Shaun of the Dead
Directed by Edgar Wright
By Monica S. Kuebler

Leave it to the Brits to do what Hollywood ultimately can’t and to do it right for a change. Marketed as a "rom zom com," or if you prefer, a "romantic comedy with zombies," you may get the idea that the Shaun of the Dead marketing team has balls, and it should after its monumental success back home. And while the undead in the film may be cut from the same stained cloth as the slow lumbering variety made famous by many a legendary horror filmmaker, including the oft-mentioned George A. Romero, the plot nevertheless charges ahead at a breakneck (and aim for the head!), frenetic pace.

This hilarious gorefest, written and directed by the mad geniuses behind Brit TV’s Spaced, is without a doubt the best horror-comedy to bloody up the big screen in years. Shaun of the Dead is jammed to the hilt with nods to (and send-ups of) the Romero classics, as well as some well-placed social commentary on the rat race, British culture and much more.

As the title suggests, Shaun of the Dead is the story of Shaun (Simon Pegg, who also co-wrote), a down on his luck, pub-lovin’ pathetic sod with a do nothing slob for a best mate, a job where he is neither taken seriously nor respected and a girlfriend who has (can we blame her?) just left him — and that’s only just the start of it. Soon the dead begin to rise too. And Shaun is inevitably forced to stop blindly ambling through the doldrums of his life (but perhaps not as soon as you’d expect and this of course is played up with gut-busting results). As the hordes of stumbling dead descend on our anti-hero and his awkward group of chums, they set out into the streets to save the ones he loves and hopefully stay alive along the way.

Shaun of the Dead is a work of staggering comedic genius, but more surprisingly it is dead smart and packed with endearing characters you find yourself both rooting for and crying into your lager with. This is something rarely pulled off successfully in horror-comedies, a collection of "fun rides" rarely known for their brains

Shaun is the bumbling everyman, good at heart but served with a constant foul dish of bad luck. He doesn’t want to be a hero (though he becomes one), he just wants his girl back and the zombies to stop invading his home, his city and his favourite place for a pint. You know what? That’s just noble enough. (Alliance Atlantis)
Hero - Dir. by Zhang Yimou
Originally released a couple years ago, Hero is now seeing a North American release under the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" banner. And while there will be countless comparisons to that martial arts love story mega-crossover Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (it does, after all, have subtitles), Hero is both a more ambitious endeavour and a more fragmented one. ...Read More
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Bayonetta [PS3 / Xbox 360]
"I've got a fever and the only cure is dead angels."
-Bayonetta

Ever since the Christmastime gaming deluge ended, I've been killing a lot of angels. Though God's messengers have been bad guys in other pop-cultural products ― His Dark Materials book trilogy, the pas... Full Review
Leif Vollebekk - Inland
Although he's a Montreal native, this debut album sparkles with many of the magical elements associated with Vollebekk's Scandinavian heritage. At times recalling Nick Drake's Bryter Layter in its fragility and subtle deployment of strings, but also the playfulness of fellow Montrealer Patric... Full Review
Lindstrøm Explores
Don't count on Norway's premier disco revivalist Hans-Peter Lindstrøm to ever turn in the same record twice. "All the artists and bands that I really like do surprising stuff every time, and I guess I just copy their way," he says from his Oslo home studio. "But it's also about not getting bored myself."... Read More
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