From the Film Vault
Program Notes: Zombieland (2009)
If the British Shaun of the Dead represents the zomcom as high-end satire of social mores, the American Zombieland is simply pure unadulterated fun.
Movie Quiz: Trash Talk
Movie sets can be back-stabbing battlegrounds. Here we have some savage put-downs of well-known motion picture personalities. Try to match the quote to the person who said it.
Program Notes: Scent of a Woman (1992)
In Martin Brest’s film, Scent of a Woman (1992), Pacino’s Frank Slade rants and rages and behaves badly at every opportunity. He’s bitter about being blind, probably alcoholic and makes life miserable for the long-suffering sister who takes care of him.
New on the DVD shelves: The Beaver (2011)
Adore him or abhor him, Mel Gibson is the reason to see Jody Foster’s The Beaver. As Walter Black, a toy company executive sliding into a paralyzing world of depression, Gibson registers a degree of mental anguish that is shocking.
Program Notes: Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead is one of the most successful examples of a horror subgenre known as the “zomcom” — short for zombie comedy.
