Review: Dead Snow 2

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So tonight I wanted to watch me some zombie flick, and after looking at what options I had, I decided it would either be Dead Snow 2 or The Dead 2. I was honestly more excited about The Dead 2, but since it wasn't on Netflix, Dead Snow 2 it was.

The flick was a lot like the first installment, filled with pretty big positives and a fair number of negatives, but overall a fun way to spend 90 minutes on a Saturday night. Just like the first film, it's zombie gore at its very best and bloodiest, and the film possesses a tone that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Of course, like most sequels, it's not quite as good as the original. I think the main difference is that it doesn't have the darkness to it that the first film had. The first film was solidly in the black comedy genre, with a number of moments that were truly terrifying or disturbing. The second film tries, but it's really just a straight up comedy, even as the film is killing off children, the elderly, priests, etc.

The killing actually was my major complaint. Maybe I'm just getting old and boring, but I felt like the film was trying too hard to be "edgy" by killing off children in a sandbox, two people in wheelchairs, and two women with their infants in strollers. At first it was kind of funny that they were not holding anything back. A scene early on depicts a young boy being killed in a way that is legitimately both awful and completely hilarious, but from there some of the kills just seem like they're trying way too hard to be "shocking", and it distracts from the film.

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That said, the gore was visually very strong. For a movie that doesn't have an enormously large budget, they do a good job of being inventive with their gore and also making things look realistic. Like in the first film, most of the characters are bathed in a delightful coat of blood and dirt for the majority of the film which gives the film a strong aesthetic. You can't hate too much on a movie in which a Nazi zombie uses a dead man's intestines to siphon gas out of a tour bus and into a World War 2 era tank. I mean...that's just damn good cinema.

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The acting is probably a little better in this sequel than in the original, but it's hard to compare the two since the sequel is in English and the original has subtitles. I was worried about this decision, but it was fine. Much like the original film, however, the actors were all kind of strangely cast. I feel like many of the characters were too old for the characters they were portraying, and the two female American zombie nerds seemed extremely fake and were honestly pretty annoying. I love Star Wars as much as the next girl, but the one character's constant references to Star Wars seemed out of place, inauthentic, and distracted from the rest of the film. The local gay guy in the film was funny and endearing, but they made too big of a deal about him being gay. Maybe it's a bigger deal to be gay in Norway, but him trying to hide it seems a little silly and played for a film released in 2014.

Other than that though, the writing was probably one of the major strengths of the film. There are some witty moments, and the plot is interesting and original. Most of the characters have entertaining lines and deliver them well. The cinematography, like the original, is also pretty good and enhances the comedy of a lot of the scenes.

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The ending of the film is a bit rushed, but the final battle is well executed and fulfilling. The very last moments of the film are kind of bizarre, but not horrible, especially considering how poorly most movies seem to end nowadays.

So, should you watch it? Totally. Don't expect to be laughing out loud, but it will give you some genuine chuckles and will keep you engaged for an hour and a half. Go in just expecting a fun little indie movie, and you'll be pleased. Just remember that, like the original, this is film is very loosely defined as a zombie flick. These zombies talk and use weapons. They're more like corporeal ghosts in a lot of ways except that their look is very "zombie", so if you are a zombie purist, I suggest that you stay away.

Review & Event: Juan of the Dead at The Wilmette Theater

I know it's been two weeks, but I might as well get around to posting my final two reviews from Chicago Fear Fest. One of the primary reasons that I went to the festival was to see Alejandro Brugues' Juan of the Dead. This independent flick has been devouring awards like outstretched limbs at recent festivals, and I couldn't wait to see what all the hub bub was about.

The film centers around the plight of Juan (Alexis Diaz de Villegas) and his portly, degenerate friend, Lazaro (Jorge Molina). Usually heroes are likeable, white toothed super men. They get all the woman and are the envy of all the men...but not Juan and Lazaro. Their bumbling idiocy, their blatant selfishness, and their inability to employ provident thought to any situation, are all some of the main reasons that this film is both unique and enduring. These aren't unrealistic super people surviving the zombie apocalypse; these are kind of scummy, realistic people surviving the zombie apocalypse.

Juan and Lazaro are certainly the central figures of the flick, and their crude banter is one of the main reasons to watch, but the supporting cast is loveable, dynamic, and brings a lot to the table--both in terms of zombie killing and comedy. Juan's daughter, Camila (Andrea Duro), is realistic and pretty. She brings a little drama and heart to a film that is otherwise pretty saturated with dick jokes and crime. Lazaro's son, Vladi (Andros Perugorria), is the eye candy you're missing in Juan and Lazaro. Some of my favorite characters in the film, however, were La China (Jazz Villa) and El Primo (Eliecer Ramirez). This couple consists of a particularly sassy drag queen/car radio thief and her enormous blood-shy boyfriend. La China's banter with Juan and Lazaro definitely adds to the comedy here, as does El Primo's tendency to faint every time he sees blood--not a great deficiency to have during the zombie apocalypse.

My only complaint about the film at all would be that the translation seems a little off. At times it is clear that a native Spanish speaker with a better understanding of Cuban history than I possess (Merci for that, three years of high school French) would find some of the jokes funnier and clearer. Because we're not watching a story about Cuban upper crust citizens here, the jokes are very colloquial and clearly contain many idioms. Unfortunately, at times these do get, pardon the cliche, lost in translation. Other than that, I have no complaints, but the movie is quite vulgar, especially sexually, so those with a reduced tolerance for the dirty joke might want to stay away.

Overall, the film will have you laughing and it may even tug at the heartstrings for a moment or two. There are absolutely some strong zombie effects here, and the story moves at an engaging pace. In other words, there isn't a "good time" to go grab some more popcorn from the concession stand.

Wondering when you'll be able to catch this gem on the big screen again? How about NOW!? The good folks over at The Wilmette Theater, one of my past employment stomping grounds, will be showing Juan of the Dead in a one week run between April 27th and May 3rd. The theater manager is a huge horror geek, and he is really excited to be premiering the film in its first American theatrical release. For tickets, check out the website. Showtimes are listed on the left. And don't procrastinate! The film won't be there next weekend!

Review: Rec 3 Genesis

Holy. Crap. I'm so glad that this film was at Chicago's Fear Fest.

Okay, so I've never seen Rec 1 or 2, but now I'll absolutely have to check them out. Apparently Quarantine was an American remake of Rec 1, and I have seen that, but it didn't come anywhere close to the awesomeness of Rec 3: Genesis.

This movie was stellar for so many reasons. The beginning was strong, and it did a good job of using cinema verite at the onset of the film, but transitioning to a more traditional camera style after about fifteen minutes when cinema verite would be annoying and unrealistic. The normalcy of the beginning was unsettling, and the filmmakers did a good job of incorporating both foreshadowing and red herrings to keep you anxious and attentive.

When the zombies do attack, the wedding of our protagonists, Clara (Leticia Dolera) and Koldo (Diego Martin), turns into a bloodbath in one swift and realistic moment. From there, it's the job of our heroes to find each other and find a way out, and it was never a dull moment watching them try.

This film is commendable for its bloody and realistic effects, its commitment to realism (aka: killing off a whole crap-load of people), its ability to seamlessly mix horror, comedy, and drama into one authentic piece of fiction, and its cultural commentary of/connection to Catholicism. But in addition to all of those strengths, this movie is absolutely excellent because of Leticia Dolera's performance. She is absolutely beautiful, even when covered in blood and running eyeliner, but she's also an immensely talented actress. I believe her, but I also want to BE her. She's the ultimate badass femme without being bitchy or unrealistic. This balance is not an easy one to manage, but both Dolera, and her director, Paco Plaza, have managed to craft a likeable and realistic female protagonist.

If you have a chance to check this flick out, I very highly recommend that you do so! Watch this preview...

Event: Chicago Fear Fest LAST CALL

Time is running out to buy your tickets for Chicago's Fear Fest, an awesome horror film festival. I'm about to buy my tickets, and I just spent the last hour watching previews, planning my schedule and getting all around psyched! I'm even skipping C2E2 and Chris Hardwick, the zombie nerdist, to check out the flicks at Fear Fest. You should join me!

Buy your tickets here! Check out my (very overly organized) schedule below, and check out my reviews over the weekend!

News: Juan of the Dead hits the Windy City

Chicago's Fear Fest finally has my attention. I'd been flirting with the idea of attending the annual horror film festival in Chicago this year, but now I'll definitely be in attendance. Yesterday the fest announced a very important addition to its lineup...Juan of the Dead. I've been looking forward to this flick for months and months, and it's finally going to be in Chicago! Check out the announcement here.

Chicago's Fear Fest will also be showing a variety of other horror flicks including A Cadaver Christmas which looks like a semi-palatable holiday zomcom. They haven't announced when they'll be screening Juan of the Dead specifically, but the festival runs at Muvico in Rosemont, IL on April 13th and 14th, so it will be one of those nights at least. Check out more information here.

For those who want to see the film in a more chilled out setting, I've just received insider information that Wilmette Theater on the north shore will be taking the lead on the film's Chicago theatrical release. They will be premiering the flick on April 27th, and as a former employee of said establishment, I know that the manager is a huge, geeky horror fan and will certainly dream up something inventive for the premiere. Or at least he will now, since he reads this blog. I'll keep you posted on details.

Don't know about Juan of the Dead? Check out my original post on it here and watch a preview.

News: Juan of the Dead Feasts Upon Festival-Goers

Like any self-respecting Chicago liberal, I was listening to WBEZ this week when I heard an interview with a Cuban director. The director, Alejandro Brugués, spoke at length about his new film, Juan of the Dead, in which he is using the zombie genre and the comedy genre to satirically poke fun at what he believes are the troubles with Cuban government and society. For example Brugués features the Cuban government blaming the zombie apocalypse on dissidents funded by America. Check out a print summary of the interview here.

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Well after I heard the interview, I did some more research on this flick and now my appetite is all teased! The trailer looks amazing, and it has been really well received at many film festivals. Most recently, it won the Audience Award at the Havana Film Festival. This should be a great catalyst for its cinematic release, which begins in Spain this January.

Personally, I can't wait to see it make its way to the states. If I could see this movie AND The Dead (directed by Howard & Jonathon Ford), it would be the best Christmas present ever...Santa, make it so.  Haven't heard about The Dead? Check out that trailer below. Seems like a glut of good foreign horror films have been popping up lately.

Review: Dead Snow

From the opening sequence, you know Dead Snow is going to be a good movie. The film opens against the stark white backdrop of Norwegian mountains and snow on a lonely arctic night. A woman is running through the trees, pursued by what? We don't know. Music from the Nutcracker blares in the TVs speakers as you struggle to discern what's happening...and just as you do and the woman meets her untimely end? Opening credits roll. Genius. I'm instantly engaged.

After the credits, Dead Snow begins like many movies of its type. You are introduced to a number of stock characters of varying levels of acting ability. They're all supposed to be college students, but they all look they could have been guests at my late-twenties Halloween party. The girls are too attractive for the boys, but hey...it's film. I was wary for a little bit at the beginning, as the dialogue pirouetted around sex jokes and cheesy puns, but this film won back my allegiance very quickly.

Dead Snow is a gore-lover's dream. The filmmakers were certainly not shy with their karo syrup and red food coloring, and they seemed to hold a special place in their hearts for intestines and other internal organs. By the end of the film, every character is shellacked in a lovely coat of fresh blood, and every stab wound seems to hit a vital vein...sending pumping and squirting blood everywhere...even on to the camera. Yum. Definitely not for the faint of heart. That being said, the effects are actually quite nice and realistic looking (with a couple reasonable exceptions). For a small budget flick, they made some pretty involved gore look pretty damn realistic. You'll be screaming and squirming the whole way through.

From a zombie standpoint, I'm a little on the fence. The movie was certainly a good horror movie, but it's hard to title it a straight, classic zombie flick. The monsters are clearly dead, they're referred to as zombies, and the makeup artist certainly intended for you to think that the are the living, brain-eating undead. But here's where I get a little iffy. They're nazi zombies, which of course means they are still in full nazi regalia, but these zombies also use binoculars, lead organized charges, and stab, punch and kick like actual, living soldiers. My only other complaint would be that they don't seem to eat their victims at any point, although they do disembowel them and dismember them like true zombie pros. So don't expect a whole lot of zombie gluttony here, but as long as you go in with that in mind you'll be fine.

From a film making standpoint, this film usually gets it right. The narrative is clear, focused and honest. The cinematographer was original and gutsy, but everything he tries really tends to work. Sometimes his choices seem a little out of place stylistically, but they really do help to tell the story. My personal favorite is a moment when one character is buried under the snow...you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there. Great camera work. Also, while the film is foreign and is therefore subtitled, you get used to it very very quickly. There isn't much dialogue in the final 1/3rd of the film, so it isn't too distracting even if you don't watch many foreign flicks. My only filmmaking complaint would be the editing (both sound and video). It seemed too abrupt and actually impeded the story telling at times. There were a few moments in the film where I was left like "wait...what just happened?" because of the editing, and I don't really feel like that was intentional.

Overall, it was well worth the 90 minutes I spent watching it. It had a sort of Shaun of the Dead vibe, and I both gasped and laughed numerous times during the film. It has a good handle on the balance between black comedy and horror. Also, the backdrop certainly adds to the creepy factor in a very The Descent kind of way. You keep thinking, even if they can avoid the zombies...how the heck are they gonna get out? On the first really snowy day of the year here in Chicago, it was a perfect choice.

You can check it out on Netflix (it's available on streaming), or you can purchase it for $14.99. After watching it, I may have to add it to my amazon wishlist. Until then, here's the trailer...