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[JohnIan101]

Past Tense - Mallrats Z Part II


Rant.

This was the film brought about fast moving zombies. NO, the folks in "28 Days Later" (2002) were infected and quite alive. ALIVE. Not zombies. Got it? Good. Yes, that ticks me off.

The teens (years) of this new millennium will be remembered not so much for new movies as it was for so many remakes and reboots of those remakes (looking at you "Spider-Man"); disposable. AND remembered for the abuse of jump scares. They're even making a movie about it - "Five Nights At Freddy's" (2016). *shakes head*

Of the pile of remakes made this new century, "Dawn" ranks among the few which is widely considered excellent. I agree.

It's part of my DVD library; while not a straight remake to the original "Dawn" (1978), it's a worthwhile movie. The plot is solid with good characters, dangerous situations and excellent make-up effects, most of which were practical. Gun shots done not just by traditional squibs, but also by air mortar filled with bloody chunks. Simple and visual. Recommend.

This was the first undead film that delivered. The opening ten minutes set the bar so high; society eaten from the inside out - chaos and utter destruction. In these early outbreak hours, people were clueless as to what's going on, including news...

It's a massive riot.

It's a terrorist attack.

It's a mass hysteria.

It's everything BUT a zombie pandemic.

A close second is "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" (2004); infestation of Raccoon City as it begins. The police in the dark - treating the dead as if they're drugged out provocateurs.

- - -

Needs to be talked about.

The grief given to Nicole (Lindy Booth).

Risked it all for that dog. Stupid girl! *deep sigh* She's a deeply scarred young woman; lost her mom, two brothers and later her father (Matt Frewer). Everyone she's cared for has passed. The only reason she gave Terry (Kevin Zegers) a chance is because she was surrounded by armed men in a secure locale.

Nicole transferred her core affections to the dog; maybe this won't get eaten - that K9 became her family. This is why when she felt it was threatened, she reacted so swiftly. NOT AGAIN! She becomes quite proactive which probably didn't happen the first time around.

Perhaps blames herself for their passing. If she had done more they would still be here. It was LOVE, not stupidity or recklessness. She was going to save her family member - just that.



Both Booth and Zegers had worked together earlier in "Wrong Turn" (2003), playing a couple; Francine and Evan.

She had a part in the short lived Showtime 2002 sci-fi series, "Odyssey 5" (on DVD); too bad that it got axed when it did. The show runner, Manny Coto mapped out five seasons.

Recap...

August 7th, 2007; six astronauts are on board the space shuttle Odyssey when a global disaster hits - Earth is destroyed. They are all that's left of the human race (one was killed in a space walk). No answers given, the planet is rubble. All they can do is wait for their life support to exhaust.

But before that happens, First Contact is made. The ship is taken into a large crystal craft. An atmosphere is created. They encounter an alien projected in human form who calls itself, The Seeker. WE are the only survivors it has ever met. There have been fifty other inhabited worlds which were obliterated by an unknown force. Including the home world of The Seeker - the last of its kind.

He offers them something unique; a way to save themselves, our world - time travel. Not a physical journey, but their consciousnesses sent back into them; five years before the disaster. Five years to figure out what happened and stop it.

They uncover a global conspiracy; there is another intelligence on Earth; artificial, the Sentients.

But there's a problem, a big one. It's hinted in the nineteen episode run - these A.I.s might NOT be responsible, that this pursuit is a fool's errand. Something else yet unseen is the real culprit. It ends on a huge cliffhanger, a game changer.

Post show; as it turns out; the Sentients were not responsible (not directly), but an alien race known as "The Exterminators" who seek worlds infected by the Sentients and demolish them. The Seeker would've made an appearance in season two. Our heroes and Sentients would later join forces to save Earth.

The Sentients are like us; some good, some evil and some indifferent; not a unified virtual species.

- - -

It's that time when hot girls must consider what slutty costume to wear this Halloween. Here ideas to some ponder...



"Ms. Krueger Naughty Nightmare", that's so wrong. But clever in that behind locked doors kind of way. Next to that is "Doctor Seussette" or the Puss In The Hat if you so choose. Indeed. Last is "Sexy Gizmo".

Let me get this straight; somebody woke up one morning and thought, 'hey, why isn't there a sexy mogwai outfit?' *shakes head* So "Gremlins" (1984) got spanked by the erotic hand; had to have been a Furry.

Would Kate (Phoebe Cates) wear this for Billy (Zach Galligan) in the bedroom? How awkward would that be if Gizmo saw her? WTF!?!

So it's okay for her to get wet?

There you go, not doing is a disservice to the decades long tradition. You can check the math, but you'll come to the same conclusion. *nods*

- - -

This is my favorite time of the year. But for the past eight years or so I’ve seen a massive decline in Halloween related offerings.

Years ago my grocery store had a section devoted to the holiday; even went so far to build a giant display. One year it was a ghost pirate ship, pretty sway. Not anymore.

It hit me on Tuesday (10/7/15), where are the seasonal, Halloween stores? They exist for a month and a half each year. I have yet to see one.

The same goes for other stores; items for Thanksgiving and even Christmas - as if my holiday is being phased out.

Was at Best Buy their horror section for the season is so... tiny; with lots of junk, filler. It saddens me.

- - -



Almost forgot about this... above is the Japanese poster.

In the United Kingdom before the movie came out, there were numerous complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Why? *shakes head*

That poster (same image, just in English) was too scary and it frightened lots of little kids who walked by the ad. Times have changed, that kind of thing just doesn't happen nowadays. The girl on the poster is the kid who terrorizes Ana and Luis, Vivian (Hannah Lochner).

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Recommendations.

More titles to consider this Halloween season.

"Curse Of The Demon" (1957; black & white)
A paranormal symposium (witchcraft and devil worship) brings American psychologist, Dr. John Holden to London. He’s a non-believer, a debunker. His attention shifts when friend, collaborator, Professor Henry Harrington is found dead - an accident? Did cult leader, Julian Karswell have something to do with his demise? Karswell was Harrington’s main topic at the conference. Wanting answers, Holden and Harrington's niece, Joanna investigate. What they find is something improbable... has Karswell been summoning a real demon for his own ends? This DVD is called “Curse Of The Demon And Night Of The Demon: Double Feature”. It’s the same movie, the U.K. and U.S. versions. “Curse” is the longer, better cut of the movie.
Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment - 2002 - NR

"Fido" (2006)
Set in an alternate universe where the zombie apocalypse happened in the 1930s. We won the war. It is now the 1940s; we have become masters of the undead. The creation of a special collar, makes the ghouls docile. The dead have become our servants and pets. A bloody version of "Lassie". Where a boy befriends a dead guy, their new servant. Only to discover that its collar isn't working. How far will he go to save his pal and vise versa? Where Timmy, boy? Grrrrrrr! A horror comedy.
Lions Gate Entertainment - 2007 - R

"Isolation" (2005)
A United Kingdom film. A runaway teen couple find shelter (in their van) near a farm unaware that the ranch is doing illegal genetic research on cows; making them breed faster. The result is this... creature. The easy answer is monster calf. But it's something more. The survivors are trapped, the beast is on the loose. There are some shots of it, but I can't describe what I saw. The DVD has a gallery. A clear look, but that did not help. All I can say, it's nasty looking.
First Look Home Entertainment - 2007 - NR

"Midnight Movie" (2008)
A rundown theater is having a midnight screen of a 1970s horror film, "The Dark Beneath"; a crazed, murderous hillbilly stalking teens - stranded by their broken van near his decrepit farmhouse. Worlds collide; the slayer comes off the silver screen into reality. Some try to flee, others are pulled into the black-and-white feature. Why? The director was a Satanist who cursed his motion picture. Be smart, stay alive, don't follow the clichés. A throwback to grind house movies. It should be more widely known, but it’s not. Different, imaginative and relentless.
Peace Arch Entertainment - 2009 - R

Next week the nightmare continues, another two parter! Can you stand your ground against Dracula, the Wolfman and Frankenstein? Bring your "A" game and maybe Kate Beckinsale in something tight/revealing.

If she's not busy - but ask nicely.