Zombieland - A film with Woody Harrelson

[bassman]

Different stokes, I guess. Shaun is a movie that takes itself seriously and the outbreak is very much part of the story, but ZL is more of a comedy that just happens to be taking place during the end of the world. You could take out the zombies in ZL and replace them with any other pandemic or monster or whatever and it would still be the same movie. And I don't think the character's actions are intended to be a driving part of the film. I mean....one character's motivation is to get a twinky. A twinky. Another's is to rub a girls hair behind her ear. And another's is to go to an amusement park. You were expecting a deep character study here? It's a whacky comedy. Complaining about the character's actions is like complaining that the gopher looked fake in Caddyshack or the time travel in Austin Powers should have created a time paradox...

[clanglee]

Different stokes, I guess. Shaun is a movie that takes itself seriously and the outbreak is very much part of the story, but ZL is more of a comedy that just happens to be taking place during the end of the world. You could take out the zombies in ZL and replace them with any other pandemic or monster or whatever and it would still be the same movie. And I don't think the character's actions are intended to be a driving part of the film. I mean....one character's motivation is to get a twinky. A twinky. Another's is to rub a girls hair behind her ear. And another's is to go to an amusement park. You were expecting a deep character study here? It's a whacky comedy. Complaining about the character's actions is like complaining that the gopher looked fake in Caddyshack or the time travel in Austin Powers should have created a time paradox... Indeed. . . well said!!

[MinionZombie]

And I don't think the character's actions are intended to be a driving part of the film. I mean....one character's motivation is to get a twinky. A twinky. Another's is to rub a girls hair behind her ear. And another's is to go to an amusement park. You were expecting a deep character study here? Interesting you say that Bassman, because I was thinking about this last night, and there is a lot of deep character stuff in the movie.   For example: The big one being finding out that Tallahassee isn't mourning the loss of a puppy (which, at that point in the film, was a kind of cute loss for the character - but one you could still respect) - but instead mourning the loss of his own little boy - is just so unexpected and just hits you like a ton of bricks, but is still perfectly handled and balanced with moments of comedy. The introduction of Wichita and Little Rock is well played too - except of course we know that LR isn't dying of a zombie bite because of all the trailers and clips they pimped everywhere - but even still, that's a well handled segment of the film too - how all the characters react and interplay before it becomes evident that it's a set-up. Indeed, looking back on that scene when you find out Tallahassee is mourning his child rather than a puppy as you'd been led to believe, the context completely changes and there's a whole new dynamic. Likewise when they're all on the road travelling and Tallahassee and Little Rock are talking about various things, it's a father/daughter dynamic that becomes all the more powerful as a result of hindsight when you discover T's loss of a child. There's also an interesting family dynamic, of sorts, with all four of them together. Columbus' character is interesting in that he's a sort of nervous shut-in that has to survive in this world, and because of all his up-tight foilbles he has. As for Wichita, she's interesting as this sort of con artist on the outside, but really sexy girl-next-door 'girl every guy wants' chick, who is struggling to weigh surviving with living.

[Neil]

Seeing it tonight...

[bassman]

Interesting you say that Bassman, because I was thinking about this last night, and there is a lot of deep character stuff in the movie. I wouldn't really consider any of that to be deep. It was all just kinda tossed in there for a laugh or to get to another laugh, imo. Example: "Haven't cried like that since Titanic" or "No she has to have the wig on. THEN she's Hannah Montana"

[MinionZombie]

I wouldn't really consider any of that to be deep. It was all just kinda tossed in there for a laugh or to get to another laugh, imo. Example: "Haven't cried like that since Titanic" or "No she has to have the wig on. THEN she's Hannah Montana" Not really fair those examples, you're just taking the little jokey lines thrown in to ease the balance back from going to a dark, serious, moving place. So those examples aren't the deep stuff, that's the pin prick to pop the baloon before it all gets too off course in one direction or the other. The "haven't cried like that since Titanic" line is funny, and perfectly rebalances the mood after a very stunning, sudden turn in the story - that moment, as one example, is what I mean by the deeper character stuff going on.

[bassman]

The "haven't cried like that since Titanic" line is funny, and perfectly rebalances the mood after a very stunning, sudden turn in the story - that moment, as one example, is what I mean by the deeper character stuff going on. I just didn't find it a stunning turn at all. It was just to set up the titanic line, in my eyes. It lasts for a total of what....20 seconds?

[MinionZombie]

I just didn't find it a stunning turn at all. It was just to set up the titanic line, in my eyes. It lasts for a total of what....20 seconds? Set up for that line?! No way man, Tallahasse's mourning is set up early on in the movie, way before that line is even said. What on earth have you been smoking? You're making no sense, man!

[bassman]

Set up for that line?! No way man, Tallahasse's mourning is set up early on in the movie, way before that line is even said. What on earth have you been smoking? You're making no sense, man! I think i'm making perfect sense. The quick recap of "you know who" was just to make the hard ass cry. Then in turn, he could say the titanic line. They replaced a dog with the real thing. In a 20 second flashback. Not real moving, imo...

[clanglee]

I was actually quite moved by that scene myself. And I didn't really see it coming, which was nice. In no way did I see it as just set up for that line. . . It was a quick touch at a dark spot of the character's past. . . then it was alieviated by that Titanic line. But the funny line does not discount the depth of the scene. I agree with MZ on this one Bass. . . you are smoking the wacky tobacky!!

[MinionZombie]

I was actually quite moved by that scene myself. And I didn't really see it coming, which was nice. In no way did I see it as just set up for that line. . . It was a quick touch at a dark spot of the character's past. . . then it was alieviated by that Titanic line. But the funny line does not discount the depth of the scene. I agree with MZ on this one Bass. . . you are smoking the wacky tobacky!! *Agreeing-with-MZ five!*

[Neil]

Yes yes yes yes! Loved it! Daft in places... Contrived in places... But fun in most places... ps: It has a sort of feeling to it, that maybe there will be an DVD version with some extra scenes in... Don't know why. Just my Spider sense is tingling!?!

[bassman]

I agree with MZ on this one Bass. . . you are smoking the wacky tobacky!! "Bunch a yo-yo's!"

[darth los]

Yes yes yes yes! Loved it! Daft in places... Contrived in places... But fun in most places... ps: It has a sort of feeling to it, that maybe there will be an DVD version with some extra scenes in... Don't know why. Just my Spider sense is tingling!?! I'll place a bet with you on that as well. Movies like this always seem to come through with good extras, which, let's face it is almost a prerequisite for big dvd/blu ray sales. They have to justify the $25 pricetag somehow you know.

[snowwarrior]

I enjoyed it second time around. My sons enjoyed it alot and said it was fun. They all agreed that the scene where we find out that Talahassee's dog is really his son was kind of disturbing. They wondered if the little boy was lost or the zombies got him (they hoped for lost). They also hoped that he would be found in the sequel. Food for thought? More character development? Hmmm. *spoiler hidden by MZ*