Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies (2014)

 

 

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime

Movie Name/Year: Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies (2014) 

Genre: Horror, Action, Comedy 

Length:  1h 31min 

Rating: Unrated 

Director: Cody Knotts 

Writer: Cody Knotts 

Actors: Roddy Piper, Jim Duggan, Matt Hardy, Reby Hardy, Shane Douglas, Adrienne Fischer, Taya Parker, Shannon M. Hart, Ashton Amherst, Michael Cichowicz, Matthew Rush, Thomas Rodman, Kurt Angle, Lienn Swearingen, Drew Ripepi, Camera Chatham Bartolotta, Cody Knotts, Dante Bartolotta, Andrew Clovis, Michael H. Richmond, Dana Winn Madar, Cody Michaels, Brandon Graver, Ryan Mitchell, Ryan Reign, Thomas Schreckengost, Marcus Mercante Staley, Chris Taylor, Sylvester 'Bear' Terkay, Richard John Walters, Frank Yuvan Jr., Randy Allen, Jennifer Blaze, Tom Bradley, Dirk Cunningham, Jason Scott Delzell, Ryan Edmonds, Scott A Miller, Rob Stanley, Joseph c Walker Jr., Mike Walker, Larry Whistler 

 

IMDb Blurb: Famous Wrestlers are pitted against hordes of undead when they unknowingly walk into a death trap. 

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I’ll be honest, I don’t think I even knew that Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies even existed prior to a month or so ago. It’s not entirely surprising, considering the movie is a little on the obscure side. Though, it was a little unexpected, considering how big a fan I’ve been of the late, great "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (Adventures of a Pizza Guy, Portal to Hell!!!, The Green Fairy) ever since I was little. My dad introduced me to ‘wrasslin’ in the 80s, and Piper was one of my all-time faves.  He used an accent, wore a kilt and a leather jacket, and played bagpipes. His character was so much fun and really put the entertainment factor into the Sports Entertainment production.

 

The quote "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum." Is something that has embedded itself into pop culture. I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard it repeated or paraphrased in various productions as well as just in general. It was a line by Piper’s character, Nada from They Live (1988). Whether someone knew Roddy Piper from wrestling or not, he left an indelible mark on us all through his love of entertainment.

 

 

It was a different quote that caught my attention regarding Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies. A good friend of Trust the Dice, who goes by BasementJer of The Basement Bookers blog, gave us this recommendation:

"Alright, peeps 'Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies'?  Cheesy, yes. Laughable, definitely. But hey, it's wrestlers vs zombies! What else do you need? Just mindless fun, piledrivers, and Shane Douglas being...well, Shane Douglas. This ain't Shakespeare but the late great Roddy Piper was damn good not bad considering his part was originally written for Mick Foley, worked out better in my opinion."

 

 

Honestly, I don’t think I can sum up this movie any better. Jer just distilled the essence of the experience watching Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies right there. It was absolutely nutty and just as corny as you would imagine. The film plays into all the stereotypes and wrestling tropes – from goofy and dim new talent to backstage infighting.  Power bombs, elbow drops, and wrestling tropes, oh my!

 

All told, there were some real gem moments of hilarity amidst the face-palming and eye-roll inducing ones. I think the setting of the decommissioned prison was also a brilliant touch, and am saddened that the castle-like structure has since been torn down rather than repurposed somehow.

  Though, I think I got the most from seeing Piper on the screen again – even if it was bittersweet, given his passing in 2015. 

 

 

He wasn’t the only well-known wrestler involved, however. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan (Legends of the Mid-South Wrestling, The Axeman of Henderson County, Midnight Massacre) and his trusty 2x4 made a valiant appearance, as well as “hardcore-wrestling legend” Matt Hardy (The 99, Impact Wrestling: No Surrender, AEW Dark: Elevation). Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle (Chasing Molly, Emergency: LA, The Epidemic) was even on board for this crazy escapade. I had a giggle when he unleashed one of his signature moves. Of course, as Jer mentioned, Shane Douglas (Hardcore Homecoming: November Reign, Ultimate Death Match 3, House of Hardcore 37) was continuing his well-known role as a heel.

 

Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies is a movie where the sole purpose of its existence is entertainment value. It’s not meant to be a super serious zombie horror. This is the very sort of film you get a bunch of friends together and turn the tropes into drinking games or just laugh over popcorn with.

 

Of course, it helps if you know something about wrestling to really get the references and the characters involved. I am not sure anyone unfamiliar with professional wrestling would get quite as much out of it. I still had a blast experiencing this movie, and am glad I gave it a shot.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 19%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score – None

IMDB Score – 3.2/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

 

Trust the Dice: Parental Advisory Rating – R

 

P.S. - If you'd like a little insight into how this movie came to be, I ran across an interesting article with an interview with the writer/director. You can find it here.

 

Movie Trailer:

John Wick (2014)

 

Streaming Service: Netflix 

Movie Name/Year: John Wick (2014) 

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller 

Length:  1h 41min 

Rating: R

Director: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch 

Writer: Derek Kolstad 

Actors: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki, Omer Barnea, Toby Leonard Moore, Daniel Bernhardt, Bridget Moynahan, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane, Bridget Regan, Lance Reddick, Keith Jardine, Tait Fletcher, Kazy Tauginas, Alexander Frekey, Thomas Sadoski, Randall Duk Kim, David Patrick Kelly, Clarke Peters, Kevin Nash, Vladislav Koulikov 

 

IMDb Blurb: An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters who killed his dog and stole his car. 

 

 

Selina’s Point of View: 

I think it’s finally time to talk about John Wick. 

 

I’m ashamed to say that when I put John Wick on my top 20 movies to look out for in October of 2014, I indicated that I thought it would be just another old guy in an action flick. I still put it in my #4 slot, but it was beat by some films that had no business beating it.

 

John Wick is anything but an ‘old guy in an action flick’ kind of film. It’s a masterpiece of world building, choreography, direction, and writing. It is one of the best action films, maybe even the best action series, of our generation. Every shot is filmed with intention. Every line carefully laid out for maximum effect. Every gunshot meaningful. Every nuance an opening to one more fact about a world that was built with care and intrigue. My love for John Wick knows no bounds. 

 

To keep this article from becoming a book, I’m going to stick to discussing my favorite aspect of John Wick: the writing. 

 

 

The most difficult aspect of writing is knowing what NOT to add. Whether it’s from editing things out, or just not writing them in to begin with, those unspoken lines need to be intentional. What not to say is almost more important than what the actors do say. Derek Kolstad (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Death Battle, John Wick: Chapter 4) is a master of this. There’s a whole scene where John Wick answers the phone and says absolutely nothing. It is exponentially more intimidating than anything he could have said out loud. From the moment he picks up the phone, to the moment he hangs up, his silence amps up the tension of the scene. Most writers would have added something. At least an initial “hello” or a subtle threat at the end, giving in to the expectations of what happens in a phone call. Instead, Kolstad opts to add silence as his dialogue and it is a genius move. 

 

On top of that, the world-building is second to none. You only get the slightest taste of the John Wick world in the first movie, but you can tell it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Continental, the coins, the rules… every subverted expectation. You get more of it in the sequels, but that’s why the series itself is so beloved. The writing expands the world and the characters expertly in each flick. No one out there is writing as well, or consistently, as Derek Kolstad. I will sing his praises every chance I get.

 

I want to be him when I grow up. 

 

Obviously, this was not my first time watching John Wick, it may not even be my tenth time watching. Never-the-less, I will never pass up a chance to see it, or its sequels. If you are an action fan and you haven’t given John Wick your attention, you need to re-evaluate your life. 

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I was a little shocked to realize that we hadn’t reviewed John Wick before. This is one of my favorite action franchises of all time.

 

Not only is the production star-studded, but everything is executed seemingly flawlessly. The story makes sense – even as crazy as it is. The stunt-work and fight choreography are out of this world. The cinematography is well done and captures some amazing visuals. The story is also very interesting – especially with all the lore regarding The High Table and The Continental, itself. Of course, you need to watch through all of the films in the franchise to see all of the layers that have been peeled back for each of those points of interest – but John Wick is an excellent start that gives just enough to whet your appetite for more. 

 

Forget The Matrix (1999) and its sequels - Keanu Reeves (Replicas, Toy Story 4, Bill & Ted Face the Music) was born to play this titular role. I think this character is just as iconic as Neo was. The films about technology run amok and simulations were just the early stages of Reeves dipping his feet into high quality action waters. The John Wick movies offer us a veteran in his prime executing 90% of his own stunts. Reeves is a badass, and also a phenomenal human being. 

 

 

Of course, there are other heavy hitters among this cast – and the list just grows with every subsequent installment of the story. For this first John Wick film, however, we have Ian McShane (Hellboy, American Gods, Kung Fu Panda 4) and the late Lance Reddick (Godzilla vs. Kong, Bosch, The Legend of Vox Machina) setting the tone for The Continental moving forward. Willem Dafoe’s (The Northman, Inside, Poor Things) character gives us a glimpse further into this world of contract killers and the fine line between adversary and ally. Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones, Jojo Rabbit, Nightwalkers) might be the source of John Wick’s ire in the film, but we can thank his character for making these stories possible through his bad decisions.  There are many more recognizable cast members, as well. I couldn’t’ fault any of the performances if I tried.

 

I loved every moment of this crazy roller-coaster ride…even when I was sad for the pain that Reeves’ character goes through on an emotional level. 

 

If you enjoy action movies and haven’t seen the John Wick movies yet, you’ll absolutely want to start with this first installment. I’m pretty sure you’ll want to keep going. I know I do. In the meantime, I’ll be over here crossing my fingers there will be a 5th installment.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 86% 

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 81%

Metascore – 68% 

Metacritic User Score – 8.1/10 

IMDB Score – 7.4/10 

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

 

Movie Trailer:

Slotherhouse (2023)

 

 

Streaming Service: Hulu

Movie Name/Year: Slotherhouse (2023)

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller

Length:  1h 33min

Rating: PG-13

Director: Matthew Goodhue

Writers: Bradley Fowler, Cady Lanigan

Actors: Lisa Ambalavanar, Sydney Craven, Andrew Horton, Bianca Beckles-Rose, Olivia Rouyre, Tiff Stevenson, Sutter Nolan, Milica Vrzic, Stefan Kapicic, Annamaria Serda, Grace Patterson, Kelly Lynn Reiter, Tiana Upcheva, Cady Lanigan, Fernando Duran, Djordje Misina, Jelena Kosara, Jomely Butsayamant, Anita Yoo

 

IMDb Blurb: Emily Young, a senior, wants to be elected as her sorority's president. She adopts a cute sloth, thinking it can become the new mascot and help her win, until a string of fatalities implicate the sloth as the main suspect in the murders.

 

 

Selina’s Point of View:

Slotherhouse is a bad horror movie that I’ve been looking forward to for a while.

 

It came out in August of last year, but we’ve been so busy with other films that this is the first we’ve gotten to it. I remember dying of laughter the first time I saw the trailer. I’m pretty sure it would have made my top 20 for that month, if not for strikes.

 

Right from the start, you know exactly what to expect from Slotherhouse. It opens onto a sloth puppet. It moves strangely, it’s creepy, but also kind of adorable. It’s a good kind of janky. Knowing that’s the big bad of the whole film sets you up for the hilarity to come. 

 

 

You have give the flick credit. Most of its contemporaries would go the easy CGI route. It’s not like anyone expects the visuals to be flawlessly crafted by the most brilliant coders in the world – not for a film like this. They could have gotten away with the same visuals you see in Asylum films. No one would have faulted them for it. Something about the use of practical effects made everything feel a bit more immersive. Maybe it’s just me, but I think they made a choice there that really helped the overall feel of the movie.

 

That ridiculous sloth puppet made the humor of Slotherhouse pop.

 

This is one of those ‘so bad it’s good’ movies that I could sit and watch with a bunch of friends, pizza and beer at the ready. It’s creative and fun. It’s everything I hoped it would be. 

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

Sometimes movie titles come along that just instantly make us roll our eyes and think “really?!” as we consider the absurdity. Slotherhouse was one of those movies for me. Who would have thought that a creepy crawly slow critter would make a killer murder-spree movie villain? Here’s the thing, if you go into movies like this with actual real-world logic and scientific facts in mind you’ll be sorely disappointed. This isn’t the movie for you.

 

Alternatively, if you see young college girls on the poster of a slasher film and immediately think this is going to be one of those movies full of nudity, sex, and ditzes making dumb decisions… this is not that movie, either. This is less Sorority Row (2009) and more Mean Girls (2004) with a deadly and unexpectedly insane twist.

 

 

Really, it’s best to throw all expectations out the window when you approach Slotherhouse and just go with the flow. Let yourself have the fun as intended. There are a couple good messages buried within this crazy flick involving sisterhood, commentary on social media addiction, and animal conservation – but that’s not why we’re really watching this. Let’s be honest. The immediate thought following “what the hell?” when seeing this poster or even just the movie title is usually “how?” and Slotherhouse is the perfect vehicle to take you on that gloriously absurd ride.

 

You might be getting the gist so far that I actually enjoyed this crazy creature feature, and you’d be right. It falls squarely into that sweet spot of the “so bad, it’s good” horror comedy.

 

I was talking to my screen with each new bonkers scene and laughing so hard my daughter was looking at me funny and decided to sit down and watch with me from the middle. In fact, I would recommend watching Slotherhouse with a group of friends and make a fun night of it. Laugh at all the implausible sloth-related shenanigans and just cut loose. Just turn off your brain and grab some popcorn. With the PG-13 rating and the lack of the usual splatter and gore of the typical slasher film, this one is even generally safe to include a younger crowd, as well.

 

I would actually, and will most likely, watch Slotherhouse again.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 61%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 75%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score – 4.8/10

IMDB Score – 4.7/10

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

 

P.S. - There is a mid credits scene, as well as animated images that call-back to the movie that play during the credits along with a theme-song for the killer sloth.

 

Movie Trailer: