Tag Archives: Jesse Eisenberg

Zombieland (Theaters)

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Zombieland is the best movie I’ve seen all year, hands down. This movie won’t appeal to everyone, especially those who are squeamish, but for anyone who can stomach some above average gore is definitely in for an exciting and hilarious time. It’s been a while since I watched a movie that combined such quality action and humor at such a relentless pace. As a comedy, it’s one of the funniest films of the year. As an action flick, its got enough explosions, headshots, and decapitations to rank up there with the best the genre has to offer. As the hybrid film that it is, it ranks somewhere on a scale all its own.

The story follows nervous phobic nerd Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), one of the few survivors of a world wide zombie outbreak. On his way to his hometown of Ohio, he runs into Tallahasse (played by an amazing Woody Harrelson), another survivor with a talent for bad-assery and zombie killing.  The odd couple meet up with sisters, Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little-Rock (Abigail Breslin).  They decide to head to an amusement park in Los Angeles that is rumored to be the last “zombie free” zone.  If it sounds simple, it’s because that is the best spoiler free summary I can give, the rest of the movie should be seen for yourself.  I will say that there is a cameo appearance that is one of the funniest scenes in any movie…ever.  

The cast is all around excellent. While previously I wasn’t a huge fan of the lead actor, Jesse Eisenberg, I think this is the film that has won me over. His portrayal of the neurotic and yet chickenly brave Columbus is great, capturing the vibe of the everyman while creating someone who is so unique at the same time. Emma Stone (who most people will recognize as the fat guy’s love interest in ‘Superbad’) is perfect as the tough survivalist Wichita, who must remain strong in order to protect her younger sister.  The younger sister is no slouch herself, as portrayed by Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin.  While most kid actors seem to get lost in the transition from kid to teen to adult, Breslin seems well suited to make the shift. Unlike Dakota Fanning, who still seems to be carrying the stigma of being a child actor, Breslin seems to have made the jump almost seamlessly. I was really impressed with her performance, as child turned tween actors often come across as irritating to me, but if this movie is any indication of her talent, she will have a long career ahead of her.

Finally, we have Woody Harrelson as Tallahasse. This is the role he has been born to play.  The character is very similar to his Mickey Knox character from Natural Born Killers, except that Tallahasse is one of the good guys. Imagine all of Knox’s merciless and unrelenting killing abilities being unleashed on horde’s of undead zombies. Harrellson is so undeniably bad ass in this movie that if there were an actual zombie apocalypse, I can’t really think of anyone else I’d rather be fighting alongside.   Factor in the fact that he has the best lines in the movie and you’ve got a character that people will be quoting and emulating for some time to come.  Simply put, Woody owns this movie.

When I said this movie was the best movie I’ve seen all year, I was serious. I love zombie movies. I love action. I love comedies. This movie combines all of these elements to perfection. The zombies maintain the chaos and intensity levels of the 28 days/weeks films. The comedy generates laughs on the levels of Apatow’s funniest flicks, and the action sequences are just plain brutal. Each scene is not only impeccably shot, but you can tell that a great deal of thought went into setting up how each sequence plays out.  The attention to detail in this film is just phenomenal. I’m sure not everyone will enjoy this movie as much as I did, but if you go see this I guarantee that you will be in for a non stop hilarious thrill ride that entertains from start to finish.

Adventureland (DVD)

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On the surface, Adventureland looks to have all the makings of another hilarious comedy. The cast members are all fairly well known for their other comedic films and this one looked to be no different. However, after the first 15 minutes of the film, one quickly begins to realize that although this movie does have some humorous elements, it has an even stronger focus on the drama that surrounds its characters.  In fact, the movie is more like a serious drama with a few funny parts, even though it has been advertised as a comedy.

The movie is about recent college grad James (Jesse Eisenberg) who is stuck working at local amusement park, Adventureland, after he finds out that he needs to pay his own way through grad school. While working there he gains real world exposure through his own experiences and through the lives of his coworkers, all of whom have their own unique life problems. Although the tone of the movie is serious, the story is something that most people can relate to. Everyone has had an experience at a crappy job which they knew they were too good for. The jobsite heartthrob that everyone lusted over, the clueless bosses who take their jobs way too seriously, and the one or two coworkers with whom you hit things off with and wound up forming a strong friendship.  All of these elements are present in this film and they are all situations that most people have been through and can identify with.

The cast of this film is pretty good for the most part. The weakest link is perhaps the main character played by Jesse Eisenberg. I’m not much of a fan of his, as I feel he exudes a “better than thou” type of geeky superiority in all of his roles. Maybe its just me, but I get the impression that he is rubbing his intelligence in my face the entire film. Then there is Kristin Stewart as Emily. She is given a lot more to do in this film than in her Twilight role, and she captures that smart girl next door vibe perfectly.  There is nothing hotter than a beautiful girl who can crack wise with the best of them.

The cast also features Ryan Reynolds as Mike, the local stud who has his pick of chicks working at the park, and also happens to be married. Reynolds is great in this role, as he is given a chance to tone down his sarcasm and dig into a more serious character. He is completely believable as a guy running off of the fumes of his former glory, portratying someone who is equal parts cool and pathetic.  Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig provide some pretty solid comic relief as the couple who runs the amusement park. While they aren’t in very many scenes, when they do appear they manage to steal the show with some much needed tension breaking hilarity.

While the overall film was nothing that I expected it to be, I found it quite enjoyable. Even though I couldn’t really connect with the main character, I was able to identify with his situation. Also, the movie takes place in 1987, so it just adds to the whole nostalgia vibe.  While it wasn’t the gut busting comedy I expected it to be, it was a pretty entertaining drama that was well worth the rental. Some may find the movie to be a bit slow and boring at times, but I felt it was pretty engaging throughout. It is definitely worth checking out if you’re wandering the video store trying to find something to watch.