ZomCom: The Revenant -- A Movie Review

"Is that a pony???!!"

Released in 2009 into the indy circuit, Zombie Comedy (ZomCom)"The Revenant" -- is finally getting it's much deserved theatrical release, after signing a deal with distribution company Paladin.

The film will be released in August in ten markets, including premium Video-on-Demand as part of an event day-and-date Ultra VOD debut through Lightning's distribution arm, Lightning Media. The DVD will be released through Lionsgate, as part of LM's partnership with the studio.

What's all the hubbub about?
Well...

Brad Pitt's zombie apocalypse 'World War Z' gets a re-write... again.

Damon Lindelof
"Yeah, baby! YEAH!"

I'm not sure if this is good news or not.  The perpetually in-production 'World War Z' is getting some "help" from "Lost" exec-producer and "Prometheus" writer Damon Lindelof.  Apparently Lindelof has been hornswaggled into doing a rewrite of the script for "World War Z," Brad Pitt's zombie apocalypse movie based on the Max Brooks book of the same name.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, execs at Paramount bumped the movie from a planned December release to summer 2013 to allow for extensive rewrites and re-shoots that are expected to begin in September.

Although Pitt had described his vision for "WWZ" as a "Trojan horse for sociopolitical problems," one insider tells THR the production was, "a nightmare from top to bottom" with no clear chain of command and a director -- Marc Forster -- not familiar with special effects blockbusters.

"The footage from this film looks fantastic, but we all agreed it can have a better ending," Paramount film group president Adam Goodman says. "Getting the ending correct is essential, and we are in that creative process. World War Z is a giant summer movie and we are confident it will be a global hit when it's released June 2013."

I'll believe it when I see it.

More World War Z

PORTO DOS MORTOS (Beyond the Grave) -- The Interview!

Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro

In a recent reporting of the Brazilian zombie movie PORTO DOS MORTOS (Beyond the Grave), I described a film that combined both the edgy and stylish film usually afforded a big budget film with big Hollywood names attached.

This film was created by, among many others, Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro, who wrote, produced, executive produced the music, and of course directed.  I absolutely loved it.  It has classic written all over it!

Rafael Tombini is the kick-ass and take no names hard nosed cop in PORTO DOS MORTOS, the driving character in the movie-- non-flinching, serious, with a dark secret inside.  Brandishing a Samurai sword, brooding and anguished, Tombini channels Clint Eastwood and Chow Jun Fat, but never strays into caricature.

I had the privilege of interviewing both of the these movie makers (Director and Lead Actor), for our Blog of the Living Dead fans, here is that interview...

Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) Wants You To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse... In A Hyundai

Robert Kirkman after
stubbing his right pinkie toe
"It's really hurting man."

Among the many things that occupy my life (writing (blog, movie script), writing music, designing, sketching, painting, computer programming),  I have also Project Managed software development for the past 15 years, for some game development companies, and for some the largest ad agencies in the world.  Right now, I am freelancing for an agency called Innocean.  What, you may ask, does this have to do with Zombies-- and more likely-- who the hell cares but me and my mom?

Well, I found out yesterday that Robert Kirkman has selected a tricked-out Hyundai Elantra as his vehicle of choice for surviving the impending zombie apocalypse.

Zombies, Zombies, Zombies from Outer Space-- The Movie Review

This frame-grab requires absolutely no caption.

I really don't know where to begin.  Understanding the danger that comes with loving this movie-- I'm just gonna say it.
At 20 minutes 45 seconds into it-- I absolutely loved this movie.  This may very well be the worst produced movie I have ever seen (and I've seen alot of them). 


Suffice it to say, if you are looking for a movie that is so ridulously stupid, this should be on your list.

Quips:

• Constant talk about "Atomic Cleansing fire."  Foreshadowing....?
• Our General, walking off a jet or plane : "All aliens, molesting our women-- a warning...and to those still surviving...  it's better to suffer the short sweet agony of atomic holocaust than to live as slaves under perverted monsters from outer space!"   Foreshadowing....?
• Who do we need??? According to the General, we need Major Kent Bendover, who will "swim in the cesspool and mud-wrestle them into submission!" (a direct quote).   Foreshadowing....?

At this point there are lots of creative uses of mannequin body parts...

• Police officer:  "Excuse me miss, can I drive you home?"
• Miss (holding the dismembered arm and hand of her lover):  "I guess I can't grieve forever."

• I watched to 21 minutes, and then had to write this review.
• I urge you, like me, to watch the rest of it.  Tell me what you think.

I am flabbergasted by it's badness. But, like a car wreck, I can't look away!!!

Lollipop Chainsaw -- The Game Review

After much hoopla and T&A , one of the most highly anticipated video games of the year (especially for zomboids) has just been released (5 months after it's expected launch).  Here for you, is a buzz by buzz review of said game...

Review by Eric Layman 
(June 12, 2012)

Remember when videogames weren't required to make sense? We didn't need to know why Dr. Wily wasn't smart enough, through six games, to create robot masters without dangerous and very specific weaknesses. It didn't matter that Karnov could inexplicably breathe fire and spawn a deep sea diving helmet at a moment’s notice. Context was in complete service to game's mechanics and traditional suspension of disbelief wasn't required because we accepted that it was a videogame and objective logic wasn't part of the agreement.

Lollipop Chainsaw deals in these same circles of raw delirium that have been vaguely absent for two decades. If you catch yourself asking questions about the origin of its zombie plague or why enemies explode into rainbow hearts and candy, it's going to be tough to appreciate. The game openly declares its intentions by being called Lollipop Chainsaw and its creative forces include Goichi "Suda51" Suda, James Gunn, and Jimmy Urine. The definition of insanity isn't that stupid passage about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, it's Lollipop Chainsaw and the riches of absurdity it has to offer.

Review Continues...

Lollipop Chainsaw and George Romero in Toronto!

A host of moaning and shuffling zombies gathered in Toronto on June 10th to meet the Godfather of the Undead, George A Romero, joined by the Developers (Grasshopper Manufacture) of the just released video game "Lollipop Chainsaw', and an extremely comely live action cosplay Juliet, Jessica Nigri!

The event took place at 267 Yonge Street and was hosted by EB Games (of course).  There was pus and frivolity, prizes and swag, and fans were able to purchase the game a couple days ahead of it's official release.


If you missed it, you're in luck! We have shots from the event below.  Enjoy the (slide)show... 

Is this a surprise? After gory incidents, online ‘zombie’ talk Continues to Grow!

Face Eater

First came Miami: the case of a naked man eating most of another man’s face. Then Maryland, a college student telling police he killed a man, then ate his heart and part of his brain.

It was different in New Jersey, where a man stabbed himself 50 times and threw bits of his own intestines at police. They pepper-sprayed him, but he was not easily subdued.

He was, people started saying, acting like a zombie. And the whole discussion just kept growing, becoming a topic that the Internet couldn’t seem to stop talking about.

Author Receives National Award: ZOMBIES OF THE WORLD Named Best Humor Book

Ross Payton’s new book, ZOMBIES OF THE WORLD: A Field Guide to the Undead, was named Best Humor Book in the 24th annual Benjamin Franklin Awards at a ceremony in New York on June 4. Named in honor of America's most cherished publisher/printer, the Benjamin Franklin Awards™ recognize excellence in independent publishing.

Presented by the Independent Book Publishers Association, the largest not-for-profit trade association representing independent book publishers, the awards are judged on editorial and design merit by top practitioners in each field. Awards are given in 54 categories. More than 1,300 entries were submitted to the competition.

Four score & Seven Zombies ago - Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies

Tim Burton Productions will be hitting the big screen with good ole Abe Lincoln taking on Vampires around June 22 with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  But a small B-Movie will beat Tim and Abe to the punch, as the 16th President of the United States takes on an army of the undead!




Locals make B movie a fun ride
By Jessica Leigh Lebos jll@connectsavannah.com

Here’s the thing about zombies: They’re disgusting. Unlike sexy, sparkly vampires, zombies lurch around like drunk lepers and eat entrails. They are not something to cheer for, or, God forbid, emulate (unless, apparently, you live in Florida. Or Maryland. Or Canada. Oh dear God, what is happening to this world?!)

PORTO DOS MORTOS (Beyond the Grave) Film Review

One of the Undead

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - The feature film BEYOND THE GRAVE (aka PORTO DOS MORTOS), produced by Lockheart Filmes Ltda., had its Chicago premiere on April 21 at the Chicago Latino Film Festival. Written and directed by Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro (who's also producing with Isidoro B. Guggiana), BEYOND THE GRAVE (2011) follows the unstoppable hunt of a vengeful cop (Rafael Tombini) for a supernatural serial killer. In its film festival circuit the Brazilian fantasy feature gained international acclaim, being also selected for the Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (Cuba) and granted with two awards: Best Horror Feature Award at the Arizona Underground Film Festival and Audience Choice Award for Best Latin American Feature at Montevideo Fantástico (Uruguay).

Shot in the city of Porto Alegre, south of Brazil, BEYOND THE GRAVE is an art-house mixture of road movie, spaghetti western and different horror sub-genres such as zombie and black magic. "I tried to bring in everything I had learned about cinema and humanity from the beginning of my conscious life till the moment of locking the final cut.  I think we should be respectful of genre, of course, but a rigid tone is more important than a rigid genre. We’re in an age where amalgamations are common nature in art. Cinema shouldn’t be excluded", believes the Brazilian filmmaker.

The distributors of this film contacted Blog of the Living Dead, and sent us a screener for review.