Ruben Fleischer's film is a must-see for anyone who loves brain-eaters. In 2009, the director tackled a genre that was then more discreet on the small and big screen: the zombie film. It must be said that, since Romero's Night of the Living Dead, the creatures have been at the epicenter of many proposals flirting with the Z-movie... rather appropriately. On paper, Zombieland was supposed to be one of his productions, at best forgettable, at worst, deadly bad. For his first feature film, Fleischer managed to defy the odds. The film, starring Jesse Eisenberg, would end its run in theaters with $102 million at the global box office on a budget of barely $24 million. There's no doubt about it, the operation was a success and gave ideas to the film industry, which would try to replicate the miracle with a second installment ten years later.
Zombieland, which arrives on Netflix this May 1st, is one of the monuments of the genre in the 2000s and largely contributed to its return to grace. We can also attribute this new golden age of ghouls to The Walking Dead as much as to 28 Days Later. But not all productions of the genre are equal, from Warm Bodies to World War Z and even Army of the Dead, there is plenty to love and eat in this new golden age of the undead. But then, which series and films are really worth watching?
Shaun of the Dead — Edgar Wright
We're staying with offbeat comedy, but we're crossing the Atlantic to find a trio that represents all that British comedy does best. Edgar Wright called on his friends Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in the early 2000s for a delirious and deliciously trashy adventure alongside a loser propelled into the middle of the end of the world. The icing on the cake is that his girlfriend Liz has just left him. He therefore sets himself the mission of winning her back while avoiding having his brains eaten.
In both form and content, Shaun of the Dead is a little gem. From its very first moments, the film stands out for its visual inventiveness, its way of playing with the audience's expectations to better divert them. A parody that's not stupid at all, the proposition benefits from skillful writing of its dialogues as much as from the talent of its actors to deliver them. The pace is impeccable, the direction is not lacking in merit, and we quickly get caught up in this pastiche of the great classics of the genre. Shaun of the Dead takes its lack of seriousness very seriously, we love it.
Where to see Shaun of the Dead?The film is available in the Canal+ catalog at no extra cost. You can also watch it on Prime Video.
Cut! — Michel Hazanavicius
Michel Hazanavicius is a director who needs no introduction, in France, thanks to his work on OSS 117, but also on the other side of the Atlantic following the success of The Artist. However, not all of his productions have the same impact. This is the case with Cut!, an absurd comedy released in 2022 that had everything going for it. A reinterpretation of a Japanese horror film, it follows a film crew that has taken on the crazy challenge of making a zombie film entirely in single shots.
A true love letter to genre cinema as well as a clever mise en abyme, Cut! is a little gem of absurdity and horror that we never tire of watching. By constantly playing with the limits of reality, by questioning our relationship to works and their veracity, Cut! resonates with the viewer who, a priori, has no interest in the organizational problems of a B-movie shoot. If the film does not have the fame of its predecessors, in particular the adventures of Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, it is clear that it remains one of the most interesting recent offerings in the zombie category. We're going for Romain Duris and Berenice Bejo, we're staying because everyone seems to be having fun making movies within the movies.
Where to see Cut!? The film is available in the catalog on Prime Video at no extra cost.
All Of Us Are Dead — Sung-il Chun
It's the series everyone was talking about in 2022. After the success of Squid Game, Netflix's South Korean division tried its hand at genre series with the adaptation of a famous webtoon. Set in the depths of a high school, it depicts an unbearable game of cat and mouse. Don't be fooled by its teenage romance trappings, All Of Us Are Dead didn't do things by halves. The story follows a group of high school students who lock themselves in their school when a strange epidemic decimates their classmates.
With as much attention to its direction as its writing, All Of Us Are Dead is an addictive series in every way. The tension is constant, and the twists and turns are numerous. In the pure tradition of Korean dramas, the webtoon adaptation offers some epic moments, including one in a gymnasium. We'll keep the details to ourselves, but we can say that the production team has a lot going for it. Good news, a second season is planned.
Where to watch All Of Us Are Dead? The series is available via Netflix. The release date for season 2 has not yet been announced.
Bonus
- The Last of Us
- Last Train to Busan
- Night of the Living Dead
- The Dead Don't Die
- Kingdom
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