Zombie Land

America shares a guilty pleasure for zombie movies. Some people view it as entertainment, others see it as a safety video for when the zombie apocalypse supposedly happens. Regardless, don't expect to see an empty theatre when a zombie movie is being shown. As was the case one of this summers bigger movie hits "Zombie Land." The film debuted at #1 at the box office in North America, with ticket sales of $24,733,155 on the opening weekend. By October of 2009 $75,590,286 domestically and $102,133,700 worldwide was made. The film grossed $60.8 million in 17 days, becoming the top-grossing zombie film in history.

The movie starts off focusing on a scrawny college student who named himself Columbus. All the characters in the movie name themselves based off where they are from. On his way back home, Columbus encounters another survivor, played by Woody Harrelson. Though they question each other, they travel together. When they stop at a grocery store, they meet two sisters who scam them into handing over their weapons and Tallahassee's car. The two men walk and soon find a truck loaded with weapons. Eventually the two groups cross paths again and decide to team up instead of fighting each other. By the end of the movie the disgruntled survivors become an elite zombie killing task force.

Zombie land exemplifies great cinematic camera work and a lot of classic one liners as one would expect from a zombie film. However, its best feature is the group of actors and actresses they were able to cast; which included Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin. Though the trio formed a dynamic group, the best actor in the film was Woody Harrelson. Harrelson plays a lone cowboy with an unexplainable love for twinkies, and the ability to demolish any amount of zombies in his path. Bill Murray was also casted for a but key role to the film.

When the groups decide to team up, they drive to hollywood and stay at famous actor Bill Murray's mansion, thinking he is dead and the residence is abandoned, safe, and zombie free. Tallahassee and Wichita, the older of the two sisters, find him disguised in zombie make up to protect himself from a zombie attack. Part of the reason for Zombie Lands popularity was because its the first Zombie movie that is also hilarious to hit the big screen.

If you want to watch a film that has bullets flying through out its viewing and be able to laugh when there aren't bullets being blasted, than Zombie Land is perfect. It is the number one selling Zombie movie ever made, so its very unlikely that zombie fans will be disappointed. Even if you aren't a zombie fanatic, the film is over a 90 minutes of old fashioned entertainment.

Evils Ways Demo

Evil Ways is a band that has been playing out of Rockford Illinois, since 2009. The group has yet to amount to any huge achievements as performers, though they have played a few shows at Chicago's local bars on the South Side. Evils Ways is looking for there break through into the music scene with their new self titled E.P.. It features four songs, including there more popular song “Watch Her Rise” The music has a bit of a grunge feel, like Sound Garden or Alice in Chains. They also represent the city of Chicago by throwing in bluesy guitar solos and lyrics. The band features Catherine Smith, lead singer, a popular local artist. Recently, they finished recording a demo in Lakeview Illinois at Rax Trax studio. The studio is run by Richard Barnes, who has worked with artist such as Smashing Pumpkins, Plain White Tees, Los Lonely Boys, Ice Cube, and much more. The studio also features top of the line gear that has produced platinum selling albums for nearly two decades now.

However, even with Barnes abilities, it is very unlikely that this band will ever amount to anything other than playing at bars in Chicago. The music is simply too typical. There are too many, wah pedal guitar solos. Not to mention, the members are all over 30, yet they sound like they are trying to be 16. Listeners will be able to guess how the song will sound as they are listening to it. The lyrical content is also an issue. “She's a phoenix, watch her rise. She's a tiger, she'll watch you die.” It may be hard for Smith to connect to her male audience because her lyrics are mostly about the struggles of being a women in a mans world.

If this CD is getting handed out for free, grab it. Evil ways is definitely a talented group. However, the lack of originality doesn't make it worth spending money on. If you like Alice in Chains or Sound garden, you may like this group; but you are probably better off just buying an Alice in Chains or Sound garden CD.

Carbon Tigers At Sub T

CARBON TIGERS AT SUB-T

When I go to a local show, I cross my fingers behind my back as I pay the person handing out tickets. Local shows tend to go one of two ways. One, every band was solid and it was a great night; or 2, the only good band was the headliner and you wasted 2 and half hours listening to some other crappy bands that you didn't pay to hear. Buy local show tickets at your own risk. However, when you do luck out and happen to end up at a good show, it should sound like how Carbon Tigers did at Subterranean on Feb 5^th of 2010.

I walked into the venue and members of the band were already on stage and ready to play. They all managed to dress fairly casual, but each member has a bit of personality to them, and collectively quite a bit of Tattoos. Don't let the ink scare you away though, because not only can the members of Carbon Tigers perform, but they are also incredible and experienced musicians.

Rather than building anticipation and waiting for more people to show up, they started jamming right on schedule. They let there music draw the crowd. When they first started playing there was a small gathering near the stage. It gave me enough time to grab a beer from the stand and come back before they started there second song. By the end of the second song when I finished my beer and wanted to get another one, the place was packed. I learned next time to stock up before these guys play because they will control your attention as long as they are plugged in and turned up.

Carbon Tigers is a five piece band. Though they formed in Chicago, all the members reside in states outside of Illinois. I feel this is key to there sound because they bring elements of east coast, west coast, and southern rock, and mix it all together with a chicago blues feel. I often hear people say they sound like As Tall As Lions or Minus The Bear. I can definitely hear the influences, however I feel they have found a way to take that sound and make it there own.

To me they sound like if As Tall As Lions and Pink Floyd collaborated on an album. You can find there songs on myspace. However, the two songs they have posted doesn't justify to how truly talented this band is. So keep a look out for new songs in the spring or summer of 2010. If you have ten dollars and want to see a great show, bring twenty and stock up on the booze because Carbon Tigers will keep you moving all night.

TimeOut Piece

Of all the reviewers in this article, Nathan Rabin was the most interesting. He has the ability to speak his mind and be critical with out being offensive. It is hard to get a point across to a reader when that person is offended by the way an article is worded. Rabin was able to catch the readers attention. The more important part was that he was able to sustain the readers attention. He was also able to bring up new sides to a argument or debate through out the interview. For example, "I think it has to do with an anti-intellectual bias that has long persisted in our culture. The idea that snooty eggheads don't know anything bout the movies that Joe Six-Pack doesn't." Rabin is able to not only show his opinion in this phrase but he also brings a new topic of reviewing to the table. Since Rabin is a writer for the onion, his opinion is going to be a bit more interesting because the onion is a newspaper based on producing articles and stories that aren't what one would typically find in a newspaper. This to me makes him a nuetral view in the review. Which also might make his opinion more credible to the reader.