McBone Mini-Reviews; The McBone Week in Zombies

Survival of the Dead - I don't want to say his best days are behind him, but George Romero's long creative peak seems to be on a slow downward descent.  That said, I will see any Romero movie you put in front of me, and Survival of the Dead is a decided improvement over his previous ...of the Dead entry, the lackluster Diary of the Dead.  Two feuding families have philosphical differences on how to handle the zombie problem on the island they inhabit.  One patriarch is exiled to the mainland.  On his way back, he makes a few friends who are, conveniently, armed to the teeth.  Without giving away too much, the opposing parties meet, sparks fly and people get eaten.

I love how dependable Romero zombies are, like old friends who show up every few years (and want to eat your intestines).  Slow, lumbering, decaying and dumb, their strength is in numbers.  Oh, one of them will occasionally exhibit some rudimentary intelligence, but ultimately a Romero zombie exists to show us how depraved and despicable humans are as a race.  As long as people are assholes, Romero will have a job.  The Hatfields and McCoys theme of Survival may not be the most current, but it does hearken to some of the dipshit bickering seen daily on Capitol Hill.  Keep 'em coming, George.  Official McBone Rating: 3.0 McBones

Also seen

Resident Evil: Afterlife - Generally speaking, I prefer zombie movies in which people actually get eaten.  Unless some entrails are being pulled from a gaping abdomen, I usually come away disappointed.  Not this time!  Milla Jovovich is back as Alice (I hope I keep getting to say that for a long time), the ass kickingest zombie killer alive.  I'm not sure how to explain the plot, other than she and a handful of other survivors are holed up in a prison and trying to escape.  Did I mention the prison is under siege by...the living dead?  Oh, and Alice has lost the superpowers she had acquired as a guinea pig for the vile Umbrella Corporation, though you would never know it by the way she makes those dead folks deader. By now the continuity of this franchise is a wreck. More or less it feels like they're just doing whatever tickles their fancies. I don't care, just as long as they keep doing it and Milla is involved.  Ooh, and I almost forgot!  RE 4 is filmed in spectacular 3D.  Watch out you don't get splattered!  3.0 McBones

Seen for the umpteenth time

Spider-Man: Highly competent comic book movie with an annoying villain (Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin).  This series is a delight to watch if only for the luminous Rosemary Harris as Aunt May. 3.5 McBones

Spider-Man 2: Comic book movie nirvana with an awesome villain (Alfred Molina as Dr. Octopus). Sits atop the list of greatest comic adaptations ever. 4.5 McBones

nwb