Friday, October 31, 2014

The Sixth Sense Review









The Sixth Sense


Release Date: 7th October 1999 - Australia


Production Companies
Hollywood Pictures
Spyglass Entertainment
The Kennedy/Marshall Company

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia


Genre: Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 107 minutes


Budget: $40,000,000

Box Office Gross: $672,806,432 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe has just received an award, and on the same night, he gets visited by an ex-patient who is very unhappy but disgruntled. He shoots Crowe and then kills himself. A few months after his fateful encounter, Crowe has to help a 9-year-old boy named Cole, who has the same problems as the ex-patient. Cole can see "dead people" that don't even know they are dead. Because of this, the other kids at his school call him a freak and drive her mum to wit's end. At
first, Crowe thinks he's
seeing things. He spends
a lot of time with him, much
to the dismay of his wife. It
is then that Crowe realises
that Cole is telling the truth.


Cast
Bruce Willis - Malcolm Crowe
Haley Joel Osment - Cole Sear
Toni Collette - Lynn Sear
Olivia Williams - Anna Crowe
Trevor Morgan - Tommy Tammisimo
Donnie Wahlberg - Vincent Grey
Peter Anthony Tambakis - Darren
Jeffrey Zubernis - Bobby
Bruce Norris - Stanley Cunningham
Glenn Fitzgerald - Sean
Mischa Barton - Kyra Collins
Greg Wood - Mr. Collins
Angelica Page - Mrs. Collins
Samantha Fitzpatrick - Kyra's Sister
M. Night Shyamalan - Dr. Hill

Crew
Writer/Director - M. Night Shyamalan
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Sam Mercer
Producers - Frank Marshall,
Kathleen Kennedy and Barry Mendel
Casting Director - Amy Kaufman
Production Designer - Larry Fulton
Art Director - Philip Messina
Assistant Art Directors - Charles E. McCarry
and Scott P. Murphy
Set Decorators - Douglas A. Mowat
and Susannah McCarthy (Uncredited)
Costume Designer - Joanna Johnston
Director of Photography - Tak Fujimoto
First Assistant Director - John Rusk
Second Assistant Director - Scott Robertson
Second Unit Director/Film Editor -
Andrew Mondshein
Stunt Coordinator - Jeff Habberstad
Special Effects Supervisors - Garry Elmendorf
and Keith Marblehead (Uncredited)
Effects Supervisor: Stan Winston Studio -
John Rosengrant
Digital Effects Supervisor: Dream Quest -
Tim Landry
Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Designer/
Supervising Sound Editor - Michael Kirchberger
Additional Sound Designer - Paul P. Soucek
Re-Recording Mixer - Reilly Steele
Foley Artists - Marnie Moore and
Margie O'Malley
Music - James Newton Howard
Executive in Charge of Music: Buena Vista
Motion Pictures Group - Kathy Nelson
Electronic Score Producer - J.T. Hill
Score Recordist and Mixer - Shawn Murphy


Awards

2000 Academy Awards
Best Picture - Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy
and Barry Mendel (Nominated)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Haley Joel
Osment (Nominated)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Toni Colette
(Nominated)
Best Director - M. Night Shyamalan (Nominated)
Best Original Screenplay - M. Night Shyamalan
(Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Andrew Mondshein (Nominated)


Review
It's the most recognised great feature from the once-famous director M. Night Shyamalan. THE SIXTH SENSE shared acclaim among the audiences and critics of its sheer mystery, suspense, drama, and scare factor. However, its superbly written conclusion thrills viewers with a completely unexpected reveal. The follow-ups in the later years from the same director, like the abysmal The Last AirbenderAfter Earthand a few other movies, weren't up to the challenge of enduring the masterful quality in THE SIXTH SENSE. Except maybe Unbreakable if I get to watch it as an alternative. Likewise, this movie does prove to Shyamalan that he is a capable director for the Hollywood spotlight.

Besides the twist ending, the chemistry of the two lead characters was ahead of its time. One of them is the young troubled child depicted that no one will keep audiences speculating and formulating their conclusions. Only get to the movie's end and have all the preconceived ideas blown away by the shocking conclusion it unravels.

I enjoyed Bruce Willis as one of the lead actors in the film's cast. I am certainly not into his usual macho style in action-hero movies. He pulls off his character with a high standard of depth and sincerity. I liked young Haley Joel Osment's performance a lot. He succeeded in creating a character with fear, anxiety and distress, which is impressively realistic. It's a miracle that none of these young stars like Jake Loyd of Star Wars: Episode I could match up to his promising talents.

I considered THE SIXTH SENSE a great movie. It is one of the three luckiest of M. Night's movies. I've been waiting to watch this atmospheric film for a long time, but now it's finally happening. It sure leaves you feeling as though you would be too terrified to see it yourself!

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

Monday, October 27, 2014

Ghost Rider Review









Ghost Rider


Release Date: 15th February 2007 - Australia


Production Companies
Columbia Pictures (presents)
Crystal Sky Pictures (in association with)
Marvel Entertainment
Relativity Media (in association with)
Michael De Luca Productions
GH One
Vengeance Productions Pty. Ltd

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Fantasy

Rating: M

Runtime: 110 minutes
                123 minutes
                (extended)


Budget: $110,000,000

Box Office Gross: $228,738,393 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Hearing that his father
is dying of terminal cancer,
motorbike rider Johnny
Blaze makes a deal with
Mephistopheles, selling his
soul in exchange for his
father's health. But the
devil tricks him when
Barton dies in a motorcycle
accident during a show,
leaving Johnny with
nothing, including his
girlfriend, Roxanne.

Years later, Johnny is now
a famous motorcyclist, who
risks his life in his shows.
He reunites with Roxanne,
now an intrepid reporter,
and with Mephistopheles,
who offers to release
Johnny's soul if he becomes
the legendary, fiery Ghost
Rider, a supernatural agent
of revenge and justice.
Mephistopheles asks
Johnny to defeat the
despicable Blackheart,
Mephistopheles' archenemy
and son. Blackheart plans
to replace his father and
create a new hell even
worse than the old one.


Cast
Nicolas Cage - Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider
Eva Mendes - Roxanne Simpson
Wes Bentley - Blackheart
Peter Fonda - Mephistopheles
Sam Elliott - The Caretaker
Donal Logue - Mack
Brett Cullen - Barton Blaze
David Roberts - Captain Jack Dolan
Laurence Breuls - Gressil
Daniel Frederiksen - Wallow
Matthew Wilkinson - Abigor
Matt Long - Young Johnny Blaze
Rachel Aquissi - Young Roxanne Simpson
Arthur Angel - Officer Edwards
Rebel Wilson - Girl in Alley
Jessica Napier - Broken Spoke Waitress

Crew
Screen Story/Screenplay/
Director - Mark Steven Johnson
Script Supervisor - Sophie Fabbri-Jackson
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
M. Bennett Walsh
Executive Producers - Ari Arad, Stan Lee,
Norman Golightly, David S. Goyer and
Lynwood Spinks
Producers - Avi Arad, Michael De Luca,
Gary Foster and Steven Paul
Casting Directors - Juel Bestrop,
Jeanne McCarthy and Christine King
Production Designer - Kirk M. Petruccelli
Additional Creature Designer - Mark 'Crash' McCreery
Supervising Art Director - Richard Hobbs
Set Decorator - Suza Maybury
Costume Designer - Lizzy Gardiner
Makeup and Hair Supervisor - Lesley Vanderwalt
Special Effects Makeup Creative Supervisor -
Dave Elsey
Special Effects Fabrication & Hair Supervisor -
Lou Elsey
Director of Photography - Russell Boyd
Director of Photography: Second Unit -
Brad Shield
"B" Camera Operators - Warwick Field
and Leilani Hannah
Unit Production Manager - Catherine Bishop
First Assistant Director - P.J. Voeten
First Assistant Director: Second Unit -
Brendan Campbell
Second Assistant Director - Deborah Antoniou
Third Assistant Directors - Scott Lovelock
and James Nicholas
Second Unit Director - Kimble Rendall
Stunt Coordinator - Glenn Boswell
Co-Stunt Coordinator - Eddie Yansick
Action Consultant - Gary Powell
Horse Wrangler - Evanne Chesson
Action Vehicle Coordinator - Darren Loveday
Special Effects Supervisor - Peter Stubbs
Special Effects Coordinator - Caroline Kelly
Visual Effects Supervisor - Kevin Scott Mack
Visual Effects Supervisor: Cafe FX - John F.K. Parenteau
Visual Effects Supervisor: Digital Dream -
Jerry Pooler
Visual Effects Producer - Josh R. Jaggars
Visual Effects Executive Producer: SPI -
Jenny Fulle
Digital Effects Supervisor: SPI - Kee-Suk 'Ken' Hahn
Animation Supervisor: SPI - Marco Marenghi
Pre-Visualization Producer: Halon
Entertainment - Daniel D. Gregoire
Pre-Visualization Supervisor: Halon
Entertainment - Brad Alexander
Pre-Visualization Artists: Halon Entertainment -
Nicholas Markel, Clint G. Reagan and
Andrew Moffett
Film Editor - Richard Francis-Bruce
Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor -
Dane A. Davis
Supervising Sound Mixers - Gary C. Bourgeois
and Greg Orloff
Foley Artists - Gary A. Hecker
and Michael Broomberg
Music - Christopher Young
Music Supervisor - Dave Jordan


Review
In 2012, when I first saw the movie GHOST RIDER in its introduction, my first choice should have been another feature from Marvel, the violent and dour The Punisher. Unfortunately, I saw GHOST RIDER and have watched some of Nicolas Cage's previous work. Even his talented acting could not redeem this second-rate superhero film. Over time, I have that movie in my collection and a few other movies. Usually, his features are to a better standard than this. It came out in the same year as Spider-Man 3. They are both ambitious films of the genre that the critics judged as inferior. Director Mark Steven Johnson has tried to immerse the audience in seeing a dark and supernatural world. I felt Johnson should have picked up his game after Daredevil, as GHOST RIDER was a weak comic-book movie.

Nicolas Cage should not be in this film and has a different style that doesn't fit Cage's character and personality. The role should have gone to a much better actor like the late Paul Walker or Cyclops' actor James Marsden. Sam Elliott enjoyed his time in the movie as he had fun with his supporting part that's worthy of him. Unfortunately, the other secondary cast was out of touch with their characters, and probably the least favourite would be Wes Bentley in his antagonist role. Summing up the unqualified aspects of the feature is the cheesily written dialogue.

It is just one of those less distinctive movies I could barely watch again. I certainly will not worry about the sequel. I'd recommend watching it only once on Blu-ray and DVD.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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Monday, October 20, 2014

R.I.P.D. Review












R.I.P.D.


Release Date: 12th September 2013 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Original Film
Dark Horse Entertainment

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 96 minutes


Budget: $130,000,000

Box Office Gross: $78,324,220 
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Wise-cracking Sheriff Roy 
Pulsifer is a veteran of the 
R.I.P.D. He has assigned 
Nick Walker a rising star 
detective killed in his prime. 
The unlikely partners 
uncover a plot that could 
end life as we know it and 
have to work together 
before the earth is overcome 
by angry souls unwilling to 
face justice.


Cast
Ryan Reynolds - Nick Walker
Jeff Bridges - Sheriff Roy Pulsifer
Kevin Bacon - Bobby Hayes
Mary-Louise Parker - Mildred Proctor
Stephanie Szostak - Julia Walker
James Hong - Grandpa 
Jerry Chang
Marisa Miller - Opal Pavlenko
Devin Ratray - Pulaski
Mike O'Malley - Elliott
Robert Knepper - Stanley Nawlicki
Larry Joe Campbell - Officer Muprhy
Piper Mackenzie Harris - Girl Scout
Mike Judge - Various Deado (Voice)
Toby Huss - Various Deado (Voice)
Jon Olson - Various Deado (Voice)

Crew
Director - Robert Schwentke
Based on Dark Horse Comic 
Book "R.I.P.D."/Executive 
Producer - Peter M. Lenkov
Story/Executive Producer - David Dobkin
Story/Screenplay - Phil Hay
and Matt Manfredi
Executive Producers - Keith Goldberg,
Peter M. Lenkov, Ori Marmur and
Jonathon Komack Martin
Producers - Neal H. Moritz,
Mike Richardson and Michael Fottrell
Casting Directors - Carolyn Pickman and 
Tricia Wood
Production Designer - Alec Hammond
Concept Designers - Andy Chung and
Jeff Julian
Supervising Art Director - Bruton Jones
Art Director - David Scott
Costume Designer - Susan Lyall
Director of Photography - Alwin Küchler
Second Unit Director - David R. Ellis
Stunt Coordinators - Corey Michael Eubanks,
Mike Gunther and Oakley Lehman
Creature Design Consultant - Mike Elizalde
Special Effects Supervisor - Mark Hawker
Visual Effects Supervisors - Jeffrey Stewart
and Mike Wassel
Visual Effects Supervisor: Rhythm & Hues -
Derek Spears
Visual Effects Supervisor: Image Engine -
Jesper Kjolsrud 
Animation Supervisors - Joseph Hoback, 
Alex Poei and Derek Tannehill
Animation Director - Keith Roberts
Animation Director: Image Engine - Lyndon Barrois
Digital Supervisor - John Gibson
Digtial Effects Supervisor: Image Engine -
Chris Harvey
Film Editor - Mark Helfrich
Music - Christophe Beck


Review
In 2013, everyone was rising up to see the new money-making hits like the sequel of 'Hunger Games', the overrated Disney feature 'Frozen' and many others. But what of the other movies that are buggered by the big giants at the box office? There are many people that consider 'After Earth', 'The Lone Ranger' and 'R.I.P.D.' to be this year's contenders, I choose the latter for its improper missteps. The movie is not bad nor too good, it was just below in average. I do believe that it does approach the similarities to 'Men in Black (MIB)', I don't see the valour that it supposedly contained in the film such as the good acting chemistry or the big rounds of vfx.

I was not convinced that Ryan Reynolds reached his potential in this big-budget lacklustre movie. At least, his performance was quite restrained in comparison to some of his previous work. Elderly co-star Jeff Bridges did a perfect but over-the-top cowboy impression for one of the main characters he portrays, needless to say it won't stop the movie from getting its fractures. More of the complaints I mope about this entire monster-mayhem is the monsters looking poorly visually-integrated and unrealistic in a way the artists are not rendering the designs properly. That convinced me to see the creatures needed some improvement.

Humour probably being one of the few strengths of 'R.I.P.D.', this however will not be enough to change my opinion of this 'MIB/Ghostbusters' wannabe. My recommendation to everyone is if you are eager for a comedic supernatural action flick, don't waste your time with this movie. Instead you may like to watch the first 'Men In Black' film.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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Monday, October 13, 2014

The Terminator Review













The Terminator


Release Date: 20th December 1984 - Australia


Production Companies
Hemdale Corporation
Pacific Western
Cinema '84 (copyright holder)
Euro Film Funding


Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M (Not Suitable for
Younger Children)

Runtime: 107 minutes


Budget: $6,400,000

Box Office Gross: $78,371,200 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
In the post-apocalyptic future, machines rule the planet and are determined to exterminate humanity. A robot assassin known as The Terminator is sent back in 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor, an unsuspecting woman whose unborn son
will lead the resistance and save the human race from extinction. Meanwhile, a human soldier named Kyle Reese has also travelled back in time to stop the machine from killing Sarah Connor. Will Sarah be able to defend herself from this indestructible android whose mission is to ensure that humanity does not win the war?


Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Terminator
Linda Hamilton - Sarah Connor
Michael Biehn - Kyle Reese
Lance Henriksen - Detective
Hal Vukovich
Paul Winfield - Lt. Ed Traxler
Rick Rossovich - Matt Buchanan
Bess Motta - Ginger Ventura
Earl Boen - Dr. Peter Silberman
Dick Miller - Pawn Shop Clerk (Cameo)
Shawn Schepps - Nancy
Franco Columbu - Future Terminator
Bill Paxton - Punk Leader
Brad Rearden - Punk
Brian Thompson - Punk
Marianne Muellerlelie - Wrong Sarah
William Wisher - Policeman (Cameo)

Crew
Writer/Director - James Cameron
Writer/Producer - Gale Anne Hurd
Additional Dialogue - William Wisher
Executive Producers - John Daly and
Derek Gibson
Casting Director - Stanzi Stokes
Art Director/Set Decorator - Maria Caso
Art Director - George Costello
Assistant Art Director - Shay Austin
Property Master - Tommy Estridge
Costume Designer - Hilary Wright
Makeup Department Head - Jeff Dawn
Hair Stylist - Peter Tothpal
Director of Photography - Adam Greenberg
Production Manager/Post-Production
Supervisor - Donna Smith
Additional First Assistant Director -
Thomas A. Irvine
Second Unit Director: Action -
Jean-Paul Ouellette
Second Unit Director: Effects/Special
Terminator Effects Creator - Stan Winston
Stunt Coordinator/Stunt Coordinator: Second
Unit/Stunt Double: Michael Biehn - Ken Fritz
Special Effects Coordinator/Graphic Animation
Effects/Title Designer - Ernest Farino
Special Effects Supervisor: Fantasy II Film
Effects - Gene Warren Jr.
Terminator Mechanical Effects -
Ellis Burman Jr. and Bob Williams
Terminator Special Effects - Jack Bricker,
Richard J. Landon, Shane Mahan,
David B. Miller, John Rosengrant,
Brian Wade and Tom Woodruff Jr.
Pyrotechnics and Fire Effects: Fantasy II
Film Effects - Joe Viskocil
Model Shop Supervisor: Fantasy II Film
Effects - Michael Joyce
Stop Motion Terminator Model: Fantasy II
Film Effects - Doug Beswick and Ted Rae
(Uncredited)
Matte Artist: Fantasy II Film Effects -
Ken Marschall
Cinematography: Process Photography -
Austin McKinney
Film Editor - Mark Goldblatt
Sound Supervisor/Supervising Sound Editor:
Audio Restoration and Re-Mixing - Tom Bellfort
Synthesized Sound Effects - Robert Garrett
Sound Design Consultant: Audio Restoration
and Re-Mixing - Gary Rydstrom
Re-Recording Mixers - David J. Hudson,
Mel Metcalfe and Terry A. Porter
Re-Recording Mixer: Audio Restoration
and Re-Mixing - Gary A. Rizzo
Music - Brad Fiedel


Review
One film I can confidently say only good things about is THE TERMINATOR. In saying this, I did prefer the second feature (click here) for several reasons. Because it had more depth with a bigger budget, and the title character changed from a cold-blooded killing machine into an anti-hero. THE TERMINATOR is one of those classic movies that makes the action genre look rough, tough and busy. It is the first breakthrough picture from future legendary director James Cameron, who, at the time, was a struggling visionary. After THE TERMINATOR, he made more film masterpieces of an unmatched scale. After all these years, the movie has withstood the test of time and hasn't lost the effect of its horror, thrills and action-based clichés like gun-blazing scenes and explosions.

Similarly, Arnie Schwarzenegger's performance didn't change from when he first took on the role of the killer android. The menacing tone and brutish posture are the exact two things that Schwarzenegger brought into the character. Along with Schwarzenegger, James Cameron made the right move by casting Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton. These two established actors proved themselves worthy of their status as movie stars. The VFX wizardry remains impressive even by today's standards (excluding the stop-motion technology used in the climax where the Terminator is chasing the lead heroes).

THE TERMINATOR serves James Cameron as his first big break in filmmaking. I strongly recommend this film to anyone new to the Terminator movies. No longer will you be waiting and wondering if I plan to review the rest of the Terminator series. I am happy to announce that I intend to continue writing my reviews for the whole collection for quite some time, so please stay posted.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

Monday, October 6, 2014

Shaun of the Dead Review












Shaun of the Dead


Release Date: 7th October 2004 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures (present)
StudioCanal (present)
Working Title Films (present)
WT2
Big Talk Productions (in
association with)
Inside Track 2 (produced in association with)
FilmFour (developed with the assistance of)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Horror/Comedy

Rating: MA15+ (Not Suitable
for Young Children)

Runtime: 95 minutes


Budget: $6,000,000

Box Office Gross: $38,686,535 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Life has never been easy for Shaun. He lives in a house with his best mate, Ed and spends his time in a local pub, but he doesn't like his stepdad and neglects his girlfriend, Liz. After Liz dumps him, Shaun finally decides to get his life back on track, but not before dealing with a zombie apocalypse. He sets out with Ed to rescue his mother, grudgingly his stepdad, his ex and more begrudgingly, her friends. And must get themselves safely to the most secure haven he knows is The Winchester.


Cast
Simon Pegg - Shaun
Nick Frost - Ed
Kate Ashfield - Liz
Dylan Moran - David
Lucy Davis - Dianne
Bill Nighy - Phillip
Penelope Wilton - Barbara
Jessica Hynes - Yvonne
Peter Serafinowicz - Pete
Rafe Spall - Noel
Sonnell Dadral - Danny
Martin Freeman - Declan (Cameo)
Reece Shearsmith - Mark
Tamsin Greig - Maggie
Steve Emerson - John
Phyllis MacMahon - Bernie
Arvind Doshi - Nelson
Julia Deakin - Yvonne's Mum
Matt Lucas - Cousin Tom
Mark Donovan - Hulking Zombie
Jeremy Thompson - Himself
Vernon Kay - Himself
Carol Barnes  - Himself
Rob Butler - Himself
Chris Martin - Himself/Zombie Outside
the Winchester (Cameo)
Jon Buckland - Himself (Cameo)
Edgar Wright - Rabid Monkey Newsreader/
Prat-falling Zombie/Italian Restaurant Voice
(Cameo) (Uncredited)
Rob Brydon - Football Commentator/"Zombies
from Hell" Presenter (Voice) (Cameo) (Uncredited)
Antonia Campbell Hughes - Zombie (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Joe Cornish - Zombie Shot by Soldiers (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Julia Davis - News Reporter (Voice) (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Mark Gatiss - Radio Presenter with 'Spaceship'
Theory/Wildlife Voiceover (Voice) (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Garth Jennings - 'Fun-Dead' Zombie (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Michael Smiley - Zombie (Cameo) (Uncredited)
Paul Putner - Zombie (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Director - Edgar Wright
Writer - Simon Pegg
Executive Producers - Tim Bevan,
Eric Fellner, Natascha Warton,
James Wilson and Alison Owen
Producer - Nira Park
Production Designer - Marcus Rowland
Art Director - Karen Wakefield
Costume Designer - Annie Hardinge
Supervising Armorer - Joss Skottowe
Hair & Makeup Designer - Jane Walker
Prosthetics Effects Designer - Stuart Conran
Director of Photography - David M. Dunlap
Camera Operator: Additional Photography -
John Palmer
First Assistant Director - Richard Hewitt
Stunt Coordinator - Jeff Hewitt-Davis
Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Dunn
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -
Jeremy Hattingh
Visual Effects Producers: Double Negative -
Alex Hope and Hal Couzens
Editor - Chris Dickens
Supervising Sound Editor - Julian Slater
Re-Recording Mixer - Nigel Heath
Foley Artists - Peter Burgis and
Andi Derrick
Original Score - Daniel Mudford and
Pete Woodhead
Music Supervisor - Nick Angel
Executive in Charge of Music: Universal
Pictures - Kathy Nelson


Review
There was a period when I was eager to watch a horror movie in which people undoubtedly wanted to see all of the aspects of the genre - brutal, horrifying and very gory. It was when I first saw SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I've seen a few thrillers, not horror movies, containing plots of slashers, ghouls, zombies and other horror themes (except for Alien). I decided to watch more horror-themed movies. For SHAUN, it's more a comedic satire than your average scary movie. The film mixes blood and gore with comedy and drama for the viewers but, at the same time, frightens them. It is the first film in which the director, Edgar Wright, and actors, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, have worked together. SHAUN gained recognition, and the three of them went on to make two more of their English comedies. Perhaps this film was known as the start of the Cornetto trilogy and has never been more frightful and hilarious, combining satirical and dry humour and writing with horrific themes.

I am still satisfied with the duo of Simon and Nick together. I have admired the chemistry of these two likeable characters and their comical friendship portrayed in later features like Hot Fuzz, Paul and The World's End. Bill Nighy takes the reins as one of the film's supporting leads. Later in his career, he rejoined the same creators in the following two films of the Cornetto trilogy in cameo roles. The song placement in the legendary fight scene entitled "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen compliments the soundtrack. The rock band Queen has been a powerful influence in modern-day cinema as some of their songs are used frequently in films such as Wayne's World.

I confessed I am now a fan of Hot Fuzz and SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I adore the film for parodying the classic zombie flicks. I must watch this feature again. It is not for those who are too young and may get traumatised by its scary content and even gore and cuss like Hot Fuzz.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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