photo // duedatemovie.warnerbros.com

The plot essentially concerns businessman Peter (Downey) who is trying to get to Los Angeles in order for the birth of his child. But something goes wrong. After finding out his bags were accidentally swapped with a Hollywood wannabe Ethan (Galifianakis), there is a security issue. Peter sees Ethan again on the flight, and they exchange a few words which put them on a “no fly” list. From then on, it all gets crazy. Finding out he has no wallet or ID, Ethan meets up with Peter and they end up driving to Los Angeles together. The trip isn’t smooth, and they end up going through a number of situations that compromise their relationship, switching vehicles, among other disastrous circumstances, and they finally make it West.

The plot is a mess. It’s full of subplots that are tedious and don’t help the overall story. While I can see they are for comedic relief, the humor in them is so dull and cliché that the movie could very easily have done without them, if you can even call them humorous.

Which brings me to my next point. Comedy exists to captivate an audience into a good mood and collective laughter. This movie seldom does that. Except for a few scenes between Peter and Ethan, the humor pretty much falls flat. Not once did I see an instance where the writers even attempted to slide in a decent joke that really made any sense, or was, in my opinion, actually laughable. It got to the point where the pathetic nature of the jokes became laughable. The jokes were just very disorganized, raunchy, and, dare I say it, in bad taste. All too often, we’ve seen recently that comedies like this just don’t fly.

As far as the acting, I will say that Downey and Galifianakis really do attempt to do their parts well. Downey, who was recently seen in Iron Man 2, actually does a decent job with his role. He’s always been known to play a tough, level-headed man, and it really shows here. Galifianakis does a good job too playing a guy who doesn’t care and loves to live life at the expense of others, a role for which he has also been known. They just got caught up in a bad script; so, in a way, I can’t help but say that their talents were almost wasted on this movie.

The one aspect of the film that does seem to succeed is the level of sentimentality between Downey’s and Galifianakis’s characters. Two guys on the road sharing laughter and, inevitably, tears is something that touches the heart. At times it seems to make up for the bad jokes as well.

So, this movie is another comedy that tries way too hard, and aims to please, but misses the mark. There’s no laughter packed into this movie, and the humor will leave you very confused, and sometimes annoyed. Don’t waste your time on this movie.

Grade: D+

photo // hereafter.warnerbros.com

The plot essentially revolves around a French woman named Marie (Cecil de France), a British man named Marcus (Frankie McLaren) and a former psychic named George (Matt Damon), who used to talk to people’s deceased friends. The film really centers on Marie and Marcus, who live in two different countries but both come face to face with death. Marie is swept away by a tsunami tidal wave, sees her dead relatives, and then is revived. Marcus’ brother, in turn, is struck by a car. Both of them are traumatized by their respective experiences and want to seek answers to understand what happened.

Meanwhile, George is again receiving offers from people to do psychic readings. Eventually, George goes to London to a publishers’ fair and sees that Marie has published a book about her experience.  He then gets it signed. Marcus then meets George and procures a reading for his brother, and Marcus then feels more reassured about his brother’s afterlife.

In the end, George meets Marie; they shake hands, and go off together. The film really succeeds at capturing the surreal way in which people commonly envision what happens after death. The blurred images and echoing voices of the hereafter are very well done. They create a feeling of suspense and terror, but at the same, a certain level of comfort for the main.

Loneliness is another theme explored in this film that is common in much of Eastwood’s work. In this film, the characters are lonely because of trauma they have endured, not because they are naturally lonely people.

Damon’s performance is top notch. We’re probably all familiar with his work in the Bourne trilogy, and most recently in a leading role in Eastwood’s Invictus, starring with Morgan Freeman. However, he plays the psychic role in this film very well. Some people might say this may not be in line with his previous work, but, hey, change is good, right? He handles all aspects of his role very gracefully.

The other actors perform to the same standard as Damon. Cecile de France captures Marie’s quiet and frightened nature without going over-the-top. Frankie McLaren also plays his character, Marcus, very well.

Now let’s talk about Clint. Like always, his directing style and camera work are nothing short of astonishing. The close-ups throughout the film intimately show the characters’ emotions, and allow the audience to experiences them as if they were sitting directly in front of the actors. Overall, Hereafter is worth seeing because it has a captivating plot, along with golden performances from the entire cast.

Grade: A

Let’s get the bad out of the way, so I can tell you what was good. The plot revolves around Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a high school nerd who decides to become a superhero. He doesn’t have superpowers, but he can kick your ass. In the first real fight scene of the movie, Kick-Ass rescues a man from being beaten to death by gang members, and ends up inspiring more costumed vigilantes. This also happens to be the last time Kick-Ass fights for another hour of the film.

Instead, the plot is quickly hijacked by Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz). This father-daughter team of costumed killers wages a personal war against the mafia. The relationship between this father and his 11-year-old daughter is both sweet and disturbing at the same time. Once Kick-Ass crosses paths with these professionals, he is quickly dragged into the mob war. At this point the plot creeps to a crawl, introducing another superhero, Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) in order to add unnecessary intrigue.

Fortunately, the climax almost makes up for the previous hour of bum-numbing shenanigans. Including high stakes, overwhelming odds, and fresh action gimmicks, this sequence is guaranteed to elicit whoops of joy from the audience.

Hit Girl steals the show. I suspected that I might have problems with a foul-mouthed 11-year-old girl killing a bunch of mobsters … oh, who am I kidding? That sounds fantastic! Roger Ebert found Hit Girl grounds for giving the film a one-star rating, but I found her character delightful. There’s nothing more empowering than a female character rejecting the stereotypical victim role and kicking ass.

The cinematography in the movie is surprisingly good for the low budget of the film. Most scenes were shot in a way that will remind viewers of other superhero movies. Familiar shots include running along rooftops, jumping from building to building, and fighting off groups of bad guys.  Each of these sequences looks as well put together as the movies from which they are inspired.

Kick-Ass also experiments with new cinematic ideas during the fight sequences. In the first fight scene, the editing cuts between live footage and cell-phone camera footage that is being taken by onlookers. This footage is what makes Kick-Ass an internet sensation, and sparks the creation of other superhero wannabes.

The film’s fantastic soundtrack complements its strong visuals. The frenetic energy of the fights are complemented by pulsating electronica tunes from artists like Prodigy. The combat sequence where Hit Girl slaughters a room full of grown men is complemented by freakishly playful music like “Bad Reputation.” The soundtrack is triumphantly in tune with the feel of the movie.

www.kickass-themovie.com

A superhero film is generally limited in the themes that it raises, but Kick-Ass does a good job bringing new questions to the forefront. The morally dubious actions of the protagonists of the film are overshadowed by a greater and more urgent morality. Vigilante justice might make many uneasy, but as Kick-Ass puts it: “With no power comes no responsibility; but that’s not true.”

When Kick-Ass rescues a victim from a group of gang members, they ask; “The **** is wrong with you, man? You rather die for some piece of **** that you don’t even ****ing know?” To which he valiantly replies: “Three assholes, laying it in one guy while everyone else watches? And you wanna know what’s wrong with me? Yeah, I’d rather die … so bring it on!” This sums up the quixotic morality of the movie.

Kick-Ass is a very culturally hip film. It incorporates the YouTube phenomenon, nerdy high school kids, and a libertarian brand of justice. Its plot barely holds together, but if you want to see some of the best choreographed action in theaters, you can’t miss this film. It’s regrettable that Kick-Ass is overshadowed by Hit Girl, but you won’t really complain.

Filled with a seemingly endless amount of silly debauchery, the film’s incredibly likeable cast does a decent job of making the film more enjoyable than it might be otherwise.  Without question, the film’s most redeeming quality is its self-awareness.  Never at any point does it take itself too seriously.  It’s a pretty bad movie, but with a title like Hot Tub Time Machine, isn’t that the point?

The movie tells the story of three longtime friends who are each going through some degree of a mid-life crisis.  Adam (John Cusack) is dealing with a break-up from his long-time, live-in girlfriend.  Nick (Craig Robinson, “The Office”) abandoned his musical aspirations and is currently working at a pet grooming shop while trying to cope with his unfaithful wife.  Worst off is their friend Lou (Rob Corddry, “The Daily Show”), an alcoholic loner who kicks the movie off and sets the plot in motion by attempting to commit suicide.  Standing at his hospital bed, his two friends decide that they all need to get their groove back by heading up to Kodiak Valley, the setting of their fondest twenty-year-old memories.  Joining them on their trip is Adam’s nephew Jacob, a computer geek who never leaves his uncle’s basement.

Upon arriving at Kodiak Valley, they realize that much has changed since the days of their cherished past.  The whole town is rundown and practically abandoned.  Regardless, they head to the Silver Peaks Lodge and check in to their old favorite room.  Despite the depressing scene, they quickly conclude that it’s nothing that copious amounts of drugs and alcohol can’t fix.  In the midst of their highly inebriated soirée, a rogue can of illegal Russian Red Bull gets spilled on the hot tub’s control panel.  Given the movie’s title, you can only assume what kind of special powers the hot tub is then imbued with.

The next morning, something seems just a bit off but still oddly familiar.  Back in the lodge, everyone aside from the foursome is attired in bright neon.  With Ronald Reagan giving a live speech on TV, Nick asks a random person what color Michael Jackson’s skin is.  The answer confirms their hair-brained suspicion.  Somehow they’ve gone back in time!  Trying to get their bearings, they head back to their room where a look in the mirror reveals reflections of their 20-year-old selves with Jacob’s reflection flickering in and out.

At that moment, the hot tub repairman (Chevy Chase) mysteriously appears out of nowhere to lend the group some cryptic advice.  The realization comes to them that they’ve been given a second chance at re-shaping their lives.  Knowing that the future hangs in the balance, and in an effort to avoid the “butterfly effect,” the friends set out to retrace their steps.  Adam needs to get stabbed in the eye with a fork while breaking up with his girlfriend.  Lou needs to get pummeled by the bully ski instructor, and Nick needs to rejoin his band on stage for one last performance.  As you can imagine, everything goes haywire in their attempt to set everything straight.  Though the group does return back to the present intact, saying much more would ruin the movie’s payoff.

In the end, Hot Tub Time Machine is a fun movie.  It’s not a great movie, but it’s not trying to be.  See it or don’t see it.  It’s good for some laughs, but if you miss it, you’re not really missing out.

Shutter Island takes place in 1954 during the McCarthy era of paranoia and suspicion.
A murderess escapes from the Shutter Island asylum for the criminally insane, and two US marshals are called in to help with the investigation of her disappearance. Upon their arrival, the island is locked down and the marshals are relieved of their firearms just before a hurricane devastates the asylum.

The casting and performance of every actor is exceptional. DiCaprio captures the essence and emotionality of a tormented federal marshal and World War II veteran. His character, Teddy Daniels, experienced the liberation of the Dachau death camp and is haunted by those memories. The viewer is subjected to these horrors as Teddy’s memory relapses during his investigation.

Sir Ben Kingsley plays Dr. Cawley, the head psychiatrist at the asylum. His character departs from the conventions of his field in a time when psychiatry was divided between brain operations and pharmacology. His benevolent attitude towards his felonious patients is often both kind and disquieting.

Don’t let the trailer fool you: this film is no cliché. The plot’s twists and turns will keep you engaged throughout its unfolding. What seems like a standard fare thriller soon becomes something far more disturbing and emotionally evocative. The film addresses themes of insanity, love, genocide, and cruelty to children. The story told here is not for the faint of heart.

Scorsese employs cinematography in conventional and unconventional ways. Alfred Hitchcock introduced many of the angles and shots present in this film, causing reviewers to call Shutter Island Scorsese’s homage to the famous director.

Artwork / Phoenix Pictures

More important are Scorsese’s unconventional methods used to disturb and disrupt the viewer. Throughout the movie, he intentionally breaks continuity in various ways. During the span of a conversation, the lighting and coloration of the scene will change noticeably. All other filming conventions remain the same, which disorients viewers and keep them on edge.

In another scene, Teddy interrogates a patient who asks for a cup of water from his partner. When she takes a drink, there are three shots shown in a conventional manner. She grabs the glass. She is shown drinking. The glass is set on the table. Scorsese removes the glass from the second shot – leaving the viewer bewildered.

Shutter Island’s soundtrack is powerful, moving, and sinister. Every track is used to great effect in the film. The music will keep you in suspense, startle you, and move you to tears. The pairing of dramatic music with intense camera angles, as in the case of Teddy’s drive from the docks to the asylum, sets the precedent for the powerful use of music throughout the entire film.

Many critics fail to appreciate the narrative twist in Shutter Island. Already desensitized to the horrors depicted in the film and unable to invest themselves in characters they deem predictable, they miss the true purpose of the film. There is a deeply moral message engrained in the film that eludes these mainstream authorities.

The message is made lucid at the end of the film for one who has empathized with Teddy and suffered alongside him. This movie is more than capable of moving you to tears. Shutter Island deals with powerful themes in an intriguing and disturbing manner.

Congratulations to Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio for another excellent film.
I will end on a note of caution: You may want to avoid or mentally prepare yourself for this film if you are easily disturbed or if a loved one has been touched by some form of insanity in your experience.

The Book of Eli is the story of a man on a mission from God. Eli, played by Denzel Washington, is a former K-Mart worker turned post-apocalyptic badass. After nuclear war scorched the surface of the Earth, Eli is charged with the task of protecting the last Bible in existence.

Denzel Washington is Eli - photo / warnerbros.com

Eli kicks ass, both physically and spiritually. When ambushed by bandits, he dispatches them swiftly with a custom machete. When confronted by a town’s tyrant, a man named Carnegie (Gary Oldman), Eli displays his spiritual strength. Carnegie demands that Eli turn over the Bible to him so that he can “use the words” to make people do what he wants. Eli refuses, and returns to his God-appointed task. This struggle between institutionalized and personal religion adds depth to the feature.

The cinematography employed in the film is a refreshing change from modern fare. The action scenes use steady shots – no shaky-cam – and run for seconds at a time. In contrast with the quick cuts of many action movies, this method allows the viewer to enjoy Denzel’s fighting prowess. That’s right, he does all his own stunts. The action scenes are spaced evenly throughout the movie, and are short but purposeful. These fights are not meant to entertain with gladiatorial combat, but to demonstrate Eli’s divine protection.

The costuming in The Book of Eli is standard post-apocalyptic fare. Most everyone wears goggles or shades; new clothing hasn’t been manufactured for years; and everything is weathered and beaten. Except, of course, for Mila Kunis’s skinny jeans. Mila plays Solara, a tavern girl who leaves behind her life to follow Eli. Mila’s acting skills are not in question as much as her wardrobe. It looks as though she walked out of an Urban Outfitters, complete with dark wash skinny jeans and trendy plaid shirt.

Eli shares a passage with Solara - photo / warnerbros.com

The interplay between Eli and Solara is that of teacher and pupil. There’s a healthy contrast between Eli’s poise and Solara’s curiosity. This dynamic is believable and carries several powerful scenes throughout the movie. One of the most meaningful interactions is when Eli teaches Solara how to say grace. This common act, performed in an uncommon and desperate world, shows Solara the virtue of gratitude.

The film is a Christian genre movie, split into two acts – part Old Testament, part New Testament. Religious overtones are present throughout the film as various obstacles impede Eli’s progress on his 30-year journey. Biker gangs, reminiscent of Mad Max, terrorize travelers on the road.

Eli’s character evolves throughout the movie, changing how he interacts with the Americans of the post-apocalypse. Part Prophet Elijah and part Apostle Paul, Eli begins his journey with a righteous wrath, but learns the power of God’s protection without the need for violence.

The soundtrack consists of ambient tones, powerful sweeping strings, thoughtful piano, and mixed percussion. The music, when used in combination with the spartan landscape and scorched sky, conveys an otherworldly feeling to the viewer. This music is used sparingly and to great effect over the course of the film.

The storytelling of scriptwriter Gary Whitta captures the essence of a biblical tale in all its sublime beauty. There is a major plot-twist in the film that may be viewed by many as a leap of faith. I won’t spoil the moment for you, but it is a powerful and moving revelation.

Gary Oldman is Carnegie - photo / warnerbros.com

The select use of scripture in the movie will move a religious person to tears. The filmmakers do an incredible job creating a post-apocalyptic world devoid of morality and the Word of God. In the middle of this suffering world, Eli shares selections from Genesis, Psalms, and Johnny Cash Live at Folsom Prison – obviously not a book of the Bible, but both powerful and humorous.

The Book of Eli is a film that offers both intense action and a powerful spiritual message. There is no denying that this is a religious movie that offers strong Hollywood talent, technology, and technique. Most mainstream film critics had a hard time accepting the spiritual nature of the film, and rated it poorly because of their discomfort with that nature. The majority of America, being religious by comparison, responded favorably to this film and wrote rave reviews.

If you’re looking for a film that will both entertain and uplift you, then be sure to catch The Book of Eli before it leaves theaters.

Running from Nov. 12-22, the festival will host a whopping 130 feature films, consisting of 85 narratives and 45 documentaries – not to mention a generous supply of short films as well. Local venues participating in festival screenings include The Tivoli, Hi-Pointe and Plaza Frontenac theaters, as well as the St. Louis Art Museum, the Moore Auditorium at Webster University, and the Brown Hall Auditorium at Washington University.

Many of SLIFF’s most anticipated films have already received accolades at worldwide film festivals, including Sundance, Berlin, Telluride and Toronto, and will continue to generate Oscar buzz as a result of their screenings in St. Louis.

An Education is a coming-of-age story set in London in the 1960s. It is about a 16-year-old girl who falls in love with a much older gentleman and loses her aspiration of attending Oxford University after experiencing urban nightlife and lavish vacations. The film stars Peter Sarsgaard and newcomer Carey Mulligan, whose first lead role in a movie is attracting serious Oscar buzz. Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan agrees: “An Education does so many things so well, it’s difficult to know where to begin when cataloging its virtues.”

Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, is the story of an illiterate, obese Harlem teenager who is abused by her parents and enrolls in an alternative school after becoming pregnant. Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry are executive producers of the film, which is full of breakout performances. Newcomers include Gabourey Sidibe, singer Mariah Carey, and comedienne Mo’Nique in impressively dramatic roles. The film won the audience choice award at the Toronto Film Festival last September, and was “easily the most talked about U.S. film at Sundance this year,” according to Mike Goodridge of screendaily.com.

Okay, so it’s true. Not all SLIFF films are obscure indies. Some are bigtime Hollywood productions like George Clooney’s latest film, Up in the Air, which received glowing marks at Toronto and Telluride. Directed by Jason Reitman, the Oscar-nominated director of Juno and Thank You for Smoking, Up in the Air is a dramatic comedy about a workaholic expert in corporate downsizing whose dream of collecting ten million frequent flyer miles is threatened by a romance with a woman who has similar goals. This year, Reitman will attend the festival in person to receive the Contemporary Cinema Award and conduct a Q&A with St. Louis Post-Dispatch film critic Joe Williams following the screening.

Up in the Air was shot largely in St. Louis, with 80 sets at 50 different locations throughout the St. Louis area. Ironically, both Up in the Air and Matt Damon’s latest film, The Informant!, were filmed at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport this past year. According to J. Kim Tucci of the St. Louis Film Office, the economic impact of such big budget films on St. Louis could be as high as $50 million.

Other SLIFF films are highly anticipated due to the unprecedented circumstances surrounding their release. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical tale surrounding a high stakes wager between the devil and the leader of a traveling theater group. Sadly, Heath Ledger makes his final screen appearance in this film, having passed on one-third of the way through production. As reported by the Press Association, writer/director Terry Gilliam “didn’t even want to finish the film” upon first learning of Ledger’s death. Nevertheless, shooting continued when Ledger’s friends Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law willingly stepped in to finish his role in different transformations. Despite mixed reviews among critics, Scott Weinberg of cinematical.com considers the film “a special sort of ‘comeback’ for Terry Gilliam … bear[ing] all of his distinctly contorted trademarks.”

Robert De Niro’s new film, Everybody’s Fine, is anticipated at SLIFF for its mixed reviews. De Niro plays a widower who sets off on an unexpected road trip to reconnect with his four adult children over the holidays, but soon learns their lives aren’t as perfect as they wanted him to believe. Although Variety critic Andrew Barker writes that the film is “rigorously streamlined to deliver a good emotional uppercut,” hitfix.com critic George Ellwood is less forgiving: “The movie is a mess in so many ways that neither the legendary actor nor the stars who play his children can save it.”

Lastly, some films are awaited for nothing more than their expected laughs. Youth in Revolt is a comedy based on the novel by C.D. Payne about a sex-obsessed teen who develops an uncanny alter ego in hopes of seducing the girl of his dreams. Tim Grierson of screendaily.com considers the film “a new entry in the recent spate of edgy coming-of-age comedies like Superbad and Adventureland.” Youth in Revolt stars Michael Cera, among other supporting Hollywood funnymen, including Justin Long and Zach Galifianakis, who has developed a considerable fan following since last summer’s sleeper hit The Hangover.

Also on the program this year are several smaller, up-and-coming indie films that were partially shot in St. Louis. Such films include Edgar Allen Poe Ligeia and Under Still Waters. Other films have cast and/or crew members with St. Louis connections. A.J. Schnack, a documentary filmmaker and Edwardsville native, will screen his new film Convention. Jon Hamm is a Clayton native on AMC’s show Mad Men, and will appear in his new film Stolen Lives. Also, as a result of placing in the ninth annual St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase, 27 local directors have earned the opportunity to screen their work at SLIFF. St. Louis looks forward to screening the diverse array of films SLIFF has selected this year.

Tickets to all screenings are $10. For a complete schedule of films and show times, download the official SLIFF program.

iwatchstuff.com / photo

Michael Jackson’s This Is It is a groundbreaking view into the makings of what would’ve been the King of Pop’s ambitious reintroduction into the limelight. Constructed from simple video footage documenting the vast preparation of what could have been Michael’s grand worldwide comeback, the documentary’s director/producer Kenny Ortega shows us an otherwise-unseen side of the King of Pop.

Without investing any time covering his questionable past, the audience is given one last look at Jackson’s absolutely phenomenal talents and work ethic as a singer/dancer/songwriter. One can’t help but wish that MJ hadn’t gotten into the trouble he had, but remained the brilliant entertainer he once was. The documentary depicts the immeasurable talents of a world-class performer in nearly every conceivable regard, even when he was 50 years old and removed from the world’s consciousness.

The film begins with testimonials from a handful of the thousands that showed up to audition for eleven backup dancer roles. It’s in these testimonials that the viewer is guided into the realization of just how much impact one man’s music had on the whole world. The testimonials kick off a two-hour long documentation of the inner workings of an indescribably massive production. The production itself seems to take center stage as the focus revolves around those whose lives revolved around Michael. MJ doesn’t have much to say, but when he speaks, his words seem more decisive and authoritative than ever. This is a man who, despite the negativity that has swirled around him for so long, understands his place in the world and the significance of the platform on which he stands. The film guides us through the rehearsals of so many of MJ’s all-time classics including “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Black or White,” and “Beat It.” This production was meant to be bigger and better than anyone had ever seen before.

It’s impossible to leave the theatre without thinking of what a shame it is that the King of Pop had to pass on so abruptly, prior to what would have been an absolutely incredible performance. It’s also impossible to walk away without feeling an immense amount of empathy for all those who dedicated so much to this effort.

That being said, the documentary features no narrative and no real story. It’s simply two hours of footage from a handful of rehearsals, edited down and packaged as a film. If you are or once were a huge MJ fan, you’ll inevitably love it. Otherwise, the film does tend to drag on, leaving the viewer questioning if they should have just waited to rent it on DVD. The film’s value lies in the rarity of such backstage pre-production footage. However, one can’t help but think that this particular film would’ve been better served as a behind-the-scenes feature accompanying the eventual concert DVD. 

Ultimately, the reality is that Michael’s untimely death necessitated such a film being made. His comeback concert tour would have been monumental, and this footage is the last real glimpse into what could have been.

Where the Wild Things Are is about a nine-year-old boy named Max who is desperate for the fleeting attention of his single mother.  His imagination is seemingly his best and only friend.  After one particularly crummy day involving an argument with his mother, Max runs away from his problems at home and sets sail towards an imaginary island.

Upon arrival, he meets a group of fuzzy creatures three times his size who are in need of a new king.  He agrees to be their king, and is charged with delivering them happiness.  His first order of business is holding a giant party to lift everyone’s spirits.   The following day he plans to build the most amazing fortress ever, as only the mind of a little kid could possibly conjure up.  Max instantly bonds with one monster named Carol, voiced by James Gandolfini (The Sopranos), who helps Max collect lumber for his fort by singlehandedly pulling massive trees to the ground.  In the midst of construction, the group grows weary of the growing bond between Carol and their new king.  Max decides that the group should have a big dirt clod fight to boost morale, but the group just becomes more fractured.  Teams of good guys and bad guys are selected, inevitably leading to more discontentment.

At this point, the film becomes increasingly repetitive—the group continues to take long, pointless walks across deserts and through forests, bickering with each other the whole time.  Eventually, Max decides he can’t handle all the mood swings, feelings of inadequacy, and overall emotional turbulence of his new friends, and ventures back home.  After all, a hug from Mom and a warm meal will always be more appealing to a nine-year-old than trying to psychoanalyze and fix the issues of a bunch of mentally whacked-out fuzzy creatures.

For those that haven’t read the book, it should be noted that the filmmakers only had nine sentences spread across forty-seven pages of illustrations to work with.  The thin plot and shallow dialogue are a bit more understandable given the circumstances, but the corresponding compensation for these issues weighs the film down incalculably.  Even though the film’s runtime is only ninety minutes, it easily feels twice as long.  It’s unfortunate, because the film is quite good otherwise.  It truly succeeds at reminding us all of what it’s like to be a kid, for better or worse.  If you enjoyed the book, you’ll probably enjoy the movie too.

Final grade: B-

The film begins with a creative opening credit sequence that humorously depicts America’s transformation into a world overrun by dim-witted, flesh-hungry zombies.  “Mad Cow became Mad Human became Mad Zombie” is all the explanation necessary to understand how a bad hamburger led to the American Wasteland wherein we meet Columbus (Adventureland’s Jesse Eisenberg), a neurotic and socially awkward gamer-nerd who has managed to survive by adhering to a set of rules.  Rule number one is “Cardio,” because you never know when you’ll have to outrun a mindless cannibal.

The plot picks up as Columbus, named after his hometown like the rest of the characters, is beginning his trek home to see if his parents are still alive.  He meets up with the boisterous, whiskey-chugging Tallahassee (Cheers’ Woody Harrelson).  Harrelson’s character drives much of the comedy with his unquenchable lust for Twinkies and never-ending quest to win an imaginary Zombie Kill of the Week award.  In most instances he refuses to use a gun, preferring to kill the zombies with anything from a banjo to car door to an assortment of gardening tools.

The film practically turns into a road trip buddy comedy, albeit a sidesplitting, quotable new classic, as the two mismatched characters make their way across the barren wasteland overrun by the comically stupid undead.

Just as the unlikely pair is departing, they stumble across another pair of survivors, sisters Wichita (Superbad’s Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin), who successfully con the two men out of their car and their weapons.  After some assorted mishaps and a thoroughly entertaining array of zombie kills, the foursome reconvenes and travels west to California, where rumor has it there’s an amusement park free of zombies.

Once the group arrives in California, they decide to temporarily shack up at Bill Murray’s palatial Beverly Hills mansion.  Much to the foursome’s bewilderment and delight (Tallahassee being especially psyched), the man himself is still home.  Though relatively brief, Bill Murray’s appearance elicits some of the heartiest laughs in a film chock full of laugh-out-loud moments.

Departing from Murray’s mansion, the four finally make their way to the amusement park, which, as their luck would have it, is teeming with more zombies ripe for the killing.  After all, the only thing more fun than killing brain-dead zombies is doing so while riding roller coasters and thrill rides after dark.

With guns blazing, the movie goes out with a bang in the action-packed finale as director Ruben Fleischer shows off his chops as a former music video director, delivering some beautifully shot and genuinely entertaining moments of carnage strewn about the park.

Fleischer’s sense of comic timing and stylistic shot selection, mixed with a brilliant script and a more than capable cast, add up to a comic masterpiece that is really just masquerading as a zombie-horror film.

No doubt inspired by Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland is a breath of fresh air in a climate where Hollywood seems content on simply shipping out more and more remakes of old classics.

Although an instant classic in its own right, the film is still slightly shallow in terms of plot complexity.  Fortunately, there are more than enough laughs and thrilling moments to keep the audience entertained from start to finish.