Stake Land II (2016)

Didn’t impress me as much as the first one, but it didn’t necessarily let me down either.

Rating: C

I Sell The Dead (2008)

I fell victim, yet again, to a slick trailer. It wasn't a terrible film, but it wasn't anything special either. More like an elaborate stage play. Not really a horror movie, a zombie movie, dark comedy, or a mystery. It didn't know what it was, and in the end, you won't care.

Rating: D

Stake Land (2010)

You have already settled for an average zombie flick at best, and then some film you have never heard of comes along and proves above average exists. I’m genuinely surprised Stake Land has managed to stay below the radar, because it’s a really good movie. Human survivors face a zombie-vampire hybrid, where your brains are at risk after sunset. Additionally, there are unfriendly groups of humans waiting to prey on you. It’s a nice setup.

What Stake Land manages to do is tell a compelling story, deliver competent acting, and somehow stretch their budget to make the landscape look the way it’s supposed to after society has fallen. I never felt like I was watching a B movie, despite the group of unknown actors. Had they cast a couple mega stars in the lead roles, this would have been a huge hit.

The style resembles that of The Walking Dead series, with a bit of Zombieland’s social dynamic thrown in. I liked how they gave the audience glimpses of the outbreak through old newspapers or magazines lying around. Pacing was just right—dramatic elements mixed with plenty of zombie slaughter. Makes up for the hundred or so average zombie films I've had to sift through before finding this one.

Rating: B-

Animal Factory (2000)

Interesting prison movie that focused on the characters and left out the flash. Steve Buschemi directs his sophomore effort with style and feeling. Great performances by everyone involved. Especially fun to see Tom Arnold playing a hillbilly rapist convict. Creepy.

Rating: B-