Shaun Of The Dead

[Gold Trumpet]

I wanted a full on spoof!

well, see that is YOUR problem.  (or perhaps the previews for selling too goofy).  if you want a full on spoof, rent scary movie!  they suck fine.  this never had any intention of being a spoof, its a horror comedy.  it is what it is.

then it is a lackluster horror film that fancies itself funny the first half (sorta true) and occasionaly the second half (not at all). Fine. After realizing my difficulties, I'll accept them over the movie's own.

[RegularKarate]

I knew GT wouldn't really like this.  There's something missing about his taste in movies (this isn't meant as a burn, seriously).

As for the comment "u honestly think this piece of shit is funnier than Napoleon Dynamite?"... It is a far better movie than Napolean Dynamite.

Not just funnier (maybe it's not funnier, if so, just a little bit), but it's an actual movie with a story.  ND is just funny shit happening and that's it.

[Stefen]

but it's an actual movie with a story. ND is just funny shit happening and that's it.

And whats wrong with that? I'll take a movie that's funny with nothing going on, over a movie that tries to be funny but untimately fails imo.

[modage]

comedy is tough like that because its subjective and maybe british humor isnt your thing.  but a 1 & 1/2hour mtv commercial with no story and flat characters spouting various catchphrases is not a movie.  its 1 joke stretched to ridiculous limits of being not funny till eventually its funny again, but its not smart and its not clever.  SOTD is very smart, and very clever, and very funny and it actually has characters that arent COMPLETELY ridiculous cartoons.  sometimes it pays to see a movie like this with an audience for a better experience.

[Stefen]

and it actually has characters that arent COMPLETELY ridiculous cartoons.  sometimes it pays to see a movie like this with an audience for a better experience.

Wait, Shaun Of The Dead had characters that werent complete cartoons? It seemed that's all it was. If anything I see SOTD as more of an MTV movie with a british twist. SOTD was complete cartoon. The roomate Ed, and Shaun were like Ren And Stimpy. Napoleon Dynamite while not being GREAT was able to keep my interest and make me chuckle, something SOTD failed to do, and I don't think it's that I don't like british humor, it's just that SOTD was dumb and not very funny, tell me the parts that you thought were funny?

[Gold Trumpet]

I knew GT wouldn't really like this.  There's something missing about his taste in movies (this isn't meant as a burn, seriously).

As for the comment "u honestly think this piece of shit is funnier than Napoleon Dynamite?"... It is a far better movie than Napolean Dynamite.

Not just funnier (maybe it's not funnier, if so, just a little bit), but it's an actual movie with a story.  ND is just funny shit happening and that's it.

Actually, one of the worst things about Shaun of the Dead is that it does follow an actual story and thus regulates itself to many cliches of the genre. For me, that predictability made me that more bored. Napolean felt spontaneous, alive, and totally within its own world. I think it helped the comedy better. I also mentioned being dissapointed by Club Dread and that means something because seriously, I expected more from it. I really liked Super Troopers and hown it felt different from the other because of how much it focused on just the dumb jokes (and they were dumb) but hell, it had an odd spirit to it that really helped the film. Another excellent comedic film, Elf, hardly has a story til the last 15 minutes. The majority of the film is based on situations of Will Ferrel as the Elf and only that.

[modage]

while occasionally hilarious, elf is really not very good at all.  and the last 15 minutes are just awful.  like, the fact that they had coasted that long with too many characters/story threads but very little story and then tried to cram in some ridiculous christmas climax totally abandoning the tone of the rest of the film is just horrendous.  despite good intentions elf is some of the sloppiest storytelling barely squeaking by on ferrells (awesome) comedy.

GT, did the fact that this movie is a satire not occur to you?  the fact that they were hitting all the major zombie moments on purpose?  its not familiar because it cant think of anything else to do, its familiar because they were taking something thats is as familar as a zombie movie and doing something new with it.  have you seen american werewolf in london?

[Gold Trumpet]

while occasionally hilarious, elf is really not very good at all.  and the last 15 minutes are just awful.  like, the fact that they had coasted that long with too many characters/story threads but very little story and then tried to cram in some ridiculous christmas climax totally abandoning the tone of the rest of the film is just horrendous.  despite good intentions elf is some of the sloppiest storytelling barely squeaking by on ferrells (awesome) comedy.

I never got the impression there were too many characters or story threads in that movie. What do you mean?

GT, did the fact that this movie is a satire not occur to you?  the fact that they were hitting all the major zombie moments on purpose?  its not familiar because it cant think of anything else to do, its familiar because they were taking something thats is as familar as a zombie movie and doing something new with it.  have you seen american werewolf in london?

Thing is, it really didn't feel like a true satire. Sure, some moments were meant to undermine the genre, but more moments simply seemed to follow the genre. How often did the film fly go beyond zombie movie reality and hit its own universe? True satire has the subject beneath it and operates in its own world. Shaun of the Dead felt as satirical to zombie films as comedies are to comedies. No comedy is truly just a comedy, all comedies seem to nudge at the absurdity of its own genre these days while still serving to it at the same time. Shaun of the Dead seemed to exist in this world.

[modage]

underdeveloped storylines & characters in elf...
1. buddy the elf comes to nyc to experience the city after discovering hes a human.
2. buddy connects with long lost father, current asshole James Caan.
3. buddy connects with long lost fathers new kid, his step brother.
4. buddy find a girlfriend, teaches her to get over fear of singing in public.
5. buddy helps save christmas after it is revealed in the final minutes that apparently NYC was having a crisis of faith.

NONE of these storylines (save the first one) are developed enough.  its too much going on, and they arent able to make a coherent story out of any of it.  like i said, its fun because of ferrell, but its a mess.  the fact fav's was able to coast by into decent/good reviews and tons of money is amazing considering the movie.  to streamline the film, james caan should've not had a current family.  they added nothing but further waste of time to the film other than giving kids someone they could relate to in buddys little brother, and a snowball fight lifted directly from the odious Jack Frost (keaton version).  that way, caan and ferrell would've had more time to believably connect and it would've furthered caans 'scrooge' all work persona that had to be cracked by ferrells persistent happiness.  as the film stands, we get one scene that shows caan to be sort of a dick when he is introduced cutting pages from the book.  his turnaround at the end in the boardroom is completely not believable as a character arc.  and as mentioned the whole santas sleigh ending with the scary horses is just inexplicably misplaced and awful.      

SOTD was also a satire of or zombie culture from the setup at the beginning and shauns initial walk to work after the infection has spread, the idea that you (or he) wouldnt even notice.  ed plays video games all day, so at the end of the film, hes not really any worse off. its these sort of ideas that are playful but elevate it above your average horror film or comedy.

[Gold Trumpet]

underdeveloped storylines & characters in elf...
1. buddy the elf comes to nyc to experience the city after discovering hes a human.
2. buddy connects with long lost father, current asshole James Caan.
3. buddy connects with long lost fathers new kid, his step brother.
4. buddy find a girlfriend, teaches her to get over fear of singing in public.
5. buddy helps save christmas after it is revealed in the final minutes that apparently NYC was having a crisis of faith.

NONE of these storylines (save the first one) are developed enough.  its too much going on, and they arent able to make a coherent story out of any of it.  like i said, its fun because of ferrell, but its a mess.  the fact fav's was able to coast by into decent/good reviews and tons of money is amazing considering the movie.  to streamline the film, james caan should've not had a current family.  they added nothing but further waste of time to the film other than giving kids someone they could relate to in buddys little brother, and a snowball fight lifted directly from the odious Jack Frost (keaton version).  that way, caan and ferrell would've had more time to believably connect and it would've furthered caans 'scrooge' all work persona that had to be cracked by ferrells persistent happiness.  as the film stands, we get one scene that shows caan to be sort of a dick when he is introduced cutting pages from the book.  his turnaround at the end in the boardroom is completely not believable as a character arc.  and as mentioned the whole santas sleigh ending with the scary horses is just inexplicably misplaced and awful.

Understandable, but I couldn't apply that degree of criticism to a film as fluff as this one. That was a dissection worthy of a serious dramatic work and Elf wasn't even trying to be that. It wasn't trying to be anything but a heartfelt comedy. You can argue how heartfelt it was. I bought into it because there is no way I could be that serious about the film. I'd feel like I would also be stepping over every film Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin ever did and missing the point.

SOTD was also a satire of or zombie culture from the setup at the beginning and shauns initial walk to work after the infection has spread, the idea that you (or he) wouldnt even notice.  ed plays video games all day, so at the end of the film, hes not really any worse off. its these sort of ideas that are playful but elevate it above your average horror film or comedy.

Again, that idea feels like just a dent into the zombie genre. I'm talking about the entire film in length. Compare a Mel Brooks film to any and every type of film they spoofed and then look at Shaun of the Dead and with the latter you'll see a film that only goes so much for satire. Doesn't matter the worth of each Brooks satire, he at least really went for it. Its also comparing the balls of Coen's Big Lewbowski to their Intolerable Cruetly. One is entirelly unique while the other feels just a minor step beyond its genre. And I don't even like Big Lewbowski. Its just I can appreciate what its doing.

[modage]

haha, well any real film criticism applied to elf was accidental i swear!  i went into it with a few weeks of good reviews/buzz behind it last year hoping for a funny new christmas movie and came out thinking it was a great first half and disappointing second half.  when we rewatched it this year, (as required by the laws of christmas), my dad and i couldnt get over how stupid certain bits were, mostly the ending.  i didnt want to be so harsh on it, but the reviews were so astoundingly positive for the most part (even around here) i wasnt prepared for the levels of sloppiness and mishandled storytelling that awaited me.  i can watch a lot of fluff, but apparently i still have to draw the line somewhere.  i dont have a problem with someone liking elf but moreso saying its an excellent film, which it cannot be.

[grand theft sparrow]

The outtakes on the DVD are hysterical... provided that you liked the movie, of course.

[analogzombie]

and I don't think it's that I don't like british humor, it's just that SOTD was dumb and not very funny, tell me the parts that you thought were funny?

-When Shaun tells david to 'fuck off four eyes' in liz's flat
- the pajama clad zombie being used as a basis for the gang's zombie miming
- Shaun almost killing phillip when he was sitting in his chair
- the entire drive to the Winchester
-the ending sequence complete with zombies PS2 play
- Pete the roommate
- The late night electro dj set
- "there's a girl in the garden, in the garden there's a girl"
- the myriad of day, dawn and night of the living dead references and in-jokes

ah screw it, the whole movie is hilarious and if you can't see that, I pity you.

[cine]

- Shaun almost killing phillip when he was sitting in his chair

and the sequence setting that up where they planned out how they were going to do everything... and they kept speeding up the killing of phillip.. so funny.

[analogzombie]

- Shaun almost killing phillip when he was sitting in his chair

and the sequence setting that up where they planned out how they were going to do everything... and they kept speeding up the killing of phillip.. so funny.

oh yeah I forgoty about that:

"go to mum's, kill phillip, 'sorry phil', take mum to liz's etc..." haha that was one of the best parts fo shizzle dizzle