Shaun of the Dead

Back in 2004, long before the zombie hype with The Walking Dead that we see today, Shaun of the Dead was released. This British zombie comedy film was written by Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World) and Simon Pegg (Spaced), starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Paul) and directed by Edgar Wright. It almost sounds like a home-made movie but it’s not. This "6-million-dollar-budget" film grossed about 30 million dollars and won a place in everyone’s heart who saw the movie.

If I had to make a resume to a friend of mine who haven’t seen the movie it would be something like this:

“Shaun is not having a good day, so he decides to turn his life around by getting his ex to take him back, right in the middle of the bursting of a zombie apocalypse... All he has to do is survive... And get his ex back… And her friends… And to save his mother and stepfather... And his friend Ed. And to have a pint at the Winchester. GO WATCH THE MOVIE NOW!”

This was the first film in the Cornetto Trilogy (2007’s Hot Fuzz and 2013’s The World’s End are the other two). Between them there are only few things in common that make them a trilogy and they are the Cornettos, the fences and the Wright/Frost/Pegg trio who write, direct and star on all of them, so it’s not a real trilogy.

The greatest thing about it is that if we look at it only as a comedy, it is great. If we look at it only as a zombie film, it is also great. This is the first great thing about it, it is very well written. Sure there are some minor plot holes that only those who are picky will find but there isn’t a single dull moment during the movie whether it is by how much we are laughing or how much we are feeling scared for the characters life. 

Ed (Nick Frost) on the left and Shaun (Simon Pegg) on the right.

 

The cast also helps to make it awesome. While watching the movie we recognize almost all of the actors in it. Nick Frost and Jessica Hynes were in Spaced, Tamsin Graig and Dylan Moran were in Black Books, Martin Freeman Lucy Davies were in the UK version of The Office, Penelope Wilton was on Downtown Abbey, Bill Nighy well…it’s Bill Nighy and many, many more. They really seem to be in character all the time. We really believe that they (well, most of them) are who they are pretending to be and that there really is a zombie outbreak.

One of the most distinct things in the movie is Wright’s style of directing. If we watch any other film or series that he has made we can clearly see that there is a personal touch in every single one of them. One of the most distinct traces are the references he uses to other movies and TV shows which can be seen the tittle of this movie, Shaun of the Dead is a direct reference to Romero’s Dead movies. I will definitely see Ant-Man and any other movie he directs next.

The pack trying to pretend they're zombies.

The movie was all shot in London and during the movie we see it change as the zombie outbreak spreads to be a total apocalyptic scenario. The empty streets and abandoned vehicles and buildings are amazing. There is little CGI used and that is a big plus for me because I think of characterization and animatronics to be an almost lost art. The movie industry is abusing on CGI when there should be a balance between what it’s really shot and what is added after. The blood looks real and the zombies are great. Sure there could be a little more gore because it is a zombie movie and all zombie movies have lots of gore, Romero set the standards to follow in everything that relates to zombies, but this is no ordinary zombie movie, it is also a comedy so I understand they had to be careful in what they could show to the audience at the theaters. 

The sound effects are almost perfect. They give the movie transitions a sense of action that makes them almost organic inside the movie’s flow. The music used in the background is also a plus. It gives us a cheering and light side during the comic scenes while being dark during the “horror” scenes which helps to create suspense and fear during those scenes. I really enjoyed the use of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now which symbolizes the way how Wright and Pegg managed to blend Comedy and Zombies in one package only.

Even though it only grossed 30 million dollars, the movie was critically acclaimed. Stephen King said it was “destined to be a cult classic”, Quentin Tarantino considered it as one of the 20 best movies since 1992 and George A. Romero was so impressed with Pegg and Frost that invited them to appear on 2005’s Land of the Living Dead which they did, as zombies.

To tell any more than this is to spoil all the fun I had when I saw it in 2007 when it was released in DVD at my country. This is a must watch movie, I recommend it to everyone.

Plot - 5/5
As I said, I think that the story grabs the viewer to his seat. It is pure entertainment.
 
Visual - 4/5
Maybe due to the budget there are few scenes that really use CGI and it worked for the best. The zombies and the blood looks incredibly real and the use of a desolated London as background was a delight to see.

Sound - 5/5
Awesome soundtrack and great use of sound effects during the transitions. The zombies sound like proper zombies.

Performances - 4/5
A great cast that delivers good performances. Due to the comical nature of the movie they would need to look as scared as silly and they were really good doing that.


I give Shaun of the Dead 18 brains out of twenty...hmm...braaaaaains!

Happy Halloween to everyone!

PS: Dressing as Shaun would be a great costume to wear tonight.

Pokemon Adventures

Today I talk about one adaptation, out of many, of one of the most popular games in the world. The manga is: Pokemon Adventures a.k.a. Pokemon Special.

Welcome to the world of Pokemon! I'm not Professor Oak, but I will try to introduce you to the world of Pokemon.

Yeah right, as if you didn't already know what I'm talking about.

The setting is a world where fantastic creatures called pokemon exist. Pokemon come in a myriad of colors and shapes, some people use them to battle others as pets. Pokemon also have types (like Fire, Water, Grass and a lot more) and each type has weaknesses and resistances. In the world of pokemon trainers go on a journey through the land and catch all pokémon, beat Gym Leaders, trainers specialized on one type of pokemon, and earn badges. Then they go challenge the Pokémon League and become champions. This is the base of every pokemon game in the main series. Yes, every each of them. And they're awesome.

I know you find them awesome since they came out! You can't fool the God of Procrastination!

Pokemon Adventures setting is the same, but the plot is very different from the one of the games. Each of the arcs cover a generation of games, and as such, it's still coming out as we speak. The main characters of the arcs are based on the game main character and also the rivals too, so I'll introduce the characters and plot for the first 2 arcs of the manga, covering the first generation. 

The Characters (I'll be using the original names, so there will be two names switched from the english version) :

Red - Red has been depicted many times in media, but they always come close to the same depiction. Red is a tallented trainer, a master in combat making Oak call him The Fighter, he is very straight forward, and believes in his pokemon with all his being. Eventually becomes the Kanto Pokemon League Champion, and defeats Team Rocket. His first pokémon was a Poliwag and Oak gives him a Bulbasaur. Do not associate with Ash from the anime. Never.

Green - Professor Oak's grandson. He's also a very tallented trainer, but unlike Red, he trusts power above everything. He has great skill in leveling pokemon, making Oak call him The Trainer. Eventually becomes more aknowledging of Red's ways of training, and joins him multiple times against the enemys that appear in the story. His first pokemon was a Charmander given by his grandfather.

Blue - Blue is depicted as a tricky girl, stealing Squirtle from Oak's lab in the beggining of the series. Uses a lot of tricks to get what she wants, but deep inside she is also kind hearted person like her companions Red and Green. Kidnapped from Pallet Town by a giant bird Pokemon, she searches it for some reason. Oak calls her The Evolver, as he has knack for evolving pokemon, despite in the begginng she doesn't evolve any of them so the enemies fall in a sense of security.

Yellow - A young trainer from Viridian Forest. She first appears in the story learning how to catch pokemon from Red, and later appears as the main character from the yellow arc. With the help of Pika, Red's Pikachu, she searches for the missing Red after a challenge he accepted from Bruno of the Elite Four. She has the strange ability of understanding Pokémon and is capable of healing them without any help, making Oak call her The Healer. Her first pokemon was a Ratatta that Red helped her to catch.

Professor Oak - The authority in pokémon studies. He is the one who gives the pokedexes to the main characters. In this manga he was a previous Pokemon League Champion.

Giovanni - Giovanni is the villain of the first arc. Like in the game he is the leader of Team Rocket and Viridian's Gym Leader. He tries to use them for profit. Takes a new page in life after being defeated by Red.

Lance - Lance is the main villain for the second arc. Lance has the same abilities of Yellow and tries to create an Utopia for pokemon, as he sees that they suffer at hands of humans.

Just by the description of the characters there are lot of differences from the game story. In the game the only evil identity is Team Rocket (and of course Giovanni), but in this manga they don't go that way. Even some Gym Leaders, that represent how a trainer must be in the games, in this plot turn to the wrong side, using their power and allying themselves with Team Rocket for their own gain, and some repent and aid the main characters. The elite 4 is also an evil identity in this story, trying to destroy humans to make a perfect world for pokemon to live in. The story is fast paced, never having a dull moment. The fights are made that the trainer is also in the middle of the battle, so his live is also at risk.

Red being tortured by an electabuzz. You don't see this in the anime. Red took it like a man. I don't want to talk about Ash.

Some pokemon get serious injury, an example is Koga's Arbok being decapitaded, Pika's appearing all hurt in the beggining of the Yellow arc, and some pokémon even die. There's also some weird moments when Ghastly manipulate pokemon corpses to fight.

Decapitated pokemon and corpsees. What?

Then at the end of the arc, it changes for the Gold and Silver arc, with new main characters and plot, with appearences from the previous main characters.

If you're a fan of the Pokemon world I strongly reccomend this to you. It's a nice take on the feeling of the games. It tries to keep it's target audience, kids, while trying to captivate a little more older audience. I personally liked it.

Art - 3/5 - It's not the best art in the world, but it suits the theme. The style of the pokémon is also a little bit different from the other media.

Plot - 3/5 - It's very similar to the games with some little twists, and is not something that will make you go wow, but it's still enjoyable.

Excitement - 4/5 - Once you start it's hard to stop, you take a liking to the way the characters have their own mindsets and how the fights are portrayed.

Characters - 3/5 - The characters are very stereotyped, and sometimes you feel that you have seen too much like them. You can still love them, but they're on an average level.

Pokemon Adventures reach Level 13/20.