Sunday, October 30, 2011

The Hunchback of Notre Dame- Awesome. Underrated. Sure, the gargoyles are kind of annoying, but all disney movies need a bit of comic relief. I would probably place it at the level of 'Hercules', where it's great to go back to and gives you a real uplifting feeling for watching a good movie, but it's too modern to be a classic. The actual story of the film is extremely interesting and thought provoking, with religious themes and imagery that are kind of mind blowing. It kind of gives me the same feeling I got at the end of the 'Sinbad' animated film, where the love triangle chooses not to satisfy the viewer (at least in my opinion), but it's disappointment only makes me feel like I watched a more real film than a dark one. Also, it's short so it's not to much of a hassle to come back to.



Shaun of the Dead- Coming off of watching the new 'The Walking Dead', this film is just what I needed. I've always preferred the horror comedy hybrid genre over flat out horror, and Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg wrote pretty much the staple for the modern day. The satire on the younger generation's "laziness" and the thrust into the "Hero story" is pitch perfect and this and 'Hot Fuzz' have become classic for this reason. The cast is great, obviously Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who are one of the my memorable duos of recent history, but especially Bill Nighy as Shaun's Stepdad, Phillip. I just love the way the film is constructed. Its got fast paced cuts, great one liners, a killer soundtrack ("Ghost Town", "Zombie Nation", tongue in cheek, yes). How about that Queen, "Don't Stop Me Now" scene? It just works so well. If you've seen it, it's great for a second, third, fourth, etc. viewing, and if you haven't seen it, rent it now. Although, to be fair, if you aren't a fan of gore, some bits could freak you out. Wright may poke fun at the genre, but it's more of a homage then spoof, and includes just as many horror elements as well.



- Jeff Bassin