Zombieland

In many ways Zombieland is like the American Shaun Of The Dead. It's bigger, louder, swearier and instead of going to the pub they go to a theme park. Americans eh? For me though it's what happens when you make a film that is a mixture of zany Japanese photo em up Dead Rising and the frantic, manic, unadulterated joy of Left 4 Dead. Left 4 Dead Rising: The Movie if you will. It's also cleverer than that sounds though, with some real wit hidden away in the movie, particularly in a bizarre scenario set in Bill Murray's house. The characters are as wafer thin as you'd expect and the plot hardly revolutionary. In fact the plot is pretty much that of a romantic comedy. Only with more zombies. But with nods to The Zombie Survival Guide in a rules system, a score that at times hinted at those oh so worrying strings of an impending zombie stampede in Left 4 Dead and even a few shots of a moving roller coaster car that reminded me of those very common mine cart sequences you used to get in Resident Evil. Anyway, regardless of it's originality it's easily the second best zomb-com going. Unless you're counting Dawn Of The Dead for unintentional comedy. But less not confuse it anymore. Good fun indeed.

Assassin's Creed 2, Dawn Of The Dead, 500 Days Of Summer and Fucking Portsmouth

So as I predicted just two days previously Assassin's Creed 2 has managed to dislodge Fahrenheit from my 360. I'm sure if the game had any realistic human emotion it would be prompting me to press X to cry. AC2 throws you right back into where you left off in the last game. You know proudly rubbing your hands together because you just got 100G or something for doing Eagle Vision on your bedroom wall. Feel sorry for the ones that didn't do it. If there's any. Is there any? Anyway, the disclaimer at the start says that the game was ruthlessly researched to be completely historically accurate. Which made it all the more cringe worthy when it only took three levels for someone to say "It's a me, Mario!". My face was firmly in my palm. But where the game fails in voice-acting (it does, massively, even the bizarre appearance of Danny Wallace is crap) it makes up for it in being fun. Although it's a little boring at first not being able to stab people, which is blatantly where the fun is to be had. The game eases you back in and chucks a few new bits at you as well. Thoroughly enjoying it thus far then and shall happily awake tomorrow afternoon (yes, afternoon) and continue my dagger plunging, historical learning.

A quick mention of Saturday night where new life was breathed into Romero classic Dawn Of The Dead through a rather harsh drinking game. When one of the rules is "drink every time you see a zombie die" you know you're in for a messy night. Good fun was had by all. Then went on to have a hilariously awkward movie session with a few friends watching 500 Days Of Summer today. Awkward because two of them are in a relationship which shares many parallels with the film. Suffice to say I was called a cunt before the end for choosing it. Worth it though. Oh, and cheers to Portsmouth for voiding my accumulator before anyone had even kicked-off. I would have lost anyway, but that's beside the point.

Misfits, Comedy Showcase & Miranda

So E4 have done the right thing and taken the only two good shows they've made (apart from The Inbetweeners) and made a new hybrid of sorts. Well loosely. The shows I refer to of course are Skins and Dead Set. The first being the best drama of the decade and the latter being in my top 5 zombie things of all time (In order: 1. Dawn Of The Dead 2. The Walking Dead 3. Shaun Of The Dead 4. Left 4 Dead 5. Dead Set (Dead)). Actually I'd probably swap it for 28 Days Later. But that doesn't have dead at the end. So Misfits is pretty much Skins meets Heroes. First episode introduces the raft of distinctly unlikeable characters. There's a chavy one (She's vulnerable though! Awww), the slutty one, the strong one, the quiet one and the chatty, jokey, pointlessly Irish and overly punchable one. While watching the show this morning (and slightly day-dreaming about the brutal deaths they could commit on the latter character) I pondered whether its about time some shit super powers were brought in to play. Like in The Lost Room, which I watched before, they had objects with pointless powers. This was a breath of fresh air. Surely if powers are given by chance (we obviously don't know yet in this show, there was big bits of hail in the murky storm) then someone should have the power to chat to squirrels, smell limestone or change the size and shape of their anus. I hope something like this is brought in to the show. I somehow doubt it though. Although no-one has been able to fly yet and they even referenced the cliché in the episode. This could be like a Skins in comparison to Grange Hill in terms of genre revitilization. I hope so, as its enjoyable, shot on that same lovely filter as Dead Set and is undoubtedly going to be full of sex, gore and swearing. Lovely.

Channel 4 have got a Comedy Showcase season again. Which is good, new comedy is always good isn't it. Isn't it? Well not always, but more about that later. Last week was Campus which was from the makers of/producers of/someone who once saw Green Wing. Which is a selling point for me. Like putting "From the producers of Superbad" on any comedy is a winner for idiots. Somehow though the program just didn't come together, it may have been because it was a pilot but it more felt like there was no-one really interesting in it. I don't know if its just me I found all the characters unlikeable and tiring. I'm fully aware that half the characters are made to be that but I still felt nothing for them. Empty. I'm sorry Campus, I just. I just can't do it. Its not you its me. Tonight I met (saw) Phoneshop instead. This show on paper looked terrible. In many ways it is as well. But it was quite enjoyable, some good jokes (best was probably the Ross Kemp one from the trailer) and some good characters. Should be more characters though. Five is not enough. Especially when two are made out to be pretty much the same. I'm looking forward to next weeks now. I hope its the one with Will Arnett in. We all love Will Arnett.

You can tell that the BBC is funded by the taxpayer. Else why would anyone choose to make shit sitcoms like Miranda unless you had to. Its got everything you hate about sitcoms. It looks cheap, filmed on around 3 sets, has those same actors you see in everything and worst of all, isn't written by Graham Lineham. Admittedly I liked that Lee Mack one they did. At least that was just him doing bad joke after bad joke. It felt like Friday night comedy, run down after a hard week, beer in hand, dog snoring on the floor, fire blazing. Happy memories. This though. This is made for people that like ITV and read the Daily Mail. Primairly everyone you could say. Poor old Miranda is reduced to making a show about her being lonely and fat as well. Its a shame because she was good in stuff like Hyperdrive. But I guess its in your contract if you're a comedic actor at the BBC. "Do at least one sketch show/sitcom of poor to average quality". In summary, its the worst sitcom I've seen all year. Well probably, I imagine I've blanked the rest out. Hopefully I will for this too.