Freaks of Nature

Humans. Vampires. Zombies. And aliens??? WHAAAAT! This movie looks hilarious. And did you recognize a lot of those faces? Nicholas Braun, which appears to be playing the main character, first showed up to me in the TV series, 10 Things I Hate About You (not even comparable to the cult classic movie), and I love his quirkiness so I am excited to see him in a leading role with actors such as Dennis Leary, Vanessa Hudgens, Keegan-Michael Key, Bob Odenkirk(Better Call Saul), Joan Cusack, and Patton Oswalt.
Hoping to watch this movie in the coming week!

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse review

If you follow me on Instagram you would know that I was wanting to see this ASAP. I loved the concept of scouts being in charge of saving us because really those with some wilderness or survival background are more likely not to be dead right away when the zombies come. 

I decided for my birthday to go and see this film and man it was worth the money and made for a great date movie with my man. Who doesn't like zombie nudity or strippers? If you get the chance to see this film, both sexes are represented in the nudity area. Of course T&A is more dominant when dealing with high school films. 

Things I enjoyed about the film:

• nudity
• ridiculous situations they get in
• the first zombie scene in the film with Blake Anderson from Workaholics
• the character Carter and any scene with Scout Leader Rogers 
• the old lady neighbour played by Cloris Leachman

Things I didn't really like:

• the "stripper" girl was a bad actor and I felt her role wasn't really needed
• why do friends always outcast the "bigger" kid and have him portrayed as a big suck?
• that I was in a theater where young pre-teen boys were with their grandparents
• there is a weird Britney Spears singing moment that I wasn't sure what to make of

Overall, I'd see it again! 

PPZ gets serious with a trailer

Finally after 6 years of talking, going through directors and cast, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is coming to theater in 2016.
From the trailer we can see they have gotten a bit too serious about being badass respectable young women with killing zombie skills. The novel was always a little bit comical feeling and it has not translated onto screen that way, atleast just from seeing the trailer. The gore as stepped up and is paired with the darkness of plague and unbathed middle class white folk just like the book. I do look forward to seeing some actors in there like Lena Headey and Lily James. 

Trailer poster

Cooties movie review

So last weekend here in YXE I managed to attend the film festival the night Cooties was playing. I had mentioned in the summer  I was excited to see this film and I am so thankful it played in my city cause this film is DOPE. 

mmmm

First off there are a ton of faces we all know and love. Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, and Jack McBrayer, are just to name a few and these actors play teachers having to deal with shitty summer school students who end up getting "cooties" from a defective batch of chicken nuggets. Which I must mention in the scene opener the whole chicken nugget process is shown from the chicken on the farm all the way to the plant and into the mouth of a very hungry child. From here all hell breaks lose as the teachers have to last all day in order to get some help and save themselves and two students. Great thing about this virus is if you have gone through puberty, you don't get turned. YAY for menses! 

 While the plot was slow to start with and the kid zombies could have been better, the cast in this horror comedy makes the audience laugh and the gives us the satisfying sensation to go out a beat up a shitty child. (No actual children. Just zombie ones). 

Doug explaining his weekend

I loved the easter egg dealing with Wood, seeing Wilson with facial hair and being a total douche, and the character Doug, which instantly becomes a favorite as soon as we see him reading a book called "How to Have a Normal Conversation”. This dude is far from normal and his role in the movie just gets stranger and funnier.
The part that got the audience really giggling in the beginning is what I am going to leave you with to enjoy and entice you to go out and see this kick-ass film. 

Movie and tv ratings

Although not perfect yet, I am working on a ratings system kind of like the one I do for my book reviews. I use the monkey brains 1-5 rating system, found on the blog under Monday Mention Ratings, and now I want to use the classic thumbs up or down for movies and tv shows.

As it stands, two thumbs up mean I LOVED IT or it's just really good. 

One thumb up means I liked it. Kinda how LIKE on Facebook has lost meaning, you can take this LIKE however you want. 

Then of course a thumbs down is just bad news bear for anything. Didn't like it. Couldn't care for it. Blech. Worst. I've had better. 

Burying the Ex review

Back in June I posted about a new movie trailer called Burying the Ex. Well last night I finally watched it. Let's just say....this could have been worse. 


The movie revolves around a horror fan and his overbearing girlfriend who dies and comes back as a zombie due to an evil wish to be together forever. In the film Anton Yelchin, also from Star Trek reboot movies as Chekov, tries to break up with his girlfriend, played Ashley Greene (Twilight series), but on the way over she is struck by a bus and killed. While Yelchin's character finally tries to go after a new girl, Alexandra Daddario, Greene comes back from the dead being her usual possessive self refusing to believe they aren't meant for eachother. 

Yelchin as Chekov

Let me be honest here and say I had higher hopes when I saw the trailer versus seeing the film. While I did enjoy Greene's decaying and the one line in the film that had my LOL ("I'm shaving my taint"), the rest of the film was just meh. I don't know if it was the lines, the lack of music or something in the background, the awkwardness of Yelchin and Daddario getting together, or the lack of other support actors besides the half-brother but I felt like something was missing. 

I watched Life After Beth, another zombie film not that many knew about, and I LOVED IT! It was funny, witty, just great. I was hoping this was be along those lines but this was awkward at times. AWKWARD=AWKWARD.

Anyways, using my new my review ratings (explained later on ths site) I give this one thumbs up...cuz I didn't completely hate it.

Instagram Zombie Art

I like my instragram a lot. I spam it with my minpin pics, books I am reading, shit I buy, and of course the odd zombie stuff that I go gaga over. What I love mostly is finding artists or accounts that are showcasing zombies. 
Excuse all the screen shots....too lazy to crop and want to show credit. 

Kathleen Saunders does many Prismacolor pencils on Strathmore paper and great nerd mash-ups. She is my fav to look at. One of her works caught my eye for my blog: The Walking Disney. Love it!


Fredrik Edén, "illustrator from the cold north", does some pretty dope zombie illustrations of all kinds of nerdy. 

Video games, Disney, tv shows and movies are a great inspiration to zombify for Edén. 


Hit the jump to see more of his gruesome zombie drawings.

Burying the Ex trailer

This is the year for some funny zombie movies. Cooties is just too far away so to hold us over we have Burying the Ex featuring Anton Yelchin, the cutie from Star Trek, Ashley Greene (Twilight which I hate to admit that I have seen), and Alexandra Daddario which has been in Percy Jackson series.
Kind of like the 1993 My Boyfriend's Back but sex role reversal with a twist, guy's girlfriend dies after he regrets them moving in together. Relieved after she is gone but before he managed to break it off, she back as a zombie. Psycho ex-girlfriends are bad but a undead one is just plain fucking crazy. 

News on PPZ

This

plus

this

=

The new Pride and Prejudice and Zomies...NOW with a scheduled date!

Back in March (I know I am behind the times), Entertainment Weekly got the dish on the PPZ film coming to the big screen February 2016. Many directors have been bouncing around even though who could resist the classics and some zombies. Burr Steers, director of Charlie St. Cloud, has signed on and let's hope this sticks. Otherwise I am going to get all kung-fu on somebody and it ain't need to be zombies. Dr. Who's Matt Smith, Lily James from Downtown Abby, and OOH! Lena Headey  and Charles Dance from Game of Thrones now has a spot according to IMDB. I can't wait!

Finally! Cooties to be afraid of

All our kid life we think other little grubby kids in our class, especially of the opposite sex, have cooties. Ew! Gross! Right? Well in the trailer of Cooties, starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, and Jack McBrayer, we now have a cootie problem that will condemn those below the puberty line to the walking dead.



As if teachers didn't take enough flak with snot nosed little pukes (I honestly do like kids. I swear), but now they have to save those from prepubescent zombies. 
Out September 18th. Going back to work in the fall cannot come fast enough!
Wait..it can. 
 Also, how good looking is Elijah Wood still? 

My Brain is Puppy Crazy

I have been on the search for a dog and been waiting awhile to get one and finally in the last few weeks things are starting to get real. I finally got my paws on a MinPin and will be coming home to us 2 months from now. He was just born 2 days ago so got to see him today! So until I have him home with me, I've been on Pinterest, Etsy, and other sites gathering zombie swag for my dog. 

The Barking Dead and the Shaun of the Dog below are from Etsy and I am SO getting both of these. Super adorable. Both are from the seller Electrolucy. There are so many great geeky bandanas you can get your little furry animal as well. 

 



 Glow in the Dark Bones Skeleton isn't something just for Halloween. I'd have my little pooch in this all. da. time. 

Got a great little hunter in the family? Wear it proud with a female red dress Zombie Hunter OR for those of us that will be having a little male, see his little shirt below.

Forever in my brain heart

 I effin' love Etsy! Every day I discover something really cute and nerdy and ZOMBIE! From Canadian Albertan Amy, the shop owner of rapscalliondesign, comes these customizable zombie heart brain lockets! I am digging the idea of what every color you'd like and how Gothic Frankenstein folks are being showcased. For between $24-27 CAD, you can express your zombie love around your neck.


Click the jump to see some more zombie inspired jewelry by rapscallion including a zombie Chewbacca, zombie eyeball cameo, and zombie octopus. All adorable and nerdy!

Nerd Block's Horror Block

Before Christmas I kept hearing from friends about getting a monthly little box full of nerd goodies. My friends were mostly subscribing to Loot Crate, an epic monthly subscription box for geeks and gamers for under $30 CAN. You can subscribe for 1, 3, or 6 months. It gets delivered right to your door!
ANYWAYS! I got all excited but before I just threw my money away I came across Nerd Block, the new competition to Loot Crate. And to be honest, I'm loving it. 

Nerd Block costs about the same with the same monthly options and a monthly theme or category, but major differences are Nerd Block always has a shirt, a magazine, and there are even 5 different theme choices within Nerd Block. 

These are:

• Horror 
• Arcade
• Classic
• Jr boys
• Jr girls

OF COURSE I choose Horror block and suggest that if you love The Walking Dead, gore, guts, classic horror films, etc, then you need to have this. 

So far I have only had one month but what I got was so wicked and what they are hinting at for this month (American Horror Story items and 2 shirts!! EEEEEE!). 

Here are a few things I got for the December box:

Frankenstein!!

weird squishy skeleton

HEEEERRE'S JOHNNY!

Um zombie disinfectant  

 And this was the only little sneak at zombie for this box this month, but I know there has been Walking Dead items and the box itself is a zombie "Don't Open Dead Inside" box. 

BOOYAH!

Next time I get anything zombie related I will only post those but I had to share with you zombaes. ;)

The Force Woke Something

With the new Star Wars film trailer making an appearance this Friday, I give you a look at what the force is going to look like if we keep bringing these guys back. Undead in this case.
The Force Awakens makes the nerd in me pumped up but not sure how they are going to have characters from other installments. I guess that's why they are going to look a little like our undead guys here. Also, Darth is dead! It won't seem like a true Star Wars film without some Vader Hater antics.
GRLRLRLRLLRLRL *wookie cry*

Zombies of Hogwarts

I'm finding I love Etsy more and more every time I am in need of something quirky, nerdy, unique, and readily available. Here we have a mash-up of the Hogwarts trio from Etsy artist KiWi Cuties. This will set you back around $13 CAD for an 8.5 x 11 standard picture.
Not an HP fan? Other zombified fan favorites are Nerd Stark and Dorthy's little gang. Guessing the Lion got the courage to f@*k off and the Scarecrow get his brain. teehee. See the links above for more of the great art and clothes.

Life After Beth movie review

Back in July I posted about about the movie Life After Beth about a young lady (played by Aubrey Plaza) turning into a zombie and her bf Zach finding out which at first makes his broken heart mended until Aubrey starts acting a little cray cray. And she ain't the only one! 
I saw this at a film festival in my city, preceded by a zombie walk, and although the crowd was small it was a fantastic experience and film to watch.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
The zomromcom had some strange and hilarious moments in it like Beth getting tied to an oven and falling down the side of a hill, awkward moments you can't help but laugh at, the fact that dead people were coming back and trying to get back into their homes, John C Reilly and Molly Shannon as strange parents, and great dialogue like:

Zach Orfman: We're going to go for a hike.
Geenie Slocum: Not a hot idea.
Maury Slocum: In broad daylight? Zach, are you nuts?
Geenie Slocum: Wait till nightfall.
Beth Slocum: Why?
Maury Slocum: Because, baby, it's safer.

 It was a little awkward and slow to start but as Beth starting becoming more and more extreme in her zombism and Zach getting more freaked out, the events turned out to be hilarious with a touch of romance but not enough that you wish you were dead. I loved the scene with the bros in their underwear and how Beth is put down. Most hilarious moment! I took my fiance to it and he enjoyed it just as much as I did. I really hope to see more and more of zomromcoms.

Although it was not a box office hit since it premiered at most film festivals, I'm giving Life After Beth a ZD rating of 4 out of 5 monkey brains.

PPZ stil being made a film

Since 2009, a movie has been in the talk for the book of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith. A parody of the classic novel Pride and Prejudice features zombies and martial arts-skilled Bennet girls. (see my review here).

It seems the movie is still a go according to news. Filming starts this month (YAY) with Burr Steels, clearing a fan of Zac Efron, being the director.

"Lily James ("Downton Abbey") will play Elizabeth Bennet, Sam Riley ("Maleficent") will play Mr. Darcy, and Bella Heathcote ("Dark Shadows") will play another of the Bennet sisters."

I would rather it have been Natalie Portman (sha-wing), Emma Stone (BOING) and Lily Collins (*pant*) to play Elizabeth as all 3 were once in talk of playing the role. I don't know these actors enough. I don't trust them....BUT sometimes not being too familiar with someone's work means less expectations. 

One of Seth's other books was brought to life on film in 2012:

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I was pumped to see it since I knew they would leave out all the details but it was just okay for me. And with a 6/10 on IMDB, it was pretty underwhelming. I like my zombies better so I hope this turns out to be a huge hit.

Will you go and see PPZ?

Zombies!

by Mark Cheatham

The very quick and easy intro read tells the story of Clairvius Narcisse, a Haitian man, who becomes a zombie slave by a voodoo witch doctor and lives to tell his story. A true story of how he was poisoned to become a zombie, buried, enslaved, and then returned to his life and sister Angelina in Haiti. What is great about this tale was I had just watched a documentary on Zombies/Voodoo and it spoke about this Haitian man. I already have a connection to the story so enjoyed it. Very same story will be told in the 1988 movie The Serpent and the Rainbow starring Bill Pullman and nightmare images before CGI. Man I'd stop going on trips if mine was anything like Bill's.

3 out of 5 monkey brains