31 Days of
Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!
"Zombieland" (2009)
In zombie films, the biggest threat to humanity isn't
usually the undead, but humanity, itself.
Desperate to stay alive, survivors frequently turn against each other. That, or there's a bad
apple in the group ready to mutiny on a dime. Often, the zombies are just a
reflection of society's collapse, less the central monster and more just a
natural force for man to overcome. The loss of humanity has nothing to do with
a virus or parasite. It happens when people cut each other's throats to get ahead.
For this reason, zombie films that start with a band of
survivors often see their cast whittled down to two, one, or even zero by the time credits roll. All it takes is one mistake, one moment of greed
or thirst for power, and the zombie swarm moves in to make lunch of everyone's
progress.
The primary reason "Zombieland" is such an
enjoyable movie, despite being set in the same apocalyptic scenario, is that it
goes the opposite way. All our character start out untrustworthy or with some
hidden agenda. But as the story progresses, we learn that each person is just
trying to deal with loss in their own quirky way. And they bond as a result.
The heroes of "Zombieland" first meet at gunpoint, but by the finale,
they're a family.
The Plot:
Since the zombie outbreak, society has totally collapsed. Most folk are either
dead or undead, and those that are left survive mainly through theft or
violence. The world has become a very rough place where only the meanest
survive.
Well, save for our hero, Columbus. Forced to drop out of
college due to, you know, the world ending, Columbus seems like least likely
candidate to survive this nightmare. He's a geeky, shy kid with major ODC. He was frightened of everything even before the apocalypse. Now that
it's arrived, his paranoid habits have actually come in handy. Taking no chances, Columbus lives by a series of survival rules. We
get to learn about each through the film, with them popping up like on-screen
instructions.
In his travels, Columbus meets up with Tallahassee. A
polar opposite, Tallahassee goes out of his way to attract zombies.
All the better to smash their heads in. This guy has embraced the zombie
apocalypse with shovel in one hand and shotgun in the other. He's very good at rekilling the undead and enjoys his job quite a bit. But his true passion lies not
in severed brains and/or spinal cords, but finding the last
Twinkie.
Once our travelers meet Witchita and Little Rock,
sisters who make their living as thieves, the group has some interesting
choices to make. Take the chance to trust each other, or continue living out their solitary
strategies? There aren't a lot of people left, and few among them
are trustworthy. So what to do now?
The Flavor:
"Zombieland" is stuffed-full of dark comedy and
zombie-gore. It makes no attempt to sugarcoat the apocalypse. It just tries to
wring a few laughs out of it. What surprises me most is how touching, even
sweet, the movie can be at times. For all the exploding heads and chomped
brains, you really grow to care about the central four characters more than
anything else.
The cast is the highlight of the film. They're all so
different in their outlooks, their motivations, that it makes total sense for
them to clash at first. Each has survived using a wholly different approach, so
once they're all stuffed into the same minivan together, tension understandably
mounts. But as we get to know each hero, find out what happened to them and
why, we start to look past the gruff exterior. Each person is just dealing with
grief in their own way. Trying to make it in a world that scares the shit out
of them. You want to see them bond.
For those looking for zombie action, you'll get it in
spades. Everyone gets to make some head-shots, and Tallahassee in particular
revels in dispatching the undead creatively. The zombies themselves are also a
nasty and varied lot. We get walkers of all shapes and sizes, including a truly
creepy clown zombie that'll give anyone with a phobia nightmares.
While the action is good, the humor is even better.
"Zombieland" is very funny, mostly due to the characters bickering.
There's a celebrity cameo that almost steals the movie before ending on a
darkly hilarious note. That's the strange thing about "Zombieland".
It somehow manages to combine a lot of dark humor with an almost lighthearted
tone.
Best Paired with:
Horror fans will get a kick out a fresh take on the survivor
scenario. There's plenty of blood and guts to satisfy gore hounds, but not so
much to repel the casual viewer. These are zombies we're talking about here. I
think everyone goes in expecting some splatter.
But when I say the film has a heart, I mean it. It's a good
zombie movie that turns into a great buddy comedy. Almost a post-apocalyptic
family film at times. Quirky and inventive, "Zombieland" makes great Halloween viewing for multiple audiences. For all its violence, this is a
feel-good sort of movie.
Accompanying Brew:
Hmm, zombie gore + endearing comedy? I'm thinking spicy with
a dash of sweet. And seeing as we've gone through quite a few pumpkin brews
already, let's switch things up to a cider.
Name: Apple Ginger Cider
Brewery: Angry Orchard
Where Brewed: Cincinnati, OH and
Breinigsville, PA
ABV: 5.0%
Style: Cider
Color: A light
straw-yellow tone.
Aroma: Potently sweet, the apple hits the nostrils
hard. The scent also has a nice tartness to it. This blends well with the
zing of ginger in the background.
Taste: Though sweet,
the initial flavor is far more mellow and dry than the scent led me to believe.
I prefer my ciders on the dry, rather than sweet, side. Angry Orchard's blend
puts forth just enough apple-sweetness to be enjoyable without overdoing it.
Much of the sweet flavor shows up early into each sip. The later taste is
rather zesty, a blend of tart and slight spice. The ginger flavor is mild, more
amplifying the other flavors rather than standing on its own. Ginger can be a
potent flavor, so using it sparingly can be difficult, but this cider pulls the
subtly off well.
Aftertaste: As a
cider, there's nothing in the way of hops to provide a bitter finish. Thus, the
tart/ginger flavor combo from a starting taste stays on the tongue after each
gulp. If you like apple, you'll enjoy this.
Body: Like a gust of Autumn wind, this cider breezes by lightly
and with a chill. I was surprised how quickly I was able to drink a pint. It's
very light, but also very smooth. Like breathing in apple-scented air.
Pair: Roast pork, especially when braised in potato and
onion. The sweet and spicy flavors of the cider will merge with the savory and
salty of the meat and the more mineral qualities of the vegetables.
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