Brit's out to Lunch: Shaun of the Dead

I am a horror movie junkie. Literally. I mean, if I don't watch at least one crappy remake of a Japanese film every month, I get the shakes.

I was in high school when a friend of mine--let's call him Paul B.--invited me to see the prescreening of a movie called "Shaun of the Dead."

Let's go back a step.

I first encountered the undead when I was but a buckin' lad, svelte and full of vim and vigor. Now that I've butchered vernacular we can move on.

I watched Romero's classic "Night of the Living Dead", followed quickly by the rest of the trilogy. I watched every zombie movie that came out, even the bad ones (ok, especially the bad ones). The "Trilogy" never left my thoughts, and I admit being hesitant, nay, dismayed, at the thought of "Shaun of the Dead."

To say I was wrong would be an understatement. In fact, this movie has become my favorite zombie film. I say that with complete certainty.

Now let's give credit where it's due. George Romero is one of the greatest zombie creators--THE creator--of our time. Simon Pegg, a British comedian, decided to make a movie. A comedy.

A romantic comedy...with zombies.

What came about was gold in cinematic form.

Shaun is a loafer working at a convenient store. His love life is dying, his friends are couch potatoes, and his mother is...well, a British woman. I mean, it really doesn't get any worse.

Then, for no apparent reason, the dead begin to rise to hunt the living. Comedy ensues.

The camerawork is friggin' phenomenal. I mean, watch some of the scenes and tell me you aren't lovin' it.

The zombies look...well, dead, which I guess is good. I like the eye thing, where the pupils are covered in cataracts. It's creepy and disgusting and totally freaks you out. If I'm disturbing you I can stop.

Shaun's friend, Ed, is a man of a healthy girth who doesn't seem too upset by the whole "dead rising, consuming flesh" thing that's happening. He seems more interested in texting his friends, smokin' a "wi'l fatty", and ragging on his friend.

Shaun's love interest is played by Kate Ashfield. She wants to live a more exciting, more important life. Her wish comes true, though I do wonder if she truly wanted such events to pass. In fact, I wonder how anyone would handle the emerging zombie horde.

Let's have an example:

Bill: Hey, Sam, what's new?"

Sam: Aarh!

Bill: Wow, you look kinda dead. Long night?

Sam: Grrrr. UUuuugh.

Bill: Hey, not so grabby Sam.

Sam: AAAAAAARGH! (munching)

Bill: Ow! My face!

Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and say F that. I never want the dead to rise. It would suck more than the new Hoover vacuum.

So I guess I need to give this movie a rating, seeing as I do review movies on this site, or so I say. I guess, on a scale of one to 10, this movie rates an evening with Salma Hayek, only to have Kate Beckinsale join you for a nightcap. Yeah, that's about how good it is.

Yeah. I'm gonna take a cold shower.

Stop reading.

Seriously.