Zombieland

In the zombie infested near future, a small group bands together to survive. I went into this film thinking it was going to be just another "Shaun of the Dead", a silly comedy mixed with thrills. "Zombieland" is a comedy, but one that is brilliant in other areas too. First of all, I think this film surpasses "Shaun of the Dead" and many other great comedies, and yes, including "The Hangover".


The acting in this movie is hilariously brilliant. Woody Harrelson steals every scene as Tallahassee, a funny charactor with a tough, redneck, outlaw persona. Think Rambo+Bruce Willis in "Die Hard" + Brad Pitt in "Inglourious Basterds"= Woody Harrelson. The movie also stars Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.




The film has great cinematography. Its vivid colors contribute to making the movie look like a high budget blockbuster. It was simply brilliant to watch.

"Zombieland" contains one of the most creative openings in film history, in my opinion of course. Eisenberg's charactor narrates his rules to survival with hilarious footage. For example, Rule #1 is Cardio; as he discusses this this rule the film shows a large man and a zombie chasing each other and quickly ends with the man's demise. I do not want to give anymore of this film away but I will say that this film is one of the most entertaining movies of the year. Great!!


Recommended for anyone who can stand zombie violence and comedy.


"Zombieland"


4 out of 4 stars

Vaughn & Favreau Callaborations

1996's "Swingers" was the first collaboration for the two actors in the lead roles. Jon Favreau stars as Mike, a struggling comedian who is still getting over his last relationship. Vaughn plays Trent, a smooth talking "wannabe" actor who tries to help his pal get over his girl. He does that by bringing Mike out on the town over to rediscover himself.

This film is very funny and has a lot of heart in it. Vaughn and Favreau are such a great team and feed off each other brilliantly. The film's many great qualities blend together seamlessly to create a brilliantly hilarious film.

In 2001's "Made", Vince and Jon play two wannabe boxers who become involved in organized crime. This film had me laughing from beginning to end. Many critics were disappointed when this was released because it wasn't as good a "Swingers". I agree with half of that. "Swingers" is a better movie and "Made" is a funnier film. But I think that they are both great movies. Fast forward to 2009's "Couples Retreat". This film revolves around the lives of four couples that go away on a retreat to rediscover their love. It sounds like a sweet romance, but it is actually a romantic comedy mixed with a lot of raunchy humor. It isn't as good as "Swingers" or "Made" but it does have many great moments. The problem with this film lies in its pacing. The movie's actual plot doesn't actually kick in until after the first 30 minutes. While the next hour is full of brilliant comedy and great scenes, the last half hour seems to drag. The movie had a great ending, which makes up for the slow pace.

I look forward to the further collaborations of these two comedic geniuses. I recommend all three films to everyone who enjoys a good comedy.

"Swingers" (1996)

4 out of 4 stars

"Made" (2001)

4 out of 4 stars

"Couples Retreat" (2009)

3 out of 4 stars