Warm Bodies

My View:  Warm Bodies  (2013)  The zombie apocalypse has happened, and humans are barely hanging on. R (Nicholas Hoult) isn’t your ordinary zombie, as he is very aware of his surroundings and thinks too much. His world changes when he saves Julie (Teresa Palmer) from his fellow zombies. But the big questions are – why did he do it and can he keep her alive?  We now have a movie genre called Zombie comedies, with 2004's Shaun of the Dead, 2009's Zombieland and now Warm Bodies.  This zombie film is different than others because, for the first time, a zombie film is being told from the perspective of the zombies and not the humans.  This film is funny, has heart and also has a very well-thought-out Romeo and Juliet type of romance between R the zombie and Julie, the human.  While not for kids, the film is perfect for teens, especially young girls who love these young adult type of books.  I thoroughly enjoyed this film, a film that doesn't really fit any other description than it's a  Zombie Romantic Comedy with brains!   My Rating:  Full Price   Warm Bodies Website

Indiefest:  Stand Up Guys  (2013)  Val (Al Pacino) has just gotten out of the pen after 28 years. His best friend, Doc (Christopher Walken), picks him up when Val is released. The former mob guys go out to celebrate like it’s going to be their last night on the planet. And, since Doc has been given orders by the local mob boss to kill Val, it could be their last night on the planet. I enjoyed watching Walken and Pacino act together, but this film feels like it's just one long excuse to put the two on-screen together.  Only when the getaway driver, Hirsch (Alan Arkin), shows up, does the film get a little life in its plot; otherwise, it's just a very long dialogue between two old hit men.  Only diehard fans of Pacino and Walken will enjoy this film. For the rest of us, the film is just a little too slow.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Stand Up Guys Website

Forgotten Film:  Oliver!  (1968)  It's hard to say that a film that was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 5, including Best Picture and Best Director, belongs on this list, but by and large, this film is rarely talked about.  Based on the book, Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, Oliver! tells a story of the orphan, Oliver (Mark Lester), who escapes to London to hook up with Fagin (Ron Moody), a man who heads a large group of boy pickpockets who go about stealing on the streets of London. The film has an outstanding cast with standouts Ron Moody, who brings a heartfelt performance to the role of Fagin, and Mark Lester as Oliver.  The film is full of fantastic songs that seem to pop right off the screen when performed, including the classics "Food Glorious Food" and "Consider Yourself".  This is a film, that, just like Oliver in the food line at the Orphanage, you will be asking "Please sir, I want some more."  My Rating: Full Price   Oliver! Info

In Case You Missed It:  Searching for Sugar Man (2012)  The best film that I saw at the L. A. Film Festival and my pick to win the Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards.  The remarkable story of a little-known American singer from the late sixties who becomes the voice of the movement in a foreign country he has never visited.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Searching for Sugar Man Info

In Memory of Ed Wood (A film I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Hummingbird (2013)  All I have to say is it stars Jason Statham as an ex-Special Forces soldier who is now living on the streets.  You can figure the rest of the plot out from there.    Hummingbird Info

Weird Credits:  From the Credits of The Last Stand:  Script Translator

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You:    A Good Day to Die Hard  (2013)  Having watched the original Die Hard again over the Christmas Holidays, I am looking forward to this installment of the series.  Having Jai Countney play John McClane's son should help energize the series.  Place your bets on when McClane say's "Yippie-ki-yay, MF!"   A Good Day to Die Hard Website

Until Next Time!