"Zombieland" - on DVD

I'm fairly certain that if the zombie apocalypse were to happen, that I would survive (and not just because a quiz on Facebook told me so). I've seen enough crappy horror films to know that you should get your hands on a lot of weapons, a good supply of food and water, and a really nice SUV in order to make your way in the zombie world.

That being said, I thought "Zombieland" was utterly fantastic. I saw it in the theaters and recently purchased it on DVD. It is extremely tongue-in-cheek, following a set of rules set forth by Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg, the epitome of a computer nerd turned unlikely survivor). These rules flash up on the screen at pertinent times, and add more humor to the movie itself. The character of Columbus is certainly lovable. His disposition is reminiscent of Michael Cera at times, but I can't ever picture Cera holding a shotgun and shooting a zombie in the head with it. When Columbus hooks up with Tallahassee, and subsequently Wichita and Little Rock, the opportunities for humor and horror run aplenty.

Personally I thought Woody Harrelson made this movie. As Tallahassee, a banjo-playing, pick-ax swinging, defender of the human race zombie killer, he was funny and heartwarming all at the same time. While his Oscar nomination for "The Messenger" was probably well-deserved, in my opinion he could have received one for this movie too. I find that comedic movies rarely get the recognition they deserve from the Academy. Excuse me for my little rant here, but it's true. It is my belief that you can make almost anyone cry, but you cannot make everyone laugh. I'm just saying...

I was asked to review the Blu-Ray disc of this film, but unfortunately, I don't have a Blu-Ray player. However, I took at a look at the packaging, and it seems as if the special features are the same as on the regular DVD. The one advantage of the Blu-Ray is that it comes with the digital copy, which, let's face it, is key to LIFE. Best Buy sells a two-disc DVD edition, but I wasn't able to get my hands on it. Unfortunately there's no gag reel (which is my absolute favorite special feature), but there are some deleted scenes, a commentary, and a few behind-the-scenes extras.

So on the CWeave scale, I give this film a 9 (close to brilliance). It's funny, touching, gory, and has one of the best cameos EVER. I won't spoil it for you here, but trust me, it's fabulous.

"Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging" - on DVD

I love the British. Whether it's their accent or the clever words that they say, I find them very entertaining. So when I found out that one of my favorite book series by Louise Renison was being made into a film, I was very excited. I was even more thrilled when I found the DVD on Netflix. Needless to say, it jumped to the top of my queue (or as my dad pronounces it, "quay"), and arrived at my doorstep within the next few days.

Before I review it though, I just have to make a comment on the title. The name of the film is "Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging", but the first book is entitled "Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging". I really wonder why they changed the name of the film. Is it because film goers can't handle the phrase "full-frontal"? That's what makes it funny for Pete's sake!

I wasn't disappointed in the film. I found it to be highly enjoyable, but to be honest, I cannot discern whether I found it entertaining because of the way the content was presented, or because I was reminded of the reasons why I loved the books so much. I think it's the latter. First of all, the books are way funnier. The movie really downsized the role of two characters who, frankly, make the entire series (Sven, and Dave the Laugh, for those who don't know). How can you cut out a character with a Viking heritage with a propensity to wear light-up flares? Or a character who hangs on a sign on the outside of his school that says, "For Sale"? Classic stuff. Plus, in the later books, Dave the Laugh becomes the principle boy of interest. The way he is portrayed in the film does not really leave it open for such a plot turn.

The end of the film found the main character, Georgia, pining away for Robbie, i.e. The Sex God, who is two years older, and vastly more mature. Georgia comes to the realization that to land Robbie, she needs to stop being the immature teenager that she is. My problem with this whole situation is that in the books, she is the exact opposite. The fact that she is an immature teenager makes the books that much funnier. What she doesn't understand is why everyone else isn't as game for a laugh as she is. And that's what I love about her character.

So, on the CWeave scale, I give this film a 7 (alright). I liked it simply because I loved the books, and I recommend for people to read those first. Trust me, you'll be laughing out loud.