M: Shaun of the Dead

Another bout of boredom has led me to finally knock out one of the longest-lasting movies in my Netflix queue: Shaun of the Dead -- a bit appropriate given the circumstances. This movie perfectly demonstrates all the techniques that make Edgar Wright's later movies (see: Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim, Baby Driver) stand out so well, from juxtaposing the protagonists' dialogue with not-so-subtle foreshadowing in the background to making sure the action scenes sync flawlessly with the soundtrack.

The film follows an average Londoner and his average friends and his average routine; it's a life that's so mind-numbing he's completely oblivious to the fact that he's woken up in the middle of a zombie outbreak. That doesn't last, however, as he takes advantage of the occasion to rebuild strained relations with his ex, his family, and his roommate, all while taking charge of possibly the most slapstick zombie survival plan ever conceived. Although this movie isn't afraid of playing classic horror tropes for laughs and laying on the irony, it still manages to insert the heartbreaking scenes you'd expect from a survival movie, though it never really dwells on them, given the runtime of just over 90 minutes. If you're looking for a quick and consistently entertaining movie but aren't afraid of a little gore now and then, this one's a must-see.

Comments

M: Babylon Berlin

The first time i tried watching Babylon Berlin was about two years ago when i was scrolling through Netflix's recommendations for new series to watch. I tried an episode or two but it did not pan out -- possibly because every time i tried to watch the series, i was always already on the verge of drifting to dreamland. But #Covid19 changed everything so that instead of spending my free time outdoors, i find myself indoors most of the time now -- ergo, more TV time for me. Thus, in the last week of May i found myself being confronted by Babylon Berlin on the Netflix homepage once again and decided to give it a run over. And this time around it had me hooked from the moment i re-watched the first episodes that i was able to finish all 3 seasons of the series in less than two weeks. I loved the visuals and the music, and it even had a little bonus -- revisiting my rudimentary knowledge of the German language and practicing its pronunciations once again. Set in 1920s Berlin and the las...

M: American Graffiti

I have seen American Graffiti in three different decades--first in the late 1980s on Betamax; on VCD in the late '90s and just recently a few weeks ago on cable TV. Nowadays I'm amused seeing a very young Richard Dreyfuss and Harrison Ford and how their physical features have changed or not changed through the years since.

M: Jo Koy: In His Elements

for some reason i don't find Jo Koy's Pinoy-centric jokes funny. i watched "Live from Seattle" a while back and gave "In His Elements" a shot a few nights ago yet it still has not changed my opinion on him. Maybe it's because have drinking friends who are funnier with better lines and spiels. ;)

B.M.S.

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