Zombie Strippers

Yes, I watched it... and I mostly enjoyed it. I didn't expect anything at all from this movie, I was simply looking for some kind of zombie entertainment and this is all I could find on demand that I hadn't already seen (I'm a huge zombie-phile).

I'm not going to say it's a smart movie, but it has a cool, offbeat sense of humor that I wasn't expecting. Robert Englund was entertaining as was much of the dialogue. Again, not smart, but entertaining.

In truth, I didn't sit and "watch" this movie. I had it on while I was working on my laptop. It wasn't enough to capture my entire attention, unless you absolutely love tits (even dead, decaying ones) I can't imagine it's enough to completely hold anyone's attention. But it was fun to listen to and glance at when I heard the telltale sounds of killing and flesh munching.

One of my favorite lines (yes there are a few that made me giggle) was, "Zombies? Shit!". Gotta love that. When the zombie virus lands in an exclusive strip club and one of the dancers is bitten, she loves it so much (and so do the patrons) that the other dancers struggle to keep up with her amazing skills and have to decide whether or not to join the dead and be as popular as Jenna Jameson.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, I think zombie fans (and boobie fans) will get a kick out of this movie too. I'd rate Zombie Strippers a 6 out of 10.

Robin Hood (2010)

In my opinion Russell Crowe is a fantastic actor. I will watch any movie he is in, unfortunately there a quite a few that I haven't enjoyed. Robin Hood is one of them.

The last 30 minutes of the movie are pretty good, but the nearly 2 hours leading up to them drag in an almost painful way. This is a prequel to the typical Robin Hood story we are all familiar with. The beginning of the legend type of deal. I thought that was a cool idea and I still do, but the story in my mind is a lot more interesting that this movie turned out to be.

The acting is good, the costuming is impressive, the combat is realistic. Overall I think the movie could have been about an hour shorter and it would have been a much tighter, exciting experience. I'm a fan of the writer (Brian Helgeland) but the dialogue feels meandering for the most part and the story just isn't that interesting. I would have preferred to see the legend of the man with some kind of substance - it feels empty and not compelling in any way.

I was excited about this movie. It has all the elements that get me going - medieval era, the rise of a legend, kingdoms at war - and somehow it managed to bore me. I have to rate Robin Hood a 5 out of 10. It's gorgeous to watch but there is nothing to sink your teeth into.

Cold Souls

Just finished watching Cold Souls with Paul Giamatti. First let me just say, big fan of this movie. It's conceptual which is enough to turn some people away; it's also a little on the slow side - it could do with a tighter edit - but that's my only complaint.

So the idea of the film in a nutshell is that the technology to remove the human soul and keep it in cold storage exists. Paul Giamatti plays a character named Paul Giamatti, an actor who feels his soul is too heavy and believes it's preventing him from "becoming" Uncle Vanya in the play he is starring in (Vanya).

The acting is stellar. David Strathairn is particularly wonderful as the doctor running the soul removal clinic in the US. The story is inspired and unique. To say it's Kaufman-esque, which I've read in quite a few critics reviews, I think is just an attempt to categorize which isn't necessary. The movie is funny, interesting, well-written, and as I mentioned well acted. I don't see the need to compare it, just enjoy it.

This is a great Sunday afternoon type of film. It feels small and intimate even with its big concepts. It's not something I could see watching over and over, but a second viewing is definitely in order, simply to appreciate all the nuances in the story and characters.

I'd rate Cold Souls a 8 out of 10 and David Strathairn a full 10 because he is so damn funny in this role.