiatori, il genere ha saputo rinnovarsi e trovare una nuova spinta. Tutto il Frat Pack, più gente come Greg Mottola, Adam Mckay, Nicholas Stoeller, John Hamburg, Jonah Hill sono riusciti nel difficile compito di regalare una seconda giovinezza al genere. Oggi però, data astrale 2009 quasi 2010, ancora una volta, la commedia è in stato di empasse.

Tutto sembra ancora una volta essersi crisitallizato attorno a due o tre filoni che danno insindacabili segni di stanchezza. Da una parte dei trentenni cazzoni impossibilitati a crescere e con ridicoli problemi di cuore. Dall’altra una commedia fracassona che comincia spesso a sfociare in una facile trivialità. Will Ferrell ha apparentemente finito gli sport da dileggiare e s’è rifugiato in una stupida commediola amarcord come Land Of The Lost. Judd Apatow ha fatto Funny People che ha lasciato l’amaro in bocca a molti. Year One non è piaciuto nemmeno al regista di Year One. Adventurland non è Superbad. L’unico che sta uscendo a testa alta da questo enorme calderone di titoli e nomi è l’outsider Jody Hill. Anzi, con solo due film e una miniserie telvisiva all’attivo, può già essere considerato a tutti gli effetti un autore personale e unico, in grado di portare avanti una sua precisa poetica.

Ex istruttore e cintura nera di Taekwondo, nel 2006 esordisce con il lungo metraggio The Foot Fist Way (salvato da un probabile oblio proprio da Ferrell & McKay). Una sorta di mockumentary autobiografico su Fred Simmons, un istruttore di provincia di arti marziali. Insieme all’amico Ben Best, Hill scrive uno dei personaggi più squallidi e tristi mai visti su grande schermo. Fred Simmons è un perdente arrogante, cattivo e ignorante. Convinto di possedere un dono, di essere unico, fa di tutto per primeggiare sugli altri anche quando questo gli risulta impossibile. La frase “debole coi forti e forte coi deboli” per lui vale solo a metà: come non esita a porsi di fronte a bambini sovrappeso con tutta la sua forza, allo stesso tempo e com la stessa cieca convinzione si scaglia anche con chi è nettamente sopra le sue possibilità. Non solo dal punta di vista fisico, ma anche sentimentale, mentale e psicologico. Chi è contro di lui o semplicemente non lo riconosce come un faro illuminante di saggezza e forza, è dalla parte del torto e deve essere umiliato. E, anche se colleziona un fallimento dopo l’altro, Simmons continua a seguire il suo “percorso”, quello che ogni eroe ha scritta nel proprio destino. Per Fred Simmons il destino però ha in servo una cena al ristorante di pesce in uno shopping mall con una moglie che lo tradisce e lo detesta. Non la salvezza dell’umanità.

Passiamo a Kenny Powers il protagonista della miniserie di Hill Eastbound & Down, prodotta sempre da Ferrell & McKay. Ex giocatore professionista di baseball, Powers – dopo aver assaporato uno scarso quarto d’ora di popolarità grazie a una singola palla fortunata – getta la sua carriera alle ortiche. Volendo vivere larger than life, ma non avendo nessun tipo di talento sportivo o qualità umana, finisce vittima dei suoi vizi. Sfatto nel fisico, ma allo stesso tempo convinto del suo incredibile valore come uomo e come sportivo, finisce suo malgrado per diventare istruttore di ginnastica nel suo vecchio liceo. Abbandonato da chiunque, con debiti e cause in corso, vive a scrocco a caso del fratello. Non perde occasione però per far sapere a tutti che l’uomo che era un tempo, sta per tornare. Anche in questo caso, la sua ferrea convinzione di essere al di sopra di chiunque lo circondi, lo portano ad umiliarsi in continuazione, inseguendo un sogno che è evidentemente irrealizzabile: tornare ad essere stimato da tutti. La sensazione però di essere vicino al baratro è più vivida qui che in Fredd Simmons. Kenny Powers, dopo aver maltrattato un vecchio, dopo essersi presentato in ecstasy a una ballo scolastica per un bambino disabile, dopo aver pippato nel retro di un bar di periferia, piange in camera da letto di suo nipote. Incapace di avere normali rapporti con le persone, vive seguendo i suoi consigli registrati su un audiobook di quando era al top. Sembra quasi sforzarsi nel deludere e abbandonare anche i pochi che tentano di entrare in contatto con lui. Quello che lo muove, anche qui, è un disegno più alto che nessuno oltre a lui – in quanto “normale” – può vedere. E un finale così triste per una serie comica, non s’era mai visto.

Il passo successivo – e la totale messa a fuoco del cinema di Jody Hill – è Observe & Report. Il primo cambiamento è l’abbandono del protagonista dei due lavori precedenti. Danny McBride, perfetta rappresentazione fisica dei personaggi di Hill (e fondamentalmente a secco di personaggi positivi…) viene sostituito dal volto rasserenante di Seth Rogen, un nome che in America è garanzia di vendibilità del prodotto. Cambia poi anche la confezione: se già Eastbound & Down – pur nei limiti del televisivo – era un passo avanti rispetto alla rozzaggine di The Foot Fist Way (ma comunque un prodotto televisivo), qui siamo dalla parti Grande Cinema. La fotografia del grande Tim Orr, il montaggio di Zene Baker, una colonna sonora straordoinaria e un cast incredibile (oltre a Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Anna Faris, Michael Pena e un cameo per McBride) rendono Observe And Report un film dal punto di vista formale inattaccabile. I ralentì antieroici e le sequenze interrote a metà, accennate nei lavori precedenti, qui diventano un marchio di fabbrica. E in più si spinge ancora più forte l’accelleratore sui meccanismi comici già rodati. Questa volta il protagonista è Ronnie Barnhardt, capo della sicurezza in un grande shopping mall. Una guarda giurata che, come Vito Catozzo, all’epoca del Drive In, ha visto troppi film con Clint o Charles. Tutti suoi personaggi sono così, perché il loro punto di riferimento è il Cinema. Simmons ha visto troppe volte Best Of the Best. Powers ha nel cervello tutte le rise and fall che abbiamo visto nella nostra vita su grande schermo. E Barnhardt non ha fatto altro che vedere polizieschi e film action. Anche se inizialmente possono avere qualche problema, prima o più la storia farà il suo corso e inevitabilmente avranno la meglio. Questa convinzione non fa altro che rendere ancora più eroici il loro fallimenti. Quante volte ci è stato fatto vedere che prima di tornare in vetta bisogna veramente toccare il fondo? È un meccanismo di appropriazione e distruzione di certi topoi di un cinema popolare, riconoscibile da tutti. Dopo l’arrivo di Jody Hill è impossibile guardare a sequenze come quella del monologo del compianto Patrick Swayze ne Il Duro del Roadhouse senza riconoscere la stessa cieca e insopportabile ignoranza.

Check out the this sick song Created, Mixed and Produced by TK Kilpatrick (FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY STUDENT and Friend) specifically for us at DANQ

Thanks for the Love TK – LIFE is DANQ

Check out the brand new video from LMFAO ft: Lil Jon. Always a good time when these guys are around.

This is where I work – shot at Tao Beach, Las vegas, NV

LIFE IS DANQ

Last night I went to my first show since I moved to Vegas. KÀ is a show by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand. Created and directed by Robert Lepage, the show and the theater cost $220 million to develop.

Even though I was pretty lost as far as the plot was concerned, The production and theatrics was AMZING. KÀ lacks a conventional stage with a permanent floor; instead, two giant moving platforms and five smaller lifts and platforms appear to float through a bottomless space. A narrow boardwalk separates the audience from a deep abyss where the stage floor would normally be. From the stage level of the boardwalk up to the high grid is 98 feet, and the pit drops 51 feet below, amounting to a total of some 15 stories from the highest ceiling grid to the lowest floor level. The opening width and depth of the performance area are each 120 feet. This enormous performance space is reconfigured with each scene change by the complex movements of the show’s lifts and platforms.

Overall the show was DANQ and would highly recommend seeing it while you are in Vegas.

Os membros do blog parecem que tem irmãos espalhados pelo mundo (alguns em games, outros no futebol) agora até em filmes!

whyyyyyyyyyy Mclovin???

Mclovin do SUPERBAD & Carreirão, vão me dizer que não tão parecidos?

Back in September, Louisiana rapper Lil Boosie was sentenced to two years behind bars after pleading guilty to drug and weapons possession charges.

The 26 year-old rapper, real name Torrence Hatch copped a plea deal to avoid trial. And was sentenced to two years in prison.

Boosie was back in court Monday (November 9th) to receive his final sentence, which was to be set as a 10 month bid in prision, if he followed all the terms of his supervised probation.

Boosie had been on house arrest with an ankle monitor. The monitor indicated that on more than one occasion, he had violated the terms of his release. District Court Judge Chip Moore revoked the probation, and sent Boosie straight to jail.

Judge Moore, with no questions asked, doubled Boosie’s original sentence of two years, and ordered him to spend the next four in prison.

Lil Boosie is scheduled to finalize his prison bid in 2013.

David Krumholtz. Most of you may know him as Goldstein, the pot-smoking Jew from the Harold and Kumar franchise, or as Michael, Cameron’s best friend in 10 Things I Hate About You. To me, Krumholtz will always be known as Joel Glicker, sheet-white asthmatic lover to Wednesday from the Adams Family Values (1993).

Krumholtz has been working steadily since he began acting in 1993 with Life with Mikey. He has appeared in movies and shows like Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), Freaks and Geeks (1999), Undeclared (2001), The Santa Clause (1994), Ray (2004), Tenacious D. Pick of Destiny (2006), Superbad (2007), and the recent cinematic failure I Love You Man (2009). Since 2005, he has worked as the dashing detective mathematician Charlie on CBS’s Numb3rs.

As a primary member of the Judd Apatow gang you would think that Krumholtz’s future seems promising; but, aside from Numb3rs no upcoming projects are rumored. I am not prepared for a life without D.K..

David , I miss your childlike use of sarcastic schtick, your pale lanky body and your long curly eternally wet black locks.

David Krumholtz, I’m beginning to miss your face-Shassie

Check out The blog written about me at udothedishes.com

http://udothedishes.com/2009/11/local-ish-the-vegas-hook-up/

Please pass this on. Thanks in advance

Emily Jean “Emma” Stone was born November 6th, 1988. Emma is an American actress, born and raised in Scottsdale, Stone relocated to Los Angeles at the age of 15. She broke into television and landed a starring role in the short-lived series Drive in 2007. She made her feature film debut that year in the comedy Superbad playing Jules. She next appeared in the comedies The Rocker (2008), The House Bunny (2008), and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009). She stars in the horror/comedy Zombieland (2009), alongside Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, and Jesse Eisenberg.

Stone launched a career in television after winning the role of Laurie Partridge on In Search of the New Partridge Family (2004), a VH1 talent competitionreality show. The resulting show, The New Partridge Family (2005), only produced a pilot episode. Stone next appeared in the television series Medium, Malcolm in the Middle and Lucky Louie. In 2007, Stone had a regular role on the Fox television drama series Drive until its cancellation. She made her feature film debut in the teen comedy Superbad, playing Jules, the love interest of lead character Seth (Jonah Hill).

In 2008, Stone appeared in the comedy films The Rocker, with Rainn Wilson, and The House Bunny, starring Anna Faris. In The Rocker, Stone played Amelia, the bassist in a band featuring Teddy Geiger; a role for which she learned to play the bass. She sang on the single, “I Know What Boys Like”, from The House Bunny with Katharine McPhee and Rumer Willis, a cover version of the 1982 single by The Waitresses. In the film, Stone played the president of a sorority; Colin Hanks also appeared in the film.

In 2009, Stone appeared in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, a romantic comedy directed by Mark Waters, the director of Mean Girls (2004), and starringMatthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. Stone played “The Ghost of Girlfriends Past”, a takeoff of the Ghost of Christmas Past from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. She also stars in the horror/comedy Zombieland, along with Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg. The project, her third comedy for Columbia Pictures, began shooting in Atlanta in February 2009. Stone plays Wichita, a survivor/con artist from Wichita, Kansas, traveling across the U.S. with her younger sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin).

Stone will star in the comedy Paper Man, starring Jeff Daniels, Ryan Reynolds and Lisa Kudrow, and directed by Kieran and Michele Mulroney. Stone began filming on Veterans Day, November 11, 2008, in Montauk, New York, using well-known local locations. Stone will star as a high school student in Easy A with Amanda Bynes, a comedy directed by Will Gluck. Stone’s character divides the strictly moral students and teachers against the liberals in her school after a false rumor circulates that she’s sexually promiscuous. The script contrasts the novel The Scarlet Letter and its heroine,Hester Prynne, to the life of the protagonist in the film.

Stone has stated that she would eventually like to venture into film production, producing her own films, and would like to appear on Saturday Night Live.

Stone was living on her own in Los Angeles in 2007. She moved to Greenwich Village, New York City in 2009. She has stated that she is skilled inHTML and has web design as a hobby. Stone was romantically linked to singer-songwriter and actor Teddy Geiger, her co-star in The Rocker, at the time the film was being promoted in July 2008. Although known as a redhead, Stone was a brunette when film producer Judd Apatow had her change the color for her role in Superbad. She is naturally a blonde.

Secret Wish: That she punish us for being a superbad boy

It’s no ‘28 Weeks Later’ or ‘House Of 1000 Corpses’ but it definitely is up there with the likes of ‘Shaun Of The Dead.’ Zombieland, which some of you may remember from my post back in September, where I actually claimed that it was the new Shaun Of The Dead, has been in the cinema for a month now, and it’s taken that long for me to be able to attend a screening of it. I know, it’s awful.

However you may be intrigued to know, that Zombieland, being described by some as ‘pure in your face blood and guts,‘ would only be half right, actually, not even that. Maybe a third right. There is blood and guts, like in any zombie film, but this is completely outweighed by the end of the film and it’s rather large amount of humour throughout. A rather nice touch is the set of survival rules laid out by the first protagonist we come across. Another being ‘Zombie kill of the week’ and another lovable performance is that of the lovable Bill Murray. The zombie genre is far from dead, that’s clear my friends.

Zombieland is a greatly crafted zomcom with excellent performances from all the stars, and I actually mean that for once. Kudos to the casting agent, a job very well done. Because there isn’t a moment throughout Zombieland where you won’t enjoy yourself, fulfilling, fun, and a complete riot. It’s almost like a roller-coaster ride of complete and utter immeasurable entertainment, where even the troughs aren’t disappointing. It certainly has enough gore to keep the blood-lovers happy and enough gags to laugh your socks off, definitely being ridiculous enough in terms of its wacky plot, ‘Hey, oh my goodness, it’s the zombiepocalypse, ah but what the heck, let’s all have a laugh!‘ Quite possibly the best take on a post-apocalyptic world in a long time.

Each character within the film has, well, how can I put this… Flaws. Purposeful flaws of course, Tallahassee for example is motivated through the zombie-stricken and bloody carnage by one thing. A Twinkie. In fact, one of my favourable lines from Tallahassee is this; “Believe it or not, Twinkies have an expiration date. Someday very soon, life’s little Twinkie gauge is going to go…empty.” Another would be “It wasn’t long before the zombies began to get clever. When you were at your most vulnerable, somehow they could just smell it… Don’t let them catch you with your pants down.” Basically, if you want a laugh, a feel good movie, something to make you feel better about whatever situation your in, or if you just want to see some zombies. This is the movie for you. Worth owning on DVD? Without a doubt. Cult classic? Maybe. Bad movie? Heck no.

Adventureland (2009)
★★★ / ★★★★

This 80’s-inspired coming-of-age comedy-drama about James Brennan, played by Jesse Eisenberg, who was forced to work on a theme park after his parents (Jack Gilpin and Wendie Malick) revealed to him that they were having pecuniary issues. He also had to sacrifice his trip to Europe, a graduation present that he was obviously looking forward to. What I loved about “Adventureland” was it managed to focus the spotlight on James’ journey to maturity no matter how painful some realizations ended up being. The colorful characters from the theme park, including his romantic interest (Kristen Stewart), and the comedy felt secondary to journey. It was a nice change from typical teen comedies of today. I also really liked the music that were featured. It feels like once in a blue moon that I actually am familiar with 85-90% of the soundtrack. (Mainly because my parents are big on music of the 1980’s and I grew up listening to such.) Written and directed by Greg Mottola (“Superbad”), this film managed to paint all of its characters with a certain sadness which happened to unconsciously come out whenever they interacted with each other. Motolla actually gave his characters a chance to talk about their dreams, insecurities, and the things that were going on at home instead of just giving the audiences easy (and uninsightful) slapstick comedy. The only thing that did not quite work for me was Ryan Reynolds’ character and his relationship with James’ romantic interest. Not only did Reynolds and Stewart have too many scenes together, but the relationship somewhat felt forced. If I look back on the picture and not think about the scenes that mainly involved those two characters, pretty much everything else would have been the same. Having said that, this is still a strong movie about a college graduate who, through trials of hardwork and heartbreak in the theme park, actually learned more about himself and about life than if he had gone to Europe. And that’s a nice message for those who cannot quite leave their hometowns because of their many responsibilities or for whatever reason.