Cockneys vs. Zombies (2012)

            To say that zombies have re-awakened and infested pop culture during the recent years would be an understatement. With series like The Walking Dead and films like Warm Bodies and World War Z, there's been no shortage of the nefarious horde in entertainment. Although this plethora has given zombie lovers plenty of fan service, it's consequentially made the popular horror subgenre over-saturated and stale. When I first heard of Cockneys vs. Zombies I was reluctant, merely passing it off as cookie-cutter effort meant to cash in on the current zombie craze. After actually watching it, however, I can say that the film caught me off guard.

            In a nutshell, Cockneys vs. Zombies centers around two brothers and their small band thieves as they attempt a robbery in order to save their grandfather's retirement home. Of course things rarely go as planned,  and the simple heist is complicated after two bumbling construction workers uncover a sealed crypt containing teething, infectious skeletons. Even with "Zombies" in the title, the main focus of the film is ultimately on family and sticking together as the two brothers eventually lead a rescue mission to save their grandfather, and the remaining denizens of the Bow Bells Care Home.

            Unlike many of the older films featuring the insatiable dead, Cockneys vs. Zombies abandons the straight horror approach and instead opts for a comedic tone. Although the film isn't breaking new ground by incorporating comedy into the mix, the humor itself is actually quite good and, best of all, not strictly zombie related. For instance, early on the grandfather tells the boys, "When I was fifteen, I lied about my age so I could sign up and fight the fuckin' Nazis," at which point the film cuts to a flashback of the grandfather cheerfully killing an entire room of German soldiers. Again, comedy and zombies have met before with films like Return of the Living Dead and Shaun of the Dead. Still, it's this brand of humor that helps to make Cockneys vs. Zombies enjoyable, as well as give the film some stance against its contemporaries.

            Despite how majority of the film follows the two brothers and their crew, the members of the retirement home are the more memorable and entertaining aspect of Cockneys vs. Zombies. The grandfather in particular stands out thanks to his profanity. Apart from keeping the film funny and interesting, the inclusion of the older characters also helps to insinuate in general how distant society has become in relation to our elderly. While the younger central cast isn't boring by any means, the film definitely could have stood out even more if the elderly characters were a greater focal point throughout.

            In general, Cockneys vs. Zombies doesn't set out to rejuvenate zombie films. Instead it presents a fun experience with a few creative and thoughtful ideas mixed in. While it probably won't go down as a classic or cause anyone to jump on the zombie-mania bandwagon, the film is still worth seeing, even if only to see the elderly wielding automatic weapons and yelling obscenities. 

Won Ton Baby! (2009)

                With a tagline like "Abort Your Conceptions," few individuals would likely argue Won Ton Baby! as being a tasteful film. Yet taste alone rarely guarantees a film's success as being entertaining or provocative, and regardless of public opinion, Won Ton Baby! manages to deliver on both fronts.

                Conceived by Director James Morgart and Scream Queen Suzi Lorraine, the film starts off in the 1970's when Elvis decides to visit Madame Won Ton's high-profile brothel. Fast-forward 30 or so years and Madame Won Ton's fatherless daughter, "Little Wing," begins to complain of internal pains. A quick trip to the doctor's office reveals that "Little Wing" was born with a twin brother whom she enveloped while in the womb. After an operation to remove the 30-year old fetus,  the Won Ton Baby emerges alive and kicking. From there on the film gestates into a slasher flick centering around the titular abomination.

                With intentionally bad accents, politically incorrect humor and cheesy effects, Won Ton Baby! is definitely a film that doesn't take itself too seriously. In the tradition of Herschell Gordon Lewis's  Blood Feast, Won Ton Baby! doesn't aim to for cinematic excellence or critical respect but rather to evoke an extreme response from the audience. One scene in particular, while not necessarily gory, will undoubtedly drop the jaws of all who watch it.

                Despite the shock and disgust approach of the film, Won Ton Baby! is not devoid of actual heart or meaning. By having Madame Won Ton's children without a father figure, the film delves into the topics of identity, race and ancestral pride. While these themes are undoubtedly eclipsed by the film's more graphic and immediate elements, it's nice to know the film's plot isn't merely a loose outline for its over-the-top moments.

                Every once in a while a film is released that strictly divides its viewers into "love-it" or "hate-it" responses. Won Ton Baby! is unquestionably such a film thanks to its low production values and outlandish gore. But, like any great piece of controversial art, the film has a chance to descend into cinematic history as a topic of discussion amongst those who have experienced it. Hopefully with enough exposure in the years to come, Morgart and Lorraine's Won Ton Baby! will join American Werewolf in London and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 on the cult classic pedestal. 

The Lords of Salem (2012)

            Although Rob Zombie is most recognized for his horror-inspired music, the rocker has occasionally dappled in bringing his creative touch to film. Apart from his animated feature The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Zombie's films have generally featured deranged sadists and psychopaths hell-bent on shedding blood. However, his latest effort The Lords of Salem breaks that trend and instead focuses on a more supernatural affair.

            Set in present day Massachusetts, Zombie's latest follows local radio DJ Heidi who, after receiving an untitled recording from 'The Lords,' begins experiencing bizarre hallucinations related to the town's dark past. It's an interesting premise, but it falls somewhat flat as there really isn't any great build-up to the film's unexpected finale. The premise also suffers from a lack of any interesting witch-related items such as the hand of glory. Still, it's great to see Zombie taking risks and stepping outside of the slasher sub-genre and into the occult.

            In regards to the acting, the cast does an adequate job of bringing believability to the story and dialogue. Meg Foster, Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, and Dee Wallace all do excellent as the town's resident witches. Sherri Moon Zombie carries the mantle of protagonist this time but, while it's cool see her in a more of a leading roll, she never really has anything interesting to say to do apart from her hallucinations. Opposite the female cast is Jeffery Daniel Phillips and Bruce Davison who play Heidi's fellow DJ and local historian respectively. Both actors do a good job in making their characters likable as well as genuine in their concern for Heidi's deteriorating mental health. In fact, I was more concerned for their well being than I was for Heidi's.

            Undoubtedly one of the greatest strengths of The Lords is its presentation. In general the film has a drained and dreary look with low soft light throughout, appropriate considering the dark mood and direction of the story. This look is complimented by the haunting soundtrack by the excellent John 5 and Griffin Boice. As for shots and coverage, the film is somewhat evocative of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining as they both feature wide shots of grandiose interiors as well as slow tracking shots down long, empty hallways. Yet, it is the bizarre imagery the flashback and hallucinatory dream sequences employed in the film that really makes The Lords stand out. Without spoiling anything, the images in the film are provocative to say the least.

            While the story for The Lords ultimately leaves something to be desired, the film still manages to excel thanks to some trippy and disturbing visuals that help to establish the film as being one of Zombie's most memorable cinematic pieces.

American Mary (2012)

            Jen and Sylvia Soska's American Mary is not horror movie, at least not in the traditional sense with a masked or supernatural killer stalking a group of disposable victims. Instead, American Mary is more of a very dark character study of someone pursuing their dreams while venturing off the beaten path. The film follows the titular Mary as she attempts medical school, only to be disillusioned by hefty bills and abusive teachers. Tempted by a high demand, lots of money and revenge, Mary dives head first into the underground world of body modification. However this is not the public space of piercings and tattoos that Mary enters, but rather the grittier and more bizarre backroom of implants and artistic mutilations. Although there are several squirm worthy moments throughout the film's 95 minute course, American Mary is still very much focused on its story. As good as the whole cast is, it's Katharine Isabelle that helps to carry along the film towards its finale. It's a shame that Isabelle hasn't played more central roles in her films as her compelling performance in American Mary brings a certain believability and sympathy to her downtrodden character. The only thing as visually stunning as Isabelle and her performance is the film's cinematography and production design, both of which compliment the story's dark progression and tone. 

            While the film may not quench anyone's thirst for elaborate death scenes or dread inducing suspense, American Mary is still one twisted drama worth watching.

Cloud Atlas (2012)

            Typically when someone cites a movie as being "the best movie [they] have ever seen" I get a little hesitant as, more often than not, the movie doesn't have the same mind-blowing effect on me upon viewing it. I myself can't ever recall walking away from a movie with quite an impression, that is until I saw Cloud Atlas.

            Based off the book of the same name, Cloud Atlas is a collaboration between the Wachowski siblings (The Matrix trilogy) and Tom Tykwer (Run, Lola Run). Trying to describe the overall plot is a bit tricky as the movie itself is essentially comprised up of six intertwined stories with each one taking place in a distinct time period of human history. Without delving too much into each individual plot, ultimately the entire film centers around love and reincarnation. Luckily the film never comes off as a cheesy depiction of love with romance held blatantly in the foreground. In fact, for the notion of love is integrated subtly into each story and is balanced by reoccurring themes of  change, good versus evil and corruption throughout. Although these themes may sound overwhelming and bring to mind an overall sense of seriousness, Cloud Atlas contains quite a bit humor, most of which takes place in the present-day segment of the film. In fact, the film also has its fair share of action and suspense which, in conjunction with the grand scope of the overarching storyline, helps to make Cloud Atlas an all-around adventure.

            In regards to acting, the film features a universally adept cast that that brings both believability and production value to the six featured scenarios. Generally when a film casts actors in multiple roles the effect is often comedic, but with Cloud Atlas the principle actually works and adds to the film's overall theme of reincarnation. It would been criminal to have each actor play the same role for each scenario, but fortunately the cast is well shuffled throughout the 172 minute runtime. 

            Having the title of a movie based off a song of the same name definitely warrants an excellent soundtrack, and Cloud Atlas delivers. The titular theme  song  as well as the rest of the supporting soundtrack  compliment the visual element of the film fantastically, both in terms of what happens on screen and in terms of the film's visuals.

            Speaking of the visuals, Cloud Atlas excels as a means of visual storytelling thanks to a thoughtful cinematography that captures all the right angles needed to effectively progress the plot as well as show off some eye candy. Those who were displeased with the heavy usage of CGI in the Wachowski's previous film Speed Racer can rest easy as Cloud Atlas is far more conservative in the special effects department, leaving the majority of the film to play out in physical space. This conservation not only makes sense within the context of each period-based scenario (the flashy cityscape of New Seoul shouldn't be used to depict 1930's London), but also makes the CGI used more memorable.

            But cinematography is only part of the film's storytelling success. Editing, the part of any movie that typically goes unnoticed by audiences, is as much of an importance to Cloud Atlas as any other aspect of the rest of the film. Despite the difference in periods, the film's six scenarios aren't arranged chronologically but rather alongside one another. Apart from keeping the film interesting, this means of storytelling aids in the overall flow of Cloud Atlas. Although jumping between each period can be a smidge jarring at first, the transitions become more natural as the film progresses.

            Like any form of art, film is a subjective medium with varying degrees of appeal for those who engage in its visual and auditory experience. Rarely is a film universally loved by critics and audiences alike. Cloud Atlas is no exception, and yet in the eyes of this reviewer the film stands as something of a masterpiece. Sure, the film has a runtime that exceeds the standard two-hour norm and the intertwined telling of its period-piece narratives will leave some viewers disoriented. Regardless, however, Cloud Atlas offers a well-executed cinematic experience that transcends the conventions of big-budget films while still managing to amaze with top notch production values. The Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer reached for the stars with Cloud Atlas, and ultimately they succeeded.