05 January 2011

Aaah! Zombies!!

**** (4.5 stars)


AKA "Wasting Away" is one of the best zombie/horror/comedy movies I have seen in a long time. The perfect blend of blood, brains, catchy one-liners, and decent plot really set this movie apart. I would love to have a mini-movie marathon with this, "Shaun of the Dead" and "Grindhouse: Planet Terror". It would be epic!

New Year's was an interesting occasion this year and thankfully I had this movie to get the party started. A planned cab strike meant ample time for a movie while waiting. I mean, what's a girl to do but watch a zombie movie and drink a bottle of champagne (with a little help of course)?

Matthew and Sean Kohnen suffer no loss of the imagination; just when you thought it was impossible to attack the zombie genre from a new angle. You have the typical (a group of 20-something hang abouts) with the unusual (they're all zombies). "Aaah Zombies" asks the question, "What's it really like to be a zombie?"


Tim (Michael Grant Terry, TVs "Bones") works at the local bowling alley with dreams of middle management. He's in love with his co-worker and best friend Cindy (Betsy Beutler, TVs "Scrubs" after it went downhill) but is afraid to tell her. His polar opposite and other best friend Mike (Matthew Davis, TVs "The Vampire Diaries") is loud, crude, funny, and self proclaimed ladies man. His ex, Vanessa (Julianna Robinson) dreams of becoming a lawyer and leaving all the juvenile antics behind. Meanwhile, on a secret government base (there's always one of those), a tragic science experiment results in the patients becoming zombies and they must dump the chemical compound and quick. In a twist of fate, one of the barrels rolls off the truck and is mistaken for a beer keg at the bowling alley. Best idea ever- Beer flavored ice cream. Unfortunately, the beer is actually poison and everyone dies and becomes a zombie. After they've scarfed the dessert, the picture turns from black and white to color and our gang of misfits is on their way. Everything they seem appears normal, though slightly sped up. What the world actually sees, and in black and white no less, is a group of raving slacker zombies. Problem is, they don't think they're the ones infected and they must find a cure for all their friends and family. With the help of Nick Steel (Colby French, the man's been in everything!), retired military, they begin to battle the 'dark" forces at play. Oh, and it's seriously funny.

All I kept thinking was, "I hope we get to see what these jokers look like when they think they're being cool and romantic. I want to see some zombie kissing!" Cut to black and white and what they think is a friendly wave or passionate kiss is actually awkward and a bit disgusting.


I find myself not wanting to say too much about this film. Not that there's much to give away or that you won't predict much of it, you will; instead I feel like it should be experienced with the same trepidation that I felt watching it. After "Mad Cowgirl" was an utter disappointment, I prayed that this movie would not let me down and ruin the start of my New Years Eve celebrations. I never really wondered before if zombies had thoughts, I just assumed they didn't, or if they could be anything more than mindless wanderers out for brains.

"Aaah! Zombies!!" is yet another great example of what low budget film making can and should be. I can't wait to see what's next.

PS- I find it's best, when speaking to someone about this movie, to really use the exclamation points in the title to their fullest effect: Aaah! ZOMBIES!! Really shout that last bit out.

3 comments:

  1. What a great review! Couldn't agree more... :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey you have a wonderful list on Horror movies. I too Die hard fan for Horror movies. Few of my fav.horror movies are 28 days later, The Descent, Hostel, The Midnight meat train etc. Have u seen the movie 'Grotesque'. One of the most disturbing movie in my life time. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Manikandan- Funny you should ask. I have "Grotesque" in my Netflix queue right now. It looks disgusting and I cannot wait!

    ReplyDelete