Tagged: Zombie

Evil Dead: Setting a New Trend in Mainstream Horror?

So there we have it, The Evil Dead “remake” in all of it’s bloody glory! I saw it this last weekend on a Sunday afternoon matinee, with a packed theater and I am happy to say the flick exceeded my expectations! Kudos to Fede Alvarez for putting his heart and soul into a movie that I feel real horror fans can get behind. I can’t express enough how awesome it was to see a mainstream Hollywood horror movie deliver the gore the way it was meant to be. CG blood was no where in sight, the effects made me cringe and the story was simple and brutal. I enjoyed it even more so because to me this really wasn’t a remake, we got several hints through the film that these events were talking place after Ash’s experience there and if you stuck around after the credits we indeed got a message from the man himself. Alvarez swore up and down that Ash would NOT appear, even in a cameo in this one. I’m not saying the last scene promises anything to fans but the simple fact that we’re now hearing about Ash returning in Army of Darkness 2 and then both movie worlds colliding for one final flick make me just about wet my pants!

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Now that’s not to say this was a perfect movie, like many reviewers have complained, I’ll agree there’s not much for character development here. But you know what, Evil Dead was never known for in depth character development! It delivered one purpose, to send chills down your spine and attempt to gross you out as much as possible. I think this flick did exactly what is was supposed to and then some. It makes me think of how rad it will be to see Ash plopped into this sick and twisted reality as the same old idiotic hero we’ve come to know and love. Older but not the least bit wiser. Finally giving us fans what we’ve wanted, one more night out with the King.

It seems the movie was a success too at the box office making over 30 Million in it’s first weekend snagging the number one spot. Things are looking good in the world of the Deadites! So let this be a lesson to all these Hollywood so called horror directors. Give people a quality movie, skip the CG blood-it looks like shit and always will, get creative without solely relying on your computer, plan your shots and make us feel and believe that we’re really there fighting for our survival! Something this latest Evil Dead succeeds at on so many levels!

Evil Dead 4: Less Talk More Rock Mr. Raimi!

Here we go again and again….So it seems the big news is that Sam Raimi has mentioned that he’s going to write the script this summer for Evil Dead 4 with his brother. Apparently he mentioned this in an interview promoting his new “Oz the Great & Powerful” movie opening soon. First I really can’t say I am excited for this new Wizard of Oz prequel, Raimi to me seems like the new Tim Burton and unfortunately that’s not a compliment. Aside from his sorta return to form film “Drag Me to Hell” it’s been a while since he’s put out anything too stellar. This Oz film reminds me of more of the same “Alice in Wonderland” style glittery forgettable Hollywood schlock. I just don’t have any interest in sitting through more of that type of stuff anymore. However a piece of me got excited about this Evil Dead script thing and then I remembered he promised back in 2008 that part 4 was in the works back at the San Diego Comic-Con and then I remember he’s been making these promises since the early 2000’s!

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So what we all need now is less talk. Let’s see some REAL progress! I would love to see one last adventure with an older, wiser, grumpier Ash. Bruce is not too old for the role either he’s only 54, I am certain if he spent a little time getting into shape (or not) he could bring us all the performance we’ve been hoping for. My question is if Raimi get’s his ass in gear and makes this happen is it going to be a glittery pile of Hollywood shit? Is he going to go for an Army of Darkness style plot where it’s Bruce in front of a green screen for an hour and a half? Or will this new Evil Dead reboot “boasting no CG” set the bar for the way this fourth movie is filmed? We can only hope!  Drag Me to Hell showed a glimmer of promise for a fourth installment, yet if Ash would have been the lead character in that movie I would have been sorely disappointed. If  Evil Dead 4 is to work it’s got to push the bar real high, pushing the Horror Comedy genre to a new level and set a new standard. With all the money Raimi has now from Spider-man we had better see a movie that outshines it’s two predecessors. It’s one thing for Raimi to be a “Tim Burton” but if he becomes a modern day “George Lucas” then Evil Dead 4 (if it ever really sees the light of day) it could be a tough stain to erase from our minds for a nearly pitch perfect horror franchise….Raimi I’ll be watching you!

P.S. Hey Sam if you know what the true fans want, it’s not special effects like this!

 

Is “Revival” the Next Walking Dead?

I have been reading the new image series “Revival” the past few months and it’s quickly shaping up to be one of my favorite monthly titles. I am making bet that it becomes the next big hit for Image comics. I still am a big Walking Dead fanatic, though for me the story has gotten a little dull over the past year or so. Even with the “shocking” death of Glenn recently I think Kirkman needs to shift gears in the series and bring The Walking Dead story to some new fresh levels. The Walking Dead is feeling a little to “dead” lately, as I have said before “shocking” deaths don’t necessarily equal great story telling.

So I am pleased to report there’s a great new series that does deliver us some fresh new ideas on the “undead” a genre which to be quite honest is boring the shit out of me lately. New zombie movies? I don’t even care to see ’em anymore. I’m so burnt out on the zombie thing it makes me kinda sick to my stomach. However this ain’t the case with Revival. So far they’ve crafted an intriguing little story set in my home state of Wisconsin. Yeah there are undead, but not your typical, these people rose from the dead on day in this small contained area of the country. They aren’t mindless creatures, they return to their former daily lives. The only thing is these undead have quite a temper and on top of that you’ve an eerie thin white creature wandering through the forest and a bizarre religious “Limp Bizkit” listening exorcist taking care of possessed teenagers. Yeah it’s a fun one and it’s all in the hands of a small town detective named Dana. So if you’re looking for a cool, original and refreshing horror “farm noir” adventure then you need to grab Revival ASAP! I’s bound to be big.. Also for a great interview with the series creators Timm Seely & Mike Norton check Comicbookresources.com and get the full scoop!

The Walking Dead #100 : Shocking Yet Oddly Unfulfilling….

So today ends the wait for issue number 100, an issue that writer Robert Kirkman never thought possible for the series when it all started. Issue 100 had a LOT of speculation and mystery surrounding it, people were waiting to be blown away. Well now the question is after all the hubbub did it deliver the goods? I didn’t think so personally…

I will say that it was truly the most brutal issue we’ve yet seen. Some of the panels were undeniably hard to look at. The blood ran cold and here we are once again with the death of one of the books longest lasting characters. Yes it was a sad and depressing issue and one that I have no doubt will have fans talking and mourning the death of Glenn for a long time to come. So what’s wrong with it then you might ask? I am most likely a minority here, but aside from the extreme carnage in this issue it really didn’t have much to offer even with it’s added extra pages. It seems to me that this book is in serious need of new ideas, new scenery and the sheer adventure that should fuel it’s readers. Issue 100 feels a little too “been there done that” to me.

Negan is clearly designed to be the books next “Governor”. However the Governor was done first and done better and really Kirkman after all the “Lucile is coming” hype it turns out that Lucile is a barbed wire baseball bat? Um… pretty disappointing. I feel like sometimes I may have been mistaking “good writing” in this series lately for the sudden shocking deaths of characters. It seems Kirkman can kill major characters every so often amidst a rather monotonous storyline and somehow get away with his book still being praised as the most epic series out there. Now don’t get me wrong, I still like The Walking Dead, I thought this was a good issue and I still will keep on board most likely until the series ends. However I can honestly say that I really don’t love it in the way I used to. I’d like to see something new brought to the table, I have grown seriously tired of the “sitting in one place and trying to start a community” scenario again and again. I think these characters need to get off their asses and get some answers to what is really going on, I’d like to see a little less of how terrible humanity is over and over. Yes we get it Kirkman, zombies bad, humans even worse. Let’s see a little supernatural development above the rather blah zombie infection or let’s send the crew off somewhere completely different, perhaps out to sea or hell as Kirkman continually jokes maybe now is the time for the Alien’s to appear! Heck I think it’d be more exciting than watching another “shocking” character death don’t you?

The Walking Dead #100 Predictions!

Wow I can’t believe we’re almost one hundred issues into The Walking Dead! Still one of my most anticipated comic books every month. Kirkman never thought it would become the sensation it is today. So now obviously this has gotten us all wondering what the hell is going to go down in the big issue? What could possibly top some of the last surprises we’ve endured? Carl getting shot, Tyreses’ death, the Governor being “killed” by Michonne, Lori and the baby’s death and most recently Abraham’s death were hands down some of the most intense and emotional deaths in comic book history. But is issue #100 going to be purely witnessing,  once again, deaths of our current roster of Rick’s minions? Only time will tell, however here are a couple things I think would be a big surprise for this milestone issue.

First let’s think about what Kirkman could possibly do to blow our minds. I have felt for quite sometime that perhaps Lori and / or their baby may not actually really be dead! My guess is that sometime soon, perhaps even in this next issue Lori could be revealed to still indeed be alive. We really only saw her get shot, it was never confirmed by anyone that she was truly dead. My guess is this would be a major move Kirkman has at the very least considered. Would this shock you?

Second would of course be the big one. Rick biting the dust! I am certain this won’t happen soon but I am certain it will happen and perhaps Carl will lead the team or grow into a leader. However imagine if Rick was bit and the disease took. This alone would pack a powerful punch, the issues that follow showing the remaining members of his group watching him slowly descend into becoming the walking dead. Imagine Carl and say Michonne heading out into the world on their own. This, when it happens is will be a powerful end or new beginning to the book.

I guess anything could really happen, however I highly doubt Michonne has anything to worry about as she just made her wildly popular tv appearance. Personally as much as I love the title I’d love to see it move into a different direction. I have been a little bored with this whole “setting up a community” thing for quite a while now. I would love to see them on the road again, it’s so much more exciting and I think more believable. I mean how many times are we going to see the gang meet up with psychotic people and get into an altercation? It’s all been good and fine up til now but i think we need to get a little more adventure back into the title.

Listen up Kirkman, I think a logical choice of action would be perhaps them trying to get to an island somewhere and finding a boat? Get to some water. I know that’s been an idea in movies already but so was your whole opening to the story which was basically a blatant rip from 28 Days Later. Expanding on that concept would be very intriguing. I think searching for a small plane or meeting a pilot would be a great exciting new direction for the crew. It seems a little strange to me that the characters seem content with giving up and just accepting making a community somewhere. They need someone who’s looking for solutions and bigger answers to the problem other than Rick’s flawed one dimensional thinking about restarting civilization at some purely random location without knowing what the hell is really going on. Doesn’t anyone wonder what the big picture is?!

I also am NOT a fan of Kirkman stating there will never be explanation for the undead. I feel not exploring that idea is uninspired. What if there was a mutation? What if there was more than just zombies out there to fear? The book needs something new and exciting to happen in it or we’ll get the same scenarios happening over and over. Yeah we all get it, the living people are more scary than the zombies, how about letting that idea rest for a bit and get back into the monsters being more threatening? It’s time to introduce some new ideas into this book while still keeping with the tone so far. So I hope for something great to down in issue #100 and not just an issue where more supporting characters die off. What about you?

The Walking Dead Ebay Phenomena!

It seems everyone these days are going absolutely ape shit over The Walking Dead TV series! I personally have only seen the first season and the first two episodes of the second season. I have however been collecting the comic book from the start. Well I bought issue number one when it came out way back in 2003, but after reading it dismissed it as a flash in the pan, 28 days later wanna be series. I even sold the first issue a few months later for thirty bones on Ebay. I was a happy guy. Well about three months later I was at my local comic shop and saw they had The Walking Dead trade paperback there collecting issues 1-6. They made a promise saying that if you didn’t like it they’d return your money. So there I was reading TWD trade and LOVING it! I started collecting all the issues from #7 on and it became my favorite monthly comic.

About a week ago former Universal Dork blogger “The One From Beyond” sent me a text message saying I should consider selling the old back issues as they are causing quite a bit of controversy on Ebay. So checked it out and WOW….people if you own these back issues you may have a dilema on your hands…to sell or not to sell? I have seen issue number one go on ebay recently for over $7000.00. Which really makes me kick myself for selling it back in the day. Luckily I have my old issues 7-current. I recently listed all of my issues through number 38. Issue number 19 has gone recently on ebay for $1600.00 mine ends tomorrow and I can only dream of getting that much for it. There are also other key issues that are pretty sought after like the first appearance of The Governor and issue 61 with the CHEW preview.

So did I do the wrong thing? Are these issues going to go even higher as the show progresses? Or are they the comic book equivalent of a Beanie Baby or Cabbage Patch Kid? It’s a gamble. I however say I gotta get it while the getting is good. Like my last post stated I am a little tired of the zombie craze at this point. I do still like TWD every month but just not as much as I did four years ago. But a heads up to all my fellow Dorks out there your Walking Dead comics are gold, once again us nerds rule……

Oh by the way you should go bid on my Walking Dead #19 😉

Evil Ms. Santa Claus vs The Goonies!

Yeah, Yeah I know it’s way after Christmas and nobody gives two shits about the holidays-but the other day I discovered a neat little flick that I will definately remind everyone about next year-but while it’s fresh in my head I thought I’d mention it here. The film Cuento de Navidad entitled in English as A Christmas Tale (Not to be confused with Rare Exports) was a film included in the Spanish horror dvd set 6 Films to Keep You Awake. In a nutshell it’s a great little horror thriller that only clocks in at 71 minutes in length-but has alot going for it.

First of all it’s directed by Paco Plaza the man who’s responsible for the amazing  REC & REC 2 in which the american movie Quarantine was based. Second it stars Continue reading →

George Romero Blows & So Does Peter Vincent!!

Ok here’s the deal. Last night I finally decided to give George Romero’s “Survival Of The Dead” a chance as it was just released on dvd. You hear that? I finally decided to give the NEW Romero Zombie flick a chance! Ten years ago saying that would have meant I was completely crazy as imagining a new zombie movie from him back then being released would have been a gift from god. I was less than impressed with his last two movie quite honestly and this one seals the deal for me for good. I just don’t give a shit about new Romero movies. I actually got more enjoyment from the latest Direct to dvd Kevin Costner horror movie!

 I can tell you honestly I didn’t even finish the movie. I am putting my foot down and refusing to watch anymore zombie  movies with shitty cg bood and gore. Especially one made by George. Believe me this one’s got cg gore galore-it’s effects look like they came straight out of the first Resident Evil game! Continue reading →

The Walking Dead Trailer Arrives!!

Ok so here’s the moment I have been waiting for quite some time to finally see some of the upcoming scenes from The Walking Dead television series debuting this coming October!

The comic series continues to be the best monthly title out there-with enough suspense, gore and drama to give you a coronary!! The trailer looks fantastic so far-however I am extremely surprised that they kept the 28 Days Later style beginning as that is the only thing that ever really bothered me about the comic.  So enough of my preachy blabblin’ to the choir! Let’s finally take a first look at this hopefully wonderful series that is destined to be a classic!!