Review: Let Sleeping Corpses Lie

A few weeks back, a co-worker sent me a list of the top 25 Must see Zombie Movies.  This was one entry i was unfamiliar with.  Watching this film brought me closer to completing my quest of seeing all 25 films.  It also gave me an unexpected surprise.

The film begins with George driving on the his motorbike and stopping fuel up.  Edna, not paying attention, backs up and over George's bike.  As part of recompense, Edna begrudgingly allows George to join her in her car so that she can drop him off to his important meeting.  Events unfold over time that prevent this from ever happening.  At first, nothing seems connected.  But over time, George, Edna, and the audience begin to see the bigger picture.

Likes - This zombie flick did not follow the typical format and cliches of today's trends.  The plot unfolded at a good pace.  One unique aspect is that the film focuses on a very small group, George and Edna.  They come across tragedies and misfortunes, one after another.  They quickly come to see that there is a ribbon tying these events together.  Also, at the beginning, they HATE each other.  This provides a fresh backdrop to a worn-out (but fun) genre.  Things change over time, but not without effort.  Another fresh take about this movie is the managing of the zombies.  This film does not have the hordes of zombies we've seen in Return of the Living Dead or of any Romero film.  Instead it focuses on a few who simply overpower the unsuspecting citizens they come upon.  Also, the make-up was really good, considering the era of its conception.  It wasn't so heavy on blood as much as it was looking dead and in place of the location (i.e a hospital).

Dislikes - There were some situations were the zombies simply appeared out of thin air.  I know they overlooked physics to push the plot.  Under a simple logic test though, some situations should not be.  That said, the plot was still fresh and inventive.  Also, the character development isn't totally there.  George grows in this film but leaves Edna in his dust.  Throughout the film, she plays the constant victim.  I'm sure this was intended but it would have been a bit more inspiring to at least see her try to fight for her life.

Overall - I was impressed by this film.  For being an older, less known film, I found it very fresh and new. I think the filmmakers had the luxury of really exploring a still fresh new world with no stigmas and no trends to buck.  I watched this film simply to check a box on my list of things to do.  Instead, I got a pretty enjoyable film experience.  I will warn you, for modest horror fans, this movie is dumb and a bit over dramatic.  For any self proclaimed zombie fanatic though, this is definitely one that needs to be seen.  If nothing more, to glimpse at a mythos that could have been.  4 out of 5 stars.

Review: The Return of the Living Dead

Recently, a co-worker showed me a link (which sadly I can't seem to relocate) of the top 25 must see zombie films.  Of this list, I had seen about half of the mentioned films.  I decided to try and see the other half, starting with this gem here.

The Return of the Living Dead begins with Freddie learning about his new job at a medical supply warehouse.  During the lull of the evening, his new found boss lets him in a a little secret - the military has accidentally left some very big mistakes in their possession. After a freak accident, all hell breaks loose!

Likes - 

To my surprise, I really enjoyed this film.  It is a great product of the 80's.  At times, it is stupidly funny.  Other times, I actually jumped out of my chair.  Also, the zombies in this film are different from the ones normally portrayed.  I'll leave that to you to find out how.  The special effects are really good and really create a very creepy atmosphere.  The main group of kids was refreshing to see as well.  It was a mix of all different genres prevalent during the time.  It was nice seeing everyone get along, at least in the beginning, when the biggest concern was where to party. 

Dislikes - 

This is a minor one - the make-up for the zombie horde scenes is absolutely terrible.  It is just normal people covered in mud.  The effects and make-up are kinda uneven.  At times, the imagination put into the monsters is superb, other times it seems like they honestly didn't care.  The same could be said about the acting.  At times completely over-the-top, other times it was dead on.  This one is minor though too, since the over-the-top moments really add some cute charm to the film.  

Overall - 

This was a very good zombie film and a fun film, in general.  I'm glad I made the time to watch this film and I plan to watch a few sequels spawned from this.  4 stars our of 5. 

Review: Audition

Audition was a recommendation made to me by NetFlix.  I was bored and decided to try it out.  It was a foreign horror film, which tend to not disappoint.  This was a gamble that paid off!
Audition is a Japanese horror film from 1999.  The story centers around Shigeharu Aoyama and his new desire to become remarried.  His first wife died long ago, leaving him alone to raise thier son.  Cut ahead ten years, we see that Shigeharu has done well in life and in rasing his boy.  His son shows a healthy interest in girls, which comes to inspire Shigeharu to do is own pursuing.  After he mentions his new search to his friend, he concocts a brilliant plan - use their position as Movie execs to host a series of auditions for a movie as a front to interview possible future wives for Shigeharu.  Shigeharu comes across Asami Yamazaki and is immediately smitten.  What he doesn't see is the caged beast living inside such a small, timid frame.
Likes - 
This was a film that I can definitely say was creepy,which are a rare breed.  There was the right amount of build up.  Once the real action began, there was just enough to make anyone cringe.  Amongst the actors, there was a subtly and also a disconnection at play that made the film so much more real.  The behavior of the characters was in line with how normal people would in any big city, generally.  There was one scene in a stairwell that was a bit over -the-top in my opinion, though. 
Dislikes - 
One dislike of mine was the pacing, which honestly is contradicting my first like. The story seemed to drag out a bit longer then it should have.  That's really it.


Overall - 
I enjoyed this film.  4 stars. If you want a really good thrill and chill, I'd recommend this.  It is not for the weak of heart or stomach though.