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Zombieland: The Feel-Good Zombie Flick of the Year

TresSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:30:23 -0700

A Note From Buzz: With so many new movies this week, my friend Très was nice enough to apply her scary-movie expertise to review the box office's newest zombie flick.

In the United States of Zombieland, zombies outnumber people. A mad-cow tainted burger tipped the population in favor of the drooling, limping, and grunting set, and now zombies roam a crashed-car littered, empty-minimall-blighted zombiescape.

Columbus (Adventureland's Jesse Eisenberg), the virginal antihero of horror-comedy Zombieland, has learned to survive this zombie apocalypse by keeping a list of necessary survival skills. Rule #1? Cardio. If you don't want zombies gnawing on you like an hors d'oeuvre, you'd better be fast and limber. In addition, beware of bathrooms, practice the "double tap" (make sure your zombie's actually dead after you kill him), and don't be a hero. (Regarding this last rule - some rules were made to be broken.)

When Columbus meets up with Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a swaggering cowboy type with a penchant for tank-like cars, shotguns, and Twinkies, and the spitfire sister duo of Wichita (Emma Stone) and Arkansas (Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin), Zombieland takes off like a scary/fun amusement park ride. To find out what happens on this motley crew's wild road trip from hell, read more

There's something funny about zombies and the zombie genre, and in his first feature film, director Ruben Fleischer plays their comic possibilities to the hilt. Zombies don't have what you'd call well-rounded personalities; they're pretty predictable. They have bad attitudes, come out of nowhere, grunt, and see all nonzombies as food to feast on. They're the perfect foil (or straight men, even) to a cast of characters with more than enough personality to make up for the zombies' boorish one dimensionality.

Take nebbishy Columbus. The world changed for him, he tells us in an early voice-over, when a pretty neighbor he calls #406, asks to stay over because a crazed homeless man tries to bite her. Sadly, although she falls asleep on Columbus's shoulder, she wakes up as a rabid zombie and begins chasing him around his apartment, forcing him to repeatedly knock her over the head with a toilet lid. "The first time I let a girl in my life," deadpans Columbus, "and she tries to eat me."

This kind of witty dialogue abounds in Zombieland, and although fans of gore and violence against zombies will be more than satisfied (Tallahassee's scenes of zombie-killing, especially, have a Tarantinoesque choreography to them), it's really the mismatched goofball characters and how they bond and evolve, surprisingly, that hold the film together. A hilarious cameo from Bill Murray in the Beverly Hills sequence of Zombieland, also, is practically worth the price of admission.

Harrelson chews the scenery as Tallahassee, but as we find out, part of the reason he's hell-bent on killing zombies is because they took away his baby boy. As for the sisters, tough-girl Wichita just wants to take care of her little sister Arkansas (who, as a good shot, doesn't seem to need much help), but a beautiful girl has needs, too, and before long she develops feelings for Columbus. Will he or won't he finally be able to live out his nerd-boy fantasy of brushing the hair over a girl's ear?

You probably know the answer to that question, but just because Zombieland adheres to certain formulas doesn't mean that it doesn't revive them in witty ways. Although the zombie-killing gore fest may not be for everyone, Zombieland's amazing visuals, charming characters, and witty dialogue may leave a goofy grin on your face as you leave the theater.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg Cast in Facebook Movie

BuzzSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:30:07 -0700

Look for some new status updates: Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg have been cast in The Social Network as the founders of Facebook.

Eisenberg has taken the role of Mark Zuckerberg, after both Shia LaBeouf and Michael Cera were rumored for it (Geek totally called it, btw!) Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield will play the two other Facebook founders; Timberlake is taking on Sean Parker (also founder of Napster), and Garfield is playing Eduardo Saverin.

I think Eisenberg is an excellent choice to play Zuckerberg - he has the right resemblance and can play awkward authentically. Timberlake is kind of a surprise here, but the mix so far of inspired casting, Aaron Sorkin producing, and David Fincher directing is making this movie quite the interesting project.

Movie Preview: Zombieland

BuzzSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:30:26 -0700

As I mentioned when I came back from Comic-Con, I'm not really big on zombie movies, generally speaking, but after attending the panel there for Zombieland, I'm pretty much sold on this particular zombie movie. They screened the trailer, of course, as well as some funny clips from the movie, including a great scene with Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone as sisters that actually made me kind of sad - before it turned funny. It's really the cast that makes me want to see the film: Jesse Eisenberg is the dorky little guy who gets paired up with the crazy, Southern-drawlin' Woody Harrelson, and the two make for a very fun zombie-fighting team as Eisenberg's character uses the movie to run through the rules for surviving "zombieland."

Zombieland opens Oct. 2. To check out the trailer, read more.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Adventureland: Dead-End Jobs Never Looked So Fun

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:30:31 -0700

The director of Adventureland, Greg Mottola, is no stranger to the Summer comedy. His last film, the funny (and sometimes vulgar) Superbad, was a big hit with audiences and followed two high school buddies through one crazy night at the end of their senior year. Adventureland follows a recent college grad through one crazy Summer, so it's no surprise that the director's movies would be compared to each other.

However, now that I've seen the movie I take issue with the recent ads that go something like, "If you loved Superbad you'll really love this one!" I actually think this movie has more in common with the likes of American Graffiti in terms of capturing the cultural milieu of a generation, and maybe even Juno for the warm way it approaches post-adolescent angst.

Maybe my comparisons won't sell millions of tickets but I loved this movie, and I think that in addition to laughing a lot you'll likely leave the theater in a happy haze of nostalgia. To see why, read more.

Jesse Eisenberg plays James Brennan, a recent college graduate whose plans to travel abroad over the Summer before heading to grad school in New York fall through. Forced to move home to the 'burbs of Pittsburgh, James takes a job at a craptastic theme park where he befriends other young employees, like the cynical, Russian-lit enthusiast Joel (played wonderfully by Martin Starr) and a college student home for the Summer named Em (Kristen Stewart).

I enjoyed Eisenberg in The Squid and the Whale so it's interesting to see him in an even more grown-up role like this one. He and Michael Cera have a similar gawky cuteness to them, but where Cera's characters tend to mumble and clam up in the face of a socially nerve-racking situation, Eisenberg's James is quite verbal (he wants to be a writer) and is often guilty of the over-share. He's got eyes for Em and fills in Stewart's cool silences with a lot of cringe-worthy - but endearing - chatter about what he's trying to do with his life. It's charming to see him stumble his way through a romantic relationship with Em, and when it comes to his future he vacillates between over-confidence and sheer terror at the unknown. His journey is not only entertaining but totally relatable.

While it's not perfect, there's so much good stuff going on in this movie it's hard to fit it all into one little post. Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are predictably hilarious as the amusement park's managers (Hader is rocking an awesome mustache, too), as are a lot of the douchey park-goers. I like that Em isn't just the pretty, cool girl at the park, but comes with her own set of complicated family issues and relationships that give her depth and make her love story with James all the more compelling. Their chemistry together is another positive that can't be denied.

This coming-of-age story set in the '80s will probably make many folks feel nostalgic for their youths, but I think more than anything, the movie nails what it is to be on the brink of adulthood, working a dead-end job. I've worked my fair share of weird jobs in high school and in college (and post-college if I'm being honest), and the great thing about Adventureland is that it makes me remember the positive side of that time of life, before I had things even remotely figured out. It makes me recall how free and innocent it was, despite all the anxiety.

Photos courtesy of Miramax

Watch, Pass, TiVo or Rent: Adventureland

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:15:11 -0700

It seems like ads for this little teen comedy have been everywhere I turn these days, and I can't figure out what to think of it. The trailer I saw in the theaters made me laugh out loud, but the previews on TV lately have made it seem a little dumb and cheesy. What do you think?

Adventureland follows James (Jesse Eisenberg) during his first Summer after college graduation as he works at the amusement park Adventureland. There he meets the cute Em (Kristen Stewart) and deals with some quirky bosses and co-workers (including the folks who run the park, played by the hilarious Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig).

Is this an in-theater movie for you, or a rental? Maybe you'll just wait until it's randomly on TV someday, or skip it altogether?

Image courtesy of Miramax

A Tale of Two Ginsbergs: Franco and Eisenberg

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:30:02 -0700

Another Allen Ginsberg movie, you say? Why yes, in fact, in addition to the Ginsberg biopic Howl starring James Franco as the legendary poet (check out some new pics from the set here), now Jesse Eisenberg (of The Squid and the Whale and the upcoming Adventureland) will play Ginsberg in the feature film Kill Your Darlings.

In Howl, the focus is on the obscenity trial launched to censor Ginsberg's long poem "Howl." Kill Your Darlings is not solely about Ginsberg but will tell the story of "the murder that helped spawn the Beat Generation. . . . [Ben] Whishaw will play Lucien Carr, the Columbia U. undergrad who brought together Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac ([Chris] Evans), and William S. Burroughs."

I'll be curious to see how Eisenberg and Franco's portrayals of Ginsberg differ - or match up - in these simultaneous projects. After so much remake and "rebooting" movie news, I can't express how refreshing I find these projects about a real man who genuinely influenced American culture with his art. I say, bring on the Ginsbergs.

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Buzz News Roundup, 12/17

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:30:36 -0800

Jesse Eisenberg and Pushing Daisies' Anna Friel are set to star together in the romantic comedy The Wedding. - The Hollywood Reporter
Jessica Alba and Cloris Leachman are the newest guest stars for the post-Super Bowl episode of The Office. - TV Guide
Olivia Wilde has landed the female lead in Disney's Tron sequel. - Variety
Four Christmases director Seth Gordon will direct the comedy Mr. Romance. - ComingSoon
Taylor Swift bested Britney Spears in album sales this week. - Billboard
Lionsgate has acquired screen rights to Loving Frank, a historical novel about architect Frank Lloyd Wright. - Variety
Oprah's production company will produce films and documentaries exclusively for HBO starting in 2009. - New York Times
BBC America will air the Life on Mars sequel Ashes to Ashes starting in March. - Broadcasting and Cable
Jennifer Lopez will star in the movie Plan B as a single woman who becomes pregnant via artificial insemination only to meet Mr. Right. - E! Online
Rob Zombie will definitely write and direct the next Halloween movie. - ComingSoon

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Movie Preview: Adventureland

BuzzSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:30:23 -0800

From the director of Superbad comes another offbeat teen comedy, Adventureland. Kristen Stewart (who must be pretty stoked today at the insane success of her latest movie Twilight) stars alongside Jesse Eisenberg, both playing employees at the amusement park Adventureland. The story mainly follows Eisenberg's character and as far as I can tell, it's a comedy about the relationships that form at this kid's funny little first job out of college. Bill Hader seems like he might be a bit of a scene-stealer as the guy who runs Adventureland with his lady, played by Kristen Wiig.

Adventureland opens March 27, 2009. To watch the trailer, read more.

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Superbad Director Greg Mattola to Helm Another Teen Boy Comedy

BuzzSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:29:22 -0700

This is not Judd Apatow.
With the titles Superbad and Knocked Up being bandied about together as this summer's greatest comedies, it might be easy to confuse the folks behind the two projects. Judd Apatow directed Knocked Up, and was a producer on Superbad. Greg Mattola directed Superbad.

So what's next for Mattola?
Next up, Mattola will be directing another teenage boy comedy, titled Adventureland. Mattola wrote the script as well, and apparently he had just completed it when Apatow contacted him about directing Superbad. Jesse Eisenberg, who starred in The Squid and the Whale, will play the lead.

The story is as follows:

Story, set in the summer of 1987, concerns an uptight recent college grad who's forced to take a minimum-wage job at the local amusement park after realizing he can't afford his dream European tour. The experience helps him to loosen up a bit as he finds first love, forms new friendships and matures just in time to enter the real world in the fall.

Sounds like fun.
I'm loving these comedies set in the '80s, and I really enjoyed what Mattola did with Superbad. I gotta say, though, I hope there are some funny parts for girls as well as for the guys in this one.

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