QUARANTINE (2008)

If you've already seen [REC], then, outside of curiosity, there's not much of a reason to watch this remake, since it's literally just an American remake with the same general story.  It's even filmed in the same supershaky camera flopping all around the place way that [REC] was filmed.  The only real difference (outside of some different dialogue and a different explanation for the virus) is it has different actors and they're speaking in English.

A television reporter and her cameraman are doing a special on firefighters when a call comes in about a sick woman at an old style apartment building.  They go and the woman is totally rabid and chomping on people.  Next thing you know the building is locked down from the outside and now the people inside are trapped with a growing zombie population.  Great idea for a video game, but as far as movies go, it's just alright.  The reality TV camerawork gets old quick and the zombies aren't as awesome as you would expect.  I did enjoy the frantic pace at the ending though.  Worth a watch for zombie fans, but honestly I didn't think the original [Rec] series started getting good until Part 2. 

Original - [Rec] (2007)
Original Part 2 - [Rec] 2 (2009)
Original Part 3 - [Rec] 3: Genesis (2012)
Original Part 4 - [Rec] 4: Apocalypse (2014)
Remake Part 2 - Quarantine 2: Terminal (2011)

WARM BODIES (2013)

You might initially guess that WARM BODIES is just somebody jumping on the zombie bandwagon and maybe even ripping off the zombie/human love angle from BIOZOMBIE.  But it's not, WARM BODIES is actually a pretty sweet/clever little movie that has more to do with "Romeo and Juliet" than anything else.

Poor R is just a lonely misunderstood zombie who spends all of his time shuffling around the airport and hoarding vinyl records in his airplane/house.  Then one day while out eating humans, he sees Julie and she's beautiful...and alive!  He smears her face with blood and hides her in his airplane.  There they bond and a little piece of him comes alive.  And I'm not just talking about his boner you perverts!  Gosh!

Corny as that sounds (and it is) it's still a fun movie if you're a romantic nerd like myself.  Brain eating, John Malkovich, small amount of zombie violence, good special effects, fun soundtrack, blood, not even scary in the least...actually this movie is probably even safe for kids.  Worth a rent at least.

A MAN BETRAYED (1941)

After a small town athlete is found shot to death outside of the notorious Inferno Club, small town lawyer John Wayne comes to the big city to investigate.  What he finds is something straight out of a Dashiell Hammett novel.  A kingpin (Edward Ellis) with an iron grip controls the entire town from the mayor and the police all the way down the booze racket.  Naturally, Wayne falls in love with the kingpin's daughter (Frances Dee) and she with him, but it's not all rainbows and unicorns.  Wayne still needs to solve the murder. There's also a rigged election to deal with.

If this film was completely serious it would have been quite good, but for whatever bizarre reason the story is half-drama, half-comedy!  And unfunny comedy at that.  And let's not forget all the cornball romantic stuff going on.  Example: Wayne gets Dee alone on the top of a Ferris wheel and says "You sure would be lovely if you had brown hair." "I have brown hair.", she replies.  "Yeah." he sighs. [They kiss.]  Oh, brother!

Interesting for a single watch, but the drama/comedy/romance jerking back and forth all over the place was too much for me.  If you need me I'll be in my room reading "Red Harvest".

reflection